A milestone

I have a milestone coming up soon, my 1000th blog post. When I started blogging in 2007, I wanted a way to post about my classes for the people taking them as well as for other people interested in quilting. I hadn't read a lot of blogs at that point, but I loved what I saw.

I had sort of a rocky start, not really posting much to begin with. I'm not sure why that was, exactly, because I wanted to focus on quilting on the blog, and I am usually doing some type of sewing or quilting related project most of the time when I'm not work. I don't really consider myself a writer, per se, so I do have trouble with the writing aspect, sometimes. Part way through 2008 I started doing a better job of posting more regularly.

 I thought it might be fun to look through some of my pictures from 2007 just to see what I was teaching back then.

I remember that I loved this circular bargello when I saw it on a shopping trip with friends, so came home and started working on it. I had already made a couple of other bargellos, the one below was supposed to depict a garden scene with flowers, a stream and a rocky path. not sure if I succeeded, but I thought so at the time and had this quilt hanging over my bed for many years. 

I bought this panel while vacationing with my sister in Canada...I got one for my friend Jo as well and we put together wall quilts and embellished them with beads and stitching. I don't seem to have a picture of hers, but this is mine. 

A group of friends and I did a round robin block exchange. We gathered our own fabrics and passed them around monthly. You had to make blocks that were the equivalent of three 12" blocks....two could be 12" blocks, but at least one had to be equivalent parts. It was my first experience with a round robin and I loved it.

I designed the Potato Chip quilt around that time and have taught the class and sold the pattern many times. I made this quilt for a friend, so eventually gave it to him. A few years ago I made a new version.

A few years ago I made a new version.  These are just a few of the things I was working on back in 2007...I won't bore you with all my pictures!

 I'm not sure how many of my students actually read my blog, but I have enjoyed the blogging process and met so many wonderful quilters through this medium. I don't always have as much time as I would like to read other blogs, but try to keep up with some of my favorites as well.  I find it to be relaxing and inspirational to read about what others are doing in the quilting world. 

Do you blog about quilting? What is your favorite thing about quilting blogs?

60th Anniversary Party

I had a busy weekend with my daughter and husband coming to town, and my parent's 60th Anniv. Party. Angie and Colin came in Thursday night. We had a party Friday night for her and some of her friends at my youngest daughter's house, where they are staying. Saturday we spent all day in Earling having formal pictures taken and just hanging out with family all day. We had dinner that night, with all of us "toasting" them with a memory. It was so much fun. Our whole family was able to come, and with 6 children, 16 grandchildren,  and 5 great-grandchildren, and assorted spouses, boyfriends and girlfriends we had about 45 people there. Of course by the end we were singing karaoke and having a great time. Most of us stayed overnight and had brunch before we started all going our separate ways. In the picture above I'm the one to the right of mom &  we didn't have the "little girls" yet. I think it was taken in 1959.

This is us now. We are so lucky that they are in good health and able to live an active (for 80 yr. olds) lifestyle. If you are on facebook I posted more pictures there as well.

I spent part of the day with my daughters and Colin. We walked over the pedestrian bridge then went to the Old Market to eat at Spagetti Works. After that we walked around the Old Market for a bit. They are coming here for supper tomorrow night and then flying home Wednesday morning.

Long weekend....

It has been a busy, crazy week. No new pictures to share, so I thought I would post this one of my daughters and me, a long time ago. The toddler in the picture is 28 now, so yea, it's been awhile ago.  We've been going through old pictures to put on a dvd for my folk's 60th anniversary...my niece is making it for us....and it's been fun!

I worked on some receiving blankets for gifts one night, but forgot to take pictures of them. I have also been having back problems for the past 2 weeks, so have been going to physical therapy. My sacroiliac joint is out, or off, or something that happens when it doesn't all line up like it is supposed to.  It is better, but still sore. Keeping moving helps it, not hurts it, so that is good in my job!

The school district is installing a new library software program for us (Follett Destiny) so there have been some things I had to do to get ready for that, too, this week. Plus we won't be able to enter any new books into the system until it is completed, which could be several weeks, so I have been trying to get as many of my new books in the computer, with cataloging, as I could before yesterday. Doing this in between kids, I didn't get as much done as I would've liked, but it will wait.  Then we go 2 days without any software, but checking out books anyway (yea, I am nervous about that) and have a full day of training on Thursday next week. Not sure why they didn't just let us close for 3 days, (believe me, I have enough work sitting there to keep me busy for several weeks) and then start up right, but I guess this way will be more exciting!

I am off til Tuesday so hope to get some quilting & cleaning done. Notice which one is first.