Finding comfort

  The calendar may say Groundhog Day--and 6 more weeks of winter, he says---but it feels and looks like Spring.  So if this is Winter, the daffodils (and 70 degrees)  must be wrong!  

  I thought I would change out a few wall hangings today, and ran across this early small quilt of tulip blocks.  It is one that is full of memories and gives me much comfort.  I "learned" to stipple on this one....my first attempt and full of stops and starts.  And then I attempted leaves and stems in the border areas.....really not very good, but after many years of washing,  who can tell?

  The blocks were won at guild in the mid 90s.  A quick glance at the fabrics should tell you that!   I finally put them together in 2002, as Forgotten Tulips.  This was considered an unusual setting at that time---our quilting  ideas sure have changed in 10 years.
   Two of the blocks were made by dear ladies who have passed on, and I do treasure them.  They give me comfort and make me smile.
Insight:  Surround yourself with comfort---especially  found in a quilt.  Your path will seem easier.  

   Water color update:   This one is fused but not sewn.   It is pretty large right now--about 40 inches and 50 inches, but that will change when the seams are stitched.  
  After the HVAC guys finished their work yesterday, I had to rework part of it because many pieces ended back up on the floor!  They were more in a panic  than I was, but I knew  I needed to get it fused down.
   So how did I get it fused?   Small travel iron and pressing while still on the design wall.  My design wall is construction insulation and the foil covering is placed to the inside, so it will handle the heat from the iron.  I begin pressing at the bottom and work my way to the top.  I just need to press enough to hold everything in place to get it off the wall.  Then I can move it to the ironing board for a solid and final pressing to fuse each piece well to the interfacing.  Off to start the seams.
Happy stitching.