Finally Spring.

I just thought I would share a MO spring with you. Our weather is a little unpredictable here this time of year as I am sure some of you already know. Above is a bouquet of lilac with a few blooms left from an Easter bouquet gifted to me by my beautiful daughter. Amazing that the Easter flowers are fresh and beautiful.
I have two Red Bud trees in my yard. I think I will research the origin of the name as they are actually kind of pink or perhaps purple.
One of the things I like best about my trees is that not only do they bloom on the usual branches, but also anywhere else they want. The above flowere are actually on the trunk. Cool, don't you think?
The lilacs are a little pale already but still beautiful. The few stems in my vase fill the house with their fragrance and remind me of my mother. My memories of her when I was a child always involve her garden. Lilacs, four-0-clocks, roses, holly hocks, marigolds and sweet peas. I remember when her father, Grandpa Bates would come to visit in the spring. Mom knew he was not going to be able to leave her garden untouched. He was a farmer in MO and Oklahoma when she was a girl. When they walked away from their farm during the Dust Bowl and traveled to southern CA he was a master irrigation specialist and quickly got work with the movie studios as a gardener. So, he always pruned her roses, hard! She was always convinced that he had killed them at last. But as always, they came back and were more beautiful that ever, covering the fences with red, yellow and pink flowers. I remember cars and pedestrians stopping to admire her garden. I have a feeling that mom always knew that he would never hurt her flowers. It was just a way to get him to stay longer.
This is the best flowering of the dwarf cherry tree since we moved to this house. Of course the birds and squirrels have never allowed us a single ripe cherry and this year will probably be no different.
This the second year for the azalea. Looks really good.
Anemone. Don't you just love a touch of blue in the garden? I know I do. I always try to place a little blue in every bed. I hope your garden blooms sweetly and unlike my garden is free from Japanese Beetles.

Newest Patterns

These are my newest patterns and differ a little from anything I have published in the past. These are my own designs based on the wonderful Baltimore album quilts of the past. Complex but not difficult.

My drawing at Round Bobbin Expo

Above is a photo of a drawing I had at The Round Bobbin. A small black box filled with eighteen wooden spools of vintage silk twist thread. This thread is wonderful for embroidery. I have used it for crazy quilt projects as well as blanket stitch on wool applique. If you haven't tried this, you are missing out. The winner is Diane Wilhim. She was really glad to get this beautiful thread.

Speaking of the Round Bobbin, I would like to say something. While I have decided that the venue was not exactly the right fit for me and what I did learn a lot about such things as booth set up, appropriate merchandise and be sure you have chocolate! Seriously, though this was the Round Bobbin Sewing and Quilting Expo, this was still not the right place for me. I was perhaps the only teacher/vendor whose roots are in hand applique, hand quilting. The first day was a little slow, but that was what made what happened more noticeable. The majority of people who came through invariably made such comments as "I don"t like that." "Who would take the time?" There were variations on this theme all day. The next two days were a little better, still a little troubling. I love it that there are so many ways to define quilting. It makes what we do available to anyone because there is something for everyone. However, it would be a good thing to remember some of the quilting etiquette. Even my children knew better than to speak out when viewing some else's quilt, "Mom your quilt is better that this one!" or Mom, what is that?" I was startled, maybe even a little hurt and then I got over it. There is room for everyone. Join the party. I did and haven't looked back, not once.

Round Bobbin Expo

I spent the better part of this day working on my booth at the Expo. I was gifted a larger booth from management as someone was unable to come do to illness. So, I set up with the plan I had made for the smaller booth. I have to say, it looked like I was having a garage sale rather than offering my wool applique, redwork and applique patterns for sale. But all was not lost as I texted ( yes even a sixty eight year old woman can use technology! ) my daughter, she came over and made suggestions and I spent the rest of the day doing it all over. It could still be better, but is so much nicer. The folk art quilt on the left is a Jan Patek I made a long time ago. I fooled with the borders to get a different look. To the right of that is a display of my felted wool pattern samples. The next quilt is my version of vintage red work. I love red work. All I need is a piece of fabric with the design marked, a needle, hoop, thread and scissors. what could be better?
This view is to the right. A little hard to see, but starting on the left side of the table there is a bowl waiting for tomorrows flowers, a tin with business cards, and oh a big bowl of candy. All kinds of chocolate. the rest of the table is taken up with patterns and containers of patterns. I am debuting the first three of six Baltimore style patterns. I am excited to be doing this as it is a long process for me. Above the table I have hung "Return to Baltimore" a quilt that took me a whole year to finish. I am somewhat slow. To the left of that is a nice vintage quilt with embroidered blocks. It was a real find and rare for me because, I finally found and purchased that $30.00 dollar quilt so many of my friends seem to find on a regular basis. To the right oo that is one of my favorite designs. It is based on thirties and forties days of the week dis towels. Of course because I wanted a square quilt, I needed to design two extra blocks. When I was growing up, my mother and I worked together and did follow that church on Sunday, wash on Monday and iron on Tuesday and so on. It was a system that worked but for the most part gradually went away. Now I am pretty proud of myself if I simply get all those things finished at some time during my work week. So, it is not so surprising that I called it "The way We Were" The table below with the quilts will hold my portfolio during the show. A good way to share my work and keep it safe as well. Best wishes to you all.

I have the most talented friends

I really do have talented friends and Vilma is one of the special ones. We met sometime ago when we were both employees at a shop in Pleasanton CA called Going to Pieces. Great name for a quilt shop, don't you think? We hit it off almost right away and often worked the same shift so our friendship grew. We have laughed and cried together. That's what friends do. Support is key to this kind of relationship. When the original shop owners decided to move on, Vilma and two others decided to go into business together. They each brought their own ideas and made it work. Vilma was a really good boss and at the same time a friend. I have always been attracted to creative people as I like to think I am creative as well. Vilma's work is meticulous and lovely. If I can talk her into some close-ups, I will share again. The quilt design is called Little Brown Bird and the original quilt was designed and made by Margaret Docherty, another amazingly talented artist. I hope all of you are as fortunate as I have been.

Mother's and Sons

Yesterday was Danny's forty-fourth birthday, which begs the question of how much longer I can keep my credibility while maintaining my assertion that I am thirty- nine. It worked for a long time but he is not so gullible these days. Danny is an adult with developmental disabilities, but in the picture he is a two year old sitting beside his big sister and the smiles are all for her. This is a black and white picture and not in good condition, but I decided to use it here because while it is black and white, I can assure you he has the bluest eyes you will ever see. The brighter the eyes the more mischief, and the more excitement we could expect. Things don't change much. Incredibly blue eyes can be good or bad when they are Dan's.

This is Danny today. This is his cool look! He doesn't like shirts that button, but that day he wore it because I asked him to. Never mind it was a typical mid-west day with temps in the triple digits with a heat index to be afraid of, and I wanted him to make it through the day. He does look cool and perhaps a little hip don't you think. Any involved parent with a disabled child knows the challenges facing both parent and and child. Danny has been in supported-living for almost twenty years. The people who have helped him grocery shop, taught him to clean and do laundry have been legion, or so it seems. They come and they go, but mostly go. He develops friendships and so misses them when they are gone. Now, he is excited to be 44. While the rest of us try not to think of another year, he rejoices in each and every one. From his 21st birthday to his 44th he has always wanted to go to a casino and put a few dollars in a machine. Yesterday was no different and he won five dollars. Pretty exciting! This year he also wanted to have lunch at Red Lobster and receive as a gift, Monster Truck Jam for his DS. We made all of that happen. This year he is looking forward to a late birthday party so his very special niece can attend. For the last few years he has maintained that he does not like chocolate so his cake will be cheesecake, a current favorite. He does eat chocolate but refuses to elaborate or even talk about it. The truth is like most of us he tries to find his place in the world and not liking chocolate so his cake is different from anyone else's' is how he is managing this for now. That's okay. He is aging as we all do and so there are good and bad days. What we all as a family know for sure is the following: Dan is as grown up as he knows how to be, he is compassionate, he cares about the well being of children, if your car is broken, he will find a mechanic just for you, he loves his family, he calls his brother-in-law, brother, his sister, sweetie and takes his responsibilities as an uncle to the now 12 year old very seriously. Happy Birthday Danny. We all love you so much.

Amador Valley Quilters Guild Opportunity Quilt

This beautiful quilt has some of it's roots in a vintage log cabin quilt made of silk. It is the opportunity quilt for AVQ, a guild I have been a member of almost from the beginning. My first, though not my last guild membership. It is peopled by talented women and men. We have long had the unwritten policy that if no one volunteers for a particular project, then perhaps it was not something the group really wants. But this is a wonderful group of women and someone almost always comes forward. The retreats always happen and the opportunity quilt has always been ready to market right on time. This time is no exception. Kathy Jardine and Gretchen Crozier have collaborated to make this exquisite quilt. The quilting was done by Cindy Young, another artist. "Something To Crow About" makes me wish I still lived close enough to be a part of the process.


Don't you wish you could win this one? I know I do. Maybe. After all some one has to win. Could be me, could be you. Wishes do come true. I hope yours do.