It isn't all sand and sun...

There's a little actual work going on here at the beach, and a little sewing if it's raining.

During the last deluge, I got "Jack of Diamonds" bound -- finally!  And the beach is the perfect setting to show it off!

I love how the quilting with the higher loft batting turned out on the back. I didn't end up putting anything in the center of the hourglass blocks, but quilted different shapes inside of each one.

I hate to admit it, but I think it's actually my first finished quilt for 2011. I'm waaaay behind schedule!

For Father's Day...

This is my favorite picture of my father. He's 25 years old, and that's my oldest sister, his first born, at about 18 months old. She was the apple of his eye, and the world was his oyster. The war was over and he'd made it home, gone to college on the GI Bill, met a beautiful woman that's still with him 64 years later, had a perfect little girl and launched a career. There's hope, and promise, and joy in this picture -- a portrait of a young man living the American Dream. Five kids and a few grandsons later, I think the Dream's still alive.

Happy Father's Day, Dad!

Running away...

This is me:

I have run away from home. Away from the Big City, away from broken hot water heaters and foundation issues and noisy neighbors. I'm back on the better less stressful side of Lake Michigan.

In between some horrendous thunderstorms, blistering heat, sandstorms, chill, tempestuous winds and fog (it is, after all, spring in the midwest), I've been taking long walks up the lakefront road and around town.

It's always interesting to see what's changed since last fall. There are a couple new houses up along the lake...

...and some old friends that (hopefully) will always be there.

It's been wonderful to leave the windows wide open, take in the fresh crisp air, lounge on the front deck and watch the world go by, and sleep to the sound of waves lapping on the beach (that is, if it's not sweltering, freezing, pouring or gale force winds, in which case I'm holed up inside, which is fine with me, too).

Definitely not looking forward to going back.

I think, therefore iPad...

I have a client who wants to produce print material for electronic readers and smart phones. Since I had neither, and will eventually need to see how our work looks on an actual device, what better excuse could I have to go out and get one?

My new iPad is shiny and beautiful, and I filled it with apps as soon as I got home, all the while wondering how I could keep it shiny and beautiful because it doesn't come with anything to put it in. That, of course, is all extra.

As it turns out, there is no end to what I can make from 40 yards of old slipcover material. The iPad was exactly and inch smaller than the width of the slipcover skirt. And, of course, I have a gazillion yards of piping, so why not add that, too?

I probably should have trimmed threads before I took the picture.

I hinged a Timtex base at the folds and added two layers of scrap batting on the inside. It's quilted through a few spots that are going to get some extra wear and tear (like around the Velcro), and the sides are hand stitched because there was no getting all that bulk under the presser foot of my machine. The iPad fits nice and snugly -- it's not going anywhere!

There's a coordinating pocket on the back for the charger and a little stand. I makes it a little lumpy, but I'd rather keep it all together than forget the plug somewhere.

I'll probably make a couple changes to the next one I make, but for a first try, I was pretty happy with it. It isn't the most stylish cover you'll ever see, but it sure is functional!