Saturday, July 28, 2012

Washington D.C., my last kid fix

Day 1, a trip to the butterfly garden.
There were quite a few I had never seen before. Some were resting and some were on the flowers and many were checking out the admirers.














There were way too many to show them all.

Day 2 was an outdoor concert for kids in Strathmore. I got a refresher course in Spanish which I haven't used since the Tokyo Olympics ... about 48 years ago.


After sewing five rows of the + and X blocks, we laid them out on the design floor and picked out some corner-stones. Not only is my son good at this arranging, he brought out his stash so I could cut pieces for the five blocks that were lost on the first flight.

Now, I would like to know how many of my blogging friends have a son with a stash to share ... or would be that concerned about five lost blocks!


Dinner celebrated on the quilted tablecloth made for son Jon's birthday two years ago.




Day 3 ... a trip in the afternoon, past the White House, to the DAR museum to check out the quilts. Many were on slide-out panels. The lighting was quite dim but the quilts were lovely.  A collection of the DAR quilts can be found at QuiltIndex.org at this link (http://www.quiltindex.org/search_results.php?collection=DAR) .

The Museum was closing for the day so we didn't have lots of time to look but the shop had a wonderful book of Quilts of Lancaster that practically jumped off the shelf into my bag and will follow me home.


Day 4 ... I got my "Fox Fix". I spent the day with my good friend, Steve Fox, who I have known for many years through Boy Scouting in Tokyo, and his mom, Marion, who has been responsible for many of my quilting projects. Probably a good percentage of the pieces in the + and X blocks have hopped in from her stash and the quilt that I have been working on for the last two years was her offering to keep me out of trouble when the tablecloth was finished.



I took along the five rows I have managed to sew together since leaving home. (Just so my friend would know that I am not without a project for the road)

This is row 2 - 6, row 1 waiting for the five new blocks. Son Jon is behind, holding the side edge. It is very interesting to see how the blocks go together with cornerstones in place. A whole new look is beginning to emerge.
Having come this far, I look forward to adding more rows. Too bad I can't take Jon with me to add the cornerstones as I go.

(Also, as my computer guru, he has managed to rescue all my photos from the dying computer I brought along ... and don't ask me how those three pictures got lined up above, because he did that with a few taps on the keyboard.)

Somewhere in these pictures, too, you can see my grand-chicks Kaiea and Maile. Of course that is a bonus part of the trip, happy companions for my last few days of vacation!

12 comments:

  1. You really have been traveling all over and having a wonderful time with family, I am glad you are enjoying your trip, so much.

    Debbie

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  2. Looks like a wonderful time with family and sight seeing. ALL THOSE QUILTS! Your blocks look great..Your son took good care of you!

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  3. Sounds & looks like a lovely trip. Thanks for sharing!

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  4. You seem to be having a barrel of fun and YOUR QUILT LOOKS AMAZING! How wonderful that your son has a stash :)

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  5. I've heard it said that apples don't fall far from the tree. The cornerstones really give the quilt a much stronger diagonal element. You're missing some lovely hot, hot weather here on the Kanto Plain.

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  6. so glad your trip has been fun... and you get to hug your family..esp the little ones x AND you got some sewing done xx love it that your son is a sewer... mine is very good at taking home the things I make xx.. and fixing my computer"problems" which mostly revolve around my incomprehension of the whole computer world! lol x Have a safe journey home x

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  7. What a great time you are having. I love that butterfly chair in the first picture. No, my son doesn't have a stash and I can't think of anyone with a son who does, apart from you, good one! Enjoy the family and friends and be safe and well.

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  8. I love the DAR museum! It's been years since I've been there but the quilts are wonderful. I can see your beautiful quilt emerging in this picture and am amazed at how it's changed with the sashing and cornerstones. I know you've had an exceptionally good trip and are taking home so many good memories to hold in your heart. I'm so glad. blessings, marlene

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  9. What a grand time you are having with your family and friends. Your quilt is coming along. I love the way it is starting to look.
    I wish I had known about the DAR museum when I was in DC. I was there in 2008 and I searched for quilt exhibits and DAR never popped up. I'll be spending sometime looking through their website. Thanks for the link!

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  10. Wow! Can I borrow your son - a stash and a computer guru! Handy! and precious!

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  11. Well, you've been gone less than a week, but we miss you tons already! Hope you're settled in nicely, we're all looking forward to another update on your + & X quilt! Much Love! -Jon

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  12. Well, you've been gone less than a week, but we miss you tons already! Hope you're settled in nicely, we're all looking forward to another update on your + & X quilt! Much Love! -Jon

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