Megan's Frog Quilt

This is a picture of my neice, Megan's quilt. She is a 20 something new quilter, and doing so well! The light on this picture is too bright, causing you not to be able to see the designs in the squares. She used a fatt batt, so the quilting really shows up due to the puffiness. This is a huge quilt, 95x108 or so. She used a pink and a green print with little frogs on it, and the blue sashings are polka-dotted. I think she has a good color sense. She is going to the National Quilt Assoc. show in Columbus, Ohio with me next month. I can hardly wait!

Phesant

This is a picture of a wild ring neck pheasant my father caught,then released after taking some pictures. He,Dad that is, has spent his whole 84 years on this farm and has only once before seen a pheasant here,so we were pretty surprised by it. It sure was pretty, but squawks like a rusty hinge!

Wedding Dress

Finally, here is a picture of the velvet wedding dress that has consumed me for the last few weeks. Let me explain that. The Bride, as you can see, is no small child. She also could not find a pattern she liked. Can you see where this is going? I ended up using parts of 4 patterns!! The skirt back and train were one pattern. The back bodice laces, and is part of another pattern. The front bodice is part of another pattern as she liked that neckline. I ended up drafting the sleeves myself as her arms are a little large. The skirt front is part of another pattern, but split in half and an underskirt of lace inserted. Yes, the whole dress is lined. There are 129 buttons down the back. It took 15 yards of lining and of velvet!! The blue sash I made was not dark blue enough for her, so had to get more fabric and remake it. All was well till she decided to change the undergarments she was going to wear, which changed the way the bodice fitted in a drastic way. The only solution was to pick out the front bodice, re-cut it, and put it back. Booo on falsies, which are what caused the problem.The sequined and beaded trim around the hem and up the center front was hand applied. I got it for a steal on Ebay! After all of this trauma, I didn't start breathing till she said "I do"!Everyone loved the dress, esp the Bride and Mother-of -the-bride, thanks goodness. The pictures are taken in my kitchen, hopefully I'll get a couple better professional ones later. My 20 month old DGS was the ring bearer, and I made his cummerbund and bow tie and the pillow. Don't have a picture of that yet. He was adorable, of course! Yes, I was paid, and well, for all of this. Oh, I also hemmed three pair of suit pants in the deal.The reason this was so nerve-wracking is the bride is the only sister of my DDIL, so I wanted everything to be perfect. The pattern situation and the brides natural pickiness added to the stress. But on a funny note, the bride doesn't know this, the velvet was obtained years ago from a friend who got it at an overstock sale at the Batesville Casket Company!!! It was my gift to her.I've done other weddings, some with many bridesmaids, but this one was the most trying.

Vintage Stitches I

This is a picture of my first Vintage Stitches quilt. It is done with the feature blocks left plain. The second one, which isn't quilted yet, has the feature blocks colored. I have another panel of the blocks and may make wall hangings or purses from some of them someday. I like the colored blocks best, they look so old fashioned.

Snow

We had a huge snowstorm this last weekend. We got 15 inches of blowing and drifting snow in 36 hours. This may not seem like a lot to some, but it is a lot in southwestern Ohio!This is a picture of the front of my DHs Ford F150 pickup truck and the drift in front of it. He elected to use the skid loader to clear the walks and driveways instead of a shovel. I don't blame him! By Monday the snow is melting, and it is supposed to be up to 50 degrees tomorrow. Now the weather forcasters are concerned about flooding along the Ohio River, about 10 miles south of us. The top picture is of my son, Rusty, and his son, Ben, in a snow cave they built in a drift.DDIL, Melanie, was in the cave taking the picture. I stayed in the house working on the wedding dress I am making for DDILs sister.

Family Pictures

This is a picture of DH and myself, and one of DS and daughter-in-law,taken on New Year's Eve, just moments after they told us we will be grandparents for the second time in August. What a great New Year's present. When their first was coming, they told us on Christmas Eve of that year. I was kind of expecting this as we knew they were 'trying', and when they didn't say anything at Christmas I figured I was wrong, so it was a good surprise on New Year's! We are hoping for a girl this time-I can't wait to make little girl things!

Valentine Runner

Here is a picture of my version of the Sweetheart Runner pattern. I wanted to make it as a wall hanging, so I changed the orientation of the hearts. It made up very quickly, in a day. Since I took this picture I took it down and steamed the waviness into submission and put it back up.