With Love and Best Wishes

At long last I can share what I've been keeping under wraps for months! Our Pastor and his fiancée were married on Saturday, it was a glorious day filled to overflowing with love and happiness. Earlier in the year I thought it might be a great gift from the congregation to present them with a quilt full of best wishes on their wedding day. Every part of this project was top secret! The bride had shared with me her favorite colors; we were off and running. I took two friends with me to shop for fabric and using this pattern from Lella Boutique,  set to work. It took me a few weeks to get all of the blocks ready and stabilized with freezer paper, but by April they were good to go!

I made 35 blocks, (an extra row) instead of the 30 called for, as our Pastor is 6'8"! Armed with Pigma pens, I invited the congregation to come and sign a block, at their convenience, on three consecutive Saturday afternoons. We also took blocks to the shut-ins so that they could participate as well! Everyone was so excited about the idea, the insides of the hearts were filled with loving well-wishes, scripture verses, advice and signatures. 

There ended up being a few blank hearts that I filled with some personalized embroidery to commemorate their big day!

Ready for loading onto the long arm.

It was quilted with a modified Clamshell which covered nicely, mimicked the curve of a heart and didn't obscure the signatures at all. 

Before we knew it the big day had arrived! Their quilt of love and best wishes was secretly placed in the bride's dressing room last Friday afternoon. I believe they were pleased with the gift. Someone involved in the wedding moved it to the Fellowship Hall before the ceremony began, it was a great conversation piece as I noticed people huddling around the quilt display looking for their names and reading what everyone else had written. This is truly a gift from many hearts; one quilt that bears the love and best wishes of a grateful congregation, that's a LOT for a quilt to do but it does its job beautifully! As for our little church, we couldn't be happier and, along with this quilt, wish the happy couple a lifetime of love and God's blessings!

💗

"With Love and Best Wishes" ~ 68" X 92"

Life is Good!

Moving into Advent

It's been almost a month since I posted anything here. I've received a few inquiries regarding my health and an email asking if I was experiencing a fun vacation somewhere. Nope; I can't claim either as an excuse for my absence from this blog, I'm healthy and present, simply busy- it's all good! In fact, I've thought about posting for weeks; but, by the time I got around to sitting down to do that, the moment has passed and whatever I had intended to post about already seemed like old news. So, here I am, catching up (as this news is old) by launching into Advent and the realization of a Chrismon tree in the sanctuary of our new (to us) church! Having a Chrismon tree became a dream shortly after we moved into our very own church building back in April of this year. Beginning in May, several members, plus myself, traveled to Rufty's in Salisbury, NC to learn all that we could about making Chrismons. I was bitten by the Chrismon-making bug and, along with a like-minded friend, made several more return trips for classes and supplies. I couldn't seem to stop, I was committed to obsessed by the process. If I couldn't figure one out I would work it and rework it until I was satisfied (even reasonably so) with the result. There are "levels" of proficiency attached to each kit; and yet, I forged ahead fearlessly. It would have benefitted my peace of mind to pay more attention to the levels; but, hey, the brain wants what the eyes see!  As our total number of completed Chrismons grew collectively, we crossed our fingers and hoped that we'd have enough to somewhat cover the branches of a small tree. As sort of a last-minute "push" to make more, a multi-generational workshop was held here, around the dining room table, in November; the group made simple Latin Crosses. 

It was a very successful day!

One thing that we knew we wanted to do was make Resurrection Butterfly Chrismons in loving memory of those church members who've entered the Church Triumphant over the years. 

On the first Sunday of Advent the long-imagined Chrismon tree appeared in the sanctuary at Grace Lutheran Church, dedicated in loving memory to those who rest eternally with our Lord and Savior. Each one is memorialized with their own Resurrection Butterfly, placed in the branches in their name.

Thanks be to God!

 The final Chrismon that I made this year is the one pictured up at the top, on the left, it's the "Advent Cross in Circle"; completed shortly before the tree was erected in the sanctuary at the end of last month. It may be the final one this year, but it's not my last by any stretch of the imagination; there's still so many beautiful Christian symbols to discover and create! I eagerly look forward to what's up for next year.

Life is Good!

More Than a Building

Blessings abound this Holy Week! Just a little over five years ago our small mission church began worshiping in shared space in the beautiful chapel of a local funeral home. We developed a wonderful relationship with the staff there as we came together every Sunday morning for more than 250 services. Life was good, but it wasn't our own space. As a congregation we dreamed big and prayed for that day, somewhere in the indeterminable future, when we might have a space to call our own. In the meantime, the church went about being God's faithful people; supporting missions, gathering for study, growing together in faith and praying as a body of Christ. We planned too: the church purchased (and paid for) a building lot when it came available, always looking to the future. But, as we all know, even the best laid plans are nothing compared to God's master plan! Just one year ago we met, and ultimately called, our first full time pastor; a young and energetic shepherd to guide the flock. We rejoiced in this blessing and carried on. Just six weeks ago yesterday our congregation learned of a church building for sale. By God's grace another scenario was presented, a divine plan; the church keys were handed over on Tuesday and at 7:00 last evening Grace Lutheran Church came together to hold a worship service of dedication, for a church building to call our own! As our pastor reminded us in the sermon, church is more than a building; yes, that's so true. We have been a church all of this time without one; but, how much more can we do as God's church with a space in a thriving community to call our own? We haven't yet even scratched the surface of ways and opportunities that exist to let our light shine as a church, giving all glory and thanks to Him! You may remember the hand and finger rhyming game we played with our children when they were small: "here is the church and here is the steeple, open the doors and where are all the people?" Last night we know where the people were: they were gathered in the NEW Grace Lutheran Church, giving thanks that God's plan is greater than we could ever hope! There's a sign that's posted over the sanctuary doors where one enters from the fellowship hall: "Make No Small Plans", it reads; no small plans indeed!

God's blessings continue as we move forward into a space to call our own, into a church that's SO MUCH MORE than a building! We move forward in faith. Oh, and that piece of land that the church purchased to build a "someday" church? It was offered up for sale and went under contract on Monday! God's grace. Welcome home, Grace Lutheran, "....open the doors and there's all the people", welcome home; thanks be to God!

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD,

 plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

-Jeremiah 29:11

Life is Good!

 

O, Happy Day!

Yesterday was a happy day of celebration in our family, the twelfth wedding anniversary for our son and daughter-in-law. This is always a special time of year, wedding anniversaries following Mother's Day; these two chose to be married on the same date as our DIL's precious grandparents, so many years earlier, such a sweet tribute! I thought you might enjoy this side-by-side update of the happy couple. 💗 These people bring such happiness, joy and pride to our lives, we are truly blessed.

Adapting in an upside-down🙃 world: 

There was reason to celebrate within our church family yesterday too. With all special precautions for personal safety through distancing, it was outdoor voting day for our congregation to issue a call to a prospective pastor on otherwise a glorious sunny day. Provisions were made for drive-thru voting from one's car or for walk-up balloting. We've all missed each other so much that it was hard to get everyone to leave the parking lot after the ballots were tallied and the results announced. The exciting news is that a call was issued, and he said "yes"; O, happy day! Hopefully, before too long, in-person worship can commence once again on the inside of the building, we can sit in pews, sing hymns of praise and listen to live music. We're working our way through this process by phases, one day at a time; and yesterday was a BIG day for our family of faith (small in number, huge in faith)! 

Thanks be to God!

His master said to him, "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master."  Matthew 25:21

Life is Good!

Finishing

It's been a summer of finishing up. This photo is of our Pastor at the end of August; she has been serving our congregation as an Interim Pastor and has finished her time with us. A few of us knew that she would need a proper send-off and of course that always requires a quilt to commemorate the occasion! Quiltkeemosabe just so happened to have this Lemoyne Trails top already finished and asked if I could quilt it and get it ready in time; not to worry!

I believe that she loved it! It was a joy to work on, too. I have this pattern and never had sewn it up but am inspired to make one of my own now. Actually, I have TWO of these patterns, if anyone reading would like to have the pattern and uses Deb Tucker's Studio 180 tools (this one requires the Rapid Fire Lemoyne and Square Squared tools) let me know in a comment and I will randomly select a winner next week and send it off to you.

Another project finished up: at church we have been collecting back to school supplies to stuff backpacks for disaster response. The supplies had been stashed until they could all be stretched out on long tables (our Women's Group meets at our LQS) and the backpacks could be filled assembly-line style.

Twenty six filled backpacks were prepared and sent to a local warehouse where they're undoubtedly headed now to Hurricane Dorian destroyed areas in need of immediate assistance. 

On the home front-- another scrappy tumbler quilt is completed. I finally realized, a few weeks ago, where that "missing" tumbler quilt had disappeared to; it was donated and I had completely forgotten about doing that. This is the third one that I have made and, after just receiving a gift of filled charm bins from Quiltkeemosabe who has been cleaning out, it seems that it certainly won't be my last one. 

Hexie Garden is completely done, too. It's been a fruitful season for finishes-- finishing strong and finishing well; hopefully the harvest from this season continues. I'm inspired and not slowing down yet; neither are the UFOs that I continue to discover!  

Life is Good!

Coming up next: where are these cute little houses going to end up?
Stay tuned...

Spring Happenings

Spring happenings: It's been a busy, but joy-filled Easter weekend! The bluebirds have decided to start a substantially-sized family right here. Spring has taken hold.  Even though Easter Sunday was much later this year, it still was a bit chilly, surprisingly. We've had gloriously sunny days and then rain on Friday which washed the pollen from the air, albeit temporarily, and ushered in some cooler nights. Easter won't be this late again until 2030; I did learn that the latest that Easter can be possibly be celebrated is April 25, that will occur in 2038-- I'll be 85. 😲

I am including, below, a photo journal of the weekend's activities including some holiday breakfast baking, some house-cleaning and organizing, a scene from a Holy Week play, Easter Sunday church service and post-dinner posing from the youngest two grandchildren. No sewing, unless I count placing the final stitches in the binding of the Fuse, Fold and Stitch rug. Guess what's on the agenda for this week?

I cleaned out decades' worth of accumulated young-children's books and repurposed this guest room bookcase. 

Selected age-appropriate titles now reside in a basket for choosing by our youngest overnight guests. 

Happy Easter!

Life is Good!

Transforming Towels

What started out life as humble kitchen towels have been transformed into something SEW much more! On Sunday afternoon the Service Group of our church, namely, the COGs (Circle of Grace), met to cut, bind, and attach tags to these towels; transforming them into adult bibs for distribution to local nursing homes and/or facilities with  a need for adult bibs. These are soft and substantial towels, they will serve the purpose well; protecting clothing and should stand up to vigorous laundering. The pattern that we used can be found here. 

These went together quite well, there were tasks for all, even the youngest of seamstresses; here she diligently applies binding to a neck opening. 

Tags with our church logo were attached to a hanging loop on the side of each newly-made (or about to be) bib. 

Among the items that I am packing to take to MidAtlantic Quilt Festival tomorrow is this bin of bibs-in-the-making to work on during "down time". Quiltkeemosabe and I can get a lot done in little snatches of time back in the hotel room in the evenings. We should have fifty bibs completed in short order; and in the hands of those who can use them the most. 

If you're attending to MidAtlantic this year, and see me wandering around, be sure and say "hello!"; 

I'll be roaming the vendors mall, at the show or in a workshop with Jamie Wallen on Friday. This year, thankfully, I don't see winter weather as a threat in Hampton, VA!

Sorry, Hannes, you can't ride along this time; your job, while I'm away, is to keep an eye on Dad. 

🐾

Life is Good!