If you like me enjoy talking about your quilts or just quilting in general, buy a t-shirt. Yes, it's that easy. On a shop hop this summer I bought a pale pink t-shirt that shows a harried woman frantically searching for some material in her stash. That shirt has brought me more joy than you could ever imagine.

Quilters young and old have stopped me and asked if I quilt, and of course, I am pleased to share that indeed I do. Last week I enjoyed a conversation with an older woman. We were standing in in a very long line waiting our turn to make our purchase, when she asked if I quilt as she pointed at my shirt. Turns out she has been quilting for most of her life. She appeared to be in her eighties and seemed quite frail. I asked if she uses a rotary cutter. "Heavens, no!" she said. She still uses her good old scissors. Just keeps them sharp. I cannot imagine doing all the work it takes to cut out a quilt with a pair of scissors. I don't care how sharp they are. She talked about quilting with passion and enthusiasm. Said she loves to start a new quilt to see how it will turn out.

I can only hope that when I'm in my eighties that I am still as enthused with quilting as she seemed to be.

Design Wall Monday July 26, 2010

No actual design wall (yet), just a bed, the table and the floor. This is a quilt that is bits and pieces of other quilts I have seen and liked. My favorite quilt colors are red, white and blue which worked perfectly with what I'm doing here.

The center bear paw blocks and scrappy sashing are done. I am now working on the piano key border. The fabrics are all the same as in the bear paw blocks just looks different with the lighting in the dining room. This quilt will be queen size when finished. I hope to have the top done by Wednesday so I can take it to quilt guild.

Grandma's Recipe Box

Last week mom offered to give me grandma's ugly old yellow tin recipe box. She didn't put it quite like that, but anyway. It sure isn't much to look at but I just happen to collect things just like that. Not much to look at but perfect in every way to me.

This box brought back a treasure trove of memories for me.

Breakfast at Granddad's and Grandma's. We would be sitting at the table finishing up our ALL BRAN cereal (loved that stuff) and he would lean down and give her a kiss as he headed out the door to go to work.

The cake's she would bake in her square electric skillet. Never have seen or known of anyone else doing that.

She would make Blueberry Salad for family dinners. I've never been sure if anyone really liked it or not. But I'm happy to share the memory and the recipe with you.

Blueberry Salad
1 can blueberry pie filling
1 lg pkg black cherry jello
1 sm can crushed pineapple (drained)
1/2 cup cool whip and 1/2 cup mayonnaise
refrigerate 2 hrs

After a discussion with mom I now know that you stir together the pie filling, the dry jello and the pineapple. Put it in a nice serving bowl. Stir together the cool whip and mayonnaise spread over the top and refrigerate for two hours.

I think the mayonnaise is what throws people off this recipe. So personally I would be thrilled to eat it now if the mayonnaise were left out and just use cool whip.

Tripping over myself.

I really thought I would get on here and put this blog page together without too many problems. WRONG. How can I have thought that this would just look great to begin with. Not many people can put together a quilt without auditioning the fabrics. And this page is not going to be any different. So as you follow this expect to see changes. The colors are going to change and the blocks are going to get moved up, down, right and left. So, welcome to my blog as I cut, stitch and move the pieces around.