QUAM Part 2 (really part 1)

This shows the pull of fabrics from my stash for the QUAM project (Quilt Along With Melody). I chose fabrics to (hopefully) appeal to my daughter, Emily, and to blend with the decor in her new apartment. I eventually eliminated the black and purple prints.

This shows the 12 original blocks which I made for the quilt. It was an easy design, and leant itself well to working from a stash. Depending on the fabrics chosen, the blocks could have been sewn together just like this, and call it a day. But Melody's pattern called for us to cut these blocks each into four pieces, and then rearrange the units.

Here is my first arrangement. I decided, when I saw this, that there was too much of the coral color for my taste. I removed some of them, and rearranged again.

Then, I decided it needed sashing. I don't have big pieces of fabric in my stash, so I didn't have many choices for sashing. I actually cut and sewed the entire top together to pretty much resemble this arrangement, and then I decided that the sashing was too wide. I took it apart and trimmed the sashing to a scant reveal of 1/4". Me likey.

Here is the finished top. I ended up binding it in a darkish multicolor batik, with a skinny light folded piece in between the top and the binding, one of my favorite finishes. You can see the finished quilt on my April 22 posting. I did a simple quilting design of curving lines. And best of all, my daughter likes it!

QUAM Finished Quilt Top

Blogging got me back into my sewing room. I don't remember when I began to follow others' blogs, or why, but it is something I really look forward to every day. Checking up on all of my "friends", seeing how they are doing, and what they are working on - it's lots of fun!

Then, one day in my favorite blog (fibermania by Melody Johnson), I read about a quilting challenge that really intrigued me. It was called QUAM (Quilt Along With Melody), and it was a fun and easy project. Melody created it as a fun diversion for the bleak and gray month of Febuary. I vowed to complete one, or maybe more! Well, with my busy schedule, I completed only one top by the end of February. It didn't get quilted and bound until sometime in March (see above). I created this for my daughter, Emily, to enjoy in her new apartment. She loves it, I love it, and it got me sewing again - a win-win-win! Thanks, Melody!

Love on Four Legs

Last night, our family lost our beautiful yellow lab, Maggie. I often commented that Maggie was like "love on four legs", because she was so good, and loved everybody, and life. She is the only dog I ever had, and I will miss her dreadfully. She has been failing for the past three months or so, having a series of strokes, and losing the ability to enjoy life like she used to. We knew it was the right time, but it is will still be hard for all of us. She has left our house very empty, but still covered in dog hair, and our hearts full of love for her.

Great American Patriot

I married an Army man. Or, an ex-Army man, to be more exact. Scott was in college during the Vietnam War, and had a low draft number (you oldies out there know what I'm talking about!). As a result, and not wanted to go to Vietnam, he enlisted in the Army after college graduation. He had heard about the Army Field Band and Soldiers Chorus from his college voice teacher, had auditioned and was accepted, so off he went to serve our country as a singer. He served stateside, at Fort Meade, Maryland (near Annapolis), and toured around the U.S., doing over 100 concerts a year in towns both large and small. He even got to perform in Marshall, Minnesota (his hometown), which I know was a treat for his family, and for him.

Last night, Scott, Hannah, and I attended a local concert by the Army Field Band and Soldiers Chorus, and it was a real treat. It was especially fun for Hannah to see what her dad did for three years! And since Hannah is also a musician/singer, she was even more interested. The concert was very good, and fun to see how much it was appreciated by the audience. Like Hannah said, the audience was a "field of blue" (hair) - Scott and I felt so young! and Hannah was easily the youngest person there! It has been 35 years since Scott sang with the group, so all of his old friends have long since retired, of left the Army, as he did.

My favorite part was the Armed Forces Salute, which is a medley of the songs of all 5 branches of the U.S. military. As each song was played and sung, we were to stand up if we had served, or if anyone in our family had served. My dad served in the Navy during WWII, was at Pearl Harbor, so of course I stood up to honor his memory and service. My dad often referred to himself as a Great American Patriot, and indeed he was. My brothers both also served in the Navy. When I saw some old veterans stand up for the Air Force song, that got me. Those guys flew bombers during WWII. God bless them! Then, we all stood up for the Army song. Do I need to say that Scott sang along on all of the songs? Of course he did. And we are all Great American Patriots!