Family Christmas

Life …

Our family was finally all … all 18 of us … all together for an evening meal.

We invited Scott and Fred to join us.

“Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” with Gina at the piano.

“If only he wouldn’t cry when I hold him.”

These pecans will make good cinnamon rolls and party mix.

Rummikub is fast becoming a favorite game.

I miss the singing and guitar playing that Dustin created.

Amy and Ashton hang out with Dustin and Gina.

Now that Georgi is 4 she gets to go to Sunday School and has graduated from a child’s car seat to a booster seat.

During that cold snap not too long ago when our water pipes busted, there really was ice on the pond thick enough to hold a few small rocks, but nothing more.

… as a Quilter

While Gina was paging through one of my quilt magazines she found a small modern quilt that inspired her to try to make it. I quickly encouraged her to pick some fabric, cut off the amount she needed,  and find backing and batting, before her enthusiasm waned.

I decided that each of the children could pick something from our “stuff” instead of us buying Christmas gifts for each of them. Gina chose my quilt “Rice Paddies and Cranberry Bogs.” She thought she could use it in decorating their house.

Mountain Heritage Challenge – CELEBRATION

On my design wall …

I’m taking on another challenge to use specific fabric to make a quilt that depicts CELEBRATION. I decided to use a technique by Marilyn Doheney that I learned in a class that I took HERE.

First I sewed together strips of the challenge fabric to make a strata.

Then, using Marilyn’s ruler, I cut the strips into wedges.

I took those wedges and sewed some of them together making a ‘fan’ that I’m hoping will look like fireworks.

Another strata and more wedges produced more design possibilities.

And Amy’s cat Clyde just happened to walk by at the most opportune time!

Linking to
Patchwork Times “Design Wall Monday”
Anything Goes Monday's at Stitch by Stitch
A Round Tuit
Show and Tell Tuesday

Busted Water Pipe

Life …

With freezing temperatures this morning, 10 degrees for us, we had an outdoor faucet freeze and bust. I couldn’t get help fast enough. Water ran out from under the washer and dryer way too fast.

After the farm help turned the water off to the house they started finding a way to fix the faucet.

And then they came inside and cut a whole in the sheetrock down behind the dryer and fixed it.

Water had flooded under the carpet into my fabric closet. So I had to clean out and dry everything that got damp. Now I have a heater and fan blowing to get it all dry.

On the good side, I now have clean carpet and a clean floor under the washer and dryer!

Celtic Solstice Mystery Quilt

It’s been slow going for my Celtic Solstice quilt.

I rather like the way it is turning out.

Check out other "Design Walls" at Patchwork Times.
And I'm setting a goal at Fiber of All Sorts to start a quilt for an entry into the Mountain Quiltfest Challenge, "Celebration."

Paul Graber Family and Celtic Solstice

Life …

Our family gathered after Christmas to have a day together.

… as a Quilter

I’m still working on my Celtic Solstice mystery quilt which has now been revealed. I haven’t made the 4-patch units yet because in changing my colors they would be dark purple and lavender and I wasn’t sure how that would fit into the quilt. Well, now I know and I think they will look fine!

However, I need to put this project on hold and get a class ready for our Possum Town Quilters on how to make a quilt from a picture.