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For The Love Of Dots

While shopping my stash the last few weeks to start a new quilt, I discovered I have a tremendous crush on polka dots. I am drawn to them like bees to a flower. I’ve got them in every shape, size, color and reproduction era. Even the new blankie I made for Clutch in Shipshewana last month is polka dot!


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Oh my, where will this new found love lead?

A quick search of eQuilter.com for fabric brought 2337 matches! Maybe I’m not alone in this love affair. If I bought a fat quarter of each of those (knowing I’d love them all) that could put a dent of $5842.50 in my quilting budget not including shipping charges.

I’m going to take two of the new Dear Jane, c. 1863 checked dot fabrics from Windham and talk to you in the morning!

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Sally Post Floral Sampler Block 12

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I wish each of you the happiest of Mother’s Days. I don’t think it’s until we’re mothers ourselves that we realize all the things mothers have whirling around inside of them each and every day. Talk about the best of multi-taskers and mothers definitely win the prize. No matter how old your children are you still think of them first in every decision you make. It’s a love that matches no other and I am so grateful to be blessed with two wonderful boys. I love them more than they’ll ever know.

Today’s block is a Mother’s Day Garden for you. The block has a nice mix of colors. Many more than most of the blocks which are only red and green.


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Sally Post Floral Sampler Block 11



Please take a moment and say a prayer for mothers everywhere with children near and far.

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Applique in May - Block 10

I’m getting ready to head out the door for work. It should be a busy day with last minute Mother’s Day shoppers. I love seeing the look of relief on their face when you’ve helped them find the perfect gift.

After work Clutch and I are doing battle with our roommates. There are some sugar ants and a possible mouse we’re giving eviction notices to tonight.

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Sally Post Floral Sampler Block 10

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Cheddar Egg Drop

I just love what looks like a cheddar egg dropped right in the middle of the flower on today’s block. It gives the block such great charm. Are we looking down inside a tulip? Did they have tulips in 1854? That’s too difficult a question for this time of the morning.

The Bop Around The Bay begins today at three local quilt shops. The stores are open until 8 PM so I hope to visit them after work tonight. I’m working all day tomorrow so it’s tonight or bust.
I didn’t finish my charity block in time to have it voted on at the shop during the Bop but I’m happy with it. Now I wish I had yards and yards of the background fabric I used and a few yards of the pink Cherry Baby fabric wouldn’t be bad either. I didn’t have my Perfect Circles with me at work when I added the cherries but they didn’t turn out too bad just backbasting them.

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Enjoy today’s block -

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Sally Post Floral Sampler Block 9
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Flower Mix

This block is a great combination of ???
I’m not quite sure what this group of flowers represent. I do like the split color bud and windblown tulips Sally included.
You would think because I already have the antique quilt I’d have no desire to work with these blocks but each time I look at them I dream of color combinations and have purchased fabric twice. This could get very expensive before the end of May!

Some of you have asked why Blocks 1, 2 and 3 are still available when 4, 5, etc. are not. I decided to leave those first three blocks on the Sally Post Floral Sampler Block of the Month page because they were already there before I started the Applique in May celebration and thought they would be a nice bonus for someone who’s just starting to collect blocks.

Here’s today’s unusual flower mix-


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Sally Post Floral Sampler Block 8
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Today’s block reminds me of a wild rose in full bloom with a little bud off to the side. We’re a long way from seeing the wild roses here in Michigan but before long I’ll have beautiful pink ones along the shoreline. They’ve been there since I was a little girl. I sometimes wonder how they survive but they’re there year after year without fail.

Another gloomy day but I’m working on a block for charity quilts at a local quilt shop. We were challenged to use the Cherry Baby fabric line from Lakehouse. Did I piece a simple star? No, not me, I’m doing hand applique and today’s the deadline. I’ll take a picture of the block for you before I turn it in. The block is from a new pattern I’m working on.

I hope you have a great day and here’s Block 7


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Sally Post Floral Sampler Block 7
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I’m starting to retire blocks today except Block 4 which had some problems yesterday so if a link doesn’t work, you’ll know why.

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Applique in May Block 6

Looks like a gloomy day here in Traverse City. That makes it easier to go to work this morning and Clutch needs to recover from his hour and a half running around the woods yesterday while I did some raking and moved a few Trillium around.


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Trillium are protected wildflowers here in Michigan so I’m extra careful when spreading them around the woods. They multiply so at some point I hope to see those beautiful white blooms everywhere.

Here’s our block for today.

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Sally Post Floral Sampler Block 6
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Applique in May

Here we are on day 2 of “Applique in May”. It’s a rather Fall looking block today but it’s easy to tell what Sally was trying to represent in her quilt. Looks like oak leaves and the birds flying south to me. Did you notice the placement lines on yesterday’s block? They were a wonderful suggestion from one of you. I’ll be including them from now on. I really appreciate all of your comments and emails even if I can’t answer each one.
Clutch and I are heading back north today. It’s sunny and beautiful in Grand Rapids so I’m looking forward to seeing the sunlight sparkle on the lake when we arrive.

This is the 5th block from the quilt. If you’re just getting started, Blocks 1-3 are on the Sally Post Floral Sampler quilt page of the web site. If you scroll down, you’ll find Block 4 within yesterday’s note.


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Sally Post Floral Sampler Block 5
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Applique in May

It’s hard to believe it’s been over two weeks since I’ve posted but a lot of things have been sucking up my time.

It was a frustrating experience getting the internet service back online at the cottage. They kept trying to tell me it was our equipment and I kept trying to tell them it wasn’t. In the end, it was theirs! Once that was taken care of, I lost the internet service at the store. I really couldn’t complain since I was tapping in on an unsecured network at the hotel next door.

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We’ve also had another tree come down during a thunderstorm. This one on a Friday evening and landing across the driveway. It was a big monster and I had to work the next morning so there was a little panic in trying to fine someone on a Friday night to come over and cut up the tree. All ended well that night and I was able to get to work Saturday morning.

My grandmother passed away the following Thursday. She was 103. I was close to her growing up. We had lunch at Herpolsheimer’s Tea Room almost every Saturday and then went shopping. She was always ready to lend a hand. Scrubbing my first house from top to bottom and peeling apples every year when I froze applesauce, corn, green beans or whatever. She bought my china when I got married and lent money to our struggling young family when our furnace needed to be replaced and we were still paying hospital bills from the birth of our son. It was difficult being in Traverse City with all of the funeral arrangements in Grand Rapids.

I drove home on the first to take my Mom to the doctor for a physical and check up for me. Seems like she fared better than I did. No tests lined up for her but I’ve got a blood test on Monday and then a chest x-ray and MRI in the next week or so. I’ll have to come back to Grand Rapids for that but guess it’s time to really find out why my arm keeps going numb. It makes it tough to even brush your teeth not to mention stitching.

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Sally Post Sampler Block 4
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Now for happier things - today is my 30th wedding anniversary and as I said in the newsletter I hope everyone received, I thought it would be fun to have 30 days of applique in honor of the anniversary. We can all get a jump on the blocks for the Sally Post Floral Sampler quilt. They are small enough to make a great hand project for the summer. I’ve seen some of your blocks and they are so beautiful! I’m going to get working on the gallery so they can be shared with everyone. It’s wonderful inspiration. If anyone has pictures of projects from the site they’d like to share, please email them to me. I’ll get them online.

There will be one block from the quilt each day for the next 30 days. I’ll leave each one up for 24 hours because we’re working with so many time zones. I’ll allow some extra time for the first two posted so everyone has time to get in the routine of visiting the site to pick up their pattern. Each day on the front page of the web site within that day’s post you’ll see a picture of the block for that day. Click on the block name under the picture and the pattern file will open for you to print or save.

I’m back on the road tomorrow to Traverse City and Rob celebrates his birthday. How many people can say they were born on 5-5-55?
I’ve lots more to share but everyone is outside enjoying the weather without me so it’ll have to wait.

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On The Road Again

On the road again
Like a band of gypsies we go down the highway
We’re the best of friends
Insisting that the world be turnin’ our way
And our way
Is on the road again
Just can’t wait to get on the road again
The life I love is makin’ music with my friends
And I can’t wait to get on the road again

That was a family favorite as we traveled the United States for a few summers with a group of six families all in our motor homes and campers. I can’t help but think of it as we all leave here for destinations from Elkhart to Belgium. What a bank of sisters we are.

I don’t have much time this morning for sharing stories and photos. I’ll stop in Grand Rapids to pick up Clutch and then it’s on to Traverse City. SPECIAL NOTE: I won’t have internet service until Monday night so please don’t worry when the Midget Block is late and you don’t hear from he.


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I’ve been participating in a 3″ block exchange the last two retreats and these are the blocks I handed out this time. Each one had a significant meaning this time. The tree in the snow if for my struggles getting in the driveway this spring. The blue basket is for all of the things I’ve hauled between Grand Rapids, Traverse City, the rented house and back to the cottage again. The polka dot heart is for the holes in my heart when I’m away from my friends. The pink and brown Crazy Rails is for feeling like a crazy woman half of the time and riding a rail to I don’t know where! The Wild Goose Chase strip as I call it is because I’m usually running around day and night not always knowing what’s coming next. The last is my signature block for everyone and I made it from 1930s fabrics because that best reflects my favorite fabrics.

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These are the fabrics I’m using for the first section in the Shipshewana Amish Mystery Quilt. The photo doesn’t reflect the true colors as I see them so I may give swatches to Paul and have him professionally photograph them so you can print off a chart.



The email system yesterday had a few glitches and it would have been nice if I’d thought about putting a link to the web page in there. I’ll get the hang of this yet. Right now I need to finish packing and say some tearful goodbyes to wonderful friends and begin my travels home. I can’t wait until Clutch sees his now giant polka dot minky blanket!

Say a prayer for me that the pump takes its prime on the first try and the hot water heater lights in a snap. If not, pray for a clear path to the shore so I can get buckets of water to at least flush the toilet.

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