Still Waiting for Spring

While in Carson City, Nevada a couple of weeks ago, I caught a glimpse of Spring:

I drove home from Tahoe in a mild snowstorm and we've had snow almost every day since then. I'm ready for the snow to stop, and all the buds to come to full bloom.

Bring on the green!

I Swore I Wouldn't Do It, But Here I Go...

I used to do a lot of handwork. An earlier post (click here) shows my first quilt, the Cathedral Window quilt, all done by hand. I've done lots and lots of embroidery - ever since I was a little girl. I can crochet, but not knit, and for a long time I did counted cross-stitch. It used to be relaxing. 

Then it became stressful. I used to do a lot of that stuff while watching TV. Now it seems like by the time I have any chance to watch television, I am just too tired to pick up any handwork. In fact, it's the last thing I want to do.

Life keeps changing and here I am in a new stage. I am now the one taking my parents to all of their appointments. When I go by myself I sit and read in an office while I wait. That doesn't really work when I'm with my parents. We talk. But I started feeling like I was going crazy just sitting so much. So I've decided to make a Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt. All by hand. I'll work on it while I'm waiting with my parents. Then I can do something and chat at the same time.

I've gathered my tools, and they all fit into a small make-up bag that I can stick in my purse. I have pins, needles, scissors, a thimble, paper hexagons, and fabric scraps. Here's a glimpse of some of what goes in my little bag:

Here's a better shot at my new red thimble (thank you Marsha). Yes, red. Now, who can resist that? I may even learn to use it. Because of course, it's red.

I've basted some of the pieces, which are shown here just laid out where they will go in the flower. When I get a flower done, I'll post it. It might not be for several months. We'll see how this progresses.

Yesterday I waited at the hospital while my dad had knee surgery. I did some paperwork I needed to get done, then started basting hexagons. I finished basting nine of them. (There are 18 hexagons per flower: one yellow center, six of a solid color in the next row, and 12 of a print fabric in the last row.) It was pretty fun!

Added later: FYI - 1+6+12=19, not 18. My children stole all of my math brains for themselves.

A Lesson in Secrets by Jacqueline Winspear

Maisie Dobbs novel #8

I was happy to hear there was a new Maisie Dobbs book. The last book wrapped up like it was closing the story. This one at the end felt like it left the door open for more. I sure hope there is more to come.

I liked this one just as much or more than the previous books. If you haven't read them, dive in! Start with the first one and cruise you way through to this one.

Last week at my quilt retreat there were no televisions. So when I was done quilting for the evening (usually around 9:00 p.m.) I could snuggle into bed with my books and read with no distractions.  It was a great side benefit of the retreat.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

I read this book for one of my book groups. I never would have picked it up on my own - but I found it interesting.

This is an account of cells taken from Henrietta Lacks, a woman who died at about age 31, in 1951 or so (I can't remember exactly). Henrietta had cervical cancer, which cancer then grew and spread throughout her body very rapidly, and she died in just a few months. Her cells were harvested, then used in experiments trying to reproduce cells. Her cells, known throughout the world even today as HeLa cells, took off and grew like no other cells before hers. They have been sold and used for experiments over the last 60 years.

No one in her family ever received a dime for the use of her cells. The author became interested in the cells, which led her to finding out about Henrietta, and Henrietta's children and grandchildren. This book also tells us about them. Skloot has done a good job of making the science of it all readable.

It wasn't a compelling read for me. I was ready for it to be finished about two-thirds of the way through, but as I said before, it was interesting.

Quiltmaker to the Queen

I just got back from a wonderful week in Lake Tahoe. Trish and I joined my sister-in-law Elna and her friend Caroline, and 16 other women at a quilt retreat. We were taught by the Quiltmaker to the Queen, Jill Schumacher. She is indeed the queen of whole cloth quilts, and free motion quilting. Jill does all her prize-winning quilting on a regular sewing machine - not a long arm. She's won many awards for her stunning quilts. 

It was a wonderful week under her tutelage, getting a start on some new, more advanced quilting techniques.

Here are several glimpses of our week:

Just some of my stuff, ready to be loaded in the car.

The back of the car. This is only my stuff and Trish's stuff.

 We drove as far as Carson City on Saturday, and spent the night there. The next day we had some time to kill, so we did a little sight seeing. We walked around the grounds of the capitol building (very nice), then drove down to Mormon Station. Brigham Young sent a group to settle there back in 1851. It is considered by some to be the first settlement in that area.

Trish

Diane

Beautiful Lake Tahoe. My camera did not do it justice.

 We brought our own sewing chairs. Those who did not ended up stacking chairs to be high enough to quilt. No thanks to having to sew like that eight to ten hours a day for a week!

Our sewing area. The windows overlook the lake.

Where we lived for the week. 

Elna

Trish

Caroline

Diane

Diane, Elna, Caroline, Trish

Diane

Trish

Caroline

Elna

My first attempt.

My second attempt

Close-up of some of the stitching

All in all it was a great week. We sewed from early morning, long into the night. Well, to about 9:30 or 10:00, which felt like long into the night. I started another project which is not yet done. Pictures on that later.

Now back to reality. Sigh.

Pipe Chimes Reveal

It seems like most of the projects I've worked on lately have had a deadline. This was one of the biggest. 

Several years ago we went to a Christmas party and a friend of mine who is a music teacher brought out a set of pipe chimes. Everyone got a chime, and we proceeded to play Christmas songs together. It was a blast. I knew it would be the perfect Linford gift, so I asked her for the directions on making the chimes.

Fast forward to about a week before last Christmas. I casually mentioned to Ray that someday I'd like to make those chimes for our family. What that really meant was that someday I'd like Ray to make those chimes for our family. Much to my surprise, he jumped all over it. I got out the plans, and he was off like a shot to Home Depot to buy the pipes.

Like many of our projects, this one expanded ridiculously. What started out as a gift to our four children grew to include all of Ray's siblings and his parents. That's eight additional sets. Plus us. Plus one for Trish. Yes, that's 14 sets we gave away. 

Two were complete by Christmas. The rest were finished two weeks ago when I had my annual Sisters Weekend with my Linford sisters-in-law. Ray worked like a dog to get them done, and they are exact, let me tell you. I made the covers and painted the numbers on the pipes. Together we put the strings in, tied the knots, and packed the covers. We were up very late for a few nights to get them done. (Think now in your mind of the song I Work Best Under Pressure from You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.)

I ended up with about 15 or 20 Christmas songs, a few patriotic songs, and some fun general favorite songs for children. They can be used at all sorts of occasions. 

We'll have a grand old time.

Full shot of the pipe chimes

What they look like individually. The bolt on the left is used to strike the chime.

Here they are, all wrapped up and tied in a bow.

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Hobbit is one of Ray's favorite books. Consequently, I read it several years ago. I thought it would be great if I knew about one of the books he liked best, and we could discuss it.

I didn't really like it, and we never discussed it.

I just finished it again, for book group. I liked it better, but still wasn't enamored with it. However, it kept me more engaged than some of the other books I've read recently.

I mentioned to Ray that I was reading The Hobbit. His face lit up, and he said, "Don't you just love it?" Then he proceeded to talk about it, and how when you read the book and are absorbed in the story, you think you wouldn't be surprised to see a hobbit, or dwarf, or elf, etc. walking around in this world.

Hmmm, I don't think so.

Bogged

I haven't blogged much lately, because I've been bogged down. Nothing drastic, just time getting away from me faster than I believed possible. Family and church responsibilities have me hitting the ground running in the morning, and falling into bed at night.

Hopefully I'll get caught up with posting some projects and some thoughts soon. At least I've been getting books on. Although I haven't had as much time to read lately either.

This is what can happen when you wonder (foolishly) to yourself: "What do I really do all day long??" Then stuff starts flying at you faster than  you can believe. So take my word for it, and be satisfied with some leisurely time when you happen to get it.