When it rains, it pours!

I am sitting here in the kitchen listening to it pour rain. Living in parched California, this is really a wonderful sound. As we were enjoying the downpour my cell phone and my husband’s cell phone start beeping with one of those emergency alert sounds. Apparently it is coming down so hard that the Weather Service is posting flash flood warnings!  It’s ok, we need it so desperately.  There is actually one tiny town in Central California, called Porterville, where many of the residential wells have dried up.  Truly and completely dried up. The residents of that town are buying their water and taking sponge baths. The city officials actually brought in portable showers so the 600+ residents with dry wells could have a hot shower (the rule is to bring your own towel and soap.) Clearly it is no exaggeration that we are experiencing a drought.  The fact that my rain gauge shows 2.43 inches of rain in the last 24 hours is wonderful!

Today I gave the first Christmas gift of the season! How fun it is to gift a quilt to someone – I love the feeling of making it for someone special and knowing they are touched when they receive it. I made a 1600 quilt top (jelly roll quilt) back in October. You can read about it here. Using Moda’s “Merriment” line, it turned out to be lovely shades of deep red and pine green with lots of creamy colors thrown in for good measure. It is technically a holiday print but really it isn’t that “Christmasy” so I think it can be used throughout the winter months.

Holiday Jelly Roll Quilt November, 2014

I cut off enough of the edge of the original quilt top to be able to create a pieced border around the edges. I put a narrow strip of pine green between the main section and the border.  Using diagonal, straight line quilting made this project a breeze to quilt.

Holiday Jelly Roll QuiltThe backing is a simple creamy tone on tone fabric. It looks pretty with the red binding. (I forgot to take a picture of the backing though, oops!)

The most fun was bringing it over to its new owners, my Mom and Dad. Merry Christmas – I thought I would give it to them now since they were just decorating for the holidays. They love it and it looks great on the couch, right near their wood stove. So cozy. The picture isn’t the best, I only had my phone with me. But look how cute!

photoI have started another project that will be gifted at Christmas time. That won’t be shown here until after the holidays. Don’t want to ruin the surprise. Time to go read my book and listen to the rain. Hope all is well at your house!

Linking to Let’s Bee Social, Linky Tuesday, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Crazy Mom Quilts and TGIFF. Take a peek at all of these link ups to see so many amazing projects. As always the links are available at the top of my page, under Link Ups.  Also…. thanks in advance for your comments, they always make my day!

 

 

15 thoughts on “When it rains, it pours!

  1. Lorna McMahon

    This is just right! Christmas colours that blend so well together. Love the addition of that green border. And the quilting is sweet! Nice to see the recipients enjoying a treasured gift!

    Reply
    1. Bernie Post author

      It is so satisfying how just a thin little strip of green can set things up so well. I like the green border too.
      Hope all is will with you Lorna! Looking forward to seeing the full quilt that you are working on now, the colors look so nice.

      Reply
    1. Bernie Post author

      California is enjoying a good soak. Supposed to get a bit more over the next few days which is wonderful. Thanks for coming by Rosemary!

      Reply
  2. jeri

    The quilt is beautiful, and your parents look so cozy and happy! What a blessing to have them both to share your life. Happy holidays!

    Reply
  3. Gemini Jen NZ

    Isn’t it crazy, that while you are grateful for the rain, I have been fed up with the amount we’ve had here in the past six weeks (to the point where I was beginning to wonder if I would ever see blue sky again) while three hours up the road from me they are having an early summer drought…sigh! We just can’t argue with nature! Great work with the quilt too! Have a lovely Christmas!

    Reply
    1. Bernie Post author

      I suppose things are never perfectly balanced. I am overjoyed with the rain we have had this week!! You have a lovely Christmas was well! Thank you for stopping over.

      Regards,
      Bernie

      Reply
  4. JanineMarie

    I think it’s neat that you gave them the quilt early so they can enjoy it throughout the holidays. It looks so cozy. I’m glad to hear about your rain. (I do wish, though, that the weather would settle down over the long haul, so that the rain can be useful and not just wash things away.)

    Reply
    1. Bernie Post author

      Hello Janine! Yes, it would be great if the weather became reasonable! Ay least we are getting a good soaking this week. Mom and dad are loving their new quilt.

      Take good care,
      Bernie

      Reply
  5. Deb @ Frugal Little Bungalow

    so glad that you are getting much needed rain!

    It’s pouring in PA this Saturday but we don’t need it, lol. UGH…it’s muddy out there.

    Such a cute photo of your parents with their cozy holiday quilt that you made. It’s lovely! 🙂

    Reply

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