What I've Been Doing

What I haven't been doing is making doll quilts.

I bought some new quilt books and have spent a lot of time drooling over the quilts in them. Oh, how I want to make some of them!

But I'm working every Tuesday and Thursday at the Oregon State University Valley Library doing reference and it's been busy! Classes start on Monday. And I'm volunteering at the OSU Folk Club Thrift Shop one morning a week. Their profits are used for scholarships,something I strongly support as we have four sons; one is an OSU graduate and another gets his degree next June. I've also volunteered my services as a volunteer at the Benton County Historical Museum. I spent over two years earning a master's degree in Archival Studies and I'd like to put it to good use! Add to that serving as Program Committee Co-chair for the Mary's River Quilt Guild, spending time with my husband and grown children, taking care of my garden and chickens, and knitting socks and hats for charity, and well, my life is full.

And speaking of the Benton County Historical Museum (where our quilt guild meets), I recently attended a show which is part of Quilt Country.

The show featured New York Beauty quilts, collected by Bill Volckening, Portland quilt historian and Oregon Quilt Project volunteer. Here is a link to his blog, which you will want to check out as one of his most recent posts features gorgeous little doll-sized quilts by Andrea Balosky.

New Series

It still feels like summer. The skies are clear, the high temperatures are in the 80s and 90s, but there's fog along the river in the mornings now, the public schools open on Tuesday, and it's cooler at night so yes, fall is coming on.

I'm thinking of my next series of doll quilts. Do you remember that joke from your elementary school days: What is black and white and red (read) all over? The answer is, of course, a newspaper. I have a lot of black/white prints and solid white and black and red so that might be fun one. I also like the idea of doing a Maple Leaf block series in different colors. Or maybe applique pumpkins with a flying geese border.

It's going to have to wait a few days thought. Three of my sons and their wives are coming to visit this Labor Day weekend. The fourth is in rural Vermont where, thankfully, they only lost their land line phone (now restored) and aren't dealing with the horrendous devastation Hurricane Irene wrought.