Monday, May 2, 2022

OOPS!

 A month  has flown, and what do I have to show for it?   Not a whole lot!


I have been working slowly on the banner for the church's 150th anniversary. I joined all the signatures I collected at the 140th celebration, and April 9th, we had a whole day kick off for this year's anniversary. It was at church, beginning with a half hour of meditative organ music, then a history presentation by our current pastor, then a whole day discussions by former pastors, members, Taize and prayers for Ukraine, etc., ending with a program by the youth, ending around 5:pm, then replayed on line. 

I had added segments around the border for members to sign, and after the first hour, took the work to the basement fellowship hall where I could quilt and take signatures.

By now I have quilted all the floral areas and the signature areas, I don't think I have enough spaces to add more signatures (about 30) and am wondering what to do next. I had been planning to quilt in vines in the open spaces, but now thinking if I added vines with leaves, people could sign those leaves ... or perhaps just mark and cut leaves, let people sign them, then applique them on later, I did that for a friend's wedding quilt, adding the leaves to a vine. Any ideas out there?


An additional project is this table runner as a thank you th our associate pastor for youth, who will be leaving back to the states at the end of the month. At this point, all I have left to do is quilt in the bible verse around the border. These are just more floral scraps, and the verse is; To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven.

The pattern is "bento box" and I like the floral prints that represent our very diverse congregation. No calories in the bento box, but a bit of food for thought. My daughter suggested a tenugui with children for the backing, but this is just too wide to use one of those or even yukata fabric. I did have enough of a Japanese print with beckoning cats, daruma, paper cranes, and the like all over. Maybe I could have pieced blue and white fabric for the backing, making it reversible, but that would have made the quilting rather difficult.

There have been LOTS of online meetings each week. Scouting has had Eagle boards of review, district board meetings, and Council executive board meetings, plus training, My Cub Scout pack has met in person. We had a shrine hike on Sunday afternoon.

Church meetings for outreach committee, Communication committee, Stewardship committee, Women's Conference three Saturday mornings in a row, plus regular morning meetups Monday, Wednesday, and Friday,  and several other meetings during the week. The thing I really miss is choir, and that will probably be the last thing to return.

There have been community things too. I met friends the last Sunday in March to go to a quilt show in Tokyo. This was to replace the now past history Tokyo Dome Show. Mostly the work of well known quilters, with many things seen in the past, and no pictures allowed. It was a three day show with vendor's included, but the best part was meeting with friends in person. Hopefully the Yokohama quilt show will take place this fall. 

Other than quilting, time moves on. Plenty of church events. Last week was a wonderful ballet of the messiah. I try to take time out to visit my friend living in a senior care home without many opportunities for speaking in english. Sometimes my daughter goes with me. And, of course, Monday mornings are still out early for onigiri delivery to the homeless. 

I spend time tidying up, and about the time things are looking better, I sit down to do something and can't find what was right here before I did the tidying... then I mess up everything looking for that item.  It seems every day is about the same, and without reminders, I might forget which day it is.

So, that's about it. If I didn't have friends to worry about my silence, I might have let another month slip by. Thanks Kitty!

10 comments:

  1. So glad you got to a show with friends - I only wish I was still there to join in! Your church quilting is just so lovely. I think the appliquéd leaves is a good idea, if it's not too much work. I'm glad you've been busy with meetings and I'm so glad to see a post from you my friend!

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  2. Julie, the Church banner is truly so beautiful, including the sunflowers against the blue. I agree with Cynthia, have some leaves cut out, or maybe just outlined together with a little space round each one, do you do raw edge applique or turn in the edges? on a larger piece of fabric, that could be easier to sign, and add to a vine. Busy days, as we get older there seem to be so many meetings and gatherings we can attend, no work or young family to hinder our going out.And a quilt show, maybe next year things will be getting nearing what we once knew as normal.

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  3. I'm glad you have been busy and not sick - I was worried about you! Your banner is wonderful as always! I agree with Cynthia and Nancy J - appliqued leaves is a good idea. I think you should have them signed before you applique them - that way if someone "messes one up" - they won't have ruined the whole banner - just one leaf - and they can sign another one to replace it. Your bento box quilt is lovely - I hope you find a backing that will simplify your quilting and not make it more difficult - ;))

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  4. You certainly have been busy with many activities. I am glad to see how you have made use of the floral prints for the sayonara gift, and the anniversary quilt will be a real treasure for the church. Those sunflowers against the blue sky are so appropriate this year with the horrid war going on.
    Hope to see you in November at the quilt show.
    Queenie

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  5. Well, you've had plenty on your plate, and sometimes it's more than enough to be doing things, without talking about them as well!

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  6. For someone who says she does not feel she has much going on ... my goodness you are busy x Remember to breath and .. relax xx

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  7. Nice to hear from you and your church sounds to be thriving still after all those years. The banner is great- love the diagonal design.

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  8. Beautiful quilt. You are so busy I admire all you do. Thank you.

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  9. You have gotten A LOT done in the month! What beautiful work you do! I think the idea of signatures on leaves will work out fine and you can always add more leaves here and there (even on the squares). It would be a shame to leave anyone our on this beautifuol project!

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