FALL QUILT

From my earliest memory I could not resist picking up beautiful colored fall leaves. I love the shapes and I am so delighted when the colors begin to change from summer’s cool, 40 shades of green, to the warm palette of reds and oranges and browns. In the past I have decorated Sunday school rooms with dancing bears jumping in piles of fall leaves. And Christmas wreathes of red Bradford pear leaves, and on and on.
I have felt a collage coming on, you know that is how it works, and they creep upon you. I had in the back of my mind a Fall Quilt as well. When I was in Smithville a couple of weeks ago my friend bought for me a present of a table runner of cutwork. It was the inspiration for my latest endeavor. So this week I got out my stash of fabrics in fall colors and some glitz as well my daughter says “Mama’s favorite color is sparkle.”


Armed with the inspiration I went to my local GOODWILL Inc with eyes wide open looking for whatever popped up. I found a three piece polyester (faux silk) dress. The design would work well as the under “painting” Being as frugal as I am I tried on the blouse when I got home, it made me look like a pumpkin. I was not about to wear it. Now the process has begun in earnest. I searched out the base and began to cut up the blouse and sew it to the base. When that was finished that I took out the bright colors that I would for leaves and iron on the wonder underA


For my patterns I used real leaves. I put them on the scanner and made copies. When that was complete I sat right down and cut out the leaves in different colors. I began with the cut work in each corner and a small amount in the center.


then I began to pin the leaves remainder. The under painting looked like the under part of a pile of leaves so I did not need bunches and bunches. When I had attached all the cut leaves on to the quilt,


I auditioned it to see where to go from there. I determined that it needed direction and focal point. I achieved that with the striped lame’, cut with the striped forming a point


So when you look at it, it seems to be going in a circle, or a swirl, as if the wind was blowing the leaves. Now all I have to do is put on the border which will be rich maroon velveteen. And I will probable do some embellishing knowing me.
Be Blessed.

Visiting Friends

Hey everyone, what a wonderful experience I have had. I went to visit a dear friend, I took the train.
We have been dear friends for 49 years.

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She lives in Smithville Texas. Smithville is outside of Austin Texas. She lives half way between Smithville and Bastrop. Life just keeps getting in the way of my getting to go visit my friend when her husband passed two years ago so one day I said I am going to visit my friend. I don’t care period. We have had a great time doing nothing special I suppose.


This little house was on a hill on the road out to her house. I thought it was just too charming. Of course the neighbors weren’t too pleased about it. Smiles.
We did go to Bastrop Texas, one day to all the art galleries, we met the artist who is commissioned to sculpt the war memorial in Smithville. Smithville has the unpleasant honor of having lost the most military per-capetah (sp) for a city of it’s size to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq


On another day we went to Smithville to discover what was there. We went to the “Paper Doll” shop. While there we met Tom Tierney the artist of all the paper doll books. Check him out at www.tomtierney.com and be impressed. He had paper doll books of every description. Tom is a very interesting person. He was very generous to talk to us. He told us little stories about the celebrities he had drawn and stars he had met. Since we are into movies, I bought “Costumes of Classic Movies. There is a costume paper doll of Julie Andrews in Thoroughly Modern Millie, which is my favorite movie of all time.
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While there I went to all her volunteer commitments. One day we went o the food pantry. We handed out food to 98 families. On Monday we went to the support group for widows. We had a really a good time while supporting each other. The hostess served banana splits yumm. We sat up late and watched old movies and are nutty bars. Tuesday we went to bible study. I had not planned to stay as long as I did, but my friend begged me to stay for the family party for her grandson who was going into the MARINES.
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I took some of my jewelry for my friend to choose which she preferred, as a thank you gift. She chose a piece of fused glass with a metal piece that resembled a butterfly.
Be Blessed

Dear Jane Quilt foiled

I am late blogging this week. I have been busy trying to finish a quilt that I started seven years age. Wait now, I have a good excuse. That quilt has 225 four inch squares and 119 triangle for the border. Some of the squares took an entire day to make. I finished 130 squares. but I decided to re-design and call it a day and called a halt to the process "So sue Me!" (smiles.)

Jane Stickle lived through the Civil War and finished her quilt in 1863. The quilt was discovered in 1991. http://www.dearjane.com /. Go visit the site and be impressed. (smiles.)

My sweet husband installed the speakers that I found this summer at a garage sale.for $15. He put them out on the patio, so we have been enjoyed wonderful music while luxuriating in awesome Indian summer weather, This wonderful wether we have had gave me a chance to paint up the assignment for my painting class. I am re-teaching "Teaching Creativity"

On Sunday afternoon a friend and I went into Fort Worth to the Scott Theater to see a musical preformed by the "Taps and Tunes" dance troupe. The troupe is made-up of ladies in mature years. They must be at least 50 to qualify. They did skits and dance numbers of the 20's and 30's. The show was delightful, You should see them shake their Booty, (smiles.)

Made me feel so good to be alive.