We all know the phrase “A friend in need is a friend indeed” and whatever your interpretation is, mine means a reader needs our support.
Jamie in Phoenix needs our love and support due to a bullying situation where she lives. I don’t know enough details at this point but she is without home and family and could use a greeting card asap. You may have read her comment earlier today which spoke to the issue about the state getting involved in elder abuse where she lives.
Jamie Valimont
4000 N. 3rd Ave Apt. 317A
Phoenix, AZ. 85013
I know you will help me lift her up in friendship over the miles – I wish I lived in Phoenix so I could go see her as I believe she is disabled in some way.
Here’s something I worked on today – totally outside the rules of quilting – no binding and I’m ok with it. I quilted it and then trimmed exactly along the edges without straightening it up with a ruler and rotary cutter. I’ll have something new to put out after I put Christmas away for another year.
Reader photos
Whew! That’s a lot of reader photos! Here’s a reader photo that got misplaced until tonight and I love it. From Beth in OR
On my table today – Diane used the same fabric!
And here’s a picture that came up in my feed today and the memory is sweet.
Just 6 more months – sigh
I’m going to play for church tomorrow – I’ve really missed it – the last time I played was the Sunday before Thanksgiving.
Will you send a card to Jamie?
Jamie if you are reading this, I am only an hour or so away and would be delighted to come spend some time with you. Please let me know if this is something that would work for you. We could swap stories and have a grand time!
I think that would be delightful!
You can send me a private message via email: relishrules@earthlink.net.
Look forward to hearing from you!
Pat – THANK YOU! I’ll make sure she sees this
Yes, I will send Jaimie a card. I too get upset when I think people are being mistreated in group homes. I think sometimes that rudeness is tolerated. I am grateful for when strangers give me kindness. I have had experiences this year with the police because I was in a car accident. Both policemen went above and beyond to be kind to me. Makes me feel lucky to live in this city.
Merry Christmas to Mary and her readers.
Merry Christmas! I love the Caroling Cats, they are so cute! The Christmas tree made out of cloth measuring tapes is also pretty nice. I hit a craft show yesterday, there is always this cute young lady, slightly dense maybe, who make bracelets. I usually buy some for the granddaughters, but yesterday she also had one made from a cloth meauring tape. She was so excited that I was buying her bracelets, then I told her to keep the change from the cash I gave her. She just beamed. I also bought a table, I was looking at the assortment he had, made out of wooden pop crates, an amunition box, different sizes, heights. I thought I’d made a choice until he pointed out the pop case that was from my hometown. Yep, that was it. Reminds me of a very special person from my whole life. Gotta have those things.
So many beautiful decorations today. I especially liked the red and white star quilt that was being used as a tree skirt. And, that carved Santa collection is fantastic.
I will definitely send Jamie a card. I thought about her all yesterday after she said she had no home or family. How many others in assisted living are in the same situation with no one to advocate for them.
Connie – exactly! Think how many people out there who have no one to turn to! It sounds like Jamie clings to this blog and readers so the least we could do is send her a card!
Mary, your raw edges on the small quilt reminded me of how I repaired a dress years ago. I was the maid of honor for my college roommate. I had made my red velvet dress. After a few more wearings, I had it dry cleaned and then showed it at the county fair. While it was hanging there, I noticed that in the crease of the hem, it was open. I don’t know when that had happened. During cleaning??? How to repair it? I thought “no one will look closely at the hem.” It was floor length. I simply zigzagged the edge of the hem. It worked great as a finish.
I pray things work out better for Jamie. My mother lived in assisted living for 13 years and always had kind words for the staff. I always felt fortunate that she had made the choice to live there. We always knew that there was someone looking after her. If she missed a meal, they would check on her.
Mary,
Jamie is in a delicate situation in her efforts to help everyone do a little bit better. She can use the morale booster thoughtful cards can provide as a show of support.
I see you found a solution for your binding problem. This is a worthy finish. These plaids remind me of Roberta Horton fabrics. Once again I see several Minick/Simpson wovens on my shelf that would work well for this clever set of half square triangles. Now my nose is in that shelf of black fabrics, and oh, where is that stack of plaids and burgundies. Just found the very small black gingham, too. I think my squares will finish at 4″x4″.
Thanks.
what a fantastic post i woke up to. the eye candy is magnificent. all the collections – the animals – the white dog with the green pepper – the quilts – oh my. just everything. i will be going back and looking at this off and on all day.
tis chilly at my house but no where near like most of you. i bought myself a flannel housecoat similar to the one mary was wearing to show off her shawl. it is miles too long and i decided i would just cut it off and maybe satin stitch two rows across the bottom. not like i’m going out in public in it. then i see that mary is leaving a raw edge on her table runner. great minds think alike. good job! she’s already thinking of decorating for after christmas.
i have not sewn in a couple days. i am feeling like a slug. that is where i use my creative mind. the back pain is tremendous but i’ve also been trying to work on some of the stacks of ‘clutter’ for lack of a better word. is hard for me to throw out quilt magazines. trying to decide how much to keep and how much to throw away. have some happy blocks sitting around with cats in the center. never liked how they were going together and think i came up with a solution yesterday. now i just need to find those blocks again (but i did write down the solution so i don’t forget). i have lots of stacks of blocks finished. maybe next year some of these will become quilts. this is probably why it seems like i get lots done. have lots of ‘fodder’ for finishing. (fyi happy blocks are just a center square of whatever size that is framed – initially from the heartstrings group as a different block than our string blocks.) i kinda want to make a bunch more string blocks also. i like making those and they are relatively quick. it also makes a huge mess of strings etc while they are being made. so fun. i have considered making a list of things i’d like to get done next year but am a bit afraid that it will make me not do it. i’m weird that way. i so prefer to work on things when i’m in the mood and not because it has to be done. i figure i’m older now and i can do what i want. i do know that sometime i would like to get my ‘dear jane’ quilted. it’s been pieced for quite some time. lots of advice on ‘you should quilt it by hand’ and then no you’re a great machine quilter, do it that way. no decisions. have already changed my mind on the backing. will be using lots of civil war type fabrics intead of one solid muslin. maybe it will get done in 2025 and maybe not.
jamie, you are in my thoughts and prayers. no one should be verbally abused or bullied, no matter their situation in life. it seems like so much common decency is missing in our world today. i truly hope life gets better for you and the others where you live.
need to get up and actually do something. have been waiting for the aleve to take effect. seems slow today. wish my doctor didn’t feel so strictly against opiods. doesn’t help the pain.
mary, glad you feel up to going back to church to play the piano. it will make you feel good. i have been trying to clean out the area in front of my piano and the stool (full of magazines). patti in florida
Patti, I would love to see your ‘Dear Jane’ quilt!
i’ll look for the pictures. they may be on my ‘puter, i’m not sure. don’t hold your breath, but i will look. thanks. patti in florida
Pat – will you contact me via email when you visit Jamie?
Yes, I will. I’m hoping we can get together soon
Yes, I will send Jamie a card. I am sorry to hear life is rough.
The little white dog is my neighbor, Indy ( he came from Indiana!) who has the green pepper I gave him in his mouth:)
Yes, Mary and I used the same fabric. I still have some left:) I love it because it is random and does not have a top or bottom. I also have the Debbie Mumm long Santa. Thanks for putting so many of my photos in, Mary. I have 12 shelves of the hand carved Santas! I also like the book shelves with the Christmas books in front. They reminded me to get my Christmas season books out. I have some of those choir candles.
Off to do more baking and wrapping. 17* here. Have fun playing today, Mary
Diane, I am very impressed with your husband’s woodworking talent, That tree is STUNNING!
I also loved the Santa collection. I used to collect vintage Santa’s. My sister threw out almost everything I owned when I went into assistant living, including over 40 years of precious photos.
Oh, Jamie, I am sorry to hear about your photos being thrown away. That is sad. My husband is talented with wood. He loves to make pens, ornaments, trees, and anything on the lathe. The carved Santas were purchased from a friend who cannot carve any more due to loss of eyesight from Diabetes. We bought every year for many years.
Love the photos. Good to hear you are playing at church today. You are blessed with a talent and it’s a good calling to share that with others.
Every day I work on an applique block. It takes an hr to sew them down in just one block. It’s boring but needs to be done. What’s a few more hrs in a quilt? I don’t keep track but I still 9 more blocks to go then assembly and then to the long arm. I am not one who works on just one thing at a time unless a deadline nears. 3 days to Christmas and I have one more side of binding to do (by hand) before the Christmas gift is done. I won’t see them (daughter and husband) this Christmas and will have to mail it. But they won’t be home but with their kids. It doesn’t matter==it’s the thought that counts. They love quillts!
Mary,
I’m so glad you are going to play at church today! You really are getting back to your good old self. I hope it goes well and you enjoy playing. You’ll be ready for a nap once home in your recliner!
Very cold here this morning, only 7*. One of my water dishes was frozen in the chicken coop area. I’ll be glad when it warms up a bit.
The photos are so amazing of everyone’s decorating. Just beautiful. I especially love the quilt outside on the clothesline. Is that a panel or appliqués? Can the maker tell us?
We are having a small family gathering with my husband’s side of the family this afternoon. Yesterday we had a family gathering for my extended family. The great nieces and nephews loved their book pillow bags.
Stay warm and well everyone! 🌻
The quilt on the clothesline is called Solstice and it is applique. When I started it, I had no idea it would be so big! It started as a block of the month, then the next month the quilt shop decided to close. It took a couple of years for me to finish it, but am happy with it. Glad you enjoyed it too!
Mountain Quilt Give Away Wrapup: Just a final THANK YOU to everyone who contributed to our event last Saturday. It was an amazing success that I wish you could have seen. Just know you made MANY children/ people very happy. Hope you saw the TV interview which showed the setup. The manager asked for a few wall hangings to permanently be placed on the wall near the fireplace in their cafe. They plan to also place pictures from the event there to highlight the event. He was amazed at how the mood in the store became very festive for the first time since they reopened after the storm. All in all, we helped an area that has been suffering for a while and still has a long road ahead in recovering. If you have any questions or need to get ahold of me, use my email at: barbarawawa1953@gmail.com. Have a Merry Christmas and know I love all of you for helping.
barbara, thanks for doing this project and also for sharing with us. it is such a worthy project and the people in that area will need help for a long time to come. glad you were able to spearhead the festive event for them. thanks again. patti in florida
Hi Barbara,
I was impressed by how it was set up so that recipients could “shop” for a quilt they liked. Also appreciate their interest in your amazing project. What a great takeaway–that feeling that you lifted the mood of the store. I think more community connections will be fostered all because you took some time gathering lovely resources. Wow.
All such wonderful pictures to admire this morning. Every one of them! And to see Beth’s kind words of support to Jamie just warms my heart on this 9 degree morning here. I too wished I lived closer to be an advocate for Jamie and be by her side as she stands up for herself and what is right. People think they can do and say whatever they please today and it’s very annoying in my opinion and shows lack of decency. Many of us have been in situations with relatives we’ve not been happy in assisted living homes and had to seek out other staff for working out solutions but when you don’t have an advocate it’s harder. I hope our cards give Jamie some hope others honestly care about her. And I hope someone in AZ who reads this blog has some power to seek out justice to report an unruly employee and elder abuse to be investigated.
Love the saw blade quilt and the red and black sawtooth star quilt. It looks like
One block is different on the sawtooth star quilt. What is it or am I imaging that!
Very nice
Laura – I saw that , too, maybe it’s green? Or maybe it’s a house – I’ll look again. Nice pictures of her house, weren’t they?
It looked like a house to me, but could tell for sure. I
Thought a tree would work well. Yes, loved her house, too.
The “extra” block in the red and black quilt behind the Jim Shore Santa and reindeer is actually a coffee mug on its side. The quilt was made for a challenge our group did years ago using just two colors plus white. I should have lowered it behind the Santa so it didn’t show!
Tina – haha! We were all guessing! None of us guessed a coffee mug and I’m as guilty as everyone else who studies the photos. Makes me want to do a red and black quilt – I actually have some red and black checkerboard vintage blocks. Hmmm..
Thanks,
Love your quilt and your Hoosier cabinet.
Mary I did that on 2 quilts I made where I used a fleece backing, just zig zagged the edge and trimmed. Works especially well with the fleece. your quilt is wonderful, makes me want to collect shirts again as I love the plaids and have used mine all up. Good on you. Looking forward to your hospital list as I’m having a hysterectomy in Jan. I know God tells us not to be afraid, it’s hard isn’t it? Especially at our age.
Linda – good to know – I’ll get on that list. Yes, any surgery at our age is scary.
Another fantastic day of photos! Please, whoever sent it, tell us who the adorable doggie with a stocking in his/her mouth is. Beth and John, how lucky you are. I always enjoy seeing people who love animals as much as I do. That’s just one of the reasons I love Mary so much. I’m constantly talking about this blog, all my true friends here are well of aware of Mary and know what a beautiful soul she is. I think they actually look forward to my daily Mary reports!
Jamie, I know you are right about how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful place with these pets we love so much. We haven’t always lived in the country, so I am still amazed after twenty years that this is our home. And when I get discouraged–because I deeply wanted to be a mother and was not able to for health reasons–I remind myself what grade-school-Beth would have thought if she could have seen my life at this point, and I focus on being grateful.
I’ve read that you are in a hard situation right now, with people around you who are unkind and who make you feel unsafe. I hope you won’t give up hope that this will change and you will be in a situation that you’ll look at with relief because things will have gotten better. We are on your side, Jamie.
Hi Mary, l am sorry to hear that Jamie is having a rough time, it is so hard to come out and say life is not perfect like tv shows.l hope she can get some help.The little white dog looks like my Bella, but at 14 she is not so beautiful, especially as l am not the best at grooming her.l have just finished my Japanese quilt, going to put a facing on it,not binding, are you going to leave raw edges on your quilt Mary? Take care everyone, best wishes from Sandy
Sandy – if you’re asking about the small piece I just quilted then the answer is yes, I’m leaving the edge raw.