Bits and Pieces, Joy and Sorrow

    I find myself with more time on my hands again; we all deal with life changes that we may not have expected but learn to cope with, nevertheless. I have had time to do a little sewing but no blogging, and I am beginning again with a special friend in mind.  Here is a quilt that I made on the run, in two states and with lots of help. 💗

Our lives are like quilts - bits and pieces, joy and sorrow, stitched with love.  

   I did not intend to make this little quilt; it kind of just happened.  On the way back from Florida a few years ago we stopped in the town of  Hahira and Lo and Behold I found myself in front of a fabric store.  I talked to the nicest lady for awhile, and found myself coming back to these strips of fabric in what she called a jelly roll.  You quilters must understand that for most of us garment sewers, we have no idea what a jelly roll is.  (in fact, when I worked at the sewing store, we got a phone call asking if we had jelly rolls and one of our non quilting shop ladies told her we weren't a bakery)  But I digress. I bought this beautiful jelly roll in fabrics of strong pastels, and it sat for a good little while in my stash.
   My approach to quilting was basic.  I did not know what I was really doing but I kept thinking it had to be easier than garment sewing, right?  Maybe not easier or harder, but very very different.  I finally googled jelly roll quilt and came up with a plan for a lap quilt.  After many phone calls and texts to my Texas buddy who makes lots of beautiful quilts, I finished.  I wanted to add the touches of black, so I used my Bernina Design Works Software to cut some black and white flowers and added them as appliques, then finished it off with a black and white polka dot border.
   As I have some time here in Florida, I will try to sew a little more and blog a little more, so that the buddies that I left can keep up with what I am doing.  Also, it gives me a way to reference what I have done in the way of settings and stitches so I can remember what I have done!