The Handwork Gene

I have been trying to think where my handwork gene came from. Grammy knitted and her mother, Nana (Reta Rasmussen Beaman) made all her own clothes during the Great Depression--including her underwear. She also made fitted sheets long before they were available commercially. I remember seeing her mother, Ma (Martha Jensen Rasmussen) doing handwork, but I don't remember what she was making.

My other grandmother, Amy Slade Brown, made quilts--she cut the pieces with scissors and sewed them together by hand, as everyone did then--also her sister, Waitie (we called her Nantie). Grandma Amy also crocheted--she taught me how--and she also embroidered beautiful cut work. I wish I had a set of one of her pillow cases.

So, I guess the question is not where my handwork gene came from, but rather, what took me so long. Actually, I have been making things by hand for a long time--I sewed for my kids, made quilts when we lived in Utah (br-r-r-r-r), and crocheted an afghan one year (I had seen something I liked and thought I might be able to figure out how to make it--and I did.)

In retrospect, I see that I have always done this, but didn't have the freedom, time or patience to do it day after day. One thing I am really looking forward to is going to the International Quilt Show in Houston next month with my daughter and one of Bobby's cousins. My daughter Amy clearly got the handwork gene. I guess I always thought I just didn't get this trait, but only did handwork out of necessity. Since it seems to have been all over our family tree prior to me, I have to assume many of my progeny will inherit it, too. Probably many of Bob's too.

If you think you don't have it, you might be wrong. :)

A Real Milestone Quilt-top

I just finished a quilt top that was quite difficult to make. The patterns came from a group of quilts made in Baltimore a couple of hundred years ago--they're called "Baltimore Quilts." The particular ones I made were from a pattern book called "Baltimore Basics" and consist of 12 different designs. They're traditionally made of dark greens and reds--I used more vivid reds and greens as well as some golds and blues--it is my quilt, after all. The technique used is hand applique--and the particular applique I did mostly was "needle-turn." I learned how to make two different types of flowers as well as a few other methods of actually getting the patterns on the fabric. Initially I had planned to use 13 blocks so I used one pattern twice--putting cherries on one and flowers on the other, so they don't really look the same. I ended up using 12 blocks so I put my least favorite on a pillow. Now that I have the quilt top done and the "sandwich" completed, I'll quilt it. I'm not sure what I'll do with it yet. Here it is:

As you can see, the appliqued blocks are interspersed with a plain fabric block.

Patience

In April, I was in a quilt shop in Tulsa and saw a pattern that really caught my eye, and I wanted to make it. Well, the truth is that I wished I could make it, but was pretty sure I couldn't, because it was quite detailed and looked complicated. Along with seeing it, I also immediately knew who I would give it to, and I wanted to try, so I dived in. I spent the rest of the day picking out fabrics--you can see there are many different fabrics in it--and wondering about my audacity thinking I could pull this off. Here's the picture of it--completed--and I am happy to say that it turned out almost as good as I had hoped.

There are many appliques on this. Some of them were done by machine and some by hand. I can see on this quilt the early ones and those I did as I improved techniques. There are also MANY small pieces--quilt-making seems to be art of taking large pieces of fabric, cutting them up into really small pieces and then sewing them back together again. While I am making something for someone specifically, I think about that person constantly while I am working on it. It brings that person close to me in ways I had not expected. I have begun a new quilt that is made entirely of appliques. Rather, each block has a large applique on it. In the beginning, I had the same fears about this new one. Would I finish it? Could I finish it? Would I drive myself crazy trying to do all these appliques? Could I even do them in the first place? Well, I have six blocks completed, and I can see improvement in my technique with each block.

One of the things I am learning about myself is that I seem to be able to work endlessly on something that goes really slowly, and enjoy the work itself. I believe this is called patience, and I am as surprised as everyone else that I am developing it.

I have noticed the quiet inside my mind while I'm busy working on a piece. I'm not thinking about "hurry and finish this". When I make a mistake (often), I simply pick out the stitches and re-work the piece without frustration or anger. If I have re-stitched many times on a particular edge and it is starting to fray, I pick out the entire piece, recut it and start over--just trying to make it look as beautiful as I can--incredible, I know.

I am making new friends as I attend various quilt-making classes; I am learning many new things; I have joined the local quilters' guild; I have things to do and places to go on my calendar (I actually have a calendar). I can also look at a week ahead with nothing on the calendar and look forward to being at home.

Altogether, I would say this is a very fulfilling time in my life.

Four Generations

OK--Here we are!

Avery couldn't quite figure out why we were outside in the hot summer sun sitting down like we knew what we were doing!!

Visitors!

This has been a wonderful week! My daughter, granddaughter, two grandsons and GREAT granddaughter have been up from Texas (and she is truly GREAT). I just sit and look at whichever is in front of me at the time and wallow in wonderfulness.

Also, my granddaughter who lives close by has been staying here so she can play with her cousins.

I have just loved this week.

--oh, and that's some baby, I'll tell you.

Two

This is the second quilt I have made for Avery. I can't wait to see them in a few days!!

One

One--that's all you need if that one is the best, cutest, most wonderful and cherubic tiny angel EVER!!

One is how many great grandchildren I have. Yep, she's enough and terrific enough to be the only one. How I love her!

Work

Well, I worked for four days. I mean I WORKED for four days. I am still an occasional part-time person at a clinic near here, and they needed a person, and asked me to fill in. I am so over working!! I believe I have found my niche in life--finally--and it's being retired, sewing, baking breads, cooking, spending time with grandchildren, WHATEVER I WANT. However, on the other hand (and, of course, there's always another hand) my new interests involve the purchase of consumables. Now that means that we have a problem, Houston. Bobby's hobbies were really expensive to set up (ham radio), but largely, he gets on famously on what he already has purchased. Me, well, that's where the consumable part comes in. I buy, I use, I need more, I buy, I use, etc. You see the problem. So, the smallish allowances we "allow" ourselves, is great for Bobby, he can save up a few months and have a great sum, but I keep running out of "stuff" and need more. hmmm... So, the working thing will be wonderful in a week or so when the money hits my checking account! But not so much while I was doing it. I have a plan to substitute teach this coming school year to feed my many and varied addictions. bummer...

Tempus Fugit

Indeed! My little Scott would have been 40 today. Man I'm old...

T-shirt Quilt

Amy asked me to post this t-shirt quilt I made. I attended a class offered by our local quilt shop teaching how to make a t-shirt quilt. I was intrigued by the idea so went to the class.

Bobby wasn't too keen on the idea of cutting up his t-shirts so I just used mine and pieced a quilt to fit the twin- and full-sized mattresses upstairs in our "hotel".

When I got home and showed him what I had done, he liked it so well, he asked me to make it for our bed (which it did not fit--we sleep on a queen-sized bed).

At that point he was all for cutting up some of his t-shirts and doing it up right. So that's what I did, with the results above.

Alisa will recognize the sashing pieces from her quilt. Amy might recognize the bottom row of sashing from the lining of our quilt bags. The border and backing were purchased specifically for this quilt.

One interesting thing about this quilt is that instead of a batting, the instructions called for fusible fleece (who knew there was such a thing?), so that's what I used. It was very easy to use and required one less layer to manage, and I plan to use that method in the future.

I am looking forward to Amy and her boys being here in July--in fact I can hardly wait! We plan to take a class on the use of our new sergers, and hopefully some other terrific things we might think of.

That's all I know for now...