anniversary gift

have been mulling over what might be a good anniversary present for the one-year mark of the heart surgery--but this arrived yesterday and it will do very nicely!  there was only a last name on the return address, but have an inkling who might have sent it....simple thanks are so inadequate for such a gift...my new and improved heart was doing cartwheels!

already drool stains on every page....yes, it's THAT good!  last year had sold my "primarily quilts" mostly because it contained all very large and complicated quilts that i knew i would never make...it's a beautiful book, but it should be used.  betsy's book, however, contains only a few large quilts and mostly small wall projects that are simply stunning...every single one!  only sheer will kept me from pulling fabric for each and every one.  but now the big decision is which one to make first....i'll keep you posted!   **** and post script from yesterday's post about dora's quilt.  got an email from the book's author, janet finley, who was delightfully surprised to see my rendition and has some info from one of dora's relatives she'll be sharing with me.  so anxious to learn more about her....if only the quilt could be found and could talk!

channeling dora

some years ago, i saw a photo in an issue of "quilt life," the now-defunct magazine of alex anderson/ricky tims that came from this book by janet finley...

chock full of wonderful examples of quilters and their quilts. one caveat: there are many post-mortem photos, mostly babies and children, also included.  one of the photos in the magazine was this...

most likely a wedding photo of dora petty-wood, age 23 in 1904, displaying her wedding gifts.  it is not known if the quilt was one she received or one she herself made.  the last line of the article in the book was "i wonder what this quilt would look like in color."  well, wonder no more, ms. finley....

this is my interpretation of dora's quilt.  the pattern in the quilt intrigued me and got filed away as a possible reproduction project.  fast forward more than 100 years and it is now nearly done.  densely hand quilted and destined as a donation, it has been a nearly year's project.  for some time i had tried to find the magazine article so i could use the original picture and put it on my label.  thanks to my local library, it has been found.   you can read more about dora on find-a-grave.com....she lived to her 90s, had six children married to a man 29 years her senior.  the whereabouts of the quilt at the book's writing (2012) was unknown.  i hope dora would be flattered...

tuesday sewing

spent tuesday sewing more of the potholders by day and quilting on the donation quilt by night....the turkeys also got basted and now ready to quilt...thanksgiving only 6 weeks away???  unbelievable!

dear daughter spent the weekend and we had a girls pj party of sorts....she left with 2 quilted pillows, 1 runner and 2 wall quilts for her home.  in return she gave me this bag that i had been ogling for some time....

up early this morning to try out a new recipe and it is delish!  it's cheddar zucchini quick bread, yummy right out of the oven but toasted will be as good...something about autumn that sends my cooking muse into overdrive; must be the yankee gene of putting by, saving the harvest, preserving the summer bounty....when i was a child, our only winter green beans were those my family had canned in the summer, unlike today's market offerings.

and also made a batch of chocolate orange biscotti....for the same price as a supermarket package, got a large supply of these that are ideal for dipping in hot chocolate...

back to enjoying autumn!

ready to trot

my turkeys are done and time to get it basted so it can be finished for thanksgiving decorating...

the flash on the camera has brightened it up more than it actually is.  the border is a nice jo morton gold and the binding will be a dark teal/tan plaid.  this project has been waiting for years and glad to see it getting finished in time for the holiday.  aside from a ceramic cornucopia and a couple of pilgrims, had no other thanksgiving decorations until now.  thanksgiving is a mere 6 weeks from now, but first that all-important anniversary on november 1st....it's been a challenging year.  my former cardiologist (he left the practice) said it was a new normal and it truly is--more maintenance, more watchdog, more tweaks along the way but definitely worth it...otherwise, the turkeys might never have gotten finished....

a most generous friend

saturday was visited by long-time quilty friend who came bearing gifts...not just for me but for our senior center quilters as well.   a sturdy machine will be added to our collection....and then there was fabric and LOTS of it!

a large laundry basket was full of very nice fabrics, some large enough for backings...half is going to the senior center....i can think of a few people who will be uber-delighted with this stash.  of course i snipped off the selvedges before packing them up...LOL...for my ever-growing pile of potholders....

and this little pile stayed home!  these are most large pieces for backings--about

5-6 i'd say--and some smaller pieces...don't you love those masks???  my 2018 fabric acquisition just got ramped up by about 31 yards which sounds like a lot, but a few finishes will take a chunk out of that.  hoping the next 3 months will make some sort of dent....jo morton has a luscious collection out in january and not sure i can pass that up!   ***  fall has finally arrived in MD!  our october heat wave has left town, for good i hope, replaced with crisp, cool october air.  no frost on the pumpkin yet but won't be long....time for soups, chowders, fleece pants and flannel pjs!