Back to Reality

The new year is here, the Christmas decorations are down and packed away and the house seems a little empty. For one reason and another we wound up not having house guests this year and the holidays were quiet. Although Sweet Husband and I are Oregon State University Alums, we were glad to see the Oregon Ducks win their football game against Florida State on New Year’s Day.

We actually had some cold, but sunny weather last week which I find energizing but now we’re in vintage Northwest winter mode – 50’s and cloudy. It makes me want to take a nap. (I’d like to leave a call for spring.) This is a great time of year to do some catching up in the studio before better weather lures me outdoors. I have several quilt tops hanging around that have been waiting for me to be inspired to quilt them. This year I’m planning to finish two or three along with new projects.

My small quilt group, Quilters on the Edge, hung twelve of our quilts in the West Linn, OR library last week. They’ll be there for the month of January. All the projects were round robins, so there’s a piece of each of us in each quilt. We’ve each been challenged to upgrade our skills and creativity and forged some wonderful friendships.

The quilt below is my “relearn to appliqué” project all finished. It will be in the Oregon Garden “Stitches in Bloom” Show from January 23-25.

I learned a lot on this project including (again) never say never. I didn’t think I’d get into appliqué, but find I enjoy it. It always takes longer than I think it should, but is a different experience from machine piecing. “Harry’s Alphabet” will also be there.