CHRISTMAS GREETINGS

From our home to yours: We wish you a Blessed Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year.

Lots of folks here in AZ have gone home for the holidays.  We're happy to stay here in the warm weather (comparatively speaking), going for walks and swims, exercise and craft classes, visiting the library and even, once in a while, the grocery store.

I've had the pool to myself this week, as the high temperatures have been in the 60's and sometimes even the low 60's.  However, the pool is always heated to 84º and when the sun is shining it's perfectly lovely and comfortable.  Getting in and out  is a little chilly, but I just put my towel next to the pool and wrap up in it when I get out of the water.

 I finished the latest quilt this morning.  It's for the Love House, the care home for abused and abandoned children here.

This is actually a very simple pattern.  Cut 6 and 1/2"  background squares and 4" accent squares.  Sew an accent square on two opposite corners of the background, sewing diagonally across the accent square.  Sew another seam about 3/8" from the first and cut between the seams.  Press the accent square toward the corner.  With four of the small half square triangles that were trimmed from the corner, make other blocks. There are lots of possible arrangements for these blocks.  I chose to put the blocks of four half square triangles down the center of the quilt and across the center, then arranging the four parts of the quilt to more or less "frame" the center.

I made a similar quilt a few months ago, using similar colours.  That quilt is one our living room couch here, providing a nice bright spot in the living room.

Here's a photo of the sewing room in the village with a few of the quilting ladies.  We get together on Wednesday mornings supposedly to quilt, but actually mostly to visit and chat together.