Happy Monday everyone. Hard to believe, but another month is almost over.  But I always look forward to the first of the month since a pattern designer I belong to, Nancy Haacke at digitizedquiltingpatterns.com sends out her new patterns.  Nancy has new patterns that go out to anyone who belongs to her Masters Club.  It's like Christmas to me on the first of each month.  I'm always excited to see what new patterns I'll have to place on my clients' quilts.

I am always amazed at how life intertwines happiness and sadness.  One of my sweet quilting friends went to be with our Lord and Saviour.  Her family celebrated Dee's life and was consoled by the many wonderful stories and remembrances family and friends shared at the wake yesterday.  Dee was one of the first quilters I met when we moved to Monticello in 1998.  Besides quilting Dee also baked and decorated cakes and cookies.  She made my son David's graduation cake and decorated cookies that were just too cute to eat.  I remember I saved those cookies for months after the party.  In sharing stories with Dee's son Mike, Mike hugged me and told me he wanted to give me a quilt Dee had made and I had quilted years ago.  I was overtaken with this sweet gesture that I teared up.  This sweet gesture has made me realize once again just how blessed I am to be able to quilt for my clients.  But I really don't even like to use the word clients because these ladies really are my friends.  And though Dee is no longer here on this earth I know she is smiling down at her family and friends and maybe evening quilting while she is baking cookies.

On a joyful moment our neighbor welcomed their first granddaughter, Amy, yesterday.  We are asking for prayer for little Amy as she will be undergoing heart surgery this Thursday, October 3rd.  This will be a tedious surgery and much prayer is needed.  So if you will take a moment to keep Amy and her family in prayer I know they would greatly appreciate your prayers.

Blessings to all.

Blessings everyone.  It has warmed up nicely here in beautiful Monticello, Indiana.  I've even got my socks off today.

Below are a few pictures of a quilt I completed for Nancy J.  She will have this quilt on display in her booth at AQS DesMoines in a few weeks.  It is patriotic in theme so I quilted each block with some kind of a star pattern.  I am always amazed at what the Statler can do, great precision.  But having said that it does take a lot of time to quilt out a quilt when you are quilting individual blocks/sections.  Would you believe this quilt took 9 1/2 hours to complete? I only mention this because some people have commented that it is so easy and quick to quilt out a quilt using computerized patterns.  This quilt is 72.75" x 54.75" so it is hardly a huge quilt but the precision the Statler quilts out the quilt is amazing.  Longarm quilting whether doing freehand work or a computer is challenging but it is also rewarding, especially when you see the quilters happy face after they've viewed their quilted quilt for the first time.

Blessings to all.

Blessings everyone.  It does feel a bit like fall here today in beautiful Monticello, Indiana.  I have my jeans on, a swearshirt and socks on.  Some of you may know I don't wear socks often so this does confirm it is a bit chilly.

The picture below is a small wall hanging I made many years ago.   Like I've said before my quilts, whether they are big or small, are a secret diary to me.  The story behind this little quilted wallhanging is where it all started for me, that is to say this how I became interested in becoming a Longarm quilter.  I quilted this piece with my 1979 Singer sewing machine.  My Singer is so old that I couldn't drop the feed dogs so I placed an index card over the feed dogs and proceeded to quilt for the first time freehanded.  I was hooked.  The rest they say is history.  Now don't look close at the freehand quilting because it is not a pretty site.  I just knew I was hooked and so began my interest in looking at Longarm machines. It took me about a year to research the Longarm companies and their machines before I purchased my Gammill Classic in 2001.  It doesn't seem possible to me that over 12 years have passed since my Gammill fondly referred to as Miss Smith arrived.  But my greatest achievement are the friendships I've made through quilting.  I consider some of my quilting friends family because we really have shared our lives together these past 12 years.  And like my quilts these ladies have kept my secrets, gave me hugs and made me smile.  Thank you ladies.

Blessings to all.

Where does the time go, gracious.  I remember my dear mother telling me time goes faster when you get older.  Not that I feel old or anything, well maybe my right hip is sore tonight. But I did sit through five volleyball games tonight that my sweet granddaughter (Audrey Kate) played in.  I clapped so much that I bruised my hand.  Even though Audrey's team lost in the final match the girls have nothing to be ashamed of.  They played hard and gave it their all.  Which leads me to quilting and the ladies I quilt for work hard and give their quilts their all.  I never cease to be amazed at the joy of piecing quilts that is brought to each quilter.  Have you ever watched the look on a quilters face as they are cutting material, sewing those pieces of material together and then looking with contentment and admiration at the finished block.  Quilting really is a therapy for many quilters and as I've said before its also a secret diary.  I can look at a quilt and remember what was going on in my life during the time I was making the quilt.  So for me it is a secret diary.  How about you is your quilt a secret diary?

Below are two quilts I recently quilted for Carolyn.  Such diversity in color. I love it when a quilter isn't afraid to try different color ranges.  I should be so bold to go from one end of the color wheel to another.  How about you do you stay within a color range or do you venture out.

I would also take a moment to show thankfulness for two prayer requests that were answered.  Two people in my life had been hospitalized and both are now home recuperating.  Thank you to my Heavenly Father for healing and to all who had been in prayer.

Blessings to all.

Happy National Sewing Month!!  As if we needed just one month to declare sewing a special month. Actually, I think we need sewing declared a holiday.  Wouldn't that be great we could have the day off from work or our routine schedule and sew to our hearts content.  Sew take some time for yourself and sew.  I'll bet you'll be happier by the end of the day.

I want to take a second and apologize for not writing more on the blog the last few weeks.  I've had a family member in the hospital so my priorities have been rearranged.  We've probably all heard the saying if you have good health you have it all.  Well I for one believe you don't need much else if you and your loved ones are healthy.  God was with us each day during our ordeal and life is getting back to normal.  I want to thank all of my clients for their patience and understanding who were affected by the change of my schedule.  I am working hard to return to my normal schedule.

Blessings to all.