"Steppdecke für Katz": in the hoop

Thanks to the three-day weekend, I was finally able to get back into the studio to finish the top for the Christmas quilt for Mom.  The photo above is the beginning of the marking process.

I'm still fussing with the Nikon.  About every other photo isn't sharp enough for my taste.

I made a set of plastic templates based on Denyse Schmidt's recommended quilting pattern for this Single Girl patterned quilt.  Not only is it attractive, it's very well designed to catch up every piece in the quilting.  For a quilt that will get lots of handling, that's the best kind IMHO.

Here's the start on the quilting in the early morning light of Sunday.

Treasures from Mary Jo's

I mentioned in an earlier post that I have finally been able to visit the fabled Mary Jo's Cloth Shop in Gastonia, North Carolina.  Let me state that it is all that AND a bag of chips, as Anna would say.  The Japanese-style fabrics above actually came from one of the vendors at the Barnful of Quilts that I visited the same day, but since this is a fabric post, I've included them, too.

The sheer number of fabrics is overwhelming and I limited myself to looking for things for two upcoming baby quilts.  The next time I go, I will take a list.

This is a Robert Kaufman print that I just loved.  One of the babies is a boy and the other a girl so I found inspiration for both.

These darling remnants were less than a dollar each.  Not only is the selection incredible, the prices are 30 to 40 percent less than the average fabric store.

All of these photos were taken with the new Nikon.  I'm still not thrilled with the focus, but I'm getting better.

Thanking my dear veterans

On this Veterans Day, I want to thank all those who fought and are fighting still, but most especially, my own dear veterans.  My father, Dan, is an Army veteran of World War II and at nearly 92, still very active and fit.  In the photo above, taken during World War II, he is standing with his youngest brother, Bobby, in front of their family home in Upper Sandusky, Ohio.  Bobby enlisted right out of high school and became a Marine.  He was wounded in the Pacific campaign.  My father's brother, John Thomas, was also a Marine who was on a carrier in Tokyo Bay the day the Japanese surrendered.  These men and women give the best years of their lives and I am humbled and grateful. Thank you, Dad. Thanks, Uncle Bobby and Uncle Tom.

Coming up for air or Good Lord, it's November already!

The Quilted Librarian has been absent from the cyber realm of late, but we have definitely turned the corner at school in terms of getting things moved where I want them and arranging the library media center the way I want it.  Last week, I actually came home right after school twice!

Last weekend, Jim and I had a wonderful breakfast reunion with my childhood friend, Laurel Lea Schaefer.  We went to Bexley High School, attended the Columbus Junior Theatre (now called the Columbus Children's Theatre), and did lots of plays together.  In 1972, she became Miss America and after she finished the responsibilities of that job, she moved to California.  While we  hadn't seen each other in many years, we always kept in snail mail and email touch, but it was delightful to catch up in person.  Jim took the photo of the two of us above and Laurel took this great shot of Jim and me.

This weekend, Jim and I are enjoying some unstructured time--he's in his study finding music for the play he's directing and I'm finally back in my studio trying to get back on track there.  Hoping you are all enjoying a restful and productive weekend.