FLYING INTO THE WESTERN SUN

Joy and sorrow have taken their measure this week. First our sorrow at the passing of my husband's 51 year old sister, Liz Armbruster, of Simpsonville, SC. It was a shock to all of us. She suffered a brain aneurysm and quickly left us. She and her husband had six children, two are seniors in high school, two in college, two working and not living at home. We are suffering from the shock of it, as she seemed to be in perfect health. You just never know, and that is the truth. I won't dwell on this, as you don't know her, but there is no shortage of reminders to cherish each day and love those around you. When this type of shock comes into my life I am like a mother hen and I want to gather my chicks around me, for their sake or my own I do not know.

Now for our regularly scheduled program before I share the good news.
Saturday night I took a class for this quilt, Western Sun. I signed up for it three weeks ago, and at the time I thought, "what are you thinking?" (Do you ever think, "what are you thinking?"?) The class was from 6:00 to midnight. I figured I would leave early, but wouldn't you know it, there was a magnetic pull to my sewing machine, perhaps brought on by the Western Sun as it dropped out of sight. I stayed till midnight and really enjoyed working of this project, as well as visiting with everyone.

I first saw this design in Barbara Brackman's book, Butternut and Blue. I loved it! I always hoped to make it one day. That is why, when it was offered as a class, I jumped at the chance. Well I ask you, could you have resisted?
Above is our delightful teacher, Sue Troyan. Sue teaches lots of different classes and is always a hit. She works magic with reproduction fabrics, and this quilt surely demonstrates that. Sue also has unlimited skills and techniques up her sleeve and energetically shares them in class.

So now you see I have succumbed once again to diving into another project. If you ask how many I have in the works I could not honestly tell you. But this one I could not resist, and if I could I would sew madly on it for a couple weeks, BUT, I have other news!

My darling granddaughter Becky, (remember Becky who stayed with us last summer?) is getting married Saturday, October 10, in the L.D.S. Mt. Timpanogos Temple in
American Fork, Utah. I am leaving tomorrow, flying into the Western Sun, for Utah! We are all in a tizzy getting everything lined up for the big event.

So I am ending this post on a happy note. We live, we love and hopefully we find happiness and share it with those we encounter along the way. I will be back in a week or so with photos!

GOLDILOCKS AND HER QUILT

Once upon a time Grandma Mousie made a little quilt. And actually, the center was created using a Little Quilts pattern for the Sunbonnet Sue. This little quilt went to live with Granddaughter Danielle, to hang on her bedroom wall. Years passed and Danielle grew up to the age of 13. Little girl quilts were no longer of interest to her. Recently this little quilt surfaced again while packing up the closet in Danielle's bedroom. Grandma Mousie thought that it would look cute in Goldilocks' bedroom, with her 1930's repro quilt that she just finished for her bed. So she mailed it off to Goldilocks' house.  Above is Goldilocks, pretending to sleep.
Goldilocks likes her new little quilt, and wraps up in it while watching TV, reading a book, or riding in the car! She even took it camping!
"Oh no!" Says Goldilocks! "Don't hang it on the wall, I want to snuggle with it. I love it!" This makes Grandma Mousie very happy! 
Above, the photo shows the little quilt sitting on top of the 1930's repro quilt on Goldilocks' bed.  When asked how she likes her big quilt, she says she likes it, but not as much as the little one! She hardly lets that one out of her sight. Someday Goldilocks will grow up and prefer a bigger quilt. Grandma Mousie will happily make her another one, because Goldilocks knows how to show appreciation for a quilt! No doubt she will live happily ever after!

ROAD TRIP

Last Thursday and Friday my friend Joan and I took off for parts unknown....at least to us. We left Virginia Beach and drove west to Charlottesville, Virginia. Our goal was to visit Monticello, home of Thomas Jefferson; and then the Virginia Quilt Museum, a little farther north. And, of course, to see as many quilt shops as we could.

Monticello was interesting. It was actually smaller than I had imagined, but for the time period in which it was built, I am sure it was considered large. Sometimes the legend renders things larger than life. It was quite fascinating, and I will probably want to read more about the man now that I have visited his home. It rained the whole time we were there so we only saw the interior of the house and didn't spend any time on the grounds. We couldn't take pictures inside, and because of the rain, I forgot to take any outside. But enough about the founder of our nation, let's get to the quilt shops!
Friday morning we drove further west and stopped in Staunton, VA. We visited a wonderful shop there called Rachel's Quilt Patch. This shop was featured in the Quilt Sampler Magazine a year ago. It is absolutely charming! The shop is in an old train station. We met Rachel Brown, the owner, who happens to be quite a talented lady. She has an applique book out called Adoration Quilts. The quilts were on display and are really lovely. There is a cute box of ceramic magnets that coordinate with the book. Also, she has a new book, a child's Christmas story, called Small Camel Follows the Star. Joan and I both bought one of those and a little stuffed camel! So cute! Yes, we also bought fabric!

From there we drove on to the Virginia Quilt Museum in Harrisonburg. I have to say I expected more. It is located in an old house, which was neat, (Joan in picture) and there were a few wonderful old Civil War era quilts on display. Not nearly enough! They also had some current Native American quilts on display that were very nice. No tour, no informational handout, again-no photos! The best thing they had was folded on a rack in an upstairs bedroom and it should have been displayed more prominently. The quilt was the inspiration for a line of reproduction fabric by Quilting Treasures. It loads slowly, but you must click on that link and see the design, fabrics and directions! I sneaked a photo of the actual quilt all folded on the rack. I know the Quilt Police will be knocking on my door.

Isn't it wonderful! I should have bought the pack of fat quarters at the gift shop! But I did pick up a few pieces at Rachel's and at another shop called Cottonwood.

That is all I have time to report on for today! More on Cottonwood later!