Photoshop version of the birthday cake. Photo courtesy Joe Marquez

Today is Hotshot’s birthday.

Hotshot is my first, from scratch, grandchild. He arrived at a dark time in my life, when storm clouds were gathering preparing to dump a torrent of pain in my life.

But Hotshot came.

He was early, almost a month before his due date. He was small. But, he was healthy. It gave me comfort to know he was here and safe. He was comforting to hold.

His mom and he came to our house. His presence comforted his grandpa.

All our grandchildren give comfort in different ways and different times.

Hotshot gave comfort in the dark time. He continues to comfort me, because every year when  I remember that dark time my heart breaks a little. But, also every year, he turns a year older. It is such fun to watch him grow.

Many people thought his birthdays would be a bittersweet time for me. They are not.

Sure, the pain of the dark time returns. Did it ever really leave?

But his birthday doesn’t bring the pain or the memories of the darkness. His birthday brings happiness and joy and memories of fun times. He and his birthday shine the light on my life, banishing the dark times to the far corners.

God has graced our family with six grandchildren. Each with their own abilities and skills. Each bring joy from a different perspective.

Linking up with Lisa-Jo and the great group that participates in Five Minute Friday. The main rule is to write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking – on the topic that Lisa-Jo posts about each week.

In truth, it’s a little of all three, I just haven’t found the right formula for it yet. Today I’m sharing some great reads for you. Mother’s Day is coming, and what better gift than a book, something that will allow her to transport herself to another time, and/or place, relax and be entertained all while staying and taking care of her family. It’s the perfect gift.

Of course, shopping in the quilt store is a fantastic option. However, books are a close second. If the mother in your life doesn’t quilt, the book moves up to first place.  Here are some book ideas for  you to consider:

Devoted to Quilting (mine, imagine how it got on the list) = a collection of quilt stories. Each story includes a Bible verse and prayer, making it a perfect devotional. It is also just a fun read, and educational since each story also includes a quilting/sewing tip. You can see the picture of it on my side bar.

Devoted to Quilting 2 (mine again, surprise, surprise) – More quilt stories. This one has more quilts from friends and fewer family quilts. Otherwise it’s much like the first Devoted to Quilting.

Romance, The Spice of Life. Not mine, but I do have a story in it. This is an anthology, a collection of short stories. Like a good meal, life needs a little spice to make it amazing, and romance is the perfect spice. There are six genres included, romantic suspense, nostalgic romance, inspiration romance, paranormal romance, historical romance (ahem), and a contemporary romance. The mother in your life is sure to have a favorite genre represented, and she’ll love all the stories.

Grave Secrets, by Linda Trout. A baby disappears. A husband murdered. Sara Adams searches frantically for her infant daughter and must turn to insurance investigator Morgan Daniels. Except, Daniels is sure Sara murdered her husband. Will helping Sara find her daughter also help him prove she murdered her husband? Will helping her prove her innocence and uncover the real killer? On top of all that the man is devastatingly handsome. Sarah must be careful.

Preserving Family Legends, M. Carolyn Steele.  There was a time when family lore was passed down from one generation to the next. It was a form of entertainment as well as education for the younger family members. However, life has changed, and many of those family legends are left gathering dust in the attic of life. Carolyn’s books helps us not only find those stories, but write them in an entertaining fashion for our children and grandchildren. It must be entertaining, both for the reader and the writer, after all who wants to write, much less read, a laundry list of marriages, births, divorces, and death?

Saturday Night Cocoa Fudge, Gloria Teague. A nostalgic look of growing up in the fifties in Tennessee. Although, the setting could of been anywhere in the United States, the stories revolve more around the people and the experiences of one little girl between four and five years old. If you grew up in the fifties you’ll love this book for the memories it invokes. Because, really, who hasn’t done the “switch dance?” If you weren’t lucky enough to grow up in the fifties you’ll love this look back at a different time and way of life. Each story stands alone, and the book can be read in snatches of time if necessary. However, Gloria weaves such entertaining, and exciting tales that you’ll find yourself flipping to the next story rather than putting the book down.

Navajo Rose, Kat O’Reilly, the pen name of  Jen Nipps.  From the back of the book :

“Antiquities poachers send Native American arts’ enthusiast Paige Douglas the Navajo Rose, a stolen tribal artifact. Can she trust Ricky, her high school crush, to help her return it? For that matter, can she trust herself around him?

Detective Richard Travis is determined to help Paige return the Navajo Rose in spite of — or perhaps because of — his growing attraction to her. But can he do it while maintaining his professional integrity and reining in his libido? And what if he can’t let her go when they’re done?”

Wilda’sOutlaw, Velda Brotherton. From the back of the book:”Calder Raines and his outlaw gang may be more than Wilda Duncan bargained for. All she wants is to escape an unwanted marriage, but she finds herself in the arms of a tantalizing man whose warm kisses arouse a storm of forbidden desires. Calder never wanted to rob banks, but it’s a family tradition. When he embraces the alluring redhead, passion conquers good sense and he imagines a life he cannot have. Will Calder return her to the man she is to marry before she gets hurt? Can Wilda set things right and prevent Calder’s arrest?”

I promised myself I’d start back up with the Five Minute Friday in May. Here is it Saturday, and the Five Minute Friday post for yesterday is just now going up. But, better late than not at all.

Brave

We often think and even say someone is brave, much braver than we’d be in the same circumstances.

But, here’s the thing, we’re as brave as we need to be at any given moment if we just allow ourselves to be.

When God called my husband home, several of my friends said, “Oh, I don’t know how you do it. I don’t know what I’d do if it was me.” And then later when I’d do something different, “You are so brave.”

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

First no one knows what we’d do in someone else’s shoes. We haven’t been there yet so how can we know? I certainly didn’t know what I’d do when left alone. Not completely alone of course, God was always with me, and my husband’s memory stays. But, physically, alone.

I just took one step at a time. Sometimes not even whole steps. Sometimes not even steps, I just stood still and let God hold me up. But, one day, one hour, one minute at a time, I muddle through.

It’s the same for everyone. Whatever their challenge, we all bravely face it a piece at a time.

The same way we make a quilt, even a difficult one. We do one row, one block, one patch at a time.

There are quilts I haven’t gotten brave enough to tackle yet, maybe I never will. Yet, there are others that I do with relish. Brave as I need to be for the project at hand.

We are as brave as we need to be at the moment. Don’t worry that you don’t have the bravery of someone else, you don’t need it yet. What are you bravely facing today?

Linking up with Lisa Jo Baker

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community..

and Boost your Blog.

Applique, using zig zag stitching and pieced quilt for the grands.

Thanks to Calico Connections for reminding me that a zig-zag stitch is often used in quilting.

I’d planned to write about the Zig-Zag quilt which some call the Chevron, and can be made with half-square triangles. The problem is I don’t have my Zig-Zag quilt finished, which means no picture.

However, thanks to Calico, I remember that the zig-zag stitch can  be used to piece batting together. By bunting two pieces of batting together and using a wide zig zag stitch we can make our batting dollars go further, and not have extra bulk in our quilt.

I also use the zig zag stitch when adding binding. Because, I often either leave my backing big enough to fold over the edges, then using a zig zag or decorative stitch, sew it to the top, or I add the binding backwards. By backwards I mean, most quilters sew their binding to the front of the quilt and fold it over to hand-stitch on the back, I do the opposite. I sew the binding to the back of the quilt, and fold it over to the front and once again zig zag or decorative stitch it down.

The zig zag stitch is also one of the ways to attach an applique. Since I seldom do applique, and when I do it’s for a project that will be used and washed, often, I want the applique to stay put. I usually call it a satin stitch because the zigs are so close to the zags. A satin stitch is, essentially, a zig zag.

The quilt at the top of this post is one made for one of my little grandsons, and his younger brother, and cousins have a similar quilt, they all have  several applique blocks.

Not only was the zig zag stitched used to hold the appliques in place, but it was used a decorative, or defining stitch on the hats and the frog.

The frog block. The frog is one piece, the legs are defined with zig zag stitching. The swirling water around the frog is just my unusual quilting.

That’s it. We’ve come to the end of the month, and the end of the alphabet. I managed to post about every letter, although some times not exactly on the correct day. But, hey, I’m making progress.

I’ve enjoyed meeting some of the other bloggers in the challenge, and found a few new ones to follow. I hope you did too.

For next month, something different, but I’ll wait and tell you about them tomorrow.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this alphabet series. How often do you use zig zag in your quilts?

The first time I saw a picture of a Yo-Yo quilt I didn’t quite understand it. It didn’t look like any quilt I’d seen before. It had holes in it.

Okay. To be fair they weren’t “holes” they were spaces not filled in with fabric.  Still, they looked like holes to me and I couldn’t imagine why anyone would make a quilt top that, when finished would have the batting sticking out.

A Yo-yo top is a collection of gathered circles sewn together. While they can be sewn into a pattern, most y0-yos are a lighter version of the patchwork quilt.

A completed YoYo quilt from 2 sisters quilting. The green showing through between the circles (yo-yos) is the background of whatever the quilt is on.

The description I read at the time said these “quilts” were for summer, and topped a colored sheet. At the time, it just looked like an unfinished quilt to me. I’ve since learned more about them and appreciate them for their time and beauty.

While they are not quilts, there is only the one layer, possibly  two if the top is stitched to a backing. They are beautiful, and have their own stories just as their “real” quilt sisters.

I wonder if a yo-yo top wasn’t someone’s idea of a pretty, light weight top similar to a crocheted bedspread, or tablecloth. Maybe the first yo-yo maker couldn’t afford all the thread to crochet a pretty top. Maybe she didn’t know how to crochet, but she wanted something light-weight, and airy for  summer.

Just imagine a woman looking at her pile of scraps and her naked table, or a heavy quilt on her bed in the heat of the summer. She could sew, but really didn’t want a “quilt” to dress her table, and she wanted/needed something lightweight for her bed.

She began to experiment, after all isn’t that how we get most of our patterns, experimenting?  Maybe she had made the yo-yos before as a decoration.

Now, however, she sews them together and before long, viola! A pretty, airy table covering, or bed topper.

The sheet that served as cover for the hot Oklahoma nights could be made prettier by topping it with the yo-yo top.

Now, I don’t really know how a yo-yo top came into being, why or how they were first used. I do know they are beautiful, and perfect for someone who loves to do handwork. That wouldn’t be me. I’ll just enjoy the yo-yo tops others make.

What about you? Do you have a yo-yo top? Have you ever made one?

This post was for the letter Y in the A to Z blogging challenge. Tomorrow is the last day of the month and, of course, Z will be the letter of the day. Hope you’ve enjoyed some of the many blogs who joined the challenge.

Others with different themes may have struggled with the letter Q, but not me.

However, X was a different story.

According the the Maggie Malone Book of 5500 QUILT BLOCK DESIGNS, there are two X quilt blocks. The X Quartet and the X-Quisite.

An X Quartet Quilt Block from planet patchwork.com

I could only find one example of the X Quartet quilt block, maybe others call it by another name. After all, it looks fairly simple and easy. Half square triangles set in the pinwheel pattern. Half-square triangle blocks together with solid blocks around the four sides of the pinwheel,  and solid blocks in the corner.

For the X Quiste block, I found this  baby quilt  by Mary, of the Tulip Patch done in that pattern. Isn’t it cute? I’m sure the parents of the little boy who now owns it were thrilled to receive such a cute quilt for their little one.

X Quisite quilt by Mary at the Tulip-patch

Lucky you. Since I found a couple of X quilt blocks you were spared the Xylophone quilt idea. I’m sure there are other X quilt blocks out there and now I’m on a quest to find them. Do you have an X quilt block?

Still playing with the A to Z bloggers. Up Monday, is Y, and yes, I have a quilt story for Y.

Tied or tacked quilts are most often relegated to the functional uses. In fact there are some, like my father, who don’t consider a tacked quilt a “real” quilt.  In his world, a tied quilt was a comforter and a stitched (quilted) one was, well a quilt.

My father isn’t alone. There are quilt shows that limit the exhibition to those quilts that are stitched together.

I think it comes down to how you were raised and what type of quilts you were exposed to. In my father’s case, his mother made both stitched and tied quilts. However, the stitched quilts were the ones given as gifts, and with the more intricate designs.

The tied quilts were those the family used every day. Thus, for him, a tied quilt wasn’t a real quilt.

I didn’t grow up with quilts or quilters and taught myself to quilt, with the help of my mother-in-law. For me, a quilt is a quilt and I love them all. Plus, every quilt has a story, tied, or stitched.

What about you? Are tacked quilts “not real quilts?”

Tied quilt my mother-in-law made, probably in the late 30′s. The 9patch’s are flour sack fabric.

Almost every quilter has a manually operated Unsewing Machine. Otherwise known as a seam ripper. However, a few weeks ago, Alex Anderson unveiled the latest in sewing innovations, a stitch eraser. Enjoy.

Quilts are one of our most versatile household items. A quilt can wrap and calm a crying baby. Give comfort to a grieving adult. Children love hiding in, and playing pretend in their quilt forts.

There are quilted table cloths for both fine dining, and picnics at the park that can double as a cover up should the need arise. Quilts are perfect cushions at outdoor events, ready to be used for warmth should the  temperatures drop.

A quilt can be folded and placed on the foot of the bed for decoration, yet still available as a cover.

Quilts can be made into clothes, stuffed animals, and totes. Whatever the need, the versatile  quilt is sure to be available to fill it.

How do you wash your quilts? My quilts are made for everyday use, they get thrown in the washer and hung out on the line. However, I do have some special quilts that don’t get washed.

They don’t get used, I place them on the bed from time to time to relax the threads and let them air out. Other than that, no washing.

If a special quilt must be washed I wash it in the bathtub. Actually, it soaks in a solution for delicate fabrics. The water is then squeezed out and the quilt rinsed, and re-rinsed. Then, it’s placed on a sheet outside, with another sheet covering it (to protect it from direct sun and bird droppings) until it is dry.

Yes. It is a lot of work. No, I don’t do it often. However, there are times when a washing is just what is called for.

How about your quilts? Washable? Non?

It’s Show and Tell Monday! Ok, it’s not, it’s just Monday. But, today is letter S for the A to Z challenge.

Okay, it’s not even Monday, it’s Wednesday. The post was ready, except for a picture on Monday. Still no picture, but a post of words is better than nothing. Right?

I’ve been a little (sometimes I am a master at understatement) behind on the blog challenges.  Last week I almost forgot I had a blog, much less a couple of challenges.

What in the world could make me forget something like my blog?

A speech contest. Speech contest begins with “S”, so I’m good. Right?

Sure, speech contest begins with “S,” but what does it have to do with quilts?

Well, the speech was about a quilt. Sort of. In the speech I compared our lives to quilts. To further illustrate the point I made a “quilt” to use as a prop.

I spent last week sewing, and speaking, giving practice speeches wherever and whenever possible including speaking to the dog. Poor baby. This week though, I’m back on track trying to accomplish too many things in too short of time. It was a fun week though. Too bad it didn’t end with a win.

Oh well, there’s always the next contest.

That was Monday. This is Wednesday. Shortly after writing that post and before I could take the picture of the quilt the stomach flu bug found and attacked me. No pictures, no posting, no writing. Just sick.

Better now, and future posts will, with luck, appear on schedule. Hope the “bugs” haven’t attacked anyone else.

I do sometimes, however I often, I veer off on my own. Sometimes it’s to make an adjustment (or ten) to an existing pattern. Often, my veering has more to do with my impatience, and the fact that I made an error. Rather than unsew a patch, or several, I just decide that’s the look I intended, and I continue along that path.

Other times, I will see the finished project, or a picture of it, and not have a pattern. I must construct a pattern if I want the project. So I do, making changes along the way.

There are times, however, when making a patchwork pattern, when following the instructions are the best way to have the desired look. I first fell in love with patchwork quilts way back in the day and they are still my primary quilt love. Although, I’ve seen some beautiful non patchwork quilts that offer their own brand of pleasure.

Quilts in general are a source of pleasure, regardless of their type.

Which quilts give you the most pleasure? Do you admire one type of quilt, and make another?

On her blog, Nancy Doyle wrote about quiet being the naturally soothing and wrote and thought-enabling event that is missing from most of our lives.

A quilt helps us create and/or enjoy the quiet. As children we made tents and forts with the quilts and hid inside. In the tent we were far away from the noise of the day. We lived in our own little private, wonderful world, the quilts held the world at bay.

As adults, the cocoon quilt often serves as our fortress of solitude. We wrap up in the quilt. We burrow down and allow the quilt to protect us from the worries of the day, and hold the noise and problems at bay. At least for a few hours.

When sewing on a quilt the noise of the day recedes into the recesses of my mind. The beauty of the quilt in front of me and the process of sewing it together, silences the noise of the day.

Squares. Rectangles. Just think of the quilts  made with only those two shapes. It’s only right, since the finished product is usually a square or rectangle.

Consider these quilts, made entirely of rectangles:

First up is one made by a McAlester Ok quilter. I took this picture at a craft fair a few years ago when she had the quilt on display and for sale. It was one of the few she had that wasn’t a cross-stitch quilt.

flour sack fabric, four patch made with rectangles. made by Pat Cotton, McAlester OK

My version of a rail-fence quilt made for my granddaughter in pinks.

This panel quilt is one of two I made for the two youngest grandsons a couple of years ago. I didn’t even add to it as I usually do with panel quilts. Just added a backing and some quilting and called it good.

What about you? Are squares and rectangles the most popular shape in your quilt block arsenal? Maybe you enjoy including, triangles, diamonds, circles and hexagons? What’s your favorite?

Ok, I am caught back up for the A to Z blog challenge. A bit behind on the UBC challenge, but progress is being made.

Today, two short posts in one. Since I’m playing with the A to Z Challenge, we are up to N and O.  Yes, I know we are really up to P, but that’s for tomorrow. I’m a tad behind, anyone who knows me in real life, or has read this blog much knows that being behind is almost a way of life for me. So, here we go.

Needles and pins (to bad it’s not also p day) are a necessary part of sewing and quilting. After all you can’t sew without a needle. If you can, tell us about it.

Needles come in a variety of sizes and styles. However, there are two important types, hand sewing needles and machine needles.  Many who sew have a specific needle brand or type they prefer sewing with.

For hand sewing for me, it’s usually what ever needle I have handy. I have learned that it’s important the needle have a large enough eye for the thread to pass through. Not only to make it easier to thread the silly thing. A bigger eye will make a bigger hole in the fabric, one large enough to allow the thread to pass through without fraying and breaking. Because, really, who wants to keep threading the needle.

The one exception is for quilt tying. I prefer to use a curved needle when I’m tying a quilt. It just seems to make the process easier.  Do you have a favorite needle you prefer when hand stitching?

For the sewing machine, there are also different sizes and types. Ballpoint needles work best with knits and heavy-duty needles break less often when sewing on denim, or heavy weight fabrics.

We can all think Mr. Schmetz who talked the sewing machine manufacturers into creating a uniform needle holder on our machines. Now, we can buy universal needles and be confident they will work in any and all of our sewing machines. Thanks Mr. Schmetz.

Quilters and those who sew often design their own projects. Many of these talented designers then sell their patterns for the rest of us to sew and enjoy.

There are embroidery designers and applique designers. Sometimes a pattern can be used as either applique or embroidery. The choice is ours, the designer just gives us the picture, how we apply it is up to us. Thank goodness for embroidery and applique designers, where would those of us who can barely draw stick figures be?

There are project designers. Those people who craft everyday items, and creates a pattern for the rest of us. Designs for tote bags, place mats, mini place mats (mug rugs), purses and wallets, the list goes on for available patterns.

Clothing designers abound too.I’m not talking about those high dollar pattern designers you’ll find at the big store. The ones whose patterns are stored in huge file cabinets and showcased in pattern catalogs. While those people are vastly talented, I prefer those small clothing designers who live in my area. Women (usually) who design clothes for local residents. Sometimes they sell online making their designs available world-wide. Most of these patterns are for children’s clothing, because their clothes don’t demand an exact fit, and their little bodies are more forgiving. Designers allow us to dress our children (and ourselves) in cute, unique clothing at an affordable price.

Finally, there are the quilt designers. Those who design an orignial quilt pattern, and make the quilt up in their colors showing us how it will look.  We can go with their colors or choose our own while following their pattern. Just as many of us collect and admire the patterns of our ancestors, these talented people will allow our descendents to have patterns from our era.

Because I’m behind, and in a hurry there are no designers of original patterns listed here as I’d hoped and planned. Maybe in a future post. In the meantime, check out the individual designers spotlighted in your favorite magazine, or promoted online by your friends. Don’t forget to check in with your local quilt store, ask if they carry any locally designed patterns. It’s not hard to make your project an original design.

Hope  you are enjoying this quiltey trip through the alphabet.