I'm Not a New Mother...Should I Be This Tired?

Hi Boys and Girls!

Well, today I got to give little Isaac his first bath. It all came back to me as if it were yesterday. I couldn't give my own daughter her very first bath because I was scared. So, her daddy got the honor. It was great. Roberto was all of 29 year's old and he had no fear. I was the back-up support documenting this historic event. (Actually, I really was scared of dropping her!)

Today, I was not scared. Little Isaac cried at first but when that warm water took effect, he settled down and had a good time. The look of trust in his eyes really humbled me. This little guy knows I love him and he is safe with me. So, after the bath with all new clothes and being warm and snuggy, Isaac got to sleep. He is sleeping under Shannon's baby blanket which was made by Julie Goncho in San Diego, CA.

With babe asleep and Shannon taking a nap, I had a chance to work on a Block of the Month (BOM) call Le Jardin by Moda. http://fatquartershop.blogspot.com/2009/10/le-jardin-block-of-month-by-anne-sutton.html It is the most fabulous fabric! The fabric is called French General. I will machine applique each block but the pattern is designed for hand applique. With machine applique, you cut out your pieces without an extra 1/4" seam. The piece is fused on the backing and then machine applique with matching thread or invisible thread. I am using invisible thread for this particular BOM. Isn't it gorgeous?

Before coming to Lexington, I was working on a quilt for the baby. I wanted something special but a quilt that would be used. I decided on a blue and white motif of angels. This was not overly fussy and yet it was sweet. The front panel is 1 1/2 yards or cut so as not to lose the major designs. The borders are made by rouching, or gathering. The backing and binding was the same print as the rouching.

I really like how it turned out.

You have to allow extra fabric for rouching. Plan on twice or a bit more of fabric for the border. When you gather the fabric you can do so by hand or by machine. It is more consistently gathered with machine but the attachment for the Bernina is very expensive. This quilt was done by hand.

This little girl's quilt below was commissioned. I borrowed a friend's Bernina gathering foot #57. You may not see the difference but the rouching goes much quicker with a foot. It is consistently rouched at every 6 stitches.

If you have the time, you can get the same results by gathering by hand. Use a long running stitch on your border fabric and just start pulling one thread to gather. On this pink one, I used water-soluable thread. It will wash away. Of course, I had to remember to change the thread when it was time to permanently attached the borders and use matching thread. Store the water-soluable thread in a baggie to keep it air tight. Label the baggie for this thread can easily be mistaken for regular cotton thread.

So good luck on your next project. Try something new. Let me know what project you are working on.

Until next time, give something away you love. Share your love with others. But most important...
sleep when the baby sleeps or believe me, you will be tired!

West Virginia, Welcome Home, Mountain Mamma...

Hello Boys and Girls:

I am back after a brief hiatus. It has been a long, hot summer but not as bad as last year. True, last year we lost 5 trees and most of our roses. Before the drought, we even had a flood! So, I really cannot complain too much about this summer. I played it smart and only planted herbs, basil and tomatoes.

Did I tell you about my 4-day quilt seminar with Harriet Hargrave? http://www.harriethargrave.com/

It was very intense and I learned so much.
I actually learned how to quilt feathers and so much more.
Harriet and her daughter have published a series of quilting books called Quilter's Acadamy. Each publication is like a year in college...Freshman, Sophomore, etc. This is a GREAT BOOK! I highly recommend this series, starting with Vol. 1 for the novice quilter and the seasoned quilter to learn and refresh our skills. Go to http://www.amazon.com/ or Harriet's web site.

Now, back to the title of this blog...I am in Lexington, VA. It is not really West Virginia but I think of John Denver and his song Take Me Home, Country Roads. http://www.johndenver.com/music/music.html
My daughter moved here with her husband and had a baby two weeks ago. I had to fly from Austin to Charleston, South Carolina first.

That was on a CRJ900. Great plane but I did not feel comfortable with the name Bombadier.
http://www.crj900.com/CRJ/en/technology.jsp?langId=en&crjId=900

The flight from Austin to Chaleston was smooth and very fast. In Charleston, I changed planes (still on US Airways) for Roanoke, VA. The Charleston terminal is a nightmare. First of all, I could not get the hang of the southern accent. And they talk so fast! I really thought I was in another country. It almost became hysterical, especially after the announcement, "Would the person who left their garage door opener at the ticket counter please come back and pick it up." That is not the only thing lost and announced...someone left their cell phone in the woman's restroom and someone left a "green and white" suitcase at the ticket counter. Well, I finally asked a military guy what was being announced about my flight boarding and he said he could not understand the announcement but was going to just follow the crowd and ask when he got to the gate. So, I followed him...to this CRJ 900.  This is when the word "Bombadier" really bothered me. It was so small, we loaded on the tarmac. We only flew at 14,000 feet. The attendant

did not use a microphone. She said, "If y'all want anything to drink, just let me know." She sat down, buckled up and we were off.  Forty-five minutes later I landed in Roanoke, VA.After another 45 minutes I arrived in Lexington, VA and was greeted by my daughter and baby Isaac Henry Haas. Now, you tell me...was the trip worth it? Was reading this tedious story justification for this final picture?

You are so right!! Yes!

Until next time, rock a baby to sleep (young or old baby), whisper sweet words to someone you love and

take a chance every now and then.