I found time to write a post midweek but I still haven't summarized my week in Austin...so...
Over Spring break, DH and I flew to Houston and then drove to Austin to spend the week with our DD2, SIL, and DD3. On our way from Houston, we met up with our friends that live near Houston that we haven't seen in 20+ years. We kind of lost track after they moved to Louisiana from Chicagoland...after all we were busy raising kids...but thanks to facebook we 'found' each other again. They now live near Houston and we would drive right by where they lived so we made arrangements to meet up for a late lunch/coffee at a local Panera.
It was great catching up and it is amazing how it didn't feel like so many years had past. FRIENDS!
On to Austin where we had a wonderful time with our 'kids'. We did some hiking...
celebrated SIL and DH's birthdays...
with a delicious trifle made by DD2...
went mini golfing...
enjoyed a pretty sunset...
enjoyed some great ice tea...
and time together...
Miss them a lot!
And during our time in Houston, I delivered this quilt...
There is quite a story behind it...Jason, a dear friend of our kids, is a fly fisherman. About a year ago while I was visiting Austin, he talked to me about how he loved the coloring of Brook Trout and if I could make a quilt. I was excited about trying to make an artistic interpretation quilt. After buying some batiks, my DD2 told me that she didn't think Jason was serious. Disappointed, I but the fabrics away to forget about it.
A little over a month before we were again heading to Austin, DD2 tells me Jason is talking about a 'Brook Trout' quilt. Really?!
So I found a picture of the brook trout and pixelated it.
The coloring has a distinctive sprinkling of red dots surrounded by blue haloes along the flanks and the bellies are bright coral especially during spawning.
I decided to use 60° triangles in order to create the blue haloes instead of pixelated squares. I pulled out the batiks, started cutting and sewing, arranging triangles on my design wall until I felt it represented a brook trout.
I quilted it with rayon threads using a technique by AmandaJean at CrazyQuiltMom called honeycomb quilting. I thought it gave the feel and shimmer of scales.
My DD2 took professional pictures and I will post a few more details when I get them.
I pleased with the outcome but the bottom line...Jason loved it!
On our way back to Houston, we spent a day with my sister and brother in law...enjoyed their pool...and met my nephew's new girlfriend.
A busy but fun week!
Another finish but this post is long so I'll try to post midweek again.
