Happy Long Weekend

I would like to take a  moment to whine about the weather.  When we were in Southern Oregon for Mother's day it was 92, the kind of summer weather I grew up on.  At mid-morning today, we're enjoying a chilly 54.  Not exactly great for Memorial Day weekend.  However, given the tornado weather in Oklahoma this week, and the fact that my house is in one piece makes it impossible to be anything but grateful.  Mission of Love and eQuilter are collecting funds and quilts for tornado victims. For more information, go to the eQuilter website.

Once in a while, I find that I need to let new ideas bubble around in my imagination for a while.  I want to sew, but don't want to figure anything out.  I didn't want to invest time or brain power in choosing a pattern or figuring out what fabric to use where.  What I did was make a quilt from a kit.

My first kit quilt was made in the late 70's.  My mother-in-law sent away for a baby quilt kit.  After it arrived, she had a "what was I thinking" moment and gave it to me.  The fabric was sort of marginal and looked like it had been cut with a chain saw.  Coming from a clothing and textiles background, I found the lack of attention to grain line pretty unimpressive.  I finished the quilt and have no memory of what happened to it.  The whole experience really put me off kits.

In the last few years, kits have come back into fashion and are offered in many quilt shops.  They're so much better than 35 years ago (I guess that shouldn't be a big surprise).  The fabrics are actual cotton and cut and assembled with care.  I love the process of creating my own designs and choosing colors and fabrics myself.  There are times, however, when a kit meets certain needs and just feels right.

I finished the top of my kit quilt and it will be perfect for a summer nap.  Or to wrap up in on the 4th of July if the weather doesn't shape up.

Years ago I bought a poppy with the most delightful coral flowers.  When my husband built raised beds in the front last year, we divided it and replanted.  The main plant and two of the smaller ones survived and it's poppy time again.  

This coral is probably my favorite color.  I'd love for my mother to do a watercolor of them.  I'll have to work on that.  In the meantime, I'm wondering if I can create a quilt from one of these pictures.  They just speak to me.  The only thing I don't like is that they last such a short time.  I want them to be there all summer.  Actually, winter would be good too.  Guess I'll have to get busy on that quilt.

Enjoy the holiday weekend and stay safe.  

Candy