Good friends

I don't know why I am naming this post this, but it was the first thing that came to my mind.  I've been carrying some family stuff around for a while, and it has really been weighing on my heart and head.  I decided it wasn't good for me to continue along that path ... when you keep a secret from someone, especially someone close that loves you, it creates in your mind shame ... there must be shame attached to whatever is going on, because why not share the burden?  Part of what friends are for is to help us through troubled times ... I know I want my friends to always feel like I am there to listen to them.  We had a pow wow yesterday and I just feel so much better today ... my circumstances haven't changed, but I am no longer carrying this burden around.  I really feel like a small weight was lifted from my shoulders.  My friends just lifted my spirits and are helping me shoulder the changes that are going on around me.

I'm going to a b'day party this weekend.  My uncle has a son who is about 12 ... Jonathan is the light of his life, and he also happens to have Downs syndrome.  JJ (as they call him) ... has everything!  His mom comes from a large family and everyone loves JJ so much that he is showered with goodies.  He usually gets so much at his b'day that they put part of it away for Christmas!  I usually buy him a book, or something like that, but I decided to make him some pillowcases!  After making my daugther's for college, I was reminded how stinking easy they are and oh so cute!!!  I'm not exactly sure what he's "into", and I was going to call my aunt, but decided to just wing it!  I'll make them later today and post a picture tomorrow!

Haven't made any progress on my broken dish block quilt ... yesterday morning when I was up at 2:45 and couldn't go back to sleep, I went through a bunch of my old quilt magazines and pulled out some pictures of quilts I'd love to make.  Now I just want to piece, piece, piece!!

This is a super easy pattern called Soft & Simple from the summer 2011 issues of Quilts and More.  What a great donation quilt (or baby/kid quilt) and a great way to use up all the extra fabric I have.

This is a super cute baby bib that was made out of charm pack squares; I thought it would make a great shower gift ... easy to do and you could make several.  Designed by Camille Roskelley of Thimble Blossoms and came from the Quilts and More summer 2011 magazine.

This cute quilt is Tonee White's All for Fall and was published in the October 2011 issue of American Patchwork and Quilting.

It's hard for you to really see the design in this quilt, but it really intrigues me!  It is called Wild Wild Web by Amy Butler and the blocks are 22" x 24" spider web blocks that are paper pieced ... I love paperpiecing ... I can see this quilt in halloween fabrics ... wahoo ... did someone say HALLOWEEN my favorite holiday!!

Presenting Fresh New Attitude designed by Becky Goldsmith and Linda Jenkins of Piece O' Cake Designs; it was published in the August 2011 issue of APQ.  I don't do much applique anymore because I really love piecing better, but I think this quilt is so sweet.

This quilt looks rather complicated, but when you look at the way the block is constructed, it is so interesting.  There is some strip piecing involved, so that helps ... it's called Crack the Code by Scott Hansen of Blue Nickel Studios and it was in the latest APQ October 2012 magazine.

So there are 6 quilts that I would love to make ... and you know what???  I am going to put them all on a list and make a commitment to myself to make them all.  The first one I'm going to start with is the easiest, Soft and Simple ... I'm going to make it with loads of fabric that I have ... I'll keep you posted on my progress ... I'll give myself the date of September 30 to have it finished!  Think I can do it?  Of course I can!

P.S.  Don't forget to check out this post and follow APQ's pillowcase blog challenge Pillowcase Challenge