Happy New Year!

Another old postcard from the old family album!  Happiest of New Year's wishes for all.  May all your quilt plans come true! 

Since I received the "Old Plums" bolts by Pam Buda, I was able to finish this little quilt from "Campaign" by Carol Hopkins.....all fabrics used are from Pam's line.

On Thursday a "blizzard" was predicted.  Lost power due to ice buildup at 1am (Friday).  Was off for 35 hours (just came back within the hour).  Don't know why it was called a blizzard as there was no wind!  Anyway we got about a foot of snow;  we are all plowed out and back to "normal life"!  We heat with wood so the house stayed warm and we have a generator so I was able to read, sew, etc.  I am old-fashioned about some things and so I ignore the weekly pleadings from the local cable company to sign on with their TV-Phone-Internet "deal".  I will keep my landline phone as long as there is such a thing, because  Only the cable was out for 35 hours..... I still had  phone and  internet (do not have a smartphone but will likely have to have one someday)!

This is what we woke to Friday morning!  Lovely sunshine and azure blue sky!  And, of course, the white stuff!  The birdies were all aflutter at the bird feeder and I caught one of the Cardinals in the hydrangea bush.  Reminds me that I Really Need to get my new SLR digital with the great lenses fired up and ready to go!!!  Would get much better closeups!

This is the picnic table with its foot of snow!  We were fortunate to get only a foot.....in my son's area, about 60 miles NW of here, 24" fell!  

Now you are going to laugh at me!  Got this book the other day......have most of Kaffe Fassett's books......his fabrics are so much Not Me, tho, there are many that I like!  His quilts do speak to me!   

Love this Hexagon quilt!

Love this Medallion quilt with his bright fabrics too!  But, would also be wonderful using Reproductions....better make note of that on "the list"!       Love the simple quilts that let the Fabrics shine!!!

Have had some questions about how I accumulate my Half-Square Triangles.  I use 6-6-1/2" squares (Makes eight 2" finished hst's), separated into a pile of lights and a pile of darks.  Then match up light/dark.....some I use just as they come in the pile and some I match up because I like them together!  Then, when I get near the end of the piles, the Most Interesting (odd!) combinations are made!  I mark the diagonal pencil lines  and then use them as my "Leaders and Enders"......sew one line each time I finish regular block sewing!  Huge pile accumulated in what seemed like no time!  

Generally, I press open first and then square up.  It's kinda boring but I just do some as I feel like it or to fill in odd moments.  The method shown above was found somewhere on the internet.  Place the diagonal line of the 2" square ruler on the seam line and trim just Two Sides.  Press open.....but, there are dog ears to trim. Just have to take your pick which method suits you best!  (I will probably mostly use my old, tried and true method!)

Found this postcard in the album.....it is dated Jan 7, 1878.....last day of school.  Guess they closed school for the winter Back in The Day!  The True family lived in this house at least Civil War era to 1950's.