Ivey's Patchwork Stocking

I just finsihed making Ivey's Christmas stocking. While making hers I cut out Robert's and will not wait until next Decemeber to start sewing on it. Somehow I got busy and forgot about Ivey's, so I had to put myself into high gear to get it finished to hang beside Suzi's. AHHHH....one more project finished! I have several more to get done before Christmas Eve..... I love what I'm doing and it won't be difficult to get them completed. More on the other projects later. I have a secret I have to keep.

Mammie's Rescued Quilt

This quilt identification patch tells part of the story. There is much more to the story of how I rescued my grandmother's partially finished quilt. While visiting my aunt and uncle in Orangeburg in 1997 they pulled out an ancient, water stained, dusty paper grocery bag filled with some sort of fabric. They identified the contents of the bag as a quilt my grandmother had started, but not completed. Because my grandmother was such an important part of my life, anything that once belonged to her held a strong attraction for me. At that time I had taken a quilting class, but was far from being a competent quilter. I took a look at the dusty, old quilt and surprised them and myself by offering to attempt to salvage and complete it. My aunt and uncle were pleased with my offer and sent me home with my new project in hand.

I had no idea what a job I had bargained for. When I got home I carefully removed the quilt from the bag to discover that it was more damaged than I had realized. It had been left in a barn where water had gotten to it. It had been damp for so many years that there were mildew stains and, to be honest, it smelled horrible. Mammie had completed the quilt top and made a backing for the quilt from many small pieces of old muslin fabric. The batting, I soon discovered was one of the most interesting parts of the quilt. The batting had been homemade on the farm as it still contained pieces of cotton seed. There was such a strong, musty odor caused from water damage that I had no choice except to take the layers apart and remove the batting. Mammie had hand sewn the layers of the quilt sandwich together with some type of heavy red thread and a large needle. Tears rolled down my face as I clipped the stitching and pulled the layers apart. I cried because I was afraid I would never get the quilt back together as much as because I could imagine my grandmother's hands sewing it together all those years ago.

Having taken the quilt apart, I knew the next step was to wash it as gently as possible. Once it was clean and dry I started the time consuming task of repairing each block. That accomplished, I took the quilt to Hendersonville, NC to seek out a quilting authority. I called ahead to Georgia Bonesteel's Quilt Corner to be sure when she would be there. Georgia loved the quilt and advised me to have it machine quilted rather than attempting to hand quilt something so fragile. She also advised me to replace the old backing with new, but to save the old to use for binding the quilt. Machine quilting took two weeks and was well worth the wait. All I had left to do was bind it and deliver it, which I did the following week. My aunt and uncle were thrilled to have the quilt back and told me that one day it would be mine.

Last week that day came. My aunt and uncle moved into assisted living facility and gave Mammie's quilt to me. It is a treasure that I will cherish and pass on to generations to come. Here is the quilt stretched out on my living room floor in front of my great-grandmother's fainting couch. The fainting couch, we believe, could have been built by my great-grandfather who was a Confederate soldier and a furniture builder by trade, but I'll save that story for later.

Apple Picking with Mama Susie and Suzi

Suzi, Mama Susie, Foster and I drove up to Bryson's U-Pick

near Long Creek to get some apples. This was a first for both

Suzi and her great-grandma. Bryson's was the perfect place to go...the orchards are well kept

and mowed and there were PLENTY of apples at a good price.

They even have a restroom!

There were lots of varieties to choose from.

Many of the trees had apples hanging low enough for Suzi to reach.

Suzi picked the biggest apple of all!

She was proud of her bucket of apples.

She felt silly standing bebside the scarecrow, but it did make a cute picture.

No telling what was going on in the backseat on the way home.

She fell asleep just before we got home. . . .
one tired little applepicker.

Ivey Has Arrived!

We have had a few very busy and exciting days. Ivey arrived on Wednesday afternoon at 3:58, after what her parents tell us what a beautiful labor and birth experience. Jenny will blog the birth story soon I'm sure. We weren't there as Suzi was at our house that day.

Suzi loved the Ragedy Ann doll I made and gave to her on the day Ivey was born. She promptly named her new doll Rosie after Caillou's little sister.

Then she taught Rosie how to play her bodhran,

Suzi was thrilled to meet her new sister. She loved her immediately and sang "Happy Birthday" to Ivey within the first few minutes. We all know what a wonderful big sister she is going to be.

I couldn't wait to hold our new little granddaughter.

They say she has my nose . . . God bless her.

Then Grandpa got his turn.

My favoritie picture . . .

our precious babies together.

The Last Flowers of Summer

We picked the last of Suzi's zinnias ans sunflowers.

She was so pleased with them that we decided to snap a picture.

My Gift from Jenny

This week Jenny gave me one of the most special gifts I have ever received. It is a bowl, a very specific kind of bowl. She made it just for me. It is a bowl made of a plaster cast of her belly . . .pregnant with Ivey! She made the cast, trimmed it, finished the edges and painted it in my favorite colors with a hydrangea (grandmother's flower) and ,of course, a butterfly.

The colors went so well that I took these pictures on a chair in the sunroom. I haven't decided just where to put it to show it off best, but I doubt if I will put anything in it. It's just too pretty to cover up.

I have always been pleased with the fact that all three of my children realize that gifts don't need to be expensive, store bought items to be very special and much appreciated. I believe I still have every handprint in clay, painted flower pot, drawing and painting that they gave me as children. These treasures number too many to keep on display, but they are my most prized possessions.

Waiting for Ivey

Now that I have finished making Suzi's Ragedy Ann, I think I can safely say that we are ready for Ivey to arrive. Ragedy Ann will be Suzi's special gift from Grandma and Grandpa on the day Ivey is born. I made one for Jenny when she was 2 years old and placed a musical button under her heart that played "It's a Small World". The button was guaranteed to play 10,000 times. When Jenny wore it out about 20 years ago, I searched everywhere for a replacement. When I finally found a source for them I ordered half a dozen, gave Jenny's a doll a transplant, carefully put the rest away and prayed for granddaughters. Suzi's doll has one of those buttons under her heart. I have already started on Ivey's doll for for when she's 2 years old.

Today Suzi and Jenny spent time on the porch blowing lots and lots of bubbles.

Suzi and Grandpa wrote on the driveway with sidewalk chalk.

Jenny checked her email while she and Jordan waited for supper.

Suzi and Grandpa practiced nursery rhymes and

I snapped pics of everyone so that I could blog tonight.

Ivey, we are officially ready for you!