The results are in from Florida-Deborah wins!

No, we're not talking vote tallies or 'hanging chads' but rather Deborah Rotondo, an eager beaver quilter from Florida. Deb took my String Star class last January at the Dayspring Quilt retreat outside Venice, Florida. The scenery at the Dayspring camp was incredibly beautiful and now I understand why so many snowbirds land in this state.

From the onset, this happy student set a blazing pace and even matched her toes to her work!


When I got pictures from Deborah a couple of weeks ago, I about leaped through the monitor. I wrote her back: "Sometimes I'm sitting here, thumb in mouth, staring at the computer screen wondering 'Why do I do this?' and an email like yours comes through-what a blessing! I am so proud of you! The quilt came out beautifully and the 'set shot' in the bedroom would do Home & Garden proud."

Here's Deborah's family holding the quilt:
Lisa at lower left, Michael Bello (boyfriend), Paul Bello (Michael's twin) and his wife Kristin lower right.



Here is the completed masterpiece in her daughter Lisa's bedroom. Don't you think this would set any HGTV decorator on his ear?!I noticed at the Pittsburgh Quilt market that black and white and particularly zebra stripes were everywhere. Lovely. Well done. Kudos. Congrats. A+. Five stars. A 10. Dang, I wish I'd made this...

For Mother's and Father's Days

Finding old family photos is always bittersweet. But my sister sent me this one and it's a keeper. It's my Mom and Dad, obviously head over heels in love. The picture was taken in 1941, likely on their honeymoon. After Pearl Harbor, pilots were seldom allowed leave but Dad got Christmas Day and so that's when they got hitched. Eleven months later, he'd leave for North Africa, leading the first B-26 squadron across the Atlantic, and my brother Scott would be born on the day he left.

Mom is Mary Elizabeth (Mary Lib) and Dad is Joseph Scott (Joe when younger and Scott later in life) Peddie. Love the peep-toe shoes.

After a career in the Air Force, Dad decided to hang up his wings and try for a halo. Upon retirement he went to seminary in Lexington, KY and was ordained an Episcopal priest. Always in uniform! This picture is the whole fam-damily together, taken around 1965.
Left to right front row: Mary Frances (Sissy), me, Elisabeth Anne (Lili), Christopher Jon (Chris). left to right back row: Scott Garrett, Mom, and Dad (in new uniform).

This posting has nothing whatever to do with quilts. Just a reminder to love your Mom and Dad while you have them. Happy Mother's Day.

Latest Installment Cats With Jobs

Back in the dark ages when I had a quilt shop (1976-1983) I commissioned a local artist named Lorna Brown to make a stain glass piece to hang in the upstairs window of the shop. Back lit at night, it was irresistible and lured many a person up the steep stairs. The black cat silhouette, after my own feline friend Maxine, added the perfect domestic detail.


While quilts are irresistible magnets for felines, sometimes even a vigilant cat must do some real work. Here's a few good pictures of our friends, past and present, as they accompany us in our tasks. Sheba at left was an ottoman inspector and could resist no photo opportunity. That's me--very long black hair a la Lorette Lynn 14+ years ago. Still have the chair and the quilt.

Susan Brubaker Knapp of Blue Moon River quilt design company shares her life with cats and the tabby is really adventurous! His name is Max and he's learned to tame and ride the vacuum. Take a look at Susan's website because she makes great stuff--and she's here in North Carolina! http://www.bluemoonriver.com

Some other furry friends: all the way from Washington state, the happy cat-also a Max-is taking a siesta from birdwatching. His human is Michele Crawford from www.flowerboxquilts.com. Since Michele designs, makes, and sells quilt kits, Max also has a lot of quilt-testing to do.

From an unknown web source, the portrait I call 'MacSiamese.'



See right my friend Katherine's own PC wizard whose name appropriately is Oz.


Tune in for another installment of 'Cats With Jobs' and send pictures or links of your cat.