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Backyard deck, Blacksburg, VA- Feb 15, 2012

We are getting close!

Quality control - Pepper Hoover tests and inspects the quilt I am working on.

(I had it on the deck- it was easier to add the binding there.)

liberated stitches

January 17, 2012- Small Stones  
liberated stitches by  Teri H Hoover

A nest of sewing machines

set into motion.

Their song stitched together 

with threads of conversation.

 

Blacksburg Presbyterian Church, Blacksburg, VA- Jan 17, 2012

Hello my name is Teri and I am a fabric-aholic.  Seriously, I do have a bit of fabric. I am blessed to be part of  two quilting groups. Today I was working a group of quilters who meet at the Blacksburg Presbyterian church, 2 Tuesdays a month. We trundle in with sewing  machines and project bags; working for 3-4 hours. I am usually late and only work about 2 hours. The above small stone (written observation) came about while sewing on my nearly completed quilt (started the week of December 5th).  Just call me the fabric liberator.   

Attention To Details

Title borrowed from Jules Page -(her blog is here) writing on WOWH writing community.

Sun Room Room, Blacksburg, VA- Jan 13, 2012

While ironing the quilt top I "finished" last night (finished except for the border) I was once again reminded that ironing is much more effective the longer you leave the iron in place. Just allowing the irons heavy, hot, heat, hover, haughtily... (it is small stones month - so my words got colorful) The wrinkles will come out and the seam will lie flat. When I

pause...

I find focus- the photographers friend.

Illuminating.

Time to curl up on the couch for a bit.
Just me, some hot tea, a dog and a book.
Not so sure I will drink much tea or read many pages.

`
Oh and for the curious at heart- the MRI showed I have a tear in the supraspinatus posterior- extending to intfraspinatusuin ... rotator cuff  tear. No idea how I did it, and not sure what the next steps are- surgery maybe...find out on the 18th. Sounds like I will have lots of opportunity to pause.

Between hustle and bustle and wandering

` 

Friends Fireplace Mantle- Blacksburg VA- Dec 16, 2011

Twas the week before Christmas, and all through the house,  
she hustled and bustled, just like a mouse.

So yesterday I pulled the clean sheets from the dryer;I carried them upstairs, enjoying all that cozy warmth.

I was marching right through my "to-do" list and it felt good. I had mailed the last of the packages and cards, sweet husband had made some biscotti, my jams were all labeled (and many, carefully wrapped and mailed to my family in Buffalo), the tree is up and lit, albeit  without decorations, (it may stay that way). Despite all this it felt like something was hanging over my head all day yesterday. 

Cue the dramatic music... there in one of the guest bedrooms, hanging above my head... a 8 x 3 inch piece of ceiling- like a door flap on one of those "count down to Christmas" advent calendars.  I took a deep breath and left the room. I went and made the bed in the other guest room. Sounds sensible, but I was not really feeling sensible. I do this a lot - walk away from a situation, which is good- but then bury it, which is not so good. I need to add a side note here... to my great blogging friend Sharon over at One Woman's Life in Maine. She posted about a ceiling issue on Friday- Sharon I feel your pain!

Sweet husband arrived home early. This was so we could attend a memorial service for long time neighbor, who passed away on Saturday. A meltdown was imminent-and occurred in spurts, throughout the memorial service. At the end, we all sang one of her favorite Christmas carols, Silent Night; this from a woman who survived the holocaust.  Needless to say I was sobbing, all over a nice clean suit coat, and not singing. 

As the afternoon moved on, my mood did not lift. My husband made a valiant  and chatty effort to bring me 'round. Our afternoon walk became a dirge.  Familiar weedy thoughts ran rough shod over my faith. Feeling "less than", a tangled litany of  faults took over. I was consumed... as we walked all I saw was the grey asphalt under my feet.  As we rounded the bend in silence - I needed to activate the weed puller in me.   I tried to remember January of this past year. When I learned to see one small moment enough to write it down.  An intention to focus on my  breath... nothing. I felt dumb. I could not even breath with focus. It was ever so soft touch of pale blue sky, shrouded in a a layer of soft clouds that that began to wilt the weeds. Breath creating (instead of breath taking) touches of blue.  

I was a bit miffed that I could not find words to create a small stone.  But I was ok with that. As we neared the end of our walk, a hawk with a squirrel hanging from his mouth, flew from a near by brush. Coming across the street, it could hardly get enough lift to rise above an oncoming car. It was a startling sight. 

We talked the rest of the way about what kind of hawk it might be and how amazing that it could carry a whole squirrel!  

Upon arriving home, my husband cut down the offending ceiling flap, as neatly as possible.

We then started dinner, cooking up beans and burger, grating cheese, and pummeling an avocado. We decided it was a beer night, even though it was a school night (code for nights that one must get up the next day to go to work).  And we really went all out and each drank a whole beer - it was just one of those nights we did not feel like sharing.

 

two years later

  writing from my other blog a small stone Gathering

 October 21, 2011- Small Stones 

two years later by  Teri H Hoover


 

Sitting in the small strip of shade 

created by a closed deck umbrella-

the final bit of quilt binding is sewn in place.

My dog looks up from her place on the quilt 
and goes back to chewing quietly on her willow branch.
 

`




 

October 4, 2011

Excerpt from  October 4, 2011

by Teri H Hoover

This quilt was made as a way through grieving
after the death of my 21 year old nephew on October 21, 2009.
The full poem is on my blog  A small stone Gathering   

I picked this quilt up from the quilter on October 4-
it would have been my nephews 23rd birthday. 

We miss you Stephen-

One Year and One Day

Seams

All

Sewn

Upstairs sewing area, Blacksburg, VA- Jan 5, 2011

Seems

Bedroom, Blacksburg VA- Jan 5, 2010

All
Sown 

A River of Stones- a 30 day challenge in observing

One year and one day ago I started this quilt top.

I had a pattern but of course I did not stick to that.

I had a timetable.

A very realistic time table
with plenty of time to wander and return.

The next step will be to hand the quilt over
(to a friend)
to be machine quilted-

Another realistic move-
it is 
too BIG
to hand quilt.

Over on Joanne's blog Whole Latte Life

she posed the question -
"Do you come into the new year as a lion or a lamb?"

The responses in the comment section 
make this post really fun.

My answer:
  I am a lion in sheep's clothing-
kind of scary huh? 

My work style tends to be rather 
 me
                 and
ering

and
indirect -

but my courage bubbles up 
and keeps me moving in a general direction.

With that my quilt top is completed!

Delayed by a day- 

Delayed by a dog- 

Done in a year and a day.

Here is a link to the day I began my quilt top- 

Just over a year ago --January 4, 2010

Perfectly Pepper

Blacksburg, VA- Dec. 1, 2009

When I look up from my lap top and see this,

I grab the camera next to me and click.

Everyone needs a friend
to keep an eye on you .