New Year, New Ideas, New Blog (or should I say blogger)

I promise this blog will be discussing all things quilty....but first I need to explain some of my history of the past few years.


Let me introduce myself.  My name is Cathy (Cat for short).  I'm married, have 5 children and 4 grandchildren.  I have been quilting for about 25 years.  Quilting has taken over my life.  I mean literally.  Just ask my husband. 

I am so looking forward to this New Year.  New beginings and new experiences.  Last year was not a very good year.  In February I lost my Dad.  He lived a good and long life.  He was 88 years old.  He had had multiple heart attacks and 2 by-pass surgerys over the years.  He was Diabetic and was blind in one eye.  But it didn't keep him down.  He was on the go right up until a week before he passed.  We were not close when I was younger but with most things, with age this changed.  My husband and I would take my parents on trips with us and we always had such a great time...but still there was always a distance between us.  That changed 5 years ago.

My parents lived in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, in McMillan and on Big Manistique Lake.  They loved it and so did we.  However, we lived 350 miles away, so we didn't get to see them that much.  

In June 2006, my mother passed away.  Dad refused to come down state with us.  So the decission was made that I would move in with Dad take care of him and try to get him to move down state.  So I packed up my sewing machine, some fabric, some books, clothes and said bye to my husband and family and moved in with Dad.  

Every month my husband would come and visit.  The kids would bring their familys for vacation on the lake and life was good.  Dad and I would take a visit down state to  visit and I would bring another sewing machine, some more fabric and more books.

Dad's house was not big...in fact it wasn't a house at all.  It was a mobile home that Dad had added onto.  He built Mom a sewing room, which became mine.  He added another bedroom and beautiful dining room.  And my favorite room in the house was the enclosed sun porch that overlooked the lake.  This is the view during the winter.

Thank goodness for my quilting.  It kept me sane and kept me busy.  Dad was very proud of all my quilting.  He took pride in telling everyone "My daughter is a Quilter".  One day one of his neighbors asked it I would make a pillow for a friend of hers and she would pay me.  I didn't say anything to Dad but after I delivered the pillow I told Dad I had made some money for making a pillow. 

You could see the wheels turning.  About a day later he said he wanted to commision me to make a quilt for another neighber.  I'm thinking wall quilt, or lap quilt.  Not him.  He wanted a King Size quilt and HAND quilted.  Well he inspired me.   And thanks to all the fabric I had been bring up north, I didn't have to buy any.  Dad bought the backing and batting.  I did hand quilt it but I used pearl cotton and did a big stitch.

Sorry it's not the best picture but here it is.

Well that is my first blog.   I'll continue with my story another day.  I hope you stop back again.