Photo finish

The banner started last Thursday is almost complete. Still needed us a trip to the "DOIT" or do-it-yourself store to buy some dowels for hanging.

Here it is, on the park fence with laundry clips, enjoying the morning sun.

Someone other than my husband was selected to make a poster that will take the place of this banner and include the total phrases. I am relieved I will not have to observe that exercise.

It is interesting that all these fabrics from all over the world, not particularly the best each country has to offer, new ... used ... even "vintage" (meaning older than I) ...lacking in coordination of color or design ... do little to help the neighboring pieces.

The adding of the logo and binding seems to pull it together. In that regard, a rather true representation of our church. (I put the name rather than the initials). After all, TUC might mean anything such as Take Up Complaining... and the full name is a part of the new logo. (Plus I hate acronyms) . Looking at the result I notice the Liberty fabric from Great Britain is mostly covered by the logo (made by a "Brit") and the map of Africa with a zebra is covered with lettering. Oops, pastor is from Africa! Some of the lettering is a bit wonky. Well, that is as it will remain.

As I was leaving church on Sunday, the pastor asked me to go on and finish the banner and give it to him as he had a plan to use it in a sermon. I guess it will end up being used even in its abbreviated form. I hope my name is left out of it. And I sure don't want people to think I can just whip up something like this in less than a week.

As I returned from my photo shoot, look what had arrived in the post!

Coming all the way from Jean in New Zealand was a beautiful package. I had been expecting a ruler and she found and sent the perfect one. (can you see it? both inches and centimeters and a perfect 6 inches).

But, to keep it company, were some beautiful cut pieces that will happily join friends in my tins or be sewed into the blocks in progress. And also within that kiwi wrap, some fern fabric. And, as if that wasn't enough, that cute mini quilt is really a design wall for my mini pieces. Note the wonderful flannel backing. Oh Jean, thank you so much!

I am not using that fern fabric for the banner but as I sat finishing the hanging sleeve, I thought how appropriate ... measuring with a ruler from New Zealand, sewing with American thread made in Mexico and with a needle from England sent me from a friend in Massachusetts... and how far removed from that kid growing up on the edge of a forest park in Ohio. We are Quilters Without Borders!