Thanksgiving

I am thankful for my family - my dear husband, my three sons, two daughters-in-law and, it goes without saying, my two granddaughters, Meghan (3) and Ashley (6 weeks) ~

...and my mom, three sisters and their families and my husband's family, most of whom are in cold, snowy Northern Wisconsin.

Our Thanksgiving dinner will be Sunday because the girls' (above) daddy, is a firefighter, and is on duty today.    That's not to say he won't be eating turkey.   The "station" is treated to all the trimmings on holidays.

We, on the other hand, have been invited by dear friends to spend the day with them. 
The guys will watch the Pats game and we "girls" will cook and stitch.
I will take a crab dip appetizer and NY Barb T's German apple pie.  Must get crackin'  

To all my quilty friends and family - Happy Happy Thanksgiving ~

And Sew On...

~ Jeanne

PS - if you're in the area, The Quilted Crow is having their Holiday Open House tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday.   Get away from the mall and see you there.



Grandma taught me...

Everyone has someone, who is/was their favorite and has influenced their life.
  
Mine is my maternal grandmother, Emily Edith Davies Knudsen.   
She was a beautiful, loving, kind, talented, strong, extraordinary woman.
   
My memories of her conjur up the scent of tea and cinnamon toast to warm me after skating on a cold winter day, cookies and milk at my bedside (just in case I might get hungry in the night), handknit mittens and a dollar bill tied in a bow with the crochet string, Friday nights watching Perry Mason, the projects she taught my Girl Scout troop, roast chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy, the little wooden apples with carved tea set inside, shrimp salad and ice tea parties on the screen porch, picking ripe plums from the trees in her back yard, all the handiwork techniques she taught me and my sisters...   I could go on and on and on.
    
My time with Grandma was the very best ever.   A true lady.   She passed away 40 years ago and I miss her every day.

When I saw Jo Morton's "Sisters" quilt and, especially, how one of the "Stitchers"  used an old photo of a relative, I knew I would make this quilt with Grandma's photo.
It's now finished (except for the label) and I just HAD to share it with you.   

The photo is one of three, circa 1916, taken just before Grandma and Grampa were married.    They, actually, eloped on New Year's Eve, so I'm not really sure what year they were married.    And they kept their marriage a secret, because she was a teacher and back then teachers could not be married.   She needed to keep her job, as Grampa was headed to France - he was a train man, actually, a brakeman, and was invaluable on the WW1 troop trains.

     

The little quilt, aptly named "Grandma" is sitting, proudly, on Grampa Knudsen's writing desk in front of Grandma's acrylic chalk drawing of tiger lilys...     The quilt stand is made of wrought iron and the little quilt fits it perfectly. 

And sew on...

Jeanne

   

Tootin' My Own Horn

This past week was A Quilters' Gathering 22nd show in Nashua, NH and two of my quilts were juried in !   Yes, I'm just a little proud.     Here are photos of the hanging quilts:


This is "Star Promise."    At first sight, these fabrics took my breath away.  Of course I had to purchase the whole line in a fat quarter tower to tuck away in my fabric resource center.   Then... when choosing fabrics for Deb Tucker's "Shadow Stars" workshop, sponsored by my guild, these were my first choice.   Birds, holy & berries, oak leaves and acorns create the image of both Fall and Winter, when shadows lengthen; but the softer color tones promise return of the longer, warmer, sunny days of Spring and Summer.   Thus, the name "Star Promise."     My friend, Melissa Heys, of The Completed Quilt, quilted this piece on her long-arm machine.



This smaller quilt is inspired by Jo Morton's, "Holiday Inn" pattern, which she named for a favorite movie.   Jo coaches us, when using her patterns, to make the quilt our own.  This I did, using Jo's fabrics exclusively, on the top, and adjusting a couple borders to suit my "Type A" personality.  I call it "Parker House" in honor of a memorable one-night stay at the famous Boston hotel of the same name, where everything was perfect.    Again, Melissa Heys long-arm quilted this piece.

No ribbons, but I did get some very positive comments and feedback from viewers.

The variety of quilts exhibited was amazing and the special "Amish Quilts - Amish Culture" exhibit of quilts and memorabilia from the Collection of Dorothy Bosselman was exquisite.

Of course, I enjoyed browsing and purchasing in the vendor malls...   not that I don't have enough projects, patterns, books, tools, fabric right here in my "resource center"  !!!

And Sew On...

Jeanne