Monday, September 17, 2012

Blocks and Blocks

With only 34 commenters, the odds were definitely in your favor if you commented to win my giveaway. In a rare occurrence, Random Number Generator picked the first commenter!

Shannon said:
If I had enough money to purchase one thing to improve my sewing/quilting room, I would buy... a bathroom so i didn't have to go upstairs 20 plus times a day :)
Shortly after I emailed Shannon about her win, she was already shopping with her $25 Pink Castle Fabrics gift certificate.

Thanks to all of you who entered, and have been following my blog these past three-and-a-half years!

Recently, I invited eight women to my house to discuss modern quilting, and the possibility of organizing a Modern Quilt Guild (MQG) chapter. I'm excited about our conversations! We discussed "What is modern quilting?" according to MQG, and on our 50" TV, watched a slide show of many wonderful MQG online examples of modern quilts.

Though these quilters are very excited about modern designs, quite a few of them hadn't yet sewn "modern." So for our next get-together our challenge is to make a modern quilt block. It can be any size, and must include at least one solid fabric. I chose to make this 17-1/4" (unfinished) Octagonal Orb quilt block, by Elizabeth Hartman. Eventually, I'll sew this into a pillow. Do you know how much I'm lovin' aqua these days?! I can't wait to get the aqua swirl glass lamps I ordered for the guest room!
17-1/4" unfinished block
Speaking of MQG, lots and lots of blocks have been submitted to Quiltcon for the organization's first convention in Austin, Texas, next February. Blocks will be used in quilts donated to the Austin Children's Center. Recent Quiltcon blog posts have been reviews of various categories of blocks submitted. Though I won't be going to Quiltcon, a block I made will be in one of the donation quilts. In this photo of "pictoral" blocks, mine's the skyscraper block, lower right.

Catching up with the Blogger's BOM, I've completed July (top row) and August blocks - I'm making two of each.
8-1/2" unfinished blocks
For nearly a year I've been sewing 1-1/2" squares as leaders and enders. During that time, and in spite of several months of no sewing activities due to our move, I have made more than sixty 16-patch blocks. It will take several more months of "leadering and endering" to have enough 4" blocks to make a quilt of any size, even with sashing around each block, but I bet it will be pretty.

My least favorite design, in fabric or embroidery, is hearts. You'll never find a heart in anything I create for myself. However, I'll gladly make hearts when they're requested by a dear friend, Di. This 6-1/2" unfinished pink "healing heart" block is already on its way to Australia as a remembrance of her husband's sudden passing. I would happily make stacks and stacks of heart blocks for her if it would help give some small measure of comfort. She's having a rough time, and who wouldn't after 40 years of marriage? 

Unexpected life challenges such as Di's remind me of why we moved to Florida - to enjoy life and retirement while we're young. (And yes, 59-1/2 is still young!) We never know when life will toss us overboard and upset our otherwise steady way of living. Life can change in an instant.

The pastor at a new Evangelical Free church we've been attending likes to say that as Christians here in The Villages we should: "Play hard! Pray hard! Finish well!"

Finishing well means using our remaining days to do good. Serve others. Bear fruit. Psalm 92:14 says:

They (the righteous) will still bear fruit in old age,
they will stay fresh and green,

Okay. I'll admit it. 59-1/2 is old, but I'm clinging to that "fresh and green." Linda 

10 comments:

  1. Congratulations to the winner of the shopping voucher! Somehow I missed your last post ;(. What a great idea to start your own Modern Quilt Guild. I wish someone would start one here in Singapore. By the way; I'm also not a fan of hearts and I also only make them when requested.

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  2. What a lovely post. Your QuiltCon block is so much fun. And age is just a number, not a definition--at least that is what I keep telling myself!

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  3. Linda, You are still very young, as I am in the early part of my 8th decade, and I was still working at a convenience store at your age. Yes, losing a loved one is hard as we had 44 yrs. together and then alzheimers and pneumonia took him 12 yrs. ago. My goal is to keep doing all the good I can, in all the ways I can, wherever I can for as long as I can. I love your Bible quotations. You go girl.
    Jean in Iowa

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  4. thanks again for the giveaway!! it was my first RNG win!!

    i bought some fat eighths and i can't wait til my squishy package arrives!!

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  5. Linda I like the way your modern block turned out and totally agree with your love for aqua. I'm also a follower of Di's but didn't know she asked for heart blocks...must have missed that post while we're traveling (we're in Colorado right now). Can you send me details? I'd love to make a block for her. Blessings, Marlene

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  6. Oh Linda, what a beautiful surprise I received when I was admiring your latest blocks, then scrolled down and came to that beautiful pink block you made for me! I'll be watching my letter box for it, and thank you for putting aside your dislike of heart shapes to create the prettiest heart block I've seen. Di B was very sweet to request these hearts for me. I hope to be more productive with my quilting before too long, and look forward to settling on our "tandem" project too.

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  7. Congratulations to Shannon, commenter #1! Sounds like a neat win.
    I like your block, Linda, and I wish you well on the MQG occurring there, brought on by your vision! How cool is that?
    I think being young at heart, enjoying each other and keeping busy are all ways that define a good life, and a good day. May yours be blessed, my friend ~
    :-}pokey

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  8. Hi Linda I am turning 70 next month and have been married for 47 years. I haven't done any volunteer work except for making some quilts in a few years but I am looking after my grandson three days a week and that is how I give back. I know I will be devastated if my husband dies before me so please send my blessings to Di and hope that her heart will start some healing.
    I love aqua too and your Modern block is lovely. Congrats to Shannon. Blessings Sandra

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  9. That is a great idea to start your own Modern Quilt Guild. I'm still trying to get used to the whole modern fabric thing but I think that I'm slowly coming around. The quilts are always so bright and fun!

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  10. Congrats to Shannon.
    Oh, that is great that you getting some interest in the guild. Cool block.
    You have been very busy with all your sewing.

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