The Baby Crawls!

OH, BABY!

Kristin is going to be a Mommy!
Which means Becky is going to be a Gramma!
Which means Cindy is going to be a Great Aunt!
Which means Olivia is going to be an "Auntie!"
Which means Nancy and Evelyn are going to be Great Grandmas!  

Needless to say, we are all extremely delighted!

Baby Miller is expected to be here at the end of June.  Being the kind of women who never waste a single minute, we went straight to sewing together at Kristin and Nick's with 4 sewing machines on the afternoon of New Years' Eve and made the first baby quilt for our precious one.  

RED QUILT

Like many of you, our Christmas decorations, which have been gathered over 30 years, are mostly red and cream.  It only seemed logical to have a red and cream quilt to hang in our living room behind the Christmas tree, don't you think?!  So, one late November weekend, I went into my sewing room, sat cross-legged on the floor looking through books until I found the perfect pattern.  Then I gathered prints from my stash, matched them to a few more at the quilt shop and made one.  My favorite part is the candy-cane-stripe border.  The tree is down now, but can I leave the quilt up until Valentine's Day?

Becky

A Christmas Gift

You know those times in your life when you meet someone simply through their association with someone else that you know?  You are introduced to them, you both say "Hello," nod and shake hands.  Then you go on about your life without any real changes due to meeting that person.   Then, there are the exceptions...those few who come into your life and change it forever.  This is one of those stories!

Alan and I made a friend in such a way this past year.  I actually met him before Alan did.  And... well, after telling him who I was...I hugged him.  There was not a hand shake at all.  I couldn't help but hug him.  See, I know others whose lives he had previously touched and changed.  And, I will be forever thankful to him for that.  That was the beginning of our friendship.  Soon, I introduced him to Alan and our lives began to change with each encounter with our new friend.

He and his family have been to our home and we have shared meals and laughs with them (even took shelter during a tornado warning with them) on numerous occasions.  He's simply a good man.  A good man who continually gives of himself for the sake of others without asking anything in return, ever.  We are better people for knowing him.  He is a blessing in our lives.  This Christmas, I wanted to make a quilt for him and his family.  I ask nothing in return.

Becky

Help in the Sewing Room

Sherman is a great ironing assistant!

Christmas Gifts

I was long overdue for making my mother-in-law a quilt so this Christmas I decided it was time.  It's a large throw blanket in a pattern that I love and will absolutely be using again.  I hope she is as excited to have it as I am to give it!

The Weekender

I DID IT!  I MADE AMY BUTLER'S WEEKENDER BAG!  
(Yes, the exclamation points and capital letters are necessary!)  


Day One...  Bought the pattern.  Read the directions.  Scratched head.


One weekend later...  Thought about it.  Though about it.  Thought about it.  Re-read the directions.


Two weekends later...  More thinking.  Chose fabric and bought peltex, cording,  interfacing, zipper, ribbon, etc. etc.  Now thinking...  "Those Vera Bradley bags are really pretty."


Three weekends later...  One whole Saturday!  A whole Saturday just cutting out the pieces!


Next day...  started sewing.  AND re-reading the directions slowly, step by step.


Next weekend...  more sewing but eventually all done!  Who needs Vera Bradley?


Next day...  mailed the pattern to Kristin with a loving, heartfelt, "have fun!"


!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This one I will carry and proudly say, "Oh, this?  I made it!"