I know my sister Jill is home with our Lord, and I know the pains she dealt with daily are gone, but I miss her terribly. Some days so much it hurts just to think about her.

I decided last weekend, while cleaning the house, that I needed to bring out some things that Jill and I both loved and use them in the living room instead of out of sight in a back bedroom so that’s what I did.

An old friend gave me this thread box several years ago and I debating giving it away and Jill convinced me to keep it because it was so pretty. She was right it really is whether it has thread it it or not. I moved it to the living room last weekend so I can see it more often.

I debated for a week if I should bid on this antique Martha Washington sewing table, Jill reminded me sometimes you just have to do it if you love it so of course I bought it. We had planned to decoupage it with fabrics until I picked it up and it was in mint condition. This weekend I hope to move it to the front room where I can enjoy it more than put away in a back bedroom.

And while cleaning, I came across another Jill memory. She, Mark and I went to visit our aunt and toured a blown glass factory that had such pretty pieces. Our aunt said pick something we liked. Going in separate directions we met back at the register and everyone had a good laugh. We stood there both holding the exact same bowl. Every time I see that bowl I remember how much I loved her and how funny it was.

I know I already had a post about a young woman Claudia that joined my quilt group and that I am so thrilled to be able to call my friend. She has such a natural talent for creating things and making quilts that it amazes me. She reminds me in so many ways of my sister Jill. It’s hard to see the things she has done and is doing and remember she didn’t even sew 6 or 7 months ago. I’d say she took to it like a fish to water but I think she is beyond that as well.

I’ve already shown you the amazing pin cushions she made me that look like dress maker dummies but she also made me one that is stunning. It looks like a lotus flower. Just beautiful.

Her quilts are exact, well defined color wise and so neatly pieced it stuns me. I remember talking to my sister about the ladies finishing things so quickly and she said teach them a bargello. That will take a while. So I gave Claudia just the basics and started her on a bargello with some fabrics we had on hand, and figured next time we met I’d show her how to assemble it. Well to say I’m shocked in an understatement. I got a picture from her a week later with it finished and she did an amazing job.

Here are pictures of her pin cushion and bargello. She just finished a hat pin cushion I need to ask if I can share. It’s freaking awesome.

It has been a really long time since I struggled to make a quilt but the latest one has been a challenge.

Jill and I picked out some fabrics for a quilt I wanted to make and after making 3 blocks, I hated it. You know me, my first thought was trash it, but Jill said bring it up and she’d finish it. Unfortunately she never got to finish it, so I brought it home with a plan.

Her friend Victoria is the hospital Chaplin and stayed with Jill through her last few hours. I wanted to make her something to remember Jill by and to thank her. I would have given anything to be there so I really wanted to say thank you. I finally thought what better way than a quilt that Jill and I planned together. Jill had mentioned she enjoyed quilts so I thought it would be perfect. And how much better is it the block pattern is called God’s Eye?

It took me a few months before I was mentally ready to work on it. I took it out and put it away several times. I was finally determined to finish it and a couple of weekends ago pulled it out again. I have to say, I honestly think the devil rallied hard for this quilt not to be made. It seemed an up hill struggle every time I worked on it. I realized I had not cut enough pieces for all 12 blocks and didn’t have any more of the fabrics. I reached out to a Facebook group for that fabric designer and several ladies sent me enough to finish each block. Should have been a piece of cake after that.

After that, every block I put together had mistakes and had to be ripped out. Every time I sat down the sewing machine acted up, ran out of thread, a piece was missing. You name it. I felt the devil was weighing me down every time I wanted to work on it. Through some prayer and encouragement from friends, I am finally making headway and I have to say the more blocks I make, the more I like them. Here are some of the ones I have finished.