Wednesday, November 01, 2006

I have been busy with other things besides sewing lately, and I'm needing a fix. Might be able to do a few seams tonight, but what I really need is a couple of hours. It's so therapeutic, I should be able to make it a priority.

I still have only 3 projects kitted, so I want to do a few more before the summer, which is just a month away. I love one-patch quilts, so I think I will do an equilateral triangle, a tumbler and maybe a half hexagon. I can cut all those from stacked strips so it will be quick, and then it's just a matter of arranging the pieces and sewing it all together. I like that sort of quilt.

I'm in the process of kitting this quilt, which is from the Glorious American Quilts book. I suddenly became enamoured of this picture, when I realised I had heaps of striking striped fabric like the quilt, and I could use them all in this. I'm loving the look of the block I made to test the cutting measurements. It's 9" finished, and I will need 32 of them to do the size quilt I want. Easy!

Meredith and I have had a sad few days, as the sale of Mum's house was finalised yesterday, and the new owners have taken possession. It was a big thing to give up the key to that house; I will never forget the peculiar sound of the front door lock when someone let themselves in. And now we'll never again have the right to let ourselves in there. Neither of us thought that we would be upset, but we are. Mum owned that house for 44 years, and even when we grew up and moved away it was always home.

But it's time for the old house to have a new life and a new family; we are glad that it will be lived in and looked after and loved.

5 comments:

  1. What a great block. The one-patch quilts sounds fun, too.

    I can't imagine the feeling of handing over those keys. I moved almost every year as a kid, but now my mom has been in one house of ten years. Even now I know that would be hard, I can't imagine thirty years in the future.

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  2. It's hard to grieve the loss of "home" -- even if you haven't lived there for years you always knew you could go back. Take the time to grieve well -- it is an ending that needs to be acknolwedged....

    I love the block you're making. Does it have a name? would you share the sizes you're cutting things?

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  3. I really like your quilt and that picture is awesome. My mom passed away 5 years ago and I can't even bring myself to think of selling it. I just can't do it. She worked so hard to pay for that house on her own. I live 300 miles from it and I even dream about my mom still in the house. If it weren't for that house I wouldn't even go to that city anymore. Weird, I know.

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  4. A sad day for sure. Nice block though - striking is a good word for some of those fabrics. I'm so impressed by your "kitting", but I can't seem to get there yet. It is hot here today in the sewing room, so there is definately worse to come...

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  5. Dreading summer! What a good idea to kit things up, ready to sew.
    I do find cutting quite taxing, my wrist gets very sore.

    Know the feeling about your mother's house. I will be seeing my mother's little flat when I go back. It is 9 years since I was last there. My brother has kept it, & now one of his sons lives there. I still imagine it the way it was when I packed all her things away. She always kept it so lovely- was a much neater housekeeper than I!

    Love that block & yes- does it have a name?

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