a decade ago

I made this parament for my father-in-law's funeral ten years ago. I was happy to see it in use this morning in the chapel at St Pauls.

graduation a year ago today

Here are some photographs from Eve's graduation from Wellesley College a year ago today. I was delighted my mother and sister Janna were able to attend. Andy had the pictures on his camera and I finally got access to them!
Wellesley has a wonderful tradition of the women processing from the classrooms through the quad and to Severance Green where the outdoor ceremony is held, then forming a tunnel for their professors to walk through. We sang America the Beautiful, which was penned by Wellesley professor Kathrine Lee Bates in 1893, substituting "sisterhood!" for brotherhood.
If your daughters/granddaughters are on their college searches, I highly recommend giving the women's colleges a look.

a quilt is on its way

This doll quilt is on its way to Jill in Pennsylvania as part of Lori's doll quilt exchange on Humble Quilts.
It includes several pieces from the Smithsonian's Rising Sun collection of the 1990s that I found in my neighbor's stash when we took apart her sewing room.

It was fun to make an improvised medallion style with scraps. Definitely in my style of scrap quilting. I machine quilted it simply with squiggle lines, using a fun large paisley for the back.

another graduation!

Our son Paul graduated last week in New York from Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health.
We wish you well, Paul!
The processional was very formal with Elgar, and the recessional was a fun surprise with a Frank Sinatra recording of "New York, New York!"

This quilt will be his--a postage stamp made with 2 inch cut (1 1/2 finished) squares, with fabrics coming from my mother's scraps and my own. Over 70 years worth!

The back is made from more green and terracotta fabrics from my shelves.

Quilted by Sue DiVarco

a quilt comes my way!

I am participating in Lori's doll quilt exchange over at Humble Quilts.
Look what came to my house!
Merry from Washington State (she does not have a  blog) made this delightful 4 patch with tomato red fabrics.
I love it, front and back--thanks Merry!

remembering Lisa

Last December I posted about our visit to our friends' caroling party and their display of the Christmas village with my quilt used as a backdrop.
Sadly, Lisa died last week. Her husband sent me a picture of how they set up a remembrance area in front of the quilt.
Farewell, my dear friend.

birches--for Faith

Last year my niece Faith told me she'd like a purple quilt for her high school graduation. I wrote then about pulling together some panels from a shoebox full of short  1 1/2 inch cut strips with my serendipity snakes method.
I purchased a lavender grey dot to use between the panels and a darker lavender grey for the top and bottom borders and binding. It reminds me of the birch trees on our farm.
The back is made of pieces of black prints from my stash. Who knew Nancy Crow and Debbie Mumm and Hoffman Woodblocks would look so great together.
Quilted by Suzette Fisher.
AND I had it completed for her party! (Done 20 minutes before guests arrived...)
Congratulations, Faith!

Happy Birthday, Janna!

Janna celebrates her 60th birthday!

We are pictured coloring and playing with farm toys at Grandpa Scholten's feet, 1961.

Beth and I joined her this past weekend to help her celebrate. Note the quilt in the background, made from a delft tile theme block exchange I hosted many years ago. 

And, the last picture, Janna's granddaughter climbing the stairs, with a pile of my quilts atop Janna's shrunk.

Happy Mother's Day!

Henrietta and newborn Lynn.
1958
She made her robe during her pregnancy and I used some scraps of it in a quilt I made last year.