Remembering Mama

Today would have been my Mama’s 80th birthday. Mama passed away on December 9, 2002, in Houston Texas. She was a great lady, a great mother, and a great quilter! She talked about quilting up until the last couple of days of her life while in ICU.

Up until the latter years of her life, she made her quilts by hand. When she started machine-piecing, she thought she was in Heaven. She made each one of her children and grandchildren a quilt. We all got to pick out the colors and “most of the time” the pattern.

Mama didn’t teach me to quilt. Even though I would watch her all the time, I took classes at the local quilt shop – in fact, she took them with me! My niece, Kim (over at Peach Quilting), lived with my Mama when her husband was overseas (he is in the service), and Mama taught her to quilt. She is now an avid quilter too so Mama’s legacy lives on.

I always got tickled at her because she called the Sun Bonnet Sue quilt pattern “Sue Bonnet Sue”. In fact when going through her quilting things, I found some “Sue Bonnet Sue” blocks that she had made. My niece, Kim, was expecting her first little girl so I sent them to her to make the baby a quilt.

When she passed away, I spent a week at her home (I lived approximately 150 miles away) to take care of final arrangements, etc. My comfort was to go sit in her sewing chair in her sewing room. I would sit in that chair and just look around and cry and remember so many fond memories.

I miss my Mama greatly. There is hardly a day that passes that I don’t think about her. So many times, I have physically picked up the phone to call her and had to put the phone down because I realized she was not there. But, I know she is in Heaven just quilting away, enjoying a hobby that she loved so that is comfort to me!

Ode to the 1930's

Why, Why, Why???? I've gone and got myself involved in a BOM -- Ode to the 1930's. The picture is not real good but it is a beautiful quilt and involves both piecing and applique. Now why in the world do I do this? Do you have any idea how many BOMs, and projects that I've not even started???? Well, guess what -- I don't either -- LOL! I guess I need to count those. But maybe not -- it may be too much!

Anyway, in this program, I receive several blocks per month. I am on the last block for August (the applique block) and just received the September blocks on Saturday. It is a fun project and I can't wait to get to put all the blocks together -- they are all different sizes and it will be fun to put together. I'll post some pictures of the blocks as I don't think this picture does it justice.

The Quilt

I've posted this picture before in a prevous post, but now I just HAD to post it again! You see our Wacky Pack Quilters made this quilt and donated it to Freestone County Relay for Life last May. The group decided to make the quilt in blues as that is the color for colon cancer and they made it in honor of "me" because I am a colon cancer survivor!!! I was so honored. I was even more excited when we auctioned the quilt at the Relay for Life event. The winning bidder was a man that is also a colon cancer survivor, and he was someone I had worked with for over 20 years!!! I was so proud that he got the quilt -- in fact more proud he won the bid than that the quilt was made in my honor.

That was back in May. Well, here I was sitting in my office working at my computer and a lady came in and said "I'm bringing this back to you." I looked up and it was the wife of the man who won the quilt. All I could think was "what's wrong?" I told her that was her husband's quilt and she said "no, Kathy, that quilt was made with lots of love for you, and we want you to have the quilt. It belongs in your home, not ours." I just burst into tears and jumped up and hugged her. She also had tears in her eyes and turned and just said "I've got to get out of here."

I couldn't belive it -- these wonderful people felt that this quilt should be mine! My dear Wacky quilting sisters made it so it is full of so much love. I am in such awe that the quilt was given to to me. It instantly became one of my most cherished possessions. All I can say is "thank you" to my friends -- the quiltmakers and the wonderful couple who wanted me to have this quilt -- what selflessness!!!!

It Came and It Left!!!!

Yeee Haaawwww as we say in Texas! The class catalog came for the Quilting Cruise that I am taking in February. I was so excited that I could hardly open the envelope. I've picked my first and second choices of classes and that registration form has already left to go back to Houston to Quilters Emporium!!!

I signed up for classes with Paula Barnes, Robyn Pandolph, and Linda Everhart. It was really hard to decide which classes to take. I will be taking classes on piecing, applique, bindings, etc. I can hardly wait!!!

The Wacky Pack Quilters have had the phone lines buzzin' talking about what classes we are going to take. Between the eight of us going on the cruise, we are probably going to hit (not literally!) every teacher. This will be great because then we can share with each other everything we learn.

I wish all of you out there were going with us!

Wacky Pack Swap

If you have been reading any of the Wacky Pack Girls' blogs, then you know that we are doing a monthly swap. Each member choose a block and everyone makes a block for that person during that month.

Here is a picture of the block I made for Kay. Her choice was Texas Christmas. We have a very creative group and I felt like Kay would get a number of really cool applique' blocks (and she did), so I chose to make her a pieced block.

The next person I made a block for was Annale. She chose Texas as her theme. Once again, I decided to do a pieced block. You cannot have a Texas quilt without bluebonnets, so here you go -- bluebonnets.

We have so much fun with our swaps. We have one more member to get her blocks and that is Jerri. She chose 6-1/2 inch blocks made from repro fabrics. I've got to get busy and her her blocks made before October!

The Wacky group then has to decide what swap to do next. One suggestion is a string block....If you have any ideas for our group, please post them.

Product Review

I have found a new product! It is Mary Ellen's Best Press, an alternative to starch. I used it this weekend for the first time and I love it!!!!! It is non-aerosol and smells' great. It comes in three different fragrances -- lavender (which is what I have), caribbean beach and citrus grove. It doesn't flake, clog or or anything and doesn't leave a residue like the can spray starch does. Give it a try -- most quilt shops have it or you can order it on-line. I love it and when you iron over it, the aroma is wonderful!!! Go Mary Ellen!!!!!!

Ole Bag Blocks

As promised, here is a picture of the "broken dishes" blocks that I am making out of my friends scraps and the Wacky Pack "Ole Bag Swap". I have several more blocks cut, but they haven't been sewn yet.