300th post and Thank You

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What better way to have a 300th blog post than to say Thank You to our veterans and active duty troops.  And to remember those who have gone before that have provided us with our freedoms.  As far back as I can remember all the men in my family have served in the armed forces.  My country meant something to them, as it means something to me.

With this being Memorial Day I also decided to post some Patriotic theme quilt pictures.  All these quilts (and many more!) were made at Sew Fest last year by these lovely ladies:

A few of the ladies from QFC who attended Sew Fest 2013.  Sew Fest was held at Quilting on the Rim in Show Low, AZ.  A beautiful place set back in the trees in the White Mountains country of AZ.

I also want to thank the people who drop by and read my blog.  I hope you occasionally get a bit of inspiration.

I hope everyone has a nice Memorial Day and if you happen to know a veteran or active duty service person, please remember to tell them thank you.

Katie

Why?????

This is what I was asking myself this morning as I was reading some blogs.  Why do I keep a blog (I don’t post often)?  When I first started my blog it was a way of keeping a record of the quilts and miscellaneous that I created.  It was a way of connecting to others with the same interest as myself.  Now, why do I keep a blog??  I really don’t know – again, I don’t post often.  I do occasionally connect with someone with the same interest.  I doubt I post anything that is inspirational to others.  I don’t post tutorials (though I’ve actually written many for QFC).

Why do I read blogs?  That question was easy for me to answer.  I do enjoy seeing what others are doing.  Then I thought about how many often I read a blog and how often I comment.  I don’t comment very often!  So… with thinking that, I am wondering how many read my blog but don’t comment either…..  SO,  now my question is – do you feel you’re blogging for nothing if you don’t receive comments?????  Do you blog for yourself or for recognition from others?  Do you blog to keep friends and family up to date with what you’re doing?  Do you blog for financial gain?

And yes I did ask myself all those questions and my answer is- I blog for myself!  I hope that what I write, the pictures I post might be of some interest to someone.  I do hope that someone might find inspiration in a picture I’ve shown or something I’ve written.  I could care less about financial gain because I really dislike ads on blogs and therefore don’t want them on mine.  As for family & friends reading my blog – I truly don’t know if any of them do…. I keep in touch by email, phone calls, etc….

Oh, dear… should I leave a post pictureless???   No, I think not.

Cathy B. from QFC (Quilters for Comfort) sent me this Hexie medallion.  She had received it from another member who due to health issues is no longer able to quilt / sew.  What to do with this???  I decided to applique it to the white background.  Add a sawtooth border and start it out as a Round Robin among the QFC ladies.  5 other ladies will add to this and when completed it will be donated to a Veteran facility.  I am anxious to see what the other ladies add…

Katie

Maybe I should give up quilting…….

Not sure if it would be quilting or quilt making….  I was trying to think about the last time I actually chose ( or created my own ) quilt to make.   It’s been awhile.  I’ve been given all those quilts to finish for charity, I’m sent blocks to assemble for the QFC (Quilters for Comfort) selected charity, I’m sent quilt tops to quilt ( and finish ) for QFC…. But to actually do my own – start to finish – yep, it’s been awhile.  I think it’s time for me to change that – now to decide on who will get the quilt and I actually have someone in mind.  I have dear friends and she’s received ‘her’ quilt several years ago but I’ve never made one for him.  He has a Native American heritage and I’m thinking I will make one for him along that theme.  His birthday is in August and I’m thinking that would be perfect…

I have just finished quilting a very important quilt:

This quilt was made by Cathy B. from QFC.  We have a very active member who was in a very serious car accident and has a very long road of healing and rehab ahead of her.  We put a ‘shout out’ on the Yahoo group site for embroidered angels or hearts (applique was okay, too) and a quilt would be made for Sheryl B.  Isn’t this beautiful?  Cathy did an amazing job.  All the angels went on the front and the few hearts we received  I assembled into the back.  I also made the label with the dedication to Sheryl and the members who sent blocks as part of the backing:

This quilt was definitely a group effort and I couldn’t be prouder of the ladies from QFC.   I hope Sheryl will feel the love and the prayers for her when she receives this.

On the general nonsense scene – My dear granddaughter, Kari, is home for the summer and I’m hoping to spend some sewing and other quality time with her.  She was hoping to find summer employment, but so far nothing has opened up for her.  She did really well her first year in college and I’m so very proud of her.  She’s turning into an amazing woman.

My youngest granddaughter, Tiffani, who is now 4 years cute, told me the other day while we were shopping for Barbie doll clothes patterns that she is now old enough to sew and she would help me make her doll’s clothes.  I’m thinking eyelet fabric and weaving ribbon through the holes for now…

The dear friends I mentioned earlier in this post?  Well, they just bought a house in the little town here where I live and will be moving here by the end of June.  They currently live on small acreage which has become too much for them to maintain and decided it was time to downsize.  They wanted a small town and decided to move here.  They actually lived here 35 years ago when the mine was in production – which is how we met.  The house needs some minor work and my hubby and me will be there helping out.   Beyond excited to have them close again.  When they moved to Tucson (60 miles away) from Colorado I was excited and figured we’d get to spend a lot of time together.  Well, with her work schedule and mine (when I was working), we rarely saw one another.  I’ve seen her more in the last couple weeks than the entire 8 years they’ve been in Tucson! 

Anyway, looks like I’ll have a busy next couple months and I will try to remember to get on here and post…..

Hope everyone is safe from storms and wild fires. 

Until next time….

Katie