Hi Friend,
Well, if you happen to be in the Salem, Oregon area today, you will see that we are in the midst of a rare (for February) string of beautifully clear days.
WOWZA!!
Like I wrote earlier on Facebook:
'God, You TOTALLY ROCK!'
Anyway, i happily declined to watch the Superbowl-and MADONNA?!!
REALLY?!
-no faves here;
instead I opted for a quilting weekend. Haven't had a chance to do that in forever! What a lot of fun! Added in a couple mornings 'sleeping in' til
7am
(anyone who really knows me won't believe that! Used to be 'sleeping in' was 10:30 or 11am--but now during the week, my regular wake up is 5:30 am now, so I guess 7am IS sleeping in! haha)
If you've read my blog here for awhile, you know that my kids have two Labs, Kona and Tucker. Well, now there will be a quilt with Labs on in at the Kennedy household!
check out this cute pattern from 'Cabbage Rose,' called, 'Max.'
I did start out with similar colors, but of course, ventured out a bit. Originally, I had planned to make a totally different pattern, and I'd purchased fabrics for that one...but when I showed Caitlin and Evan, the Max pattern got their vote instead. Needing a few more fabrics, I mixed in some of my own fabrics as well.
 |
| (the piecing of the square-in-a-square blocks) |
One fat quarter looked like concentric rings in a mud puddle; another piece had water droplets (Labs LOVE both of those!)...One chunk had roses, one looked like tropical flowers (the kids DID honeymoon in Hawaii!)
 |
| (a few of the chosen!) |
And--my companion this weekend? None other than 'Maggie'! Usually, she's all over the place, and this time was no exception--
Have you ever seen a cat who FETCHES?!!
Maggie does!
Her favorite thing to 'go for' are the ponytail elastics in bright colors. One day, I moved the couch for 'dust bunnies' running by, and found 11 'scrunchies' UNDER THE COUCH!!
I can shoot them like rubber bands across the room, and she dives and slides over the hardwood floor (kitty surfing!), grabs them in her mouth and brings them over; jumps up, drops it in my lap, and is ready to go again.
(hours of fun!)
Saturday, Maggie realized the wisdom of having her own blankie in the window: she could watch all the neighborhood comings and goings. As the window was open to the sunshine, she could hear motorcycles, lawnmowers, cars, trucks, people walking by. . .
lots of action!
(she's still small enough to curl up and fit on the sill, too!)
This could be a new favorite hide-out...
I also this week started a quilt for me, which I saw in a 'Possibilities' book from 2005! The book is 'Pineapple Quilts,' by Lynda Milligan and Nancy Smith. Here is the shot of the quilt, right from the book:
This quilt was also on the front cover. I knew I had to make this exact quilt! It's been on my 'Bucket List' of Quilting for those 7 years.
7 years ago I bought the book,
6 years ago, I bought the corresponding ruler, 'which you NEED to HAVE!'
for two years I thought about it,
3 years ago, I cut all the printed pieces from my scraps, and bagged them in ziplocs, so 'I'd be ready.'
I looked at the Pineapple Ruler, and the directions. didn't understand ANY OF IT!
Thought some more.
Then, one Tuesday night at Greenbaum's, I happened to be working with Sally, who made the Pineapple Quilt sample for the shop when the book/ruler came out. Sally had an upcoming class, told me she'd teach me, and so!!
The Pineapple Quilt BEGINS!!
don't expect this to fly together overnight! 7 years in the making...
"Mother, Let's Not Rush Things!"
