Spring?

Well Hello stranger! Ok, so maybe the stranger is me. I’ve let the blog go. Why? Because I haven’t much to tell, and it might be that there isn’t anything one would really want to read about. Since my last post… made on February 17th… I have been back to Shipshewana, because one of the items I picked up for a friend was broken, so I had to return it. I called another friend and quilter, Janet, that I haven’t seen in months to see if she wanted to ride along. She said she hadn’t been to Shipshe in years… Of course we stopped at Lollys Fabrics, Yoders and a quick dash into Erica’s of South Bend. However since then I have been struggling with neck issues, so it’s been slow or no go for about 10 days.

The only other thing of note is that I think Spring is finally on its way. We had a mild morning the other day. By that I mean the sun was out, the wind was NOT blowing from the north at a fast pace, which means one can go outside without bundling up. The ground was/is still frozen in the mornings, but thaws… on the top by mid afternoon. So the only photos I have to offer are… the daffodils or tulips (I can’t remember what I planted there) are breaking ground (yes an awful picture) and a blue heron I saw wading in the neighborhood pond in February. Remember  if you want to see more of a picture, just click on it for a larger view.

I also feed birds… and while friends have said they have heard the Robins, I haven’t seen or heard any. But I have some Chickadees feeding, (pardon the terrible picture, but I had to take it through a window) and yesterday I saw a Purple finch. A very bright little male, and if the house hadn’t been casting such a deep shadow I would have snapped a picture.

To bring you up to date. I went to a local quilt guild quilt show yesterday and I have a few pictures to share. It was the Salt Creek Quilters Guild of Western Springs, IL. A big show in too small of a venue. Some of the quilts really need some distance to see, while others do just fine up close. There were approximately 450 quilts on display!!! So if some of the pictures have a different perspective… I couldn’t get back far enough for a straight on shot.

First up is “Grandmas Baskets” made by Mary Wakeley. The maker used some embroidered pieces from her grandmother and some Authentic Shwe Shwe (African fabric) that she purchased at the Rosemont Quilt Festival. Great use of blue Shwe Shwe!!! I brought some back this time!

Next is “Say Cheese” made by Tommy Fitzsimmons. It is made up of a bunch of little quilt-lets. Just cute! Well and a little interesting too.

And last “Unbridled Passion” by Denise Halvan. It was taken from a picture in book (saw it open at another table) and was made completely with a domestic sewing machine!!! I’m sure it will win ‘viewer’s choice’, because it makes everyone stop. The machine quilting was superb, as you can see in the detail picture below.

It was a nice show, if too close and the first of the season here in the Chicagoland area. There is another one next weekend, which I will be attending too.

As always- More Later!