vote

Andy and I went to vote today. After an hour and a half in line and after accidentally committing a felony by dropping my printouts of judge recommendations by IVI/IPO under all the voting booths, we were able to make our choices.
We were at a library voting because we both work on election day and aren't sure we could be at the polls in time.
Eve at age 17 will be an election judge. The average age of an election judge in Chicago is 72 so they are recruiting Chicago Public High School students to be judges to help with the computers. My parents are computer savvy, and many of the 72 year old judges will be too, but I am sure Eve is going to be of help. They are assigning her to a Chinese neighborhood because she knows basic Mandarin. She says all she can tell them is how to find the bathroom.
Voting in Chicago is not for the squeamish. The arts center where I taught quilting was a polling sight and there would be shouting matches amongst the judges every year.
We are not a contested state, but we get some of the Wisconsin and Indiana directed television ads. I am ready for this election to be over, and am excited to see in which direction our country will go.
GO VOTE! Or, if you cannot, offer to babysit for or drive someone who can vote.

not much quilting going on

I have spent too much time away from sewing--I hope to have a little time today. I remember when the children were little, I would do "magazine quilting" because the real thing wasn't happening. Now, I do "blog quilting", reading and getting inspired for future events.

I made this Patience Corner quilt in 2000. Every block has a different green and neutral. The closeups are of my favorite neutrals--on the left some kittens and on the right, tiny images of Saturn on a Japanese fabric.
The neutrals are cut 2 1/2 inch squares, the greens cut 1 1/2 by 2 1/2 and 1 1/2 by 3 1/2, making the finished block 6 inches square.

Knitting, being portable, is getting some play here. Our church knitting group (I never make the meetings) is making red scarves to include in Christmas stocking for teens at risk or refugee families. Crazy Aunt Purl recommended this yarn--Licorice, from Joann. It is 100% wool, $5.99 for 3.5 ounces. I am using 2 skeins (bought with coupons), 20 stitches on #11 needles, garter stitch. It really is pretty, and the wool knits beautifully.

other women's notions

Actually, my friend refers to our thrift shop finds of sewing supplies as "Dead Women's Notions", but the huge piles of bags and boxes dropped off by three friends this month were from their living relatives. My new mission has been to take in these piles, sort through them, throw away what is trash, pass on to charity groups what is useful but not quilt worthy, and save the small amount remaining to be divvied up amongst my quilting friends.
I smile as the bags are given--they act like they are doing me a favor. I know (and they probably do too) that I am doing the dirty work. They are spared the trauma of putting stuff in the garbage.
There were some treasures in the piles. The finest tatting I have ever seen on this handkerchief.

This turtle fabric and the ships and lighthouses.

More fun 1940s fabrics.