Today, Neil & Ivonette & Lucy headed off to Virginia and Clutch Manifold went to Ohio to begin their trek to exhibitions. Sister Gee Gee and I are daily visitors to the post office, as she is an active seller on eBay. The staff have taken great care of our packages and answered many questions over the last year. We are so glad that USPS is still in business (and doing our best to utilize this resource).
I've also just finished a queen-sized bed quilt for our nephew who is getting married in June. It may be the last bed quilt I make. Wall hangings of whatever size are much easier to handle. Still, there's a satisfaction in watching the stack of trimmed blocks grow on the cutting table, and in realizing that I'm actually better at the execution of this stuff than I used to be--no stretching a block to fit, for example, nor pleating one into place. Time and practice have taught me to choose a design that fits my talents (not the other way round), so picking a design that includes a significant amount of whimsy avoids vast irritation and growling. One nice aspect of this quilt: I used drapery chintz for the backing, 54" wide and on sale. It stayed beautifully flat and smooth, gave me less trouble than any backing I've used before. All the rest of the materials came from my stash.
In the meantime, I've had adventures with the new PowerPoint program. The presentation to the Daughters of the American Colonists went very well, with lots of questions and discussion. The computer and projector worked just as they should (after a few panicky moments the night before when I was rehearsing). Thank you, Geek Squad, for working so speedily on the new laptop to make it possible. At the end of the presentation, one of the ladies said she just could not leave without buying a quilt, and walked away with Solar Flares/Hot Flashes as a gift for her daughter. I was amazed. I guess one has to get prepared for such events--you just never know. That quilt is going to be featured on Superior Threads online newsletter on Monday, Feb. 8--so if you're not already a follower of Superior Threads, you can just google it for a one-time thrill.
Next week I do a presentation for the Senior Group at a Baptist church in nearby Columbus. It will be a different talk from the one for the DAC--less history and more about the spirituality of creative work. I've had a very good time putting the slides together, realizing that I've made a LOT of pieces that fit the program. If you hear me going straight to Hell, it will be because I refer to the Holy Spirit as a girl.