Sad time in life

Sadly I have to say, my dad passed away Thursday morning.  He fought a good fight and is now at peace. His illness has kept me away from posting, from designing, from writing, from sewing and quilting, and that is ok...I'll get back to it all.

Losing a parent at any time is difficult.  Daddy was one month away from being 93.  He had a really good ride! 

Dad was my 'go to' guy.  If anything went wrong at the house, I'd call for advice. Shortly after, he'd come a knocking, tools in hand.  Even once when my daughter found a giant toad frog, and I do mean giant, in her toilet,  he arrived with a giant wrench to extricate the uninvited frog and sooth a screaming child...and me.  Our hero.

 Mom and Dad with my kids at our annual Halloween Party a few years ago.

Daddy with  my kids at he stadium where Matt played college baseball and home of the Ft. Worth Cats for whom he will pitch this season.  Daddy won't make it to see him play. 

 That had been a goal, you know.

He built stuff, wooden crafts, quilt frames and rug frames to weave rag rugs.  He was very cool. If I could describe it, he would build it.  In fact, keep an eye out for a particular pattern in my new book, (may have to delay publication due to life) in which Daddy answered a question from me, which served to solve a quilt mystery.

Love you forever Daddy.

Until next time,

My best always,

~Betsy

Simply Sunday

Bluebonnets make Texans very happy.

These are right outside the door at Our House in Milford (name of retreat center), where just two weeks ago my friend Jo taught a great workshop.  Check out her posts for 3/29 and 4/4.  She has  pretty bluebonnet photos, too, and more good stuff!  Really, just 2 weeks ago???  What a good week that was...sewing, eating, chatting and all with fabulous friends.

Speaking of friends, mine have rallied to help me out through this rough patch in my life. Their support gives me strength when I feel I cannot take another step.

Have you seen Taryn's quote with her most recent post?  From H.G. Wells...."If you fell down yesterday, stand up today."  Love it.  Can this be my new motto?

Speaking of friends....

My friend Julia, made this quilt for me to teach at our February club meeting at LSHQ.  I teach Jo's Little Women's Club to a rather large group of wonderful ladies.  After telling Julia one of my many tales of woe, she graciously volunteered to make this sweet quilt from a photo in Sandi Fox's book, For Purpose and Pleasure. Julia made 3" blocks.  Thank you, Julia, for helping me out.

In addition to making and teaching Jo's project, each month I offer a project as well.  I used to include a bit of history also, but that has been pushed aside for the time being. 

Now get this, at the same time as I was presenting the little quilt, my friend Kathie, started making the full size version. Please check out Kathie's progress if you haven't already. It is fabulous.

Funny how those of us who are so inspired by antique quilts seem to think of the same thing!

The bluebonnets are almost gone. When they pop up each year we say a cheery 'hello' like welcoming old friends dropping by for a visit. And, when their time has passed, we say a sad goodbye to their lovely, bright blue blooms until next year.

 We Texans count on their visit every spring.

And to you my friends, until next time....

my best

~Betsy~

Sorry for the long time between posts...I actually have lots to tell you about!

Have you seen the June issue of American Patchwork and Quilting magazine?

My quilt Bounty of Baskets is featured inside. The fabric line is my Hot for Chocolate II

with Blue Hill Fabrics.

Below is the cover of the issue.  Check it out!  Makes me smile!!!!

I've cut kits for the quilt. Please visit www.lonestarhouseofquilts.com if you like.

Unfortunaltely my time here is very limited.

Look for more to come when I get to return to the computer.

My husband is back in the hospital so I have to finish getting ready and run back to him.

I had scheduled myself as caregiver for my mom, dad is still in rehab, but here we go again with my DH.  Some after a great deal of negociating, Mom has care, but not very happy about it.  For DH, at least we are in a different hospital, with a fresh team of doctors, new eyes! and new tests. The one thing they have confirmed is a new clot in his leg.

All for now....until next time.

My best,

Betsy

I discovered this cute idea yesterday at an antique show.  Two different booths had huge collections of flash cards.  Who would have thought???  Anyway, I selected cards to spell QUILTS and then found this folding ruler at an antique mall. Placing the ruler on top of an old quilt.  Fun.  I tried to find QUILT on a flash card but no luck.

Antiquing was a good treat yesterday after a somewhat frustrating week. Worked the Dallas Quilt Show, but didn't take any pictures.  Health issues with my parents are occupying my time and my thoughts.

                                                                 And then there is....

Miss innocent Molly....

She plead her case and really was innocent.  I walked a little too quickly past the portable design wall and down came two days worth of arranging and rearranging a project.  Molly got to enjoy the mess without being in trouble, for a change.

I've enjoyed seeing some of my projects lately on some wonderful blogs...my Gone to Texas quilt for one,  here Fabulous job Ruth! and was quilted on her home machine! If the right entry doesn't pop up, scroll until  you see the right post.

Next, see Gathering Baskets here Just beautiful Lea!

Then Taryn is starting Indigo Double Nine Patch from History Repeated. See her blog entry here ouch! Hope her thumbs are better. You can see my quilt in a prevoius post on Blue quilts.

What fun to see quilts from my books!

I never tire of looking this quilt and its hundreds of fabrics.  Talked with an antique dealer about his quilts yesterday and funny we share similar tastes...while loving and appreciating all quilts, our favorites are the ones that were made to be used, and like my much loved quilt here, unfortunately a little worn out. 

For us, just shows they were well loved. 

My antique quilt...Gone to Texas

Until next time....

~Betsy~



Pink or Green? Winner is...

The green border won, and by a huge margin, I might add.  I voted for the pink. Then, when so many 'green people' pled the case for green I gave in, and am glad I did.  The basis of the exercise in the first place was the exploration of my green stash, and using a stripe for the alternate square.  I love it. It is sweet.  Will be a nice addition to the table for Spring.  I'm not a pastel person, so this is just Springy enough.

As a side note, I machine quilted in 'pedal to the metal' fashion.  No time spent in thought of  'how to quilt', just a simple grid, edge to edge. The diagonal lines followed the diagonal of the HSTs.  Easy!  When I finished it looked like popped corn in the center of each broken dish block!  Why? Obviously I went too fast. I didn't pin as closely as I should have done.  Getting it done fast was the intent.
Now, as you see it, it is as flat as can be.  The very simple solution....spritz both sides with water and press and steam with the iron.  All the 'poof' disappeared.  If you should experience this 'poofing', please give this simple trick a try.

I have an issue with batting for the small quilts.  Recently I split a section of Hobb's Heirloom batting and while it took a while to split, I liked the thin result.  Hint to the batting companies, our little quilts need to drape just like a lap or bed size quilt.  I use a variety of batts, Mountain Mist Blue Ribbon, Legacy and Quilter's Dream Cotton-Request, Hobbs wool and silk too, whatever is handy and the right size.  This little quilt has Hobb's Heirloom  and is just fine for machine quilting, It drapes fairly well, but a thinner batt would be better, just my opinion.

~My best, Betsy

Note to self

Note to self: need more red quilts. 

I'm thinking today, the day before Valentine's Day how I wish I had more red quilts, of any size.  They would be good for Christmas, 4th of July and of course Valentines. The Red and White exhibit has lots of us thinking.  And wishing.  I'm also wishing I had taken a picture of my mom's vintage valentines sent to her mother in the early 1900's.  A bad cold has kept me away from her, and her collection.

I have lots of pink and brown. I need more red.

Winston asked for equal photo time.

Winston finished quilting.

I made this for my son, his baby quilt 25 years ago.  One of those quilts he was never allowed to use, thankfully.  What was I thinking, a white hand quilted quilt for a boy???  Regardless, he new it was his when he was little, and now that I rotate quilts on the cupboard door, he asks me where I put 'his' quilt when he notices its absence.I wanted tradition, even if it wasn't practical. In those days, machine quilting never occurred to me. I wanted to make something for him to have for his children, you know a valentine of sorts from his mom.

Funny thing, My daughter, is the one who loves red.  Her baby quilts were blue.

Have a Happy Valentine's Day

~Betsy~

Until next time....

Hello February

After a very unintentional blog break, I'm back and happy to say goodbye to January.  Not that February has begun any better, but I'm confident this moth will prove to be better than than the last one!  Let's just say husbands make horrible patients, especially when they have never been truly ill.  Two hospital stays  in January have more than tested his patience, and MINE.  My health glitche in the first week of Februrary put me even farther behind.  Who ever has time to be sick????

Consider February....what speaks to you this month...red...pink...chocolates?  Romance?  We'll do a little exploring and a combination that may or may not surprise you.

Back in December, I prepared an excercise for the club I lead, involving a striped fabric.  Then I selected the colors to complement the stripe.  Simple blocks followed. Here is one of the 3 quilt tops I have made, originally planned for the Christmas season, but now will be a February and into Spring quilt.




Here is the stripe in the background. I originally had out 5 stripes but this stripe had the best options for additions.

I grabbed a cup of coffee, well at least two, and sat in front of my greens.  Pulled more than needed, certainly. Some eventually didn't make the cut. This is fun to do with any color collection, by the way.
I have never been a huge 'green' fan, but is essential at Christmas, I think.



Some greens left and more arrived, this time with pink friends and a few brown, pink, green combo fabrics.
The greens aren't just any green.
 Out went the too olivey-muddy greens and too bright-poison greens.
I kept the greens that were 'just right'.

Pinks include pinky reds.  Am I talking your language?  Pinks fall into categories, like every other color family, those that are on the blue side and those on the yellow side (but not orangey, more like salmon pink or cinnamon pink).  To me these are browny pinks--a new category. Bubble gum pinks are bluey pinks....they can play another day.

Cut a bunch of squares to make half square triangle units. Mine are 1 1/2" finished, but you could make any size you like, and make any block you choose.



Broken Dishes blocks set together before border.



Every helpful Molly.
"No photos without me!"





Border options....which one do you like?

I see this little quilt as romantic in style, how about you?

I love hearing from you!
~Betsy~