Hello again

Wow.  I just checked in and can't believe it's been so long since my last post.  I guess life got away from me again
My darling son is now in high school.  It seems like yesterday I held him in my arms for the first time.  That wouldn't be easy now - he's taller than me and has a bigger shoe size!
My family has had a few ups and downs over the last 2 years.  My sister fought a battle with breast cancer and won !!
This summer my father passed away after a long battle with heart disease.  I miss him, but I know he is in a better place and no longer suffering.
Other events have kept us hopping, but somehow, I have made time for some sewing and quilting.

This quilt that is my banner now, is finally finished.  It took me over 2 years to complete.  I worked on it off and on, since the piecework was tedious.  Each 5" square has 25 pieces.  That's over 4,750 pieces just in the blocks!    I changed the border from the pattern as I wanted a simpler view.  So now that it's finished, I've renamed it "Stars over Ireland."

I've already completed a couple more quilts since that, the most recent being a queen sized falling charms from the Missouri Star Quilt Company video on youTube.   I love their videos, and Jenny, the hostess is a hoot!

My next major quilt I want to make is the most recent block of the month by Eleanor Burns.  I'm not sure of the name, but you can check it out here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1YVkVZ4tPM
She has the video tutorials all posted.  Look for the "case of the missing quilt" series.  It's lots of fun and there are some really special guests on the videos.

I'm also teaching again.  We've started up a quilting group in our church.  There are about 10 ladies who come out twice a month.  There is a real spectrum of talent, from the raw beginner, to accomplished garment sewers, to experienced quilters.   It makes for a challenging group.
Right now we've put our block of the month on hold to make new banners for the church for the season of Advent.  We're making a series of 5 panels, each 18"x60" depicting one of the advent candles.   We're using raw edge applique.  They're starting to look good !   I'll try to post some pictures once they're completed.

The block of the month we're working on is a sampler wall quilt/table topper.   The center is a pieced wreath about 18" square made of squares and half square triangles  The border of that has appliqued flower boughs.   That is framed with a 1" border.   The next border is made of 6" squares of all different blocks.  We started with a snowball block, then a 9 patch, then did a disappearing 9 patch, friendship star, dutchmans puzzle, jacobs ladder, ohio star, , square in a square etc.  Each block building on the skills of the previous one.

It became clear along the way, that we as quilters are too hard on ourselves.  When I see someone obsessing over one clipped point out of 26 or so, I really feel the need to say "relax ! "  or as Eleanor Burns says - hang it high and keep it moving!   The only one who will see it is you, so go easier on yourself.  Do you think Rembrandt redid a painting because a brushstroke was off?

Anyway, I am going to revive this blog.  So if you're still out there, sent me a line.d

Teresa