Easter Line Up

Hello Everyone,

 

We are back home from our Easter celebration hosted by our eldest son and his wife.  They really made our Easter Sunday very special.  We all brought a dish to share for brunch, and of course there never is enough food.....NOT!

 

We do feel very blessed to call this cast of characters our family.  This is our "gene" Wilder photo.  Everyone is this picture has the Wilder gene, except for me.  But hey, I helped pass it on to everyone else!

 

This picture was taken four years ago.  The little boys are catching up to the rest of the group.  Our daughter (in the middle), is very concerned that over the years she is going to cause a dip in the line up, as the little boys are bound to shoot up, catch up or surpass their dads.  Then there's that senior couple on the other end......yes, the teeter-tooter is really going to swing in a downward direction.

 



 

Our daughter-in-law is very crafty, and has decorated their home beautifully.

While visiting with the kids, we were able to watch our grandson play a double hitter Little League game, and we were able to watch our granddaughter throw discus in an invitational track and field meet.  We had a VERY busy Saturday going from field to field.

Today is my get-ready-to-leave-again day.  I'm headed to Stockton tomorrow to teach a Patchwork Math workshop for the Tuleburg Quilt Guild.  I'll drive over to my sister's house in Benicia after class.  Thursday we will meet up with two of our "bestest" quilting buds and we will drive up to Colusa where we rented a little cottage for the weekend.  I'm teaching Cute as a Button and Country Charmer in the charming Friends Around the Block quilt shop.  It is going to be a mini-retreat weekend with lots of laughter, food, and maybe a bit of quilting.

I'll try to post when I can over the next few days.  In the meantime, keep on quilting!

Soon,
Lynn

 

8th Grade Graduation

Hello Everyone,

 

Just time for a quick post this morning.  Our house will be filled with twenty people for dinner tonight to celebrate our granddaughter's graduation from the 8th grade.

 

We knew when she was born that she was something special.

 

We knew she was destined to make the world a better place with her compassion, her devotion to family, her ability to relate to people of all ages.

She will always have the support of her entire family.....a strong bond between past and present.  She's made from "the right stuff".

.....and she doesn't take herself too seriously!

Soon,
Lynn

Taking Aim at Heartfire

Hello Everyone,

I've been diligently working on my Heartfire quilt.  So has Quilt Sue.  Sue is adding some applique to her centers which I think is a great idea.  I LOVE the Midwinter Red fabrics by Minick and Simpson!

I made a collage of blocks which will help me experiment with different fabrics for the setting triangles.  Warning.....the blocks are addictive!  I'll put a tutorial together on the block's construction.  There are a few little tricks I use with my ruler when I trim each strip.

 

On another subject, we always try to attend any school function or sporting event in which are grandchildren participate.  This time is so precious and memorable, and we don't want to miss a thing. 

 

 

Last Sunday was a very special event for our very special granddaughter, Emily.  Emily was born with congenital cataracts almost 11 years ago.  Her vision may be impaired, but her spirit and will is strong.  After seeing The Hunger Games and reading the book, she decided she wanted to try archery.

She joined 4-H and became a member of the archery team.

There was a tournament last weekend which was a fundraiser for breast cancer.  Each girl shot 40 arrows and scores were taken after each round of 4 arrows.

Emily's cheering section was so proud of her!  She's happily displaying her target showing many arrows found and made their mark.  I know Emily is going to make her mark on the world in a positive way.

Never give up.  Never think you can't do something because YOU CAN DO IT!  YOU GO GIRL!

Soon,
Lynn

P.S.  Here's a link to another post that I wrote about Emily 2 years ago when she started quilting.

Great Moments in Life

Hello Everyone,

 

I have absolutely no quilting to display, but I have a great story to tell.  Here is a picture of our granddaughters, Kinsey and Emily in their costumes for the Cinderella play.

 

 

Now my story begins.

 

Back in February, Kinsey told us that Cinderella was going to be the play this summer, and she wanted to be Cinderella more than anything in the world.  The girls after school program has some very talented women who coordinate a wonderful program for the children which includes an elaborate production every summer.  Each year the girls have been in the summer play, and each year they have a larger role and have to memorize more and more lines.



While the girls were at our house in February telling us about Cinderella, I told them I had a prom dress in the cedar chest that my mother made in 1938 for her high school prom.....and would they like to try it on for size. (The dress was right next to my dad's Navy uniform from WWII.)  Except for the hem, it fit Kinsey perfectly. My mother had a 23" waist when she was 18 years old and so does Kinsey at age 10.  (I know you are thinking right about now that I'm a hoarder.  Why would anyone with a sane mind keep a dress made in 1938?) Well, I knew it would come in handy some day. 

Skipping ahead a few months, Kinsey got the role of Cinderella.  Emily said she wanted any role they would give her as long as it wasn't the evil step-mother or step-sister.  After all, they are real sisters!  Emily was delighted to be Gus, Gus the mouse and really hammed it up on stage!

Look at the detail on this little jacket.  The sleeves, the little hood, all made to perfection with my mothers tiny, almost invisible stitches.  While I was hemming the dress, I could see where my mom had to do some piecing in order to cut out the hood, facing, and part of the skirt.  I'm sure she was on a shoe-string budget and had to use whatever fabrics she had in their home in upstate New York in 1938.

My tears started to fall when Kinsey changed the lines in the play and said, "This dress was given to me by my great-grandmother and I want to wear it to the ball."  Well, the evil step sisters would have none of that and proceeded to dash her hopes.

The evil step mother had just told her in this picture that she couldn't go to the ball.....and Kinsey collapsed on the stage in sadness.

With a wave of a magic wand, Kinsey had a new ball gown and was in the carriage on her way to the ball.   I was stunned that this little kid who runs around in shorts and flip flops all summer took on the regal quality of Cinderella. Where did my Kinsey go?  Who was this young woman on the stage?

Here she is with the handsome prince busting into a few moves during the ball.

The kiss. They couldn't have been any farther apart!

 

 

The shoes fit and they lived happily ever after.

 



 

That's my story.....and the moral is.......never get rid of anything......especially a dress that is 75 years old!

 

Soon,

Lynn

 

P.S. Now I'm waiting for our little grandson to grow up and be in the play.  Maybe the school will do a production of South Pacific and he can wear my dad's Navy uniform! 

Toyland Tree Class is in Session

 

Hello Everyone,

 

Yesterday was the Toyland Tree class at In Between Stitches.  The girls are determined to have their quilts done this year in time for Christmas.

 



 

 

I love the wool yarn that Azalia used for the giraffe's mane.  It added such a nice touch.

 



 

This little elephant seems snug as a bug in a stocking.

 



Judy added lots of personal touches to her little girl giraffe.

Another little elephant block is coming to life.

A cute little baby doll is going to be loved.

 

 

Saturday was a day well spent with the grand kids. Our day started at 7:45am on the soccer field. Jess said before the game he was going to score 100 goals for us.

 



After his third goal, only 97 more to go!  The coach had to take him out to give someone else a chance to score.....and they did.

In the afternoon, our granddaughter Kinsey, participated in her first cheer event for the Livermore Youth Football Jamboree.

 

Saturday was Americana at its best.  Blue skies, Boys Scouts, the American Flag, the National Anthem, 257 football players, 42 cheerleaders, so many little soccer players we couldn't count. It was a terrific and heartwarming way to spend our day.

 

 

 

 

Soon,

 

Lynn

 

P.S. Patterns are now available at In Between Stitches for Harvest of Hope.  You can call the shop at 925-371-7064 or email Melissa at info@inbetweenstitches.com   The pattern will be on the website soon.