Catching Up

I didn't realize it had been so long since I last posted.  This past week has been busy dealing with some unexpected health issues of my husband.  (Lots of hours in doctors' offices and a trip to Cleveland Clinic)  We still don't have the exact answer, but at least we know it isn't what they originally thought.  So we make another trip back to Cleveland as soon as they decide what tests they want to do.

And of course, besides the health issues, there was Easter waiting in the wings.  My children all came home, and it was the first time in several years that we were all here for Easter.  Lots of cooking and cleaning to do in preparation.  It was just wonderful to have everyone here, even if it was such a short time.  My daughter is staying until Friday, so I get to have lots of time with her!

I didn't have much time for sewing, so I haven't been doing much new, just trying to get the last blocks done for my DJ quilt.  I now have only 5 left to go.  I can't make more than 1 a day, but slow progress is better than no progress.  So far I haven't finished today's - I still have all the handwork to do on it.  Slow but steady...

I've gotten some neat stuff from the mailman in the last few days.  My package of blocks from Aunt Pitty Pat's Holly Jolly Swap arrived just before Easter.  So now I have 24 more blocks to sit and accuse me of neglecting them.  I'm not sure how I'm going to put them together yet.  In addition to those blocks accusing me of neglect, I also have the siggie blocks from the Civil War Repro Siggie swap, the Red and Aqua blocks, and all the other Christmas blocks I've collected during the fall.  There may be others that I can't think of (or don't want to admit to) right now, but, be that as it may, I've got way too many things waiting for me to take care of them for awhile.   I'll show you more detail when I get started putting them together.

Look at this beautiful array of blocks I got from individual swaps I'm in.  They're all so pretty.  I'm going to have quite an array for a sampler quilt.

This one is from Shelley in Texas, who is a relatively new quilter.  She did a wonderful job, though, and it will look great with others that I have in the purple family.

This one is from Cathleen here in my home state.  She said these were her only pastels (which I had requested in the swap), and it's a beautiful block.  The picture doesn't do it justice at all.

This is from Dara in Georgia.  We're in a monthly block swap, and we've been swaap buddies before.  She does beautiful work, as you can see from this beauty.

This second pretty pastel Dutchman's Puzzle block is from Tiffany, and I'm ashamed to say I can't find the envelope, so I don't know where she's from.  Aren't they all pretty?

Then the mailman brought me the first two packages for the Red White and Blue No Sew Swap.  Such  beautiful fabrics, all nicely cut and ready to finish up.  These two groups are from Robin and Mary, and we have10 more to go, including mine, to complete the swap.