Design Wall Monday

 On my wall this week...
The annual FFA auction is coming up. I have donated a quilt the last two year, and will again this year. The top photo is the top with borders added. The second photo shows part of the pieced back. I was going to use the pieced red squares as the outer border, but my husband thought the fabric I
bought for the backing worked better.  I think he is right! I could have taken all those squares apart to be used in another project, but I really didn't want to. So they will be part of the backing. Everything is from stash except the paisley red, white and black fabric in the border and backing.

 

I really underestimated the time it would take to  stitch down the red 'stitches' on these baseballs!

Still working on it. I have that partial row you see in this photo finished now.

 

 

Design Wall Monday

Not much new on my design wall.
I am still spending time working on this....

 

I spent my weekend watching this....

Basketball

Starting tomorrow, my weekend will be spent watching this. My son has a tournament this weekend. That means lots of driving, carrying of luggage, loading and unloading sports chairs and equipment, waiting around between games, making sure they get fed and stay hydrated, and doing laundry.
And, especially, lots of cheering this team on!

I am always amazed at what these kids can do. They are all disabled in some way - cerebral palsy, spina bifida, amputations, etc.

 They are boys, they are girls. the are in grade school, middle school, and high school. They fall, they get hurt, they get back up. They help each other out. They lose, they win, they get trophies and awards. They are a team.
We are a family.

 It was been wonderful and exciting to watch these kids grow. When my son started playing a few years ago he couldn't even get close to making a basket. Now he does it pretty regularly. That is amazing to me since he is legally blind, as well as having spina bifida.

The team has lost some of its older players this year to graduation. The team is becoming a younger team again. The have added a few new players. The ones that are younger than my son are improving and that is so exciting to see. You should hear us parents when one of them makes their first basket in a tournament! Even the older players, who make more baskets than they miss, are excited for them. Pats on the back and high fives all around. The older players are really good at encouraging and helping out the younger ones.

So even though tournaments make for long, tiring weekends, I wouldn't miss them! 

Quilt Making

A co-worker was blessed with a baby son just before Christmas.

The co-worker is a Sox fan.

This is the quilt I am working on for the baby.

I had planned to finish this over Christmas break, but the red 'stitches' are taking longer than I anticipated to sew on. 
Much longer. 
But, I think it is turning out to be a great quilt and I am sure the family will like it. Especially since the backing is White Sox fleece, soft and cuddly.

I got the idea here.

Knitting

Dish clothes.

Not only are they are functional, they are pretty, and they make nice little gifts. And, I know how to  make them! Because someone took the time to teach me how to knit.

When I was young my family had 2 sisters who babysat us - me and my 2 younger brothers. The sisters were knitters. I remember being fascinated, watching them knit. I remember wanting to learn how to knit. I must have begged enough that one of them finally taught me how to knit using pencils and some scrap yarn. I don't think they knew what an impact that made on my life.

I remember knitting some in high school. I made a hat and matching scarf for a friend for Christmas. I made a red, white and blue crew neck vest for 4-H. I made a few other sweaters after college. Then I stopped knitting. I'm not sure why.

But, it recent years I have started again. Right now I have on my needles - socks, 4 sweaters, a cap, a Christmas tree, and dish clothes, and probably some other things that I have forgotten about. I like to keep simple things that need no thinking, like the dish clothes with me all the time.

They are great for keeping my hands busy, but still be able to carry on a conversation.

And, they make great little gifts, especially with a hand lotion or bath gel.

And, knitting is a great stress reliever, at least for me.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

I can't believe it is the start of another new year. 2012 went by so quickly!
I don't make resolutions. I used to, many years ago, but I never kept them.

So I won't make any resolutions this year.
But, maybe, a goal... or two. :)

I started making quilts for Quilt for Kids in 2012. I will continue with that.  QFK sends you the fabric for the top and back of the quilt. All I provide is batting and my time piecing and quilting the quilts.
My son has spent some time in hospitals. He was given a quilt during one of his stays. It was comforting to him, and us his parents, to know that someone we didn't even know cared enough to take the time to make something that would bring comfort and a smile. Being in the hospital can be scary for children. Being in the hospital for days at a time can also be boring and a little lonely. One of us was always with him, but having a bright quilt can help make the days a little better.
My goal? To try to get the quilts finished and returned in a more timely manner.

My other goal is to try to be more positive this year.
I tend to look at the negatives in my life. I need to change that.

On that note, I am posting a picture today of the snow that fell yesterday. My husband and I had left the house to stock up on groceries. We had about a 30 minute drive to the town that we shop at. It had just started to snow at home, but wasn't snowing the closer we got to the town we were going to. Good! I don't like to drive in the snow. I usually drive since my husband gets pains in his right leg and foot from sitting in one position too long. But, by they time we were finished shopping the snow had caught up to us. Bad! I got to drive home behind a state truck spreading salt, making us all go slow. There was a guy in a pickup behind us who REALLY wanted to pass. We were on a 2 lane road with traffic coming from the other direction. He did try to pass and had to pull back behind us at the last minute. A few miles later we turned, thank goodness.

We ended up not getting too much snow. My positive? I don't like snow, don't like driving in it, don't like people who are not save drivers in the snow, don't like the cold that comes with the snow, but the ground needs the moisture. So I am thankful that we were not in an accident, that we got a small amount that is easy to manage, and the ground is getting some of the moisture it needs (well, maybe not right NOW, but when it warms up enough to melt that snow :) )

And, today it was sunny which made the snow look really pretty. Oh, look, another positive!

Out my front door Jan. 1, 2013