We thought we just really weren't "cat people"...

19+ years ago, a 6 month old Tabby cat was dropped off in our neighborhood. Since the person who had her didn’t want her, she was left on her own to find herself another home. She worked her way from house to house trying to coax someone along the way to take her in. No luck. Finally, she found shelter under our backyard deck - but we didn’t want a cat, because we just weren’t “cat people”. She really seemed to be a sweet kitty – she greeted us when we opened the back door and she loved to sit on the deck post outside our dining room window, hoping to be invited inside. It was a nice try, but we didn’t invite her in because we just weren’t “cat people”. She was great with the kids and they loved playing with her in the yard. When we whistled for her, she always came running – almost like a dog and she purred constantly. We thought she was really cute - but we really didn’t want a cat because we just weren’t “cat people”.
One rainy day, I had been out shopping and when I returned I found this little tabby cat sitting on a towel in Terry’s favorite chair in our family room. I was shocked – because we really weren’t “cat people”. I couldn’t imagine how she made her way into our home. Well, it just so happened that during the rainstorm, she positioned herself in her usual spot on the deck post and with her ears dripping with water managed to get Terry’s attention as he walked through the kitchen. He said that she looked so pathetic that he just had to let her inside. He dried her off and let her sit in his chair until the rain stopped. It was the “humane” thing to do…just until the rain stopped.
I have a wonderful aunt who loves animals. She and my uncle live in the country and they always offer shelter to an animal in need. We decided to ask Janice if she would take in this sweet little kitten. We knew she needed a home, but we couldn’t offer that to her because we just really weren’t “cat people”. Of course Janice agreed so I bought a pet carrier and we made plans to drive her to her new home in Rockford (about 3 hours away). As I was preparing to leave Terry said “Are you sure you want to do this?” We discussed it and decided that we would take her to the vet to see if she was healthy and if she was we would offer her a home. She was healthy so we kept her. We decided to name her Purdy because she was always purring. We weren’t sure it would work out, however, because we just really weren’t “cat people”.
That was 19+ years ago. In those 19 years we discovered that a rescued cat becomes a life-long loyal and faithful companion. We discovered that cats smile by squinting their eyes while they’re purring, they express affection by “kneading” you with their paws, they always “greet” you with a meow when you enter a room and expect a reply, they love to snuggle, they love to be petted and scratched and brushed, they get excited about a “Fancy Feast” meal as special treat every once in a while, they bring you presents (dead birds, rabbits, mice, etc.) and leave them by the back door and they really do have nine lives. Purdy was an inside-outside cat. We tried to make her an inside cat, but it just didn’t work out. She HAD to go outside. In the process, she used up several of her nine lives – but each time she made her way home and back to Terry’s favorite chair to heal her wounds. According to the Internet, Purdy was 98 years old in human years but you’d never know it. I only hope that when I’m 98 years old I can still climb up a post to our second story deck and back down again!
On Easter Sunday Purdy died. She hadn’t been doing well for about a week and we knew she wouldn’t be getting better. Finally she decided she didn’t want to eat or drink any more – a sign that she had given up. We kept a vigil beside her – trying to offer her just a tiny bit of the loyalty and friendship she had given us for the past 19+ years. We just had no idea how much we would miss her – because you see – I guess we really are “cat people” after all.

A Bouquet of Flowers Sent with Love - Mystery Quilt Week #4

Fun, Funner and Funnest! In an attempt to rate the funness of each step of this quilt - the following is an explanation of my rating scale. The idea of a Mystery Quilt is FUN (meaning quite enjoyable), following the new mysterious guidelines each week is FUNNER (better than fun) and this week's instructions are the absolute FUNNEST (achieving the highest rating on the funness scale). However, according to dictionary.com, FUN is a word but FUNNER is not a word nor is FUNNEST. I'm pretty sure they don't acknowledge that there is a funness scale either. But it is my belief that if the folks who contribute to dictionary.com, had decided to make our Mystery Quilt they would agree that funnest is indeed a word. The instructions for this week have been the most fun of all - and Week #4 has reached the highest rating that can be achieved on the funness scale.

Now, if you got through the first paragraph of the blog, you will be semi-adequately prepared for this week's set of instructions. They're a little challenging - but LOTS of FUN! Keep reading!

It’s time to take out the 18 Snowball blocks that you made and add some creativity and fun to the blocks! If you’re new to fusible appliqué – this will be a challenge for you. But don't be discouraged. Approach this step with our "half full" mantra and you will be successful. I encourage you to take the challenge and dive right in. That’s the only way to learn and you’ll be so happy with the results. So – here goes!

STEP #1

The following images (flower, flower center and heart) are your appliqué templates for the Snowball Blocks. Click on the picture. It will take you to an enlarged copy that is “printable”. Click on the printer in your tool bar and print a copy of these images. You will need to trace around the flower, flower center and heart templates several times, so it’s best if you print them on card stock paper. If not, print it out on regular paper and then trace them to template plastic or a stiff paper. The heart and flower will each need to fit on the white portion of a snowball block. If it's too big or too small, make sure that your print preferences (in the print menu of the tool bar) are set to “Actual Size”.

STEP #2

Cut out each image (heart, flower and flower center) to create your appliqué templates.

STEP #3

This is the step where you will use your fusible webbing. The Lite Steam a Seam -2 has three layers – a paper layer on each side of the fusible webbing. Other products have two layers – a paper layer on top of the webbing. Place the templates that you cut out, wrong side up, on the paper side of the fusible webbing and trace around each image with a pencil. You will need 8 hearts, 9 flowers and 9 flower centers.

STEP #4

Roughly cut out the images from the fusible webbing. Do NOT cut on the lines but leave a bit of a margin around the pencil line. Once you fuse the webbing to your fabric, you will cut on the pencil line.
STEP #5

If you are using a 3 layer product, remove the unmarked paper layer from the fusible webbing image. If the webbing appears to be sticking to the unmarked paper side, simply use a pin to peel the webbing off the unmarked paper and make sure it stays attached to the marked side as you remove the unmarked paper. Using a hot DRY iron, press the fusible webbing (paper side up) onto the WRONG side of your chosen fabrics. (Check instructions on your fusible webbing product to make sure you have the correct temperature and fusing time.) Remember that you will be using the red or pink fabric scraps for your hearts and your pastel fabrics for the flowers. You will use a yellow fabric for the centers of your flowers.

STEP #6

Using scissors, cut out the shape exactly on the drawn pencil line. Take care when handling the fabric to avoid fraying the edges.

STEP #7
Carefully, peel the paper backing from the pattern piece. A fine layer of adhesive will remain on the fabric. For easy paper removal, I like to take a straight pin and strike it lightly across the paper - tearing the paper but not damaging the webbing or the fabric.

STEP #8
Begin with the hearts since they are the easiest – and center a heart in the center of a snowball block. Make sure the snowball block is “right side up” - there should be a green triangle in the top left corner of the block. Fuse the heart to the block as directed on the fusible webbing instructions. Do the same for 8 hearts and 9 flowers. You can fuse the flower and flower center to the snowball block at the same time. Don't they look beautiful!

STEP #9

Now it’s time to appliqué. It doesn't get any funner than this step - which means this is the funnest step! The machine blanket stitch works best, but if your sewing machine doesn’t have a blanket stitch, you can also use a very tight zig-zag or satin stitch. Don’t be afraid to try something new! You'll be SO HAPPY you did when you see the finished product. You can use any color of thread that you like for your blanket stitch. You can use thread that matches the heart and flower fabrics or you can use a black applique stitch for all the hearts and flowers - it's up to you. In my quilt I switched threads to match the fabrics, but either way looks great! Here's a picture of what the blanket stitch looks like (it's stitch #35 on my sewing machine).

STEP #10

Here's the finished product when you use the blanket stitch on your sewing machine. If you’ve never tried a machine blanket stitch I would encourage you to do so. It makes such a nice finish to your appliqué and it goes VERY quickly.

This is the longest and most involved week of the mystery quilt. Next week we will put it all together! When you’re in the process of appliquéing your blocks on your sewing machine, go slowly and you will be very pleased with your finished product! In fact, it's so easy that you will become a blanket stitch applique expert with your first heart! It's smooth sailing from that point on.

Since it's Easter Week and Tax Day is almost here, I'm reminded that 20 years ago today, I was VERY pregnant and anxiously awaiting the birth of our 4th child who was due on April 13th. We already had two daughters (Cari, almost 10, and Rachel, 7 1/2) and one son (Jonathan, 4 1/2). The ultrasound said this baby was a girl but Terry & Jonathan INSISTED that it was a boy. We decided to name the baby Alexander if it was a boy and Alexandra if it was a girl. In the wee hours of the morning on April 15th,1989 our baby was born. April 15th has always been a special day for our family. Yes, it's "tax day" and we LOVE tax day because that's the day we were blessed with our beautiful baby boy Alexander William. Alex is serving a 2 year mission for our church right now and this is the first birthday that he has not been home. We miss him each day, but know that he is where he wants to be, doing what he loves. As we celebrate Easter this weekend, we are reminded of our Savior and His gift to us of eternal life. I'm so grateful to have Alex spreading this glorious message and wish each of you a very Happy Easter.

As you work on your mystery quilt this week, remember that the hearts and flowers that you create and applique will let a child know that this quilt is truly a bouquet of flowers sent with love. That in itself takes this quilt over the top on the funness scale!

Happy Blanketmaking!
Mary

Mystery Quilt - "Checking Out" Week #3

I hope that you're ready for Week #3 of the Mystery Quilt Challenge! The instructions for this week are very easy. If you are familiar with a 9-patch block, you're home free! If not - a 9-patch block looks like a checkerboard with only 9 squares. (...hence the blog title "Checking out...") As you make your own nine-patch blocks, Step #3 will give you some tips on making sure that each of your corners match up perfectly! If you still have questions there a link to an internet video that you can watch.

STEP #1
You will be using the rest of your 2 1/2" strips for this step and will be making two sets of strips: Strip Set A and Strip Set B. Here's how:
-First you will make 2 1/2 Strip Sets BWG = Blue-White-Green (...that's two full strips and 1/2 of a third strip of each color) by sewing a blue strip to a white strip (press toward blue) and then adding a green strip to the white side (press toward green).
-Then make 1 1/4 Strip Sets WYW = White-Yellow-White by sewing a white strip to each side of a yellow strip. (Press toward yellow). Click on picture to enlarge instructions.


STEP #2
-Cut the strip sets into 2 1/2" segments creating Strip Set A and Strip Set B
-You will need to cut 36 of Strip Set A (B-W-G) and 18 of Strip Set B (W-Y-W) Click on picture to enlarge instructions.

STEP #3

-Each 9-patch block consists of two Strip Set As and one Strip Set B
-Begin making the 9-patch blocks by sewing a Strip Set A to a Strip Set B as pictured below (blue on top).
-By pressing the strips as instructed in Step 1, this will enable the strip sets to "butt up" against each other creating perfectly matched corners! If would further instruction, this is a GREAT video that shows you exactly how to make perfectly matched corners.
http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Match-Seams-on-Square-Quilt-Block-Patches-64331734
-Add a strip Set A to the "B Side" of the Strip Set A-B combination (green on top).
-Complete this step for all 18 blocks. Click on picture to enlarge instructions.

Congratulations! You "checked out" Week #3 of the Mystery Quilt and hopefully you have completed 18 PERFECT 9-patch blocks! This week was easy - but next week will be a little more challenging so stay tuned.

Of course sewing ALWAYS works up an appetite and to close my entry for today I just had to share the following "find" with you. Maria Dixon Lichty - a family friend and my daughter's college roommate (originally from Cerro Gordo IL) - has an outstanding, AWARD WINNING cooking blog that may be of interest to you: "Two Peas and their Pod". Maria and her husband Josh call themselves the "Cooking Couple" and their recipes are absolutely phenomenal. She was recently featured in a cooking segment on the NBC affiliate TV station in Salt Lake City. (She is very poised and comfortable in front of the camera and looks absolutely gorgeous!) The blog cooking instructions with pictures are very easy to follow and the finished recipes are absolutely delicious. She has desserts, salads, main dishes, side dishes and it's all categorized under "Find it here" on the right side of the blog entries. If you'd like to "check out" her blog - here's the link: http://www.lichtyfamilyblog.blogspot.com/

It's best not to look at Maria's blog when you're hungry because I know you'll be tempted to make every recipe that you read! Remember - you still have a Mystery Quilt to make! :-)

Have a wonderful week and Happy Blanketmaking!
Mary

The Mystery Snowballs - Week #2

It has been 1 week since I first posted the Mystery Quilt Challenge and if the 400 hits to our blog is any indication of interest - I think we have a lot of Project Linus sleuths out there ready and willing to accept the challenge and solve the mystery! Congratulations!

CLUE for the week:
What do you call a snowman party? (You will find the answer as you read on.)

INSTRUCTIONS FOR WEEK #2
Note: If you would like to see the instructions "up close" just click on the picture and it will open in a large, easy to read window. You can also print the instructions from that window as well.

From the fabrics that you cut last week, you will be using the following for Week #2:
-2 1/2 strips of the blue 2 1/2" strips
-2 1/2 strips of the green 2 1/2" strips
-17 - 6 1/2" squares cut from the white background fabric
Pencil, ruler, rotary cutter and mat or scissors

STEP #1 (click on picture below for a larger view)
Cut 34—2 1/2” blue squares from the 2 1/2” blue strips.
Cut 34—2 1/2” green squares from the 2 1/2” green strips.
You will probably be able to cut 16 squares per strip - so it will take approximately 2 1/2 strips of each color depending on the width of your fabric. (When you finish cutting, you will have 68 squares total.)
Set aside the remainder of the blue & green strips for later.** STEP #2 (click on picture below for a larger view)
-On the WRONG side of each of the 2 1/2” squares, draw a pencil line on the diagonal of each of square. This pencil line will serve as your stitching guide. -RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER - Place a blue square in the upper left and lower right corner and a green square in the upper right and lower left corner of one of the 17 - 6 1/2” white background squares as pictured.
-Stitch on the outside edge of the pencil line - shown as a dashed line in red. STEP #3 (click on picture below for a larger view)
-Place the 1/4” line of your ruler on the stitched lines (red dashed lines in diagram) and trim seam allowance to 1/4”.
-Discard corner piece.
-Attach blue and green corners to all 17 of the 6 1/2” squares in the same manner, trimming as indicated.

STEP #4 (click on picture below for a larger view)
-Press Corners Open (pressing seam allowance toward corner).
-Square up the block to 6 1/2” square if needed.
-Dashed line around edge of block in diagram indicates block seam allowance.

So, What do you call a snowman party? A Snow Ball!

Congratulations! You have created 17 "Snowball" blocks! Set these blocks aside for another week. You're not finished with them yet! :-)

The instructions for our Mystery Quilt are very detailed so that anyone of any skill level can easily create this quilt. Thank you so much for your notes of encouragement and excitement about the Mystery Quilt!

Next week I will post the third set of instructions.

Based on the weather we're expecting this weekend...I thought this week's blog title was appropriate. Yes, we have discussed the fact that Spring has arrived, but there are days when winter returns for a day or two before Spring actually takes hold. Remember our mantra for the year: "The Glass IS Half Full". As we all know - being snowed in is the perfect time to put on a favorite sweater and fuzzy socks, turn on some inspiring music, serve up a cup of hot chocolate and make a Project Linus blanket! We'll hope the predicted 4-6" misses us, but if it does arrive - I think I'll just say thank you for giving me a great reason to stay home and sew!

Happy Blanketmaking!
Mary

**For any more experienced quilters who are replacing the blue and green strips with alternate colors, remember that you will need to make note of which color is replacing blue and which color is replacing green as you put your blocks together. There is an order to the positioning of the green and blue strips and you don't want to get them mixed up.

A Mysterious Challenge!

By definition, a mystery is anything that is kept secret or remains unexplained or unknown.

FOR EXAMPLE:
*What does "it" mean in the sentence "What time is it?"?
*Why do our noses run and our feet smell?
*Why is it that when you transport something by car, it's called a shipment, but when you transport something by ship, it's called cargo?
*Why can I remember the phone number and birthday of a high school friend, but cannot remember where I parked my car when I go into Wal-Mart?

The answer to any of these questions is: We don't know...it's a mystery!

Mysteries can be frustrating and perplexing - but they can also be fun! I'd like to offer you a "fun" Project Linus mysterious challenge.

LET'S MAKE A MYSTERY QUILT!

WHAT IS A MYSTERY QUILT?
It's a quilt design that is presented in sections so that the quilter does not know what the final design will be until the last section has been received. Keep in mind that this is a Project Linus mystery quilt so...it's a little easier than most "Mystery Quilts" and it's a little smaller than most "Mystery Quilts". But it is a mystery none-the-less and you will just need to trust me as you follow my instructions. Even the title of the quilt will remain a mystery until the end.

I have divided the construction of this quilt into several steps. When you check the BLOG each week, you will receive the next set of instructions. Anyone of any skill level can participate. If you have a question - just e-mail me and I'll try to help you out without giving away the mystery! Please don't ask for the next set of instructions early - you'll just have to be patient and wait for it to be posted on the BLOG! :-) Some of you will learn some new techniques from this - while others will simply breeze through the instructions. Either way - it's a fun way to make a quilt! When you've solved the mystery (i.e. finished the quilt) - please e-mail me a .jpeg picture and I will post all of the finished quilts on our BLOG. It will be so much fun to see how different each of you solve this "mystery" as you construct the quilt using the "Mystery Quilt" instructions!

HERE ARE THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR WEEK #1
You will need the following fabrics and materials for this quilt: (This does not include backing and binding - we'll take care of that later.)
FABRIC A: 1/2 yd. blue (either a tone on tone or predominately blue fabric)
FABRIC B: 1/2 yd. green (either a tone on tone or predominately green fabric)
FABRIC C: 1/4 yd. yellow (either a tone on tone or predominately yellow fabric)
BACKGROUND FABRIC: 1 yd. white background fabric (tone on tone)
Pink or Red Scraps (Eight - 6" squares)
Pastel Scraps (small prints or tone on tone solids work well) (Nine - 6" squares)
1/2 yard predominantly yellow fabric
Double stick fusible webbing: (I used 2 packages of Lite Steam a Seam 2 with five 9" x 12" sheets per package)

CUTTING INSTRUCTIONS:
Fabric A Blue: Cut five—2 1/2” strips x WOF (width of fabric)
Fabric B Green: Cut five—2 1/2” strips x WOF (width of fabric)
Fabric C Yellow: Cut two—2 1/2” strips x WOF (width of fabric)
Background fabric: Cut 5—2 1/2” strips x WOF (width of fabric)
Background Fabric: Cut three—6 1/2” strips x WOF. Then cut the strips into 17—6 1/2” squares
Pink scraps: Eight—6” squares (They can be all the same fabric or 8 different fabrics.)
Pastel scraps: Seven—6” squares (A variety of colors works best.)
Predominantly yellow:
-If your width of fabric is at least 42” you will need 4 strips of 3 1/2” x 42”
-If your width of fabric is less than 42” you will need 6 strips of 3 1/2” x 42”

So - how about accepting the Project Linus Mysterious Challenge? I hope your answer is "YES"!!!

Cecile M. Springer says: “Above all challenge yourself. You may well surprise yourself at what strengths you have, what you can accomplish.”

If you follow the instructions EXACTLY as written...and ask questions as needed - you will be able to solve the mystery and in the process "you may well surprise yourself at what strengths you have - what you can accomplish"!!!

Happy Spring (yes - it's FINALLY here!) and Happy Blanketmaking!

Mary

**ADDENDUM to pattern: Some of you have asked if alternate fabrics can be used for this pattern. I wanted to make the pattern very straight-forward so that it would be simple to follow - which is why I limited the fabric colors. If you would like a different color scheme the fabrics that I believe can be changed are Fabric A: the 2 1/2" blue strips and Fabric B: 2 1/2" green strips. Make sure the two fabrics you choose are contrasting colors - you don't want these two fabrics to blend together. Just look at all the fabrics you've chosen (including the scraps) and see if you like the combination.

Springing Forward

I just love Groundhog Day. (I love the movie with Bill Murray as well.) Each year I wait to hear the report from Punksatawny Phil as to whether or not we will have six more weeks of winter. Although I really KNOW in my heart that spring is six long weeks away, I'm always a little disappointed when it's confirmed that he did indeed see his shadow. I look forward to spotting my first robin and seeing the buds on the trees turn into actual leaves. I love to see the tulips and daffodils sprouting and the grass turning green. When the magnolia trees blossom, I just can't get enough of them! As March 20th gets closer, a few warm days intermingled with the cold days gives me the reassurance I need that Spring WILL arrive and winter WILL end.

Several years ago, when we were well into March, I was just too busy to notice those tell-tale signs of Spring. I had a million and one things going on in my life (not that that's anything new) and in the process of accomplishing everything on my "to do" list, I never saw any buds on the trees, magnolia blossoms or my first robin. I didn't even know if we had six more weeks of winter because I forgot to read Punksatawny Phil's report back in February. I was so caught up in the busy-ness of my "to do" list that I missed every single thing that announced Spring had arrived. Here's the worst part: My wake-up call came as I was driving down the road and I noticed my first robin of the season - squashed dead on the street. Isn't that just awful (and kind of disturbing)? It made me sad that my first robin of the year was a dead robin and what was even worse was when I looked up from the road I noticed that all the trees had leaves on them, the magnolia blossoms had already fallen off the trees and were covering the grass - and I never even noticed. Good grief! I'll never forget that day because that was the moment I vowed to never again be so unobservant and caught up in every day tasks that I would miss these once-a-year displays of rebirth and renewal.

This week has been a wonderful week. My daughters Cari and Rachel and their families are visiting. Terry and I have enjoyed family meals together, playing with the grandkids, taking pictures, shopping, singing, visiting, etc. and it has been heavenly! Our regular routines and schedules stop when the family gathers...and that's a good thing! Since we don't live close to our children and grandchildren we try to enjoy every precious minute together. It's been so much fun! So, I tried to think of a subtle way to show off my adorable grandchildren while relating it to our Project Linus BLOG! :-) Of course, with 500+ Make a Blanket Day blankets stacked halfway to the ceiling in my hallway I had the perfect answer! This setting offered us many family photo opportunities that I would like to share with you. If you click on the slide show below see if you can find Logan, Tyler, Katie, Lucy and Gracie "hidden" on and in "Blanket Mountain"! (If you run your mouse over the picture, it will stop and tell you who you see.) Don't be concerned - The blankets are all bagged, protected and tagged for delivery and are actually stacked rather neatly in the hallway - it just doesn't look like it from the pictures! :-)

There are too many occasions when we miss out on the important things in life, simply because we're just too busy to notice. Our lives are full, our schedules are packed, the demands on our time are more than plentiful and there just aren't enough hours in the day to accomplish everything. So what do we leave out? Or...better yet -what do we leave in?

Let's select something special that we each plan to do this week...and leave it in our schedule, no matter what! I think I'll work on a quilt top for two special friends (Does that surprise you?) and when I look out my sewing room window, I'll keep watching for leaves on the trees and my neighbor's daffodils. I already saw my first robin (it was alive) and I will be watching for more!

Have a wonderful week and Happy Blanketmaking!

Mary

To ski or not to ski...that is the question!

In the early 70’s when I was about 13 I had my first skiing experience. My mom had some antique skis that were just perfect for my introduction to the sport. My dad drove us to Twin Sisters Hill in Rockford where we loved to go sledding. They had a “high tech” ski rope where you grab on and are pulled by a rickety pulley to the top of the hill. I had no instruction but I knew that I could do it. How hard could it be? I made it to the top of the hill using the rope, gave myself a push with the ski poles and down the hill I went. What I did not know how to do was stop. About half way down the hill, the reality of my lack of experience and instruction slapped me in the face and I started to tumble. If I were a cartoon character I would have been pictured as a huge snowball with skis sticking out. But – since this was real life and not a cartoon, I was just “Mary in a Heap” at the bottom of the hill. As you can imagine, this discouraged me from attempting to ski again.

In the 90’s my husband and kids discovered skiing and they LOVED it. Not just the Twin Sisters Hill type skiing - they headed to the mountains for some REAL skiing. On one occasion they decided that it would be fun to take a family ski trip to Keystone Colorado. I bought a ski suit and optimistically decided that I would give it a try. We hired a ski instructor for me and as I headed up the bunny hill on the ski lift, I had a flashback of my experience on Twin Sisters Hill when I was 13. When I “jumped off” the lift I was once again “Mary in a Heap” - but this time I was at the top of the hill and knew that somehow I needed to get to the bottom of the hill. I panicked and “discussed” my apprehension with my ski instructor. (Actually I told him in no uncertain terms to just teach the kids, that I would crawl down the hill on my own and that I didn't expect to be reimbursed for dropping out of class.) He insisted that I ski down the hill just one time. I finally agreed and slowly made my way to safety. When I reached the bottom of the hill I said a prayer of thanksgiving for sparing my life and raised my arms in a victory stance. Terry decided to videotape my experience for posterity. When I watched the tape, I noticed that my ski instructor was actually pulling me down the hill by hanging on to the sleeve of my new jacket as we made our way down the hill in tandem. I was a little disappointed that I didn’t ski “solo”, but in reality, I THOUGHT I was skiing on my own and if I hadn’t been towed down the hill I would probably STILL be standing on the top of the hill.

This brings me to this week. We’re spending the week in Park City Utah on a ski trip. But things are a little different nowadays. I don’t bring a ski suit – I bring a sewing machine. One day is spent planning my project. The next day is spent shopping for the fabric and the next two days are spent sewing. My family always feels sorry for me when I spend the ski trip by myself sewing. They always offer to take me with them. They say they’ll ski slowly and that they’ll take the easy hills. I always decline their kind offers. What they don’t realize is that each of us has our own kind of fun and I have a GREAT time. Their fun involves wearing skis, trying to jump off a ski lift without falling under it, cold and snowy weather, claustrophobic helmets and the ever present medical danger resulting from a major fall. My fun involves beautiful fabric, a great sewing machine, patterns, rotary cutters, cutting mats and rulers and a finished quilt in the end. I usually work on a new Project Linus quilt pattern. It’s such a pleasure to sew with purpose and it warms my heart as well as my soul when I look at what I’ve accomplished. How could I pass up such fun? So – to ski or not to ski – that really isn't even a question for me. Hands down – I choose not to ski. I just couldn’t give up a week of fun behind a sewing machine.

I hope you’re able to take some time this week to work on something that brings you joy. Maybe a Project Linus blanket???

Happy Blanketmaking,
Mary