Lady in Red

We had a really lovely evening yesterday - went for a meal to my friend Lesley's home. She and I have become great friends through the Knitting Group - but this was the first time our husbands had met up. We had a superb meal - Lesley had made a lovely chicken and tarragon casserole and I supplied dessert [Aldi Continental Plum Tart and cream] and we had great fun discussing the merits of Thrift and Aldi Shopping. Ant was pleased to demonstrate his new Espresso Machine [also from Aldi!] Then L&I retired to the other room, where she showed me the progress of her quilt. I was annoyed with myself for not having a camera. The red quilt is utterly beautiful.

Lesley's target was to make a quilt in a year - and this one was started in Feb 08. I think she will get there! It was cut with scissors [not a rotary cutter] and stitched by hand. It is all in splendid shades of red, and her daughter Emily [who has claimed the quilt for her own once it is completed] says it reminds her of the colours of jams [strawberry, raspberry, cherry...] In view of the patches of red and white gingham, I suggested it should be called the Bonne Maman Quilt, as Lesley is definitely a very good mother!!

We returned to the table to find the men chatting like they had been friends forever -mostly about coffee, church PA and Billy Graham's hat.

Apparently Billy Graham has done the Presidential Inauguration Prayer for years, and this year sent the hat which he always wears to Rick Warren, to keep his head warm! I think this must fall into the category of Elijah's Mantle [I Kings 19 - So he ...found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing...and Elijah cast his mantle upon him.] I tried to find a picture of Rick in Billy's hat, but I couldn't. I think it is this hat though.

I am concerned that Rick's head may be bigger than Billy's [do you mean physically or metaphorically? said Bob!]

Back to Lesley's quilt. It is based on one in Jane Brocket's book, The Gentle Art of Domesticity [which Lesley has kindly lent me] I have been looking through the book. JB is a gifted writer and photographer - but her world is miles away from the one inhabited by people like Lesley and myself. She used to work for Sanderson, and her quilts appear to be made of wonderfully expensive pieces. I actually prefer Lesley's 'thrifted' quilt because it is stitched with memories and treasured scraps.

The basic template for the blocks is this one, and the whole thing is 8 rows of 10, so that's eighty blocks of lovely handstitching.

I came home inspired, and eager to make another quilt myself. But I am sure if I do, it will be a machined one, not handsewn. But that will have to go on to the list of "projects I will do sometime when I am not too busy..." I think. Today I have to prepare for tomorrow's school and sewing club.

Speaking of being busy - how will that lady in Los Angeles cope with octuplets? I hope and pray she gets plenty of support. I think Lesley and I are both quite content to each be the mothers of just TWO children who arrived one-at-a-time!

Steph texted this morning to say she has being doing some market research for a hair dye product. And now her hair is rather redder than it used to be! I am waiting for a photo, but will probably not put it on the blog. Some things are best kept within the family!