Monday, December 7, 2009

Carolina Christmas Quilt

I always seem to get in the mood in December to begin a Christmas quilt, but, of course, don't have the time to sew it. I decided to at least begin the mystery quilt by Bonnie Hunter at Quiltville, called Carolina Christmas. Above are my fabrics I have pulled for starters. To challenge myself, I often put limitations on my quilts. I am only going to use fabrics from my stash, even for the backing. That should take abouto 20 yards out of my closet when completed since it is a bed-size quilt.
Above are my neutrals all pressed and ready to go!
The first step is sewing some 2 1/2" strips of gold and neutrals together and then subcutting. I have now completed step 1. At least that was an easy step to do. I used the June Tailor shape cutter which seemed to speed up the subcutting. Now onto step 2. Thanks, Siobhan, of Scraps and Threadtales for your inspiration!

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Gone From My Sight

I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails
to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean.
She is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch her until at length
she hangs like a cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.
Then someone at my side says, "There, she is gone!"
Gone where?
Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast and spar
as she was when she left my side and she is just as able to bear her load
of living freight to her destined port.
Her diminished size is in me, not in her.
And just at the moment when someone at my side says,
"There, she is gone!" there are eyes watching her coming,
and other voices ready to take up the glad shout,
"Here she comes!" -
and that is dying.
- anonymous
This poem was given to our family when we were at the hospice center and then a friend sent it to me also. It was so true. We watched my mother as she disappeared from our sight and was taken into the heavenly portals as others were watching her coming.