Abundance

We have had an unusual amount of rain this year, a blessing because it greatly reduced the need to water the gardens.  The rose in the front yard benefited greatly.  Hubby cut it a couple of days ago because the weight of the blossoms had bowed it to the ground.  I have been unable to accurately count how many blossoms there are, at least eighteen or so.  I’ll let you know once all the petals fall.

2 Corinthians 9:8  And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work.

WIP Wednesday – Primitive Reproductions

I absolutely love this fabric.  I’m not too crazy about the partridge with the pear, but it is seasonal, so I can make allowances.  I bought 4 charm packs and some yardage of  Seasonal LIttle Gatherings by Primitive Gatherings from my favourite quilt store in Fort St. John.  I am doing my  utmost to be very deliberate in the construction of this quilt.  Already I have made a couple goofs and am upset with myself.  I wanted all the pieces with parallel lines to go in the same direction.  Third block, fail!  Sigh.

To this point the planned layout is as shown.  Once I took the picture and it presented as quartered snowballs rather than bow ties has me second guessing the plan.  Either way, I am going to be snuggly and warm on the couch with this new lap quilt.

Mark 8:18  Do you have eyes, and fail to see? Do you have ears, and fail to hear? And do you not remember?

Ordination Stole – Ordinary Time

A dear friend of mine was ordained for ministry yesterday.  It was a lovely service, she was very emotional and excited.  So it is for those of us set aside to be a Minister of Word and Sacraments.  It is also a little daunting, because we take on the responsibility to bring the Word of the Lord to the people of God.

I finished the stole, and she was delighted with it.  Coincidentially the minister that gave the charge used the words of Micah 6:8.  I had quilted those very words into the design of the stole!

WIP Wednesday – Binding

This Saturday our Presbytery will be ordaining a recent graduate from seminary.  I have been asked to preach the sermon in the worship service.  I consider it a great privilege.  The soon to be minister has become a good friend to me since I was called to this congregation four years ago.  As before, I designed and quilted an ordination stole.  Today it is at the binding stage along with another WIP that has just been quilted at the Quilty Guilt.  Imagine, two projects completed by the end of the month!

The stole is on the right and middle, with a dove FM quilted on the reverse.  (note the use of my favourite fabric designer, Barbara Brackman’s Morris Apprentice)

 

The bible quote from Exodus seemed appropriate since it concerns the directions for constructing priestly garments.  One day I will have to design a stole that has “pomegranates of blue, purple, and crimson” all along the hem.

Exodus 28:32  It shall have an opening for the head in the middle of it, with a woven binding around the opening, like the opening in a coat of mail, so that it may not be torn.

Time to Breathe

Three and a half minutes of your day to get centred.  Blessings.

Things I Learned in Kindergarten

Robert Fulghum is the author of a number of my favourite books.  I was reminded of the book All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten this morning as I was tracing through the stencil onto one of the quilting projects I am working on.  It reminded me of tracing pictures onto those colouring books that had parchment paper in between the pages or the ones that were a series of dots or dashes that became a picture when joined.

I am free motion stitching the traced pattern.  It is turning out very well.  I went to my local quilting store to pick up another pen, just in case.  The owner shared some alarming information with me when I asked about them.  The pens are called FriXion and I bought two colours from a quilt shop.  They ‘erase’ when you apply a hot iron to the lines.  Really cool!  However, the shop owner informed me … cold is not the temperature you can expose the quilt to using this method.  The lines … miraculously reappear.  Not cool.

I conducted an experiment.  I used some of the neutral printed fabric and wrote on it with one of the pens and then ironed it.  Lines disappeared.  I then put the fabric in the freezer for only a couple of minutes.  The lines came back, not as dark as before, but they were back.  I submitted it to the iron again, and again, the lines disappeared.  Whew!  When would conditions ever be such that a quilt would get cold enough for the lines to reappear?  Funny you should ask!  I went to the quilt shop today to share the results of my experiment with the owner.  In the store a shopper was nodding her head as I relayed my findings.  “I’ve heard of that happening in Yellowknife when people leave quilts in their cars in the winter time.”  Great.  I suppose it would also occur if you mailed it to someone and it went in an unheated truck in the winter or by air in the cargo hold.  Not the most attractive first impression when the package was opened.  At least it can be corrected by throwing it in the dryer.

I’ve tried to find more information on these pens online, particularly wondering if the ink washes out.  Anyone know or have a similar experience?

Job 6:17  In time of heat they disappear; when it is hot, they vanish from their place.

FP Friday

One of these days I must take some time and number these quilts.  This one I have called Blue Trinity.  The squares are three inches by three inches, the short stripes are nine inches long and the long stripes are thirty-three inches long.

This turned out to be a handsome quilt, I really like it.  It is one of the first quilted at The Quilty Guilt by my husband.  It is destined to go to flood victims in High River, AB. if I can resist the temptation to keep it.

The search for a bible verse for this post brought up 577 occurences of ‘three’ and ‘third’.  Many of these are a measure of time, ie ‘three days’ or the ‘third day.’  I think there is a sermon in there somewhere.

Mark 14:58  “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.’”