in which teacher gifts are prepared and a fire-breathing elephant is displayed

Papier-mâché by Seth.

Knitting by Lynn

trees bearing fruit

And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing. Ezekiel 47:12
Seth's school is going to be part of a consolidated school next year and the PTO asked me to help the students make a commemorative quilt for this final year as an independent school.
I chose the verse from Ezekiel for inspiration and sketched out a plan.
My friend Mary Pellauer generously offered her Shiva iridescent paint sticks. I used Kona Cotton solid in Celery for the panels and batiks from my shelves for the setting pieces.
Another mother  helped me organize the children--which made me realize that teaching college age is a lot easier that elementary children.
Each tree drawing is a jewel. I love how the age groups change in how they write their names and depict their trees. I was glad there were redbuds and pear and apple trees along the block all in full bloom. I had the children look out the window to see that all trees are not green.
Suzette Fisher did the quilting and I finished the binding this morning. We put it up in the school entrance and it was a delight to watch the children find their trees.

a thirteen year old celebrates Mother's Day

made with flowers from our yard

hanging chads

I have been enjoying the results of the rather mindless sewing of these little blocks based on one by Judy Laquidera of Patchwork Times. http://www.patchworktimes.com/2011/05/03/brown-quilt-finished/
I am making my blocks much smaller (I think her original is 9 inches), and LOTS of them. I switched the square to the left top to add a bit of tension.
I am pleased with how it is coming along and can’t get over how much it looks like the punch card ballots we used here in Cook County for many years. They are similar to the cards in Florida that led to the infamous “hanging chad” problem with the 2000 election recount. I hesitate to use “Hanging Chad” for the name of the quilt, being the originator of the block has a son named Chad. I guess it is better than naming it “Pregnant Chad”, another problem they had in Florida.
Judy says go ahead and we just won't tell Chad.

bordello bargello quilted

I had this top on hand when a neighbor asked for a donation for a fundraiser for his political campaign. (He won! I have an alderman on the block!)

Another neighbor bought it at the silent auction so it stays on LeClaire.
Suzette Fisher quilted it beautifully.
And, I found a great backing fabric.
Find how to make this quilt on Bonnie Hunter's quiltville.
(Oh, and the spell check Bordello Bargello name is particularly apt as we have had a influx of "massage parlors" in the neighborhood and will be on my list of topics to bring to the attention of our new alderman.)