Hello,
I hope everyone is enjoying the season. I am just home from my daily walk and I enjoyed the sun, sky and the green world. Our block party was on the week end and it was great to reconnect with the folks who live around me. Several folks know us by seeing us walking by. This week was the end of the month and there were fewer meetings. I did meet with the Pixies and Textile Artists Stitch club had a new assignment so I was still busy. I did work on both of the pieces that I started using the hand as the beginning.
This work, Reaching Up is 2535443543o X 23432439u . I need to finish stitching on the sleeve but that is all that remains for completion here.
The second one, Reaching Out, is all stitched together and now needs a boarder and the rest of the finish work. 
I have enjoyed using wool as the primary element in these two works.
Progress Report: Against the Wind
I have now layered and pin basted this work. I hope to begin the “wind” quilting later today.
Handwork Top I have now assembled all the parts for this work and added boarders. I need to do the pin basing and quilting on this one as well.
Consider I started this work last week in response to Jane Dunnewold’s challenge to do a work using complementary color combinations. I mixed this idea with the exploration of the some of suggested piecing processes in Irene Roderick’s book “Improv Quilting. ” I had fun and plan to to the other two complementary color combos and explore more of the suggested techniques.
New Daily Practice I decided to challenge myself to do some hand work were I add unusual objects to the surface of some of the stained old family fabrics I have an abundance of . This is painted and melted Tyveck with part of an old hat vail.
This is the last of my childhood series. I think changing my name from Carol McElhinney, my birth name to Carol Boyer is a good marker for the end of childhood. Susan challenged us to do this project in April of 2019 and all the other participants have long dropped away, but I am glad I did it. There have been 162 entries. It has been a good journey and I look forward to a new project that will engage me as much as this one has.
College Life – Wedding Day
June 7, 1969, finally arrived. I was more scared than excited. I was full of doubt, but Eric came up stairs and talked with me about my fears. I will admit I was ready to run away from the whole event, but he assured me that we would be fine and it would all work out. Then it was off to Brook Drive and my old home. The house was full of family all excitedly preparing for the church. The Dean boys seemed to be every where, helping with everything. It was my last time in my old bedroom as Carol McElhinney. That was my thought as I put on my gown. Carrying the veil, I got in the car with Mom, Dad, and Gene and we drove to the church. Kelly looked so cute in her white dress, with her new pixie hair cut and the little basket of flowers. Tracy, wearing a dress with a matching coat, was tending the wedding book at the door to the chapel. She was laughing as usual. I went into the prep room and Mom helped me with the veil and someone handed me the beautiful yellow flowers. Margaret and Ellie filed into the sanctuary followed by Kelly and Scott. Then I heard Larry’s beautiful voice singing “What is a Youth?” He was followed by the recorded entry music, Purcell’s Trumpet Voluntary, which Larry had selected. Dad took my arm and told me I looked beautiful as we walked down the aisle toward Eric, Dean, and Gene. I only had eyes for Eric and the beautiful green of the woods behind him.
It got quiet as Reverend O’Kelly started the service. Folks told me later that I was so quiet in my responses to his questions that they could not hear a thing. Eric did and that was the only thing that was important to me. It was time for the rings and Scott passed them to us. I jammed the ring on Eric’s finger when he presented it to me. “I pronounce you Husband and Wife.” We kissed each other, turned, the wedding march started, and we hurried down the isle out into the lobby. Eric dropped my hand and ran to the bathroom. I turned a little panicked to see Mom and Dad coming out and seeing me standing alone both had expressions of inquiry on their faces. That uncertainly did not last long as Eric re appeared. It seems he had stuck out his right hand and I had forced the ring onto the correct finger of the wrong. A little soap and things were fixed. “I hope its still official!” Eric said.
The rest of the reception, in the education hall of the church, was a blur of happy faces, hugs, and words of congratulation. Punch was served along with wedding cake, of course. Eric and I then opened some gifts. I don’t remember most of them, but I do recall being a little embarrassed by Eric’s joke about a cut silver waste basket and matching tissue box from Aunt Margaret. There were also red pots and pans that lasted years. Eric and I went off to the chapel for pictures and then we both changed for our trip north. Folks threw rice as we went to the car and drove away, heading to Holland, Michigan, for our weekend Honeymoon. I was excited, but I don’t recall too much except we went swimming in the hotel pool after dark one night. At one of the little shops in town, I did purchase a little pair of wooden shoes that I still have. Sunday and it was time to start for home. We took some back roads and had to make a stop just after crossing back into Indiana. There was a turtle crossing the road. We picked him up and took him to the side before continuing our journey home. Monday was the start of summer school for both of us, and the start of our life together. Reverend O’Kelly had told us to check with the court house to make sure the marriage licence got filed properly. We never did. “It’s our escape clause,” Eric said. The event must have been a good take, since fifty-three years, one child, two dogs, a bunch of cats, four moves, and several college degrees later, we’re still together.
I hope everyone continues to enjoy the season.
Keep playing
Carol