Patriotic table runner

Life has been INSANE! No time for larger projects like actual quilts but I have managed to get some smaller  items checked off my to do list. One was this table runner for Fourth of July (or any other patriotic holiday that needs a little red, white, and blue pizzazz).

I'm a little embarrassed by how long this has been on the list and how little time it actually took to make. Isn't that always the way?

The fabrics are from the DS Quilts collection at Joann's Binding is kona red. Patchwork and some wonky gold stars make up the front. The back is simple patchwork with a couple of larger strips thrown in for variety.

I'm very happy with how this turned out and I love how it looks on our table. Now I'm thinking it would be fun to use the rest of this fabric to make a cute bunting to hang on the deck railing!

Busy, busy, busy

Has it really been that long since I've blogged? Time sure flies!

Here's a little of what I've been up to over the past month or so:

Added this fella to our family.

His name is Rufus and he's about 3-1/2 months old now. Huge. Lab/maybe mastiff mix. If his mix isn't mastiff, it's probably Anatolian shepherd. He's awesome and quite a hand full! We've managed to get him all potty-trained, now if we could just figure out how to get him to stop biting and jumping up on us then all would be perfect. He seems to be under the impression that he's a tiny little lap dog, but he's pure muscle and VERY energetic!

Owen turned 7, which is hard to believe. He wanted an outer space birthday party so we made a rocket pinata and let the kids decorate their own alien cupcakes. It was really fun, but I'll think twice before having another party at my home on a rainy day with so many little boys!

Bailey graduated from preschool and is on summer break. We've been part of our wonderful cooperative preschool for four years now, so it was a bittersweet celebration. 

Owen has been rounding out his year with some fun school projects, more lost teeth, and a spring music concert. His last day of first grade is next week and then we will have all of summer to enjoy!

I was lucky enough to attend Quilt Market last month! It was right here in Portland and was a ton of fun. I had never been to market before and it was overwhelming and beautiful and inspiring! Definitely looking forward to a few specific lines coming out in the year ahead. Better start prepping my wallet!

Looking forward to spending a bit more time in this space and get my blogging schedule back on track! Hope you are all enjoying your spring and are gearing up for a creative summer!

Happy Quilts

I have some dear friends who were recently in need of quilts. The first was made for a friend going through a divorce after almost twenty years of marriage. The second for a friend who just had major surgery (and is doing swimmingly now!).

After agonizing over color palettes and fabric choices, I finally decided that I didn't care if the quilts matched their homes, these ladies needed happy quilts!

Bright and cheerful colors were pulled off my shelves and put into action. Both quilts were made using roughly the same pattern of patchwork squares-in-squares and all fabric except the backings were from my stash. I cannot tell you how good it feels to be using fabric instead of just accumulating it!

This is the quilt I made for my friend who had surgery. Even though we live across the country from each other, she's like a sister to me and we share years of memories. Each fabric in her quilt was chosen especially for her. We used to work together in Central California, where there are lots and lots of strawberry fields. So, naturally, I had to include some texty strawberry fabric.

One of her favorite colors is red and this is my all-time favorite red print from Alexander Henry's Farmdale collection.

We both used to work as stage managers and have been known to be quite passionate about office supplies, especially ones we used frequently in our work. This yellow print reminds me of those page reinforcement stickers that we used to need for our prompt books.

And the backing is another Alexander Henry print. The snails are cute as can be and a gentle reminder to slow down and enjoy all that life has to offer.

The quilting is just an all-over stippling and I must say, it was really nice to do some free-motion work after all of the straight lines I've been using lately.

I'm also in the midst of a quilt for *gasp* myself! It's provided some challenges but I can't wait to share it here. Hopefully, it will be ready for some snapshots in the next week or so.

Thank you so much for your good thoughts and words of encouragement regarding my anxiety disorder. I really appreciate the notes and comments left here and sent to me privately. Progress is slow but steady and I'm just trying to accept each day as it comes, whether good or bad. If nothing else, this experience has taught me compassion. Everyone struggles with something - and that something may be obvious or it may not. The important thing is to be there for each other. And I thank you for being here for me. xoxox

Well well well

Look who's writing a blog post!

The new year has brought some new challenges as well as new opportunities. One of the things that a few of you know (though not many) is that I have a panic/anxiety disorder. I joke that it developed after years of being a successful stage manager where I used up my allotment of stress management tools. I was experiencing some good progress but was completely derailed at the end of 2012. The shootings at the mall and in Connecticut, my husband being let go from his job (leading to a lawsuit which is another level of stress), my mother in law passing away, our neighbor's home being broken into - these all kind of hit me like a truck and made it hard for me to accept the world in general as a safe place to be. So the anxiety pretty much took over to the point of it being difficult for me to leave the house.

But things are getting back on track now. I have a wonderful and caring doctor who is helping me and a supportive counselor who is giving me some great tools for managing the condition as well as good friends who keep me smiling. And then there was the Madrona Road challenge by the Modern Quilt Guild.

It might sound a bit hokey, but this challenge was just what I needed to get my creative mojo going again. Violet Craft is the designer of this beautiful line of fabric and she also happens to be a member of my local modern quilt guild. She's a lovely person and I'm a huge fan of Madrona Road.

Some of the flowers in her prints reminded me of dresdens so that's where I went with this project. The line includes a great text print as well and I pulled a few phrases out that really represent to me some of what I've been going through.

The full text on the mini reads: Onwards and experience. She tied all the loose threads together, sometimes unravelling again and again. Stitch by stitch she pieced her soul together.

So, that's the update on me. Thank you to Violet for your beauty, talent, creativity, and words. And thank you to the Modern Quilt Guild for sponsoring this challenge.

Simple gratitude

I've been debating about whether or not to write this post at all...started and stopped a few times before finally jumping in. I really try to keep this space positive - a place to escape the mundane and enjoy this amazing creative online community. But sometimes an event occurs that changes your perspective and makes you see everything in a new light.

Many of you may have seen the news about the recent shooting at the Clackamas Town Center shopping mall in Oregon. Two innocent bystanders were killed and another girl injured as a 22 year old man in a hockey mask and body armor sprayed bullets from a semi-automatic rifle. My family and I were in the mall when it happened. We were there to take the kids to see Santa and were next in line to have our picture taken. There were a few loud pops and everyone looked around trying to figure out what was happening. Then there was a loud burst of gunfire - too many shots to count - and everyone around us realized it was someone with a gun. My husband was across the concourse to videotape the kids' visit with Santa. I grabbed both Owen and Bailey and pulled them in behind the little doorway area at the entrance to the Santa area, covering them as well as I could. There was another long burst of gunfire that sounded louder and closer than before.

My husband rushed over to us as well as one of the employees from the Santa area. She kept yelling at Gary to get down, but he said that it sounded like the gunfire was coming closer and we needed to get out of there. I have never been so terrified in my life. Needing to make a decision about whether to stay hunkered down or move wasn't easy. But in that split second we realized that the gunfire had stopped for the moment so we decided to try to get out. Gary grabbed Bailey and lifted her over the fence surrounding the Santa line and I lifted Owen over. I have no memory of hopping the fence myself, but I obviously did.

We ran to the nearest store, Macy's, and got on the escalator going to the upper level. I remember yelling "Why are we going up? Why are we going up?" When we were out in the center of the mall it had seemed that the gunfire was coming from the upper level. I was terrified that we were heading up to a situation that would be worse than the one we had just left. Someone shouted back to me that there was no exit out the store on the ground level, which is true. My son kept trying to get me to stop because his shoe had fallen off and we left his winter coat on the floor at the Santa land. I kept him moving and told him that those things weren't important.

At the top of the escalator we all ran straight ahead and out the door to the parking lot. We managed to get out before a lockdown went into effect. We went straight to our car and left the area. My son was still upset about his shoe and we kept telling him that it wasn't important and we would get him new shoes.

And that's what became abundantly clear in those moments. None of the things that had seemed so important just 30 minutes earlier seemed important any more. It's so easy to get caught up in small stuff and an experience like this really brought everything into focus. My family, my babies, people are what is important. Looking out for each other, taking care of each other, being kind to each other, that's what's important.

As we watched the news coverage in the evening and got a better sense of the course of events, we realized that we were very very close to where the shooter started to fire his rifle. Apparently, after firing several bursts of gunfire in the food court area, he started to head down the mall in our direction when the rifle jammed. It was during that quiet time when he was changing out the jammed magazine that we made the decision to move and get out. I cannot bear to think of the many "what-ifs" of the whole experience.

We are so very fortunate. And our hearts ache for the two people who lost their lives and their families. I'm just sick that my children had to bear witness to such an event. There is an undeniable loss of innocence that has touched their young lives. And I'm sure we will feel the effects of this for quite a time to come.

So, please take care of each other. Let go of anything that is standing in the way of love and compassion for each other. It's a cliche, but don't sweat the small stuff. Hug your kids, or your parents, or your neighbor, or your dog. Life is such a wild and precious thing.

Itty Bitty

Oh my goodness, look at the teeny tiny sweater I just knit up! Well, I say "just" like it took me twenty minutes and I made it with my eyes closed. In reality, it took several days and I cussed pretty bad at one point. Seriously, tiny things are hard - they're so TINY!

A certain little someone I know had her sixth birthday recently and was the recipient of an American Girl Doll. Her mama is a sewist extraordinaire so the wardrobe was covered - except for a sweater. That's when I got busy with some tiny knitting needles and sparkly pink sock yarn.

It's seriously small - that's a quarter on it for scale. But it was loads of fun to make and I hope it is enjoyed.

There are a few other things on needles and hooks these days, though I haven't been getting much sewing done. It all seems to go in cycles and I'm just going with the flow. Hope you are enjoying the start of this beautiful holiday season!

Eeeeeep!

Such a strange post to write. Forgive me if it seems like bragging, but I was jumping up and down like a little girl when I received this lovely in the mail.

Well lookie there - that's my Fractal Quilt!

Madeline Roburg wrote a lovely piece about math quilts and she was kind enough to feature mine in her article. Such a thrill!

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Thank you for all of the well-wishes regarding my last post. Helen is missed but our little family is doing well, enjoying happy memories,  and experiencing gratitude that she is no longer suffering.