I must be related to Henry Ford

I can never just make one of anything....so now that I'm back to sewing after my brain tumor recovery I wanted to find a way to thank my other friends and family who really got me through some very hard times...Hence the seven quilts, ironically my machine broke as I was just finishing the last one so I'm off to Linda Z's to take it in for repairs.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!  I know I feel blessed.

Shortly after my June 2013 post I was diagnosed with a stage 4 GBM.  I had brain surgery one year ago yesterday and the only sewing I was able to do was finish two Christmas presents,an apron and this Hammy New Year is a pillow I made for my sister.  They always have ham on New Year’s and she drives her kids nuts by always wishing them a “Hammy New Year” After that I really have just spent a year coping with chemo every month  and radiation.  I’m finally strong enough to sew.  My friends have been incredible, I made this pastel quilt for a dear friend who planted and planned my garden last year and this year, and organized meals for us through the darkest days of  my recovery for her August Birthday.  I’m currently working on scrap lap quilts for all the other angels who were on my recovery team.  I hope I stay well enough to finish them by Christmas.  I am so happy to be back.

Art Challenge Quilt Entry

My 9” x 12” Art Challenge Quilt for our Guild’s next quilt show. Category "Community"

As an 8 year old child in 1956 I walked around my new neighborhood community of Lewiston NY discovering some of its incredible history and magnificent sights.  It is my hope that your eyes will do the same and learn about the town where I grew up, a few miles from the original falls of 12,000 years ago. It was here that all the melting glaciers cascaded over the escarpment cutting back the gorge 7 miles to its present home Niagara Falls.   In the 1700's, the Tuscarora, the sixth nation, joined the Iroquois League where given land by the Holland Land Co. and the Seneca Nation to form their reservation in Lewiston NY.  Lewiston was also one of the ends of the Underground Railroad. Hundreds of runaway slaves were sheltered in what we called the “house of the seven cellars” waiting their crossing the lower Niagara River by the cover of darkness to their new community of freedom in Ontario Canada.

Eat More Pie

Finally, the two Thanksgiving Applique gift pillows I been working on for weeks are finished.  I couldn't find a pattern I liked well enough, so I just took a screen shot of a panel quilt I found in  google images, inserted it into Publisher, enlarged it to the size to fit the pillow and printed it out as a banner.  The rest is all about the tracing onto freezer paper.

Dear Jane is finished for Mother's Day

Seriously There is no Logical Reason Why I Made 7 of These Puppies

(One is already in the mail).  I’m not a rainbow color kinda gal, but I still have so many rainbow colors left from my inherited stash along with this gift book that contains a pattern for one said pencil holder  so I say, “ why not?”  

Flip it to the Rescue

A Colleague had heard that I rehabilitate torn and unusable family embroidered pieces.  Her grandmother had stitched a lovely linen tea towel but it was tattered and stained.  
She didn't have the heart to throw it out, and asked if I'd like to have it.  I knew immediately what to do with it.  I had been planning to make some old fashion flip dolls in commemoration of our family's duel heritage, Sicilian/ Irish and it would fit perfectly as part of the bodice and apron.   As always, I can't just make one.  Adorable don't you think?