Memorial Day

For all those who served  

Thank You 

In Flanders Fields

BY JOHN MCCRAE

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

    That mark our place; and in the sky

    The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

    Loved and were loved, and now we lie,

        In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

    The torch; be yours to hold it high.

    If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

        In Flanders fields.

Another one done

The second quilt of 2022 completed yippee. Just a few distractions during the process first a tipped over a glass of water on all three tables in my sewing room.  They butt up against each other and were covered with my mass of plaids so quick grab some towels to mop up the puddles then spread out all those fabrics to dry. The next day I fold all those plaids into two neat stacks. Believe it or not they were shorter than when I brought them out of the stash last fall. I'm just glad it was water.  Glance at the pile while I stitch on the poppies hmmm put back in the closet or continue cutting the plaids hmmm. Put them away until next fall! Next what to use for the binding. Go dig in the stacks of plaids, there were two pieces of the black stripe….do the math for how much I need. Start cutting, oooops remember to late to draw a chalk line around the perimeter because a woven stripe has no distinction between the front and back of the fabric. Sew the seams the press…right side, right side wrong side.  Don’t you just hate it when your seams are on the wrong side of the bias tape. I never make that mistake if I mark the fabric with chalk.  Make a quick trip to the grocery store ha! They are doing a complete reset of the store.  Who Moved the Cheese I want to scream as I'm looking for soup crackers (reference to a book dealing with change from 20 years ago). Then there is basketball.....our Jackrabbits won the Summit championship! My problems are so insignificant in the great scheme  of things but loving the finished poppy quilt.  —Ann—

Pairing #2

Poppies and more poppies. Rich robust reds combined with earthy greens and a cozy plaid. Aged in an oak cask, particle board shelves in a couple different  large closets for years maybe a decade or two before they were planted and bloomed. The stark white of the backing contrasts greatly with the front of the quilt but it seemed the appropriate place for the fabric.  Does that sound like I have been consulting wine labels? Echo quilting around the flowers, still thinking about the stepping stones and borders. —Ann—

Quilt top finish

 

My not so instant gratification project took a couple more hours to piece the piano keys or garden walk then add the borders but my first quilt top of 2022 is together!! The black piano keys between the rows of poppies adds a layer or richness. I cross cut the borderstrips and did not stress about matching the plaids or even cut them perfectly straight.  One side of the fold was pretty straight but the other side had been stretched as it was rolled on the bolt.  I tried to square it when I cut the flower strips but it didn't stay straight.   I did notice after I sewed the borders on that there was a right and wrong side to the fabric the black lines of the plaid are much bolder on one side than the other.  It jumped out at me while I was pressing but by the time I machine quilt it I will probably have forgotten the difference of the black.  Its together and I'm pleased with it.  --Ann--

Sewing time

 

The mess from last year is still on the table in the sewing room, I go downstairs and look at it and where should I start?????  I was cutting all my plaids into strips an parts for a couple different quilts but not enough of any one to make a day of sewing.........  I like my scraps well mixed like a good soup with lots of vegetables and lots of flavor.  Some times I need instant gratification so I pressed my poppies and looked at the book for border instructions, they didn't make much sense since I made this smaller than the instructions so settle on some measurements that will work and get busy cutting.  Then a little time sewing  time.  That felt so good just putting two pieces of fabric together then four then eight then sixteen and check to see how many more I need............and it was time to make supper.  Tomorrow I'll get it together.  --Ann--