After blogging for 12 years, Amanda Jean signed off in January 2019. Amanda has left her blog, crazy mom quilts online as a resource for all of us who miss her creativity. Her posts were/are filled with ideas, tips and encouragement. Amanda hosted quilt-alongs, inspiring me to make this quilt (altho it took me a decade to finally get it onto our bed!) One of my favorite features on Amanda’s blog was Finish it up Friday, where she invited her readers to leave a link in the comments, showing something they had finished. (Many quilters have what we affectionately call “UFO’s” or “unfinished objects” and are happy to celebrate when they are completed!)
So, today I share with you my latest finish, an improv quilt stitched almost entirely from my scrap stash. I even used a spool of variegated thread that was languishing on the spool rack. The only things I bought new for the project were the terra cotta solid colored Kona cotton and the batting, which I found on sale. It’s a crib size quilt, which most likely will be tucked into the trunk of a DCFS worker, ready to comfort a child in a time of great need. Or it may be draped over a crib in a women’s shelter somewhere in Vermont. Sometimes it is good to remember that there are such wonderful people out in the world, doing tough work…people like the social workers, the teachers, the peacemakers… Marge Piercy’s poem To Be of Use often reminds me of the heavy lifters who put their heads down and push forward, again and again.
The heat and humidity here has finally broken and we’ve had a bit of rain. This was the view when I woke up, and the thermometer read 56 degrees. I got tears of gratitude in my eyes. I know a few of my readers are waiting for some relief too. I hope it comes soon. xo
Several of our nights have been disturbed by cat and mouse games, a sure sign that cooler days are ahead. Country homes, no matter how tightly sealed, have uninvited house guests now and then, finding their way into a cozy spot to spend the winter. Our trusty Corazón makes sure to keep things in check.
So friends, as some of the news in the world seems not quite so grim, I hope you have had a chance to exhale a bit and find some spaciousness in your days.
Hope you have a lovely weekend dearest readers, with some quiet time to read, or sew, or paint, or garden or do whatever brings you joy.
xo