Susan (a blog reader) sent me this photo and I thought you all would enjoy seeing her first applique project!
Susan wrote: “I took parts of your blocks (from Applique With Attitude) and arranged them to suit the shapes of my pillows. I began quilting about a year and a half ago and came across your website quite by accident…..a lucky accident for me! I like applique better than any handwork I have ever done. Thank you for inspiring me…..wish I had your eye for color.
Your work is amazingly bright and beautiful and cheerful, and your website is so easy to navigate and packed with helpful information. Your tutorials got me off to a good start for the basics of needle turn applique (I “cheat” and use a toothpick.) [FYI—as I wrote to Susan, toothpicks are a great tool and it’s not cheating to use them. It’s just smart :-).]
The buttons on my pillows came from my grandmother’s button boxes,which were an old snuff can and an old baking powder can. She’s been gone for many years, but she is still with me. 🙂
Thank you for your long-distance help, Susan”
I have to say that I do enjoy getting emails like this. Seriously, who wouldn’t? I’m not saying that to get you all to write to me. No, it’s more of a reminder that we should all, me included, send notes of gratitude. That said, here’s one from me, to you:
Thank you all for taking the time to read what I post. Honestly, it makes my day to know that you all actually do that. I work from home most of the time and our online community is a very nice part of my life. I’ll do my best to not get boring :-).
Have a lovely day…
Piece O Cake Blog 
I never find your blogs boring. I really enjoy the range of subjects you cover. For my last several trips I find myself looking down as well as up. You are right, manhole covers are very interesting.
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Becky – I work mostly from home, too. I am a free lance court reporter which means I go into different attorneys offices, sometimes court or jail, and take down pre-trial testimony on one of those “magic” machines. I don’t get to be creative in my job – and seldom do I ever hear that I do a great or even adequate job. I’m still working after 45 years at it, so I’m assuming the attorneys are happy.
That being said, I have to agree that hearing nice things being said about your work – it’s affirming that you’re doing the right thing. I bring applique or small hand piecing projects to work with me all the time (except to jails where they won’t allow the pins, needles and scissors which is rather handicapping) and I do it while I wait for people to show up. I find even doing just a little bit helps me to relax and enjoy the entire day.
One of these days I will actually finish the quilt I’ve made from one of your books. I’m kind of stuck on the border. I know what to do – it’s just that it’s for me, so you know how that goes. It never gets finished. But I have promised myself that 2015 is going to be a finish it year. I’ll send you a photo when it’s done. Meanwhile, if and when I retire, I do have all your books and intend to make something from each of them. Enjoy your day. Keep up with the blog cause it’s a great start to my day and I do enjoy it!
Your fan, class angel and stalker (you said you weren’t afraid of me) at the Syracuse, NY, consortium show so many, many years ago!
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You are never boring! I so enjoy reading your blog, it makes me feel like I could walk across the street and have a cup of coffee with you! I’ve made several of your projects over the years and in fact just finished the Santa’s Village last week and it’s being quilted now. I will be sure to send you a picture when finished. You always inspire me to me free and creative with my work. Thank you!!
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You all are so nice!
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You are NEVER boring!!
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Hi Becky: I took a class from you a year or so ago in Pt.St. Lucie,Fl. I enjoyed it very much and learned quite a bit, I might add. I look forward to your blogs everyday and enjoy them. You really threw me for a loop with the one titled “Take Care of the Girls”!! I admit I thought why on earth is she writing about “The Girls”? Guess who else is wearing the wrong size bra???? Thanks for the input; I haven’t gone shopping yet but at the next sale I’m there! I am sure I will be surprised what size I’ll end up wearing. I think your tutorials are the best,I have watched most of them I think, and they really are great. Keep up the good work, we love hearing from you.
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Thanks!
And… a bit more on bra shopping. I have a friend who went about finding a bra shop differently. Rather than going to Nordstrom’s (which is what I did), she looked for an independent shop that had been around a long time. We live near Dallas, so there were several possibilities. She found Loretta’s Intimates in Plano, TX, and was very happy. I’ve also heard that Soma might be a good place to shop… at least they may be stocking lots and lots of sizes.
All of us who are now wearing the right size bra have noticed an improvement in our posture. What a great bonus!
Happy shopping :-).
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You are never boring! 🙂
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Thx :-).
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I always enjoy your blog. Always informative, fun &/or interesting & never too long–never boring! My younger daughter & I went to Nordstroms recently (during the anniversary sale–good timing) & bought properly fitting bras. I was wearing the correct band size, but the wrong cup size–hard to find DDD in most stores! My 91 year old mother went with us, but refused to try on any bras!
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Well, trying on bras sounds sort of like work and when I’m 91 I might not want to work that much either :-). Or, who knows, at 91 I might just give up on them altogether!
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As others have said, you are never boring! I follow way too many blogs, and yours is one of about 4 or 5 that I always go to first because your tone is so conversational and personal. You come across as a real person and a friend, and not every blogger is able to achieve that, even though they try. Plus, I love your style of quilting and hope to use your influence more in a few months when I retire from my job and try to get serious about my quilting.
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Thanks! It’s nice to know that my blog is at the top of your list! Congratulations on the upcoming retirement. I think about retiring some times and then realize that I’ll probably still do just about what I do now… But maybe it will feel different if I think I’m retired :-).
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i always am entertained and informed, a wonderful combination. and usually astounded by the projects you and yours take on!
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