Pieces

Oh my.  Almost two weeks have passed since I put words to this space, my designated attempt to chronicle creativity.  Time is getting away from me a bit. Almost three quarters of the way through my first year of retirement, I find that retired life has its own busyness, less stressful than employed due diligence but quietly demanding in its own fashion.  My days tend to be full, and while I assemble the variety of pieces of this new life, a pattern is emerging.  It feels good.

This morning I am off to a new quilting class, called "Summer in the Park" Taught by Deb, my favorite quilting teacher, where we are learning to  piece using a "strip set," or a "jelly roll" of precut strips of fabric.  I love the way these fabric cakes look with all their pieces rolled and tied up so beautifully.   They have been sitting on my desk in the living room since they arrived in the mail.  I just like looking at them.  The top layer is swirled together with pieces of Fairy Tale Friends by Moda.  This quilt will be my "Nana Quilt,"  intended to be used on picnics (both inside and out), at the beach, or outside in the yard to make memories with my grandchildren.

Even as I begin a new quilt, I have one yet to be finished..the "Garden Party" applique quilt I worked on this past winter with my favorite cadre of quilting friends.  After finally finishing piecing it this week, I must say as the third quilt I have made in my fledgling quilting life, I am quite pleased with how it is looking so far.

It still needs to be stitched together and quilted, but I will get to that.

I never really intended to become a quilter; it just happened after I impulsively signed up for a quilting class to make Jamie a baby quilt.  Cutting pieces of fabric and sewing them together has helped me stitch together my retirement, forming images I never imagined.  And for that..I am grateful