It's the day after Christmas, and I don't have to work at a nutrition site today, so I'm going to work on the quilt instead. The applique work is finished, and the embroidery is the next step.
Betty has been asking about progress, but I stopped quilt work to finish Christmas presents for family, including a deep heather rose knitted shawl for Betty. And during October and November, I made Ukrainian pysanky and painted wood items for the Seville Farm Market held Dec. 10. So it's back to the quilt.

The first step will be to match the skeins of embroidery thread to the original guide Betty included with all the material. The challenge being that the thread is not the same brand as suggested in the guide, so I will spread the quilt out on the bed and begin by placing the skeins against the appliqued irises and leaves to find the best match.

It's like holding a rainbow in your hands, the silkiness shining in the light, seductive to an artist's eye. Each skein, once matched, will be placed in a plastic sleeve, the kind used in notebooks for important papers that need to be kept safe from water damage or tearing, and marked according to the chart on the instructions.

Big wooden embroidery hoops, smooth with age, lean against the dresser in the bedroom, waiting for the first stitches. I am looking forward to smoothing the cloth into their egg-shaped or round frames and cradling the quilt on my lap, taking the first stitches.

Betty is under hospice care now, and I will try to finish the embroidery as fast and as neatly as I can.