Tag Archives: LCsCottage

Vermont Quilt Block

I played with the Vermont quilt block this week. 

The block is drawn with an 8 x 8 grid.

The block on the left is the way the block is colored in Nancy Martin’s Perpetual Calendar, 365 Quilts A Year.  The block on the right is my colored variation.

For comparison, I’ve put both variations in a straight set. 

There is no right or wrong; it is simply a matter of personal preference, or the look one wants.  Using two or three colors is common in many wonderful traditional quilts.

The next three designs are also straight settings, but the Vermont quilt block has been altered to create an alternate block to use with the original.  The Snowball quilt block is also used.

Vermont Straight Set 3

Vermont Straight Set 4

Vermont Straight Set 5

The Vermont quilt block set on point:

Vermont On Point Set

And three more on point designs using the Vermont block, a couple of variations, and the Snowball block:

Vermont On Point Set 2

Vermont On Point Set 3

Vermont On Point Set 4

Which do you like the best?

Not every design is a winner.  I certainly don’t like all the virtual quilts that I’ve designed.  That’s not the point.  The point is to play; to learn what works and what doesn’t.  Enjoy the process, and maybe make a real quilt once in a while.

Tulips and Forsythia

I am privileged to spend the entire day with friends.  We are going to the big city, Spokane, to shop and eat together. 

To top off the day, we are very excited to attend the Washington State Quilters guild meeting.  Ellen Anne Eddy is the guest speaker.  I have admired her work for years!

Here is spring eye candy from my garden:

Forsythia

Pink Tulips

Red Tulips

No Regrets

“Sometimes there are no perfect words…only thoughtful silences that whisper softly of caring. – Anonymous”

 

“The idea is to die young as late as possible.  ~Ashley Montagu”

 

Last Saturday, Hubby and I took a two hour drive and visited Aunt Florence.  She lay in her bed, in much pain and dying.  We packed up much of her things, but saved her favorites for her.  In her lucid moments, we wanted her to see photos of her loved ones, her angel knick-knacks and stuffed animals.  We wanted her to feel her wedding ring on her finger and think of happier times.

To keep it simple, Hubby and I are Florence’s only family, and we’ve cared for her for several years.  We brought her from New York to live with us in Washington state.  When we could no longer care for her without help, we found a home for her in the closest city we could.  The last few years haven’t been easy for Florence, or for us, but we did the best we could.

Sometime between Saturday night, and Monday morning, someone had the meanness to steal the jewelry (the wedding ring, another ring, and a watch…Florence always felt naked without her watch) right off the fingers of a dying 89 year old woman.  Hubby and I took a risk, and we lost. 

At least it looks like we lost.  Hubby wanted to give our granddaughter the wedding ring (she is named after Florence).  But our granddaughter will never know about this, so she won’t be hurt.  And Hubby and I have no regrets about our decision.

The jewelry is gone, but we know that we did our best to make Florence’s last moments as easy for her as we could. 

That’s more than I can say for the thief.  In spite of this, we still believe in compassion over selfishness; in love over greed.  If we had to do it over again, we’d do it the same. 

No regrets.

Aunt Florence in New York