Saying Yes

It is hard for me to say no when asked to do something for someone and those rare times I do say no I feel so guilty for awhile.  I was asked some time ago to finish a quilt top for a guy whose mother started it but did not get the chance to finish it.  She passed away before completing it.

It was daunting at first, not because it was a difficult pattern but because I felt that I was treading on sacred ground, or fabric as it were.  This was to be a gift of love from a mother to her son and as I looked, studied and tried to understand what I was to do to complete it I felt that mother's love and determination to finish.  The top was in varying degrees of completion and she had left a few drawings and templates so I had a general idea of what to do.  Staying true to what she was doing and keeping it as close to original as I could I finished the top this week.  What an awesome honor!  It will be packaged and passed on to her son for Christmas!  This is one time I am glad that I answered "yes".

Working on the quilt made me think of my own children and was certainly missing them this week.  I will soon be a mother-in-law and trying to contemplate what that will be like.  For all you mothers of sons with wives what advice would you give to help me be a good, affirming and loving mother-in-law?

The snow is falling, it is terribly cold and I think I'll make some hot chocolate!

Blessings to you all,

Dee

Send those sew-a-long pictures to me!  Would love to see your progress.

Many gifts come swathed 

In paper,

A work of art.

The best gifts come sheathed

In skin,

A work of the heart.

Sampler Sew-Along Block #7

Step 1:  Choose 3 colors for this block or make it more scrappy than I have.  You will need 1 light, 1 medium and 1 dark.

Step 2:
Cut one 4 7/8" block from both the light and the dark fabric.

Cut four 2 7/8" squares from the light fabric

Cut three 2 7/8" squares from the medium fabric and 

Cut one 2 7/8" square from the dark fabric

Step 3:  Mark two of the light 2 7/8" and the light 4 7/8" squares to make half square triangles.

Step 4:  Putting right sides together make the HST's as shown above.

Step 5:  Cut the medium 2 7/8" squares in half diagonally and the remaining two light squares in half diagonally.

Step 6:  Lay the blocks out for piecing as shown above.  You will need two of each.

Step 7:  Piece the four quadrants and lay out as shown below.

Step 8:  Sew the four quadrants together as shown above.

Enjoy!