
So this is a simple design I developed to allow me to play with my long arm, Millie. I feel like playing for a bit.
I’ve sewn a few strips, but have about 1/3 again to finish it. It is for my guest bedroom, which has this as a backboard:

So some play time while I think. I really need to stop thinking so much…
Due to family illness in 2016 I did not spend a minute on my quilting business…other than still paying the taxes that is. (That does’t seem fair to me, especially when major players don’t pay taxes, but that’s another story). I spent a bit of this year trying to decide if I wanted to continue the business. There are so many fun things to spend my time on that I don’t want to have a structured business so, formally, in November I closed it down. All I really want to be able to do is make quilts or help others finish their quilts. I’m fortunate in that I do not need the income. I also prefer to just do things for people I know or people they know, as there is little stress in that. In other words, this activity is for fun and for working with fun and kind people.
In 2015 I gave many quilts to a refugee resettlement organization here in Massachusetts. Since things are getting back to normal at home, health-wise (knock on wood), I’ve been wondering what to do with my quilting time. I enjoy other people’s quilting projects and don’t want to give that up so I will do that, but not for income payment…but perhaps rather as a gift that will be turned back into quilt(s) for refugees. If someone I know has a project, I will be happy to work on it. If they want to gift towards materials for refugee quilts, that will be OK as well. My cousin Margaret got me thinking about this more seriously as she wanted to help get quilts to refugees. I still need to work this out a bit, but that’s what is muddling around in my brain.
In the meantime, I will attend marches and write/call legislators. I am sad at the division in this country, but I am more horrified at the ignorance, beyond rudeness and unacceptable insults by many of the conservative populace. People who insist on calling themselves “Christians” seem to be the least christian people that I know. People in a democracy should make sure they educate themselves as to what the facts are and people in power should not lie. I’m also shocked how selfish people are. If something doesn’t affect their little world, they don’t care, but that doesn’t work as we are part of all the human beings on earth. Unfortunately, I think I’ve given people more credit than I should have, and that makes me sad. Thank goodness I live in New England, not that we would be safe from fascism any more than anyone else, but still it is my home and I have hope here.

I went to the Women’s March in Boston. It was wonderful. I used this symbol from the seventies, which, unfortunately needed resurrecting. It may have been the only quilted sign…LOL. Or one of two, as I made two and ran into an 8 year old girl who wanted a sign. Her father said it was OK to give her my extra one, and she wore it proudly. I picture this sign hanging on her bedroom wall for years to come. Activism is good at any age! Anyway, the march was a collection of 175,000 people who supported women’s rights, LBGTQ, minorities, the environment, and much more . It was a totally peaceful, encouraging and pleasant day. I see people on social media, who did not attend a march, misrepresenting the march, signs, and behavior, but their premise is incorrect. I see women, shame on them, who say it didn’t represent them. Well, all women in the US have benefited from such marches and movements through history; for instance, the right to vote and the right to have one’s own credit to just name two. This march was not specifically anti-Trump or prochoice, but these are what conservatives claim it was. Pro-choice is not pro-abortion, btw, it is pro-choice, period. All women will benefit when equal pay for equal work is attained, so shame on them. Women should support women for, sure as heck, men in power do not!
I’m also not sure I’ll keep up this blog. But I’m still going to hold off deciding for a bit. Maybe I should just go back to writing books. We will see if my posts disintegrate totally into political discourse…or maybe they need to do so! I and so many of my friends/acquaintances are heartbroken to see this President and his cabinet tear down what our country stands for…oh, I’m doing it again.
On a happier note, in just a few weeks I’m off to Greece! So I will likely be starting my usual discourse about packing very soon, as the suitcase has come out of the closet…
Have a light and happy day!