16 patch top

I love how this top came together. I flipped a few of the blocks around as the quiltmaker did in the antique piece.

second H quilt

The second H quilt, this one for my niece Hannah (love those palindrome names).
I need to get it bound for her high school graduation.

housework elevated

I have a day home today and am trying to pull together several half-started cleaning projects. To keep me going, I have Brahm's A German Requium on loud enough to follow me around the house (and probably as far as the neighbors too).
Several years ago, when he was our seminary intern, Greg Sabetta (now pastor of Edgebrook Community Church/UCC--check out a service if you are nearby!) led a six week  lenten study on the Requium. He brought in history and music theory along with scripture and what was going on in Brahms world to give us a deeper understanding of the message of the piece.
Ever since I have made a point of making the Requium part of my lenten journey. My old tape finally gave way (along with our tape deck) and I got a new CD this year of Solti's 1979 CSO recording.
Thank you, Greg, for enriching my life.

sixteen patches

I am pleased with how the 16 patches are coming along.

little blocks

Judy over at Patchwork Times posted a block she is making in browns and golds. I don't know how large she is making her blocks, but I am making some that are finishing at 4 inches.
For a block: Dark--two 2 1/2 inch squares and two 1 1/2 inch by 2 1/2 inch rectangles. Light--two 1 1/2 inch by 2 1/2 inch rectangles. Press to the square.

I'm sewing together four blocks so the 8 inch larger blocks make it easier to put up on the design wall. Watch for more blocks.

engagement photographs 1984

We celebrate our 27th wedding anniversary on St Patricks Day.
Did I know what I was getting into?

Oh, yes, I did.

three months late

I am finally finishing my mother's birthday quilt. Just have the sleeve left to tack down.
There are 81 blocks for Henrietta's 81st birthday.
It is a fun quilt. Thanks again to Wanda Hansen at Exuberant Color for posting her pattern.
Watch for the other H quilt for Hannah soon.

red quilt show

I so wanted to go to the Armory Show in New York. Over at
Repro Quilts Taryn is helping those of us who are missing the show enjoy red and white quilts of the blogasphere. I included my red cross quilt.

quilters

My mother's quilt guild (Sioux Prairie Quilters, from Sioux County, Iowa) made props for the play Quilters back in 1985. They have rented out the quilts to productions all over the country for the past 26 years. This and next weekend, they are in use by Elmhurst College. My sister Janna and I went to see the play tonight.
Mom made all the vining around the center and the border. It is hand quilted in each section, then machine stabilized. It is huge--I believe the quilt measures 14 by 14 feet. It is showing wear, but that is part of its history now too.

fairy quilt

A quilt for a friend's school fundraiser. The fairy is a bit wonky, but still cute.
(((ADDED: The quilt brought in $50 towards college scholarships for Chicago Public School students.)))

16 patches and variable stars

There is a wonderful old quilt on the frontispiece of Elise Schebler Roberts' The Quilt: A History and Celebration of an American Art Form that has me cutting 2 inch strips of my plaids and making 16 patches. I love the asymmetry of the block and it is rather mindless sewing that yields a good result. The blocks finish at 6 inches.

I am also piecing 8 inch two fabric variable stars with pieced centers. They are not mindless in that I have to think what am I going to do in the center with each fabric.

snow

It was an impressive storm. 20.5 inches. 60 mph winds.

Had to move our Rahm sign to higher ground.

The city plows first the snow routes, then the arterials, followed by the major streets, and then, the secondaries, ie, residential streets. And last, the alleys.
This means it will be at least two more days until the plows will reach us, so the block went out and dug out the street along with the sidewalks. By hand with shovels and a couple of snowblowers. A citizens brigade. (The alleys may need to wait until spring.)

the matriarchs

Bible Story Theater this year was The Matriarchs. The stories of Abraham and Sarah, Hagar and Ishmael, Rebekkah and Isaac told from the women's view.
This year I was not involved with the costuming; just enjoyed the show. My favorite costumes were the bucketheads in the front row.

I did buy some white shorts and a t-shirt for Seth so he could Walk Like an Egyptian.

with borders

I added more to this quilt and I like how it ended up. I had some concerns as it grew, because I really liked it earlier, but I am pleased.

Had some willing helpers this morning.

And, the gargoyles stand guard, even in the snow.

Merry Christmas 2010

another improvised scraps quilt

I had a lot of smaller length 2 inch strips that I sewed end to end to make a long snake. I cut it in half, sewed it together to make it two pieces wide, cut in half again and sewed, making it 4 pieces, again making it 8, and up to 16. I took the final piece and cut it into 9 inch pieces and sewed them together into three columns. Put 2 1/2 inch strips of red Kona cotton on them, divided them with 6 1/2 inch strips of fabric, and now am contemplating borders.

neighbor gifts

We awoke to a beautiful snowfall. Our block looks fresh and bright. Seth is off delivering our neighbor gifts. I found these adorable Mrs. Meyer's cleaning supply kits, in the Iowa Pine scent. I included one of my hand knit dish cloths.

black bean polenta casserole

This is my go-to recipe for when vegetarians are eating with us, but we all like it so it has become a regular in our rotation of meals around here. I adapted it from a Bon Appetit recipe. It makes a lot and I have at times cut the recipe in half and made it in a 9 by 9 square pan. Tastes great for a few days reheated.

Black Bean Polenta Casserole

Rinse and drain:
1 large can hominy (29 oz)
1 large can black beans (29 oz)
2 cups frozen corn

Mix and stir into the vegetables:
1 jar salsa verdi (500grams)
2-3 teaspoons cumin

To sprinke on top: 8 ounces of chedder/jack shredded cheese (or mozzarella or chiuaua or monterey jack)

Reconstitute 1½ cups instant polenta in 4½ cups boiling water.

Spray 9 by 13 pyrex pan with Pam. (I usually make it in two smaller pans so we have another meal to share or for later.)
Spread in the polenta.
Sprinkle in about ¼ cup of cheese.
Scatter and lightly press in the vegetables mixed with the salsa.
Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese.

Spray foil covering with Pam and cover.

You can bake it now or put in the fridge to bake later in the day.

Bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes. Increase heat to 475 degrees, take off foil and bake an additional 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes before cutting.

OK, odd story, as always with my cooking.
I buy lots of my spices and herbs in bulk and store them in half pint and pint mason jars. They aren't labeled which usually isn't a problem because the color and smell tells me what they are. I was on the phone while cooking and pulled out what I thought was the cumin, measured out a tablespoon and put it in the bowl. I realized it was dill seed and was able to get most of it out, but some had soaked into the ingredients. The resulting casserole with a hint of dill seed was pretty good!

baptismal gowns

My sister Janna's church, First English Lutheran of Whitewater, Wisconsin, had a display of 50 baptismal gowns at their fall fest today.
They placed planks of styrofoam and cardboard along the tops of the pews, covered them with fabric, and displayed the gowns with accompanying ephemera.

Many gowns had stories with them. There were gowns over a hundred years old and some very recent ones. One gown had a list of at least 30 babies who wore it. Another gown was made from a WWII silk parachute. There was a gown that had been used by many generations, but now was too fragile; for the most recent babies, it was placed inside the blanket in which the baby was held during the baptism.
Janna had her gown displayed, along with our brother's and her three sons'.

Seeing the display brought to mind a story about the gown my mother made for our children.
When I was getting married, my mother offered to make my wedding gown. I went to Fraerman Fabrics, right by the Sears Tower in downtown Chicago with my yardage all worked out. A very nice woman helped me choose a beautiful silk. We did our calculations and she gave me a price. My face must have shown my despair and she kindly said, "Let us look at the polyester. It has that silk rustle and no one will know the difference. You come back when it is time for a baptism gown and you can buy the silk for that."
This is exactly what I did.

the fine art of fiber

Our guild, Illinois Quilters Inc., along with the Northshore Weavers Guild and the North Suburban Needle Arts Guild have a combined show at the Chicago Botanic Gardens each fall. I showed my plaid improvised quilt.