On Monday, my mother and I took my daughter grad dress shopping. I dreaded the experience as I anticipated that it would be something like shopping for bathing suits for my daughter. It seems we shop forever looking for the “perfect” suit that seems to elude us forever. However, we went into Abbotsford and were pleasantly surprised when they had the perfect dress for my daughter with the neckline that suits her best – halter style – in the colour that she wanted – pink – with the features that she wanted most – some poof, no mermaid look, not too poofy, with a lace up back. Imagine it, the perfect dress – right off the start. Her size is now being ordered in. We anticipate the dress to arrive in three months – lots of time before grad on June 30. Now we just need to find the shoes and accessories. That shouldn’t be too bad. The worst is over!

Last Sunday, I met with two old friends for brunch. Madeline was in Hawaii in November and brought me back this treasure of Hawaiian fabrics. She said she hopes I can do something with them. Of course! This is fabric–fabric from somewhere I have always wanted to go but have never been to. I am thinking that a wall hanging could emerge from this stash. I even have plans to scan the images on the bag and incorporate them into the design. Should be fun!

Yesterday I finished another four “crumb blocks”–total complete blocks now number 10. My long-distance quilting friend, Helen says her next project is going to be the crumb blocks she saw here on my site.

While I was looking through some magazines last night, I noticed a pattern in Quiltmaker from March/April 2004 – Issue No. 96 that looks similar to my crumb blocks set into a log cabin pattern. The crumb block becomes the center of the log cabin block and then there are 3 logs around the crumb center. The pattern in Quiltmaker has 4″ square blocks that are paper pieced. My blocks finish 8″ so my log cabin would over 12″. Since my crumb blocks are mostly green I am not sure what colours my logs would be………hmm………food for thought.

Originally I thought I would just sash the blocks, add corner stones and finish the quilt. However, the more I think about it, the more possibilities there seem to be. Tthis is proving to be not only a quick block but a versatile one as well. The possibilities seem endless.

This is my Bear Paw quilt. This quilt was started the weekend of November 18, 2000. There were 5 of us who got together that weekend to work on the same quilt project. The pattern that the rest of the group worked on was “Circle of Friends”. I was still too new to quilting and not sure of my skills. I took a look at the number of templates that were required and decided that I would make Bear Paw instead. I finished all the blocks for the quilt that weekend in November 2000 and they sat it that state until July 2005. In July I finished piecing the top and then quilted it on my new long arm machine with the clam shell pattern. The quilt was shown finished at the October 2005 PieceMakers Quilt Guild show and tell. I wonder if Colette, Veryan, Teresa, and Cyndi ever finished the quilts they started that weekend?

I made it! The Rail Fence Around the World quilt was finished in time for show and tell at our quilt guild meeting last Wednesday. Another UFO off the list.

We had an interesting workshop at guild meeting on the use of photo-transfer paper. The gal that let the presentation is quite the artist. Although I am artistically challenged when it comes to drawing, there are things even I can use this medium for. I immediately thought about using this special paper for making unique labels. I also thought about transferring some of the art work my daughter has done for me to fabric and showcasing it in some wall hangings. I think there are some more UFOs about to be born!

This is one of my daughter’s latest drawings. She calls it, “Cluck-a-tude” or “Rooster With an Attitude” This picture alone inspires me to create a quilt!

One of the special things about our monthly guild meeting is the group of us that go for coffee after the meeting is over. We have been going to the same Starbucks on the third Wednesday evening for coffee for so long that last Wednesday they had our chairs and tables arranged for us in anticipation of our arrival.