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I haven’t posted in awhile. Nothing super exciting going on. In fact, just the opposite, I think. Sometimes 
we all just need some time and space to let the dust settle after a whirlwind event… like a wedding. It caught up with me, and my brain and body are fighting back. When that happens, I need to rest both. My baby boy is now happily married… and we’re all so happy!
So here’s some random thoughts, bits and pieces from my resting brain.
This post was triggered by a fellow quilter perhaps a month ago when she said she had pulled out an older quilt top and was astonished at the color green she had used. I commented back on Diane’s blog that she was not alone. I, too, fell prey to a pretty, albeit strange green once upon a time. I knew I still had the project somewhere in the basement. But which blue Rubbermaid tub was it in?
Tonight, I located it. And yes, this project has many flaws.
It began with my desire to create a masterpiece back in the early 1980’s. I wanted an elegant, period-looking piece reminiscent of the 1800’s. A beautifully appliquéd piece with lots of room for teeny tiny hand quilting stitches that were my strongest talent at the time. I decided the repeated blocks (9 in all) would be best stitched together (flaw Number 1) on the same piece of muslin, not sewed individually and then pieced together. The muslin I used was not the best quality. That’s flaw Number 2.
I wanted a red, green and white quilt, yet something went terribly wrong.
Flaw Number 3: I opted for polished cotton in pink and burgundy. POLISHED cotton. UGH.
Flaw Number 4: It’s not green. It’s a deeper greenish turquoise. It’s pretty, but it’s the wrong color. Totally wrong. Actually, I think it’s the same “green” as Diane used.
Flaw Number 5: I should have finished appliquéing the blocks and THEN planned and sewed the border. I think I had a huge attack of ADHD back then.
I will say, in looking carefully at my appliqué stitches, it was beautifully sewn. Click on the picture to enlarge it and see for yourself. 
The bias-cut fabric was also beautifully crafted. It’s perfectly even, nicely pressed and stitched down. Really! The little “green” leaves are not too shabby, either! OK, this is really wrinkled, but it’s been crammed into that Rubbermaid tub for almost/over 30 years! That might be older than YOU! I’m no spring chicken, you know!
Yes indeed, there’s a reason we have so many UFO’s tucked away in silence. It’s a good thing they don’t speak up and make themselves heard more often. 
I DO think it’s good to look carefully at my work. I know it helps me become a better quilter. But sometimes I question my sanity. What was I thinking?
I received a warm letter and some beautiful photos from a fellow quilter after my first post on the Carpenter’s Star quilt pattern. Lin McQuiston from Ohio made this gorgeous quilt two years ago that she won a ribbon for. 
This is her “Myrtle Beach Memories” quilt. I’ll let her tell you about it!
“I'm very proud of this quilt, as I did the whole thing myself - even the quilting. Here's the story:”
My husband and I have vacationed with our two children in Myrtle Beach since the early 80's. Even though we've been empty nesters for awhile, we still go down there from Cleveland, Ohio once a year. I started quilting in 2000. In 2006 I discovered the quilt shop, Sewing in the Carolinas. They had this quilt on display, only in blues and greens. It was stunning in those colors, but they wouldn't go with my house, so I chose blues, pink and browns. I did buy the blue and green fabric to make a small wall hanging out of the same fabric. The pattern and fabrics sat for over a year while I finished up other projects.
At my Fall retreat in 2007 I decided to piece the two quilts. When I got the fabric out to cut, my taste had changed, and I hated the blue, pink and brown fabric. I searched all over the Internet to purchase more of the blue and green to make the larger quilt. So, I actually made this quilt twice using both color ways. When the pink, blue and brown one was all pieced, I fell in love with it all over again. I'm so glad I stuck with it. In the meantime, in 2008 I purchased a used HQ16. I was determined to learn how to quilt these myself. I joined MQR (Machine Quilters Resource), an online forum, and asked a lot of questions. I quilted the blue and green one first, and made a lot of mistakes. I didn't choose the right batting for one - so my motifs didn't pop out. I also didn't do my background fill tight enough, and I had too much detail in my motifs. I corrected all those mistakes with the next one. When I took it off my frame, I actually cried. I just couldn't believe I was capable of doing that kind of quilting myself. I had never done any kind of custom quilting before. In Feb 2009 I put it in a large local show here in Northeast Ohio. I received an Honorable Mention ribbon. The quilt is about 70 x 70. I used two battings, Warm & Natural on the bottom, and Quilter’s Dream Puff on top to 
get the trapunto look. Most of the fabrics are batik but some are cotton. I used King Tut variegated thread and So Fine for the pebbling.
My quilt is named
Myrtle Breach Memories II.
Lin McQuiston
Lin, thanks SO much for sharing your beautiful quilt and story!
Readers, please be sure to leave a comment for Lin so when she checks back, she can read what you have to say.
I love quilts that offer lots of room for hand quilting. I’m pondering this pattern, making it with as few seams as possible to facilitate easier quilting. So I think I will hand piece it… Now to choose colors and draft the design to size… for a queen size bed.
Here’s one I found on Google Images… if you click on it it will enlarge it so you can see the fantastic quilting.
If you know who made this quilt, please let me know so I can give due credit! It is fabulous!
I wonder what colors I should choose to go in my bedroom?
Finished the top… waiting for backing to arrive so I can quilt and ship.
Is it “manly” enough?
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We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day for my son Loren and Margaret’s wedding! It was a little warm (OK, a LOT warm), but the sun was shining and everyone was smiling, and everything went perfectly.
The bride was stunning!
The wedding was held at German Park in Ann Arbor, Michigan. 
Grandson Jacob and Flower girl Samantha
Yummy cake… and much kissing…
The boys and their beer…
(Samantha, my son Sean, DH Dean, The Groom Loren, Best man Eric, Jay and the bride’s father Dave)
Son Sean dances with daughter Samantha
My beautiful Daughter-in-Laws
Kim and Margaret
I am tired, but so, so blessed!
This weekend, this little boy…
is marrying this little girl.
As mother of the little boy, I have lots to do. I’ll post pictures when my feet are propped up on the couch after the excitement begins to wear away.
Pray for good weather in mid-Michigan. It’s an outdoor wedding!
Barbara is our winner for the most recent giveaway on Michigan Quilts! Congratulations, Barbara!
The Woodworker and I enjoy driving out in the country to enjoy the peace and quiet, especially on a beautiful summer evening. Last night was the perfect evening. We rode for almost two hours with no destination in mind, around Genesee County, Shiawassee County and Saginaw County in Mid-Michigan. Half way through our ride we swung through McDonalds for a fast food dinner we could eat in the car. We drove paved roads, dirt roads, and roads that looked like nothing more than a narrow cow path. We both spotted this cluster of barns a distance away, and the truck just seemed to want to go in that direction… so we did.
I love barns. In fact, our first son’s baby quilt was a barn quilt with nine barns, quilted in a chicken wire pattern.
We drove up to the barns and I just had to get another picture or two. They looked to be freshly painted and were next to a farmhouse that also looked lovingly tended. 
I love that they included the date on the largest barn:
1900
Signing the date on the barn… kind of like signing and dating a quilt.
I feel another barn quilt in my future.
Published by Caron Mosey at Michigan Quilts! 2010
The Ann Arbor Quilt Guild has a show coming up at the end of July. I’m hoping to attend, as it’s just an hour away, and our newlyweds – son Loren and bride Margaret – live there. So I went to the guild’s website to read more about it. I started surfing the pages. And then I found this:
January - Pepper Cory
March - Robin Morey
May - Marciah Warra
July - Susie Braund
September - Caron Mosey
November - Coleen Ryan-Peters
Holy Moly, that’s a long time ago! This is a list of past speakers. Who keeps a list around that long? I guess they do. I wonder which lecture I gave?
Driving and flying around teaching and giving lectures seems like it was in another life. Could I do it again? Would I want to do it again? I’m not sure. There’s more to it than meets the eye. But I’m thinking.
Shhhh. I’m thinking.
Published by Caron Mosey at Michigan Quilts! 2010
I’ve been looking for a quilt pattern to work on that I can hand piece and take my time with. I love hand piecing in the evening. I find it relaxing. The Spools pattern is one that many quilters are working on right now. It’s a possibility! As I surf around the Internet though, I am finding many different variations on this pattern. Some have more pieces than others. Which to do?
Here is a lovely start that I found at Valentina’s Corner. 
Here are a variety of blocks I found at Google Images:
Have you made a Spool Quilt? If so, what pattern did you use? 5 pieces in the block? 13 pieces?
Let us know by leaving a comment, below.
Published by Caron Mosey at Michigan Quilts! 2010
This block was made for my grandchildren, who will be going on their first camping trip this August. I am hoping that this new generation brings the Mosey family better luck when it comes to camping. When my boys were young, we went camping frequently. It became the family joke:
Everytime the Mosey’s go camping and set up their tent, God starts laughing and says, “Let there be rain!” And there was rain by the bucket-load.
The pattern for this block
Published by Caron Mosey at Michigan Quilts! 2010
