Anatomy of a Quilt

I have already done a blog post about quilting and the quilts I have made. This time I wanted to dissect the process and share with you what goes into making a quilt. It takes a lot of time and patience. It also takes a lot of space. The quilt I have been working on is the biggest quilt I have ever made. It’s just over queen size. A small quilt is so much easier to make. After starting this one, I was questioning why I thought I could do this. It was a monster task. I am proud to say that I finished it today and it is on a bed where all quilts should be. That or on someone laying on a couch/chair watching TV. That’s just my opinion.

I started by sewing about 50 strips of material together by twos. It takes a great deal of time to match material together. You don't want the same prints together nor do you want colors to be the same or clash badly. You have to cut everything exactly the same or it wont line up. Every cut has to be as perfect as possible.

Then I had to cut pyramid shapes out of all the strips keeping the patterns together in groups.

These are the two different patterns that come out of cutting a strip. I had to flip-flop the triangle back and forth with each cut to get one with the dark color on the outside and one with the dark color in the inside. Then I have to keep them in a pile, and not mix them up.

That's a lot of cutting, flipping, stacking, and sorting.

Next comes the time consuming process of laying things out and putting the printed patterns and colors together in a harmonious, eye-pleasing pattern.

The process of placing the pieces took over 2 hours.

Next comes sewing a little triangle to another little triangle to another....... I was not having much fun doing that part. Took countless hours to sew the pieces into groups of threes.

I have to make sure I sew every seam 1/4 of an inch. If I don't, then all the pieces will be off and nothing will line up. It will be a mess.

Next comes making them into strips, again sewing everything exactly 1/4 of an inch. No more, no less. I counted over a thousand pieces I had to sew together just to make the middle section of the quilt.

Then I had to keep matching the corners of all the prints together. This is why the 1/4" is so important. Nothing will line up. Not an easy pattern to make. You can tell how good a quilter is by how well triangle corners line up. There is no hiding it.

Sonoma likes the quilt already!

Here I am sewing the border to the center pattern.

Next comes cutting the border and calculating the size I need to make the border. I wanted this quilt to be at least queen size.

I found out that I had to buy a lot of material to make the back part of the quilt. This was not going to be enough.

After measuring, cutting, and sewing I finally had the back of the quilt ready. I had to make sure it was bigger than the top of the quilt.

Next comes the batting. That's the part that makes the quilt warm. I had to buy king size batting to fit my quilt. Seems that was harder than you would think. I had to go all over different towns looking for it.

After putting down the bottom of the quilt, I had to pull all the wrinkles out of it. I then had to put the batting down and get the wrinkles out of that. Next was the job of centering the top part and getting the wrinkles out of that. Lots of crawling on my hands and knees.
Here comes the quilting part. I had to roll up the quilt with as few wrinkles as I could and get it through the neck of the machine, then start quilting. It's very hard to move that heavy mass around. Most people have a special quilting machine that does this process. Since I dont have thousands and thousands of dollars to spend on that, I did it the hard way.
A quilted pattern is starting to take shape. This also holds the quilt together and helps it hold up through washing. This process took me 4 hours of non stop sewing. I was pretty tired after that. My arms were killing me. Pushing all that material around gets to you.

The last part is the binding. Not an easy part. It tends to get twisted when you sew it.

There is it. The finished product. I then put a label on it with my name and the year and it's done. It was a lot of hard work, but I always feel good when I finish a quilt.

Here is what goes into a quilt.

Center material : $ 75.00

Boarder material; $ 35.00

Batting: $35.00

Back material: $30.00

Binding: $20.00

Thread: $10.00

Total.... I dont want to know.

Time.... I lost track, but I have been working on this since Christmas.

I hope you like it. I hope you learned something new. Next time I say I want to make a big quilt, kick me.

:-)

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More Lucchesi found in the USA

Hi Lisa,

My name is Mario Lucchesi I am Elesio's son. He is 83 years old and has been living with me since last August. He received the letter you sent him and mentioned to me that he received a letter from a Lisa Lucchesi who had found letters of her great grandparents. I have been busy this week(leaving for a wedding cruise on Sunday) and didn't pay much attention to what he was telling me (sorry). Tonight I had some time to kill so I was playing on the internet and I did a Google search on my daughter whose name is also Lisa. That's how I came across the picture of my dad that you posted. I called him over and he said "How did you get that picture? That is the picture that the woman from California sent me." So I asked him to get the letter so I could read it.

Anyway Severina was my dad's fathers sister. I will give you a quick rundown of what I know of the Lucchesi family:



Alfonso Lucchesi (dads father)

Leonilda Silvestri (dads mom)



Dads Siblings and children:



Bruna Lucchesi (deceased)

Franca Ferrari

Nelda Lucchesi (deceased)

Loretta Biagi

Lori Biagi

Emilia Lucchesi (Living Italy)

Armandina Fini

Armando Fini

Alfonsina Fini

Nadia Fini

Piera Fini

Alvaro Fini



Onorato Lucchesi (deceased)

Fernando Lucchesi

Mariano Lucchesi

Alfonso Lucchesi

Giordano Lucchesi

Morena Lucchesi

Irio Lucchesi (living in Bourbonnais Illinois)

Wilma Lucchesi

Mery Lucchesi (deceased)

Giuliano Pellegrini

Alessandro Pellegrini



Elesio Lucchesi (dad)

Mario Lucchesi

Lisa Lucchesi



If you have any questions please e-mail me and I will try to answer whatever you would like to know.



:-)

________________________________________________________
Just got this email today from the other IL family member I have been looking for.


Hi Lisa,

My name is Wilma Lucchesi Witt and I am Irio Lucchesi’s daughter. My dad is a son of Alfonso Lucchesi, who was your great-grandmother’s (Severina’s) brother. Your letter to my dad was a wonderful surprise as he’s always been curious to know the whereabouts of Severina’s family. I remember my mom (Tosca Prosperi Lucchesi) and dad corresponding with your great-grandmother and, as a young child, I always used to suggest going to visit her … who didn’t want to go to California?!!! But, unfortunately, that never happened! My dad is still alive and, thankfully, enjoying good health. He celebrated his 90th birthday this past Sept. His English is mediocre so I am replying for him.

I don’t know how old you are but I’m figuring you may be the age of my children (mid to late 30’s) and I think it’s so wonderful that you’re interested in finding family members. I don’t know if anyone has given you a list of Alfonso’s offspring but this is the order of their birth:
Bruna (deceased) -- 1 daughter (Italy)
Nelda (deceased) -- 1 son, 1 daughter (IL)
Emilia (living) -- 7 children (Italy, France, Switzerland, and Australia)
Onorato (deceased) -- 5 children (Italy)
Irio (living) -- just me!!
Mery (deceased) -- 2 sons (Italy)
Elesio (living) -- 1 son (IL)

I would have answered you sooner but your letter was just received today as it had to be forwarded from Illinois to Arizona. The IL address you have is correct but we’re snowbirds and have been spending the winter months in Arizona for the past 5 years. My mom passed away 26 years ago so my dad lives with my husband and me and loves the time we spend in Sunny AZ!!

I am so pleased to know you and, along with my dad, would love to learn more about you and your family. If there are any questions that I can answer for you, let me know and I will do my best. My e-mail address is: wilma.witt@yahoo.com.

Sincerely,
Wilma





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When it rains it pours

Don't you just love that I share everything about myself on here?? LOL

Have you ever had one of those times where you wonder what is going on? It all started this weekend. I felt weird about going to the track. Since I don’t get much track time, the fact I miss being on the track, and that cost is a problem, I thought getting a free track day would be good. That whole morning I was off. I felt like I was forgetting something. I never could get my mind into it. I kept thinking about cold tires and slick patchwork on the track. I was just bothered inside all day. So that did not turn out so well. As soon as I got home it turned into consoling a family member and then falling asleep. The next day was not much better. Wanting to get some stuff done, but not being able to do it.
Then came work. Once again everything that could go wrong was. Even the kids were in rare form and making things difficult.
To top that off I woke up with a broken blood vessel in my eye that I don’t know how I got. Now I have a blood spot in my eye that my students have been asking me about all day. How did this happen? I went to sleep and then woke up like that. Never had that happen.

Then I was moving a weight rack that is on wheels that I need to move to start class. It is hard to roll down a ramp without it going out of control. It got caught up and took a chuck out of my bad foots ankle. That hurt like heck and had me limping for some time.

This is to name a few of my trials in the last few days. I don’t know what’s going on. Maybe I should check my horoscope? At this point it may be worth it. Lol

Gosh, even the supermoto ride that I planned weeks ago is getting rained out this weekend


Good thing my once a year formal evaluation that sticks with my record forever is tomorrow. Nothing like last minute notice. I’m sure that will go off without a hitch. HA! Only if my luck changes.
HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA

So I checked my horoscope just now and this is what it's telling me.

Daily Overview for February 18, 2010 (Today)« » Sagittarius 11/22 – 12/21
Quickie
It's time to pursue your dream; take the first step down that long path today.

Can't believe it says that. Ummm yeah..................... lol


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Happy 70th Birthday Mike!!!!!

Silly Mike

Mike checking out my new 125.

Lisa and Mike. My race buddy!

Look at him go!

"Hey Lisa, hurry up and get out here. I want to play!"

Fastest man on two wheels.

When I met Mike Radner I never knew he would turn out to be my best friend. I met him through my motorcycle club www.turn2sportbikes about 9 years ago. He was a loyal rider that was living in Lancaster and would drive or ride into La Verne for a weekly club meeting. That’s a good 1 ½ - 2 hour drive. The club meetings then switched to one a month, but you would always see him at a meeting. I can’t recall a meeting without him. I was still a new rider at the time we met. This leads me to my problem. I never really “rode” with him since he was always way in the front and I was way in the back. Over the years, the gap has gotten smaller but I still can't get close to him. He rides like the wind. Over time, he and I would hang out a little more here and there. I started to race small displacement bikes and Mike would talk about how he used to race with that same organization. He even came out to watch me race. Then I made the mistake of letting him ride my NSR50. He was hooked. That was the start of a beautiful relationship between he and I. He started racing, I was racing. We did practice days together as well. We talked about racing and bikes. We soon found that we both loved the sport . Then I told him about this great supermoto that I got to ride at Femmoto. I was beaming from ear to ear. He ended up getting one and is now hooked. He and I are always on the same page. Mike would come to my races in below freezing weather when all others would not want to come. He even stayed my friend when my bikes front tire was clipped by another bike and it high sided me off and the bike ran right into Mike as he was taking pictures. Mike has always offered to be my riding buddy. He has always been there for me when I needed a race partner. He has always been there for me when I have been up and down. He is a friend like no other. I can’t find the words to express how lucky I feel to have a true friend like Mike. He is someone that has a big heart and a wise mind. His generosity and his take on things keeps me grounded. I think there are few people in life that have a trusting friendship like Mike and I do. We never get mad at each other. We never get tired of one another. We are always happy to talk to each other. We have gone so much as to talk every day for months at a time. Thank you Mike for all you have done for me. Thank you for always being there. I hope that I can be a friend to you like you have to me. You mean the world to me. I love you.
Happy 70th birthday!!!!!!! 2/16/2010

Your friend for all time.
Lisa

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A naked man, a track day, and friends

I heard there was going to be a free track day for women yesterday so I decided to sign up for it. I was going to take my sportbike out to the track. I have not been on a sportbike in so long. I was really nervous. I figured it was a good time to see how I feel out there since it was free. The long drive to Buttonwillow racetrack was interesting. When driving up to the track the fog started to settle in. You could hardly see in front of you. Then it would clear up a little bit and then return to think fog. This was not good since it was right around where the track was. There was a open spot in the fog to where you could see about 100 yards.

This is when we happened to see an SUV on the other side of the road parked. Then we see a naked man step out of the car, walk to the back of his car to take a look at something and then return back to the driver’s seat and get back in the car. He had on nothing. No shoes, socks, underwear, not a thing. There was silence in the car as we watched this all unfold. Don’t ask, I don’t know. Just one of those things I guess.

Next was a pointless riders meeting where the guy talked about everything else but the “how to’s”. People had to ask about passing rules and about how to enter and exit the track. That should be the first things covered. He did talk about his friend that just died at the track in some length and about the guys family. That brought the mood down and got us all thinking about getting killed on the track. Then the guy that goes over the flags hold up the red flag (means a bad crash and someone needs help right away) and tells the slowest group that they will be seeing that flag a lot. On top of being nervous I was not stressed about crashing and hurting myself again or worse. The track was cold, my tires were cold and there were patches all over the track that I did not know if they were sticky or slick. I was a mess. I could not get my mind on my riding. There were also guys that should be in the group higher than me, but were zipping by. Some bonehead moves were made and some tight passes. I chalked it up to a day of getting used to my bike. I also pitted with a bunch of friends. I enjoyed spending time with them. I also like seeing 35 women at the track. I never see more that 4-5 women at a track day. Some were so fast, I looked like I was standing still. It’s cool to see a woman tear it up out there.
I must say that I did not feel good about the way things were run out there. The flaggers were so far apart that I hopped that I did not crash in one section because no one would know. Also, they over filled the groups. 3 groups with 150 people. That’s 50 people a group. Most of the time it’s 30. Then when my friends bike died, no one came out to get her. She had to walk it in. They also started my session while why were still picking up a rider and bike from a red flag. When they started that session I was one of the first to go out on the track. In that one lap I saw a yellow flag, a waving yellow, then a yellow again, a green, and then a yellow. What is it????? What that means is, ride fast use caution, ride fast but don’t pass, ride fast use caution, track is clear, ride fast use caution. (the waving yellow was not even near the crash. )The flaggers should be on the same page. Oh and they said don’t slow down if you see a red flag. Ummmmmm There could be a person on the track with bike parts all over the place on a red flag. Don’t slow down???? I am glad I did not break my foot with those guys. After that the guy towing the bike off the track was right next to the track when he did not have to be and made a dust cloud for everyone as we were setting up for a turn. I don’t plan to ride with them ever again. My safety comes first.

Ready for the track. Lisa è pronto per la pista
This is not like my supermoto!
Could I be any slower? Not my best day.
Just 2 pits over from my group was a lady that I had met at my club Christmas party. A friends brought her as a date. She is now dating someone else. That new someone just munched her bike. Wonder if they will stay together still? LOL
Oh and this was on the ride home.

There was also some nutty driver that cut us off so badly we almost crashed. Then he flipped us off. Not sure if that guy was playing with a full deck.

Video of the day. ( not my best riding thats for sure, but I still went out to get the dust off me.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZujjcP4gkA

Did you know that you can click on the box that has four arrows pointing in the corners just below the video your watching on Youtube and make the video full screen? Learn something new every day don't you. LOL Give it a try.

Turning into wonderful

This is Elesio Lucchesi.

This picture is from my great grandmothers box of pictures. I just wrote him a letter and will see wat happens. I am also sending a copy of the picture.

Finding my family members just gets better and better. The family member that sent me the letter told me about two relatives living in the USA. The person that sent the email gave me their addresses!!! I sent the email family member a link to some pictures I have scanned and posted and he is in them. Once again I am shocked. This is all too wonderful. I hope there is more to come. I plan on printing out some family pictures and mailing them to my other relative. This should is great.

Here is the email I just got.


Hello Lisa, I received your email and I have been delighted that you sent the photos I wanted to show my mom, 92 years, but in this moment is not healthy, but as soon as possible I'll show. I recognized the first two photos LUCCA 1958 issue of me and my brothers Alfonso and Fernando Morena CARLOTTA was another aunt of Alfonso and Severina. We also send addresses Irio, Elesio Lucchesi residing in USA and son of Alfonso for a possible contact. Lital are available when you want to visit to accompany a visit to the country and the house where your grandmother


Irio lucchesi
3 Ravinia place
Bourbonnais il
60194

Elesio lucchesi
39 so.greenview ave
mundelein il
60060



greets your cousin Fernando



:-)
xoxoxoxoxoxo






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Lucchesi's...... My dream of finding you.

As you know I love doing my family history. My mom recently found some letters that I did not know about from my Lucchesi side. There were some old addresses that may have family members living at. On Friday I got the two of the three letters that I sent to Chicago back “return to sender”. I was sad, but it’s a shot in the dark. I also mailed off two letters to Italy. I can’t tell you how excited and nervous I was to see if anyone would write back. It is always on my mind. I sent the letters to Riolo where my great grandparents are from. Being such a tinny village, there could be relatives still living in that very house I have the address of. So I mailed off the letter with a dream and a prayer.
I came home today to find two letters from Italy. My heart leaped. I started to drop things on the floor because I was so excited I could not think straight. I opened the first one to find my letter with a note on it stating, “ Nobody by this name under this address”. My heart sank and the dreams of finding my family dropped to almost nothing. I had one letter left. As I felt the letter is felt thinner. (My mind jumps to the conclusion that my original letter is not in that envelope). I can see that there is a typed letter in it before I even open it. (My heart is racing and I am praying is not someone politely writing me back say no family by that name lives there) My hands start to shake a little as I open the envelope and then the letter. It’s in Italian. As I unfold the paper I see they did what I did. They typed in their own language and translated it so the other person can read it. English to Italian/Italian to English.
There is was…….. I found family in Italy. I was shaking and started to cry with joy. It has been a dream of mind for a long time to find my family that lived there. When I found out we knew the name of the town and had letters. I was so excited. I finally decided to cash in my hope of finding family by mailing letters to old addresses. Letters from 1910-1960. Its not easy to put your last little bit of hope on the line. I am beyond words right now. I feel that I have found a piece of me that has been missing for so long. The joy I have inside me right now is beyond words. Today is a wonderful day. One I will never forgot.

Enjoy reading the letter I received. (Next hunt is for my English family members. I know I have a lot of them over there as well.)

Amazing. Best day ever!!!!


Here is the English part of the letter.


Click on the picture to make it bigger so you can read it.

Oh my gosh. I have to edit my post only minutes after posting due to an email I recieved. I put my email address in my letters so that they can just email me.

Look what I just got. I found TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!! family members and hear about it on the same day. I simply can't find the words. This is beyond anything I could hope for.

Ciao lisa io non parlo e non scrivo inglese la traduzione è stata effettuata con google,noi siamo cugini di secondo grado ci ha fatto molto piacere essere stati contattati da te.IL paese e la casa dove è nata tua nonna esistono ancora e la casa è sempre della famiglia Lucchesi qui di seguito ti farò l'albero geaneologico della nostra famiglia.
Hello Lisa I do not speak and write English, the translation was done with google, we are second cousins to us was very pleased to have been contacted by te.IL country and the house where your grandmother was born and the house is still there Lucchese family always below the tree I'll geaneologico of our family.

X lucchesi

GIANNANTONIO X

ONORATO X

OLIPIO CINZIO ALFREDO ALFONSO SEVERINA

ALFREDO (ALDO OF BRASILE)

ALFONSO ( BRUNA X EMILIA ONORATO IRIO MERY ELESIO

ONORATO ( MARIANO ALFONSO FERNANDO MORENA GIORDANO )

MARIANO ( EMMANUELE DANIELE )

ALFONSO ( TIZIANA ANDREA )

FERNANDO ( ELISA LAURA FRANCESCO )

MORENA ( YURI MARCO SILVIA )

GIORDANO ( ALESSANDRO ALESSIO )

IRIO E ELESIO OF U.S.A.

SEVERINA -ATRIEMO(BOCCIO) LUCCHESI OF U.S.A.

CIAO FERNANDO


:-) XOXOXOX


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Family Letter Unlocked

I am blessed to have access to my family letters that have been saved for almost 100 years. This is how I found my family village. One problem, they are all in Italian. We can’t read them. This kills me. I have scanned some and asked a person I met in Italy to translate them for me. I have asked her to do two so far. I don’t want to be a bother since it is writing in old phrasing and difficult to understand. My friend does a good job of trying to explain what is being said in terms that I can understand today.

Here is the letter and what is says.

Monti di Villa (it’s a place name) February 18th 1917

Dearest Friend
Los Angeles Cal

First of all I’m writing this letter to tell you that I’m doing fine (in terms of health) and my family as well. I hope it is the same for you, your bride (this is what he writes, not wife, but bride) and children.
Dear Artemis, after a long time, the time has come to sign the Contract between you and your Sisters/Brothers-in-Law. This contract has been written on February 12th according to your Father-in-Law’s Last Will: he left 1000 Lira to your bride; they already gave the money to me, as you and your Bride probably know.
Then we divided your Mother-in-Law’s properties (in this case he refers to lands): to your Bride went 1) the wood close to Piano della Pila 2) three Porche (=name of mountains’ chains in Marche, which is a region in Italy) at Boncaccio in Cima, that also lies on the border with Alfredo (here honestly I don’t understand if it refers to a place name or to the name of a person, there is no use of punctuation) the Campo of Bugliano with another small spot in the Ronchetti (I’m translating by the letter here…it’s really hard to interpret), Alfonzo, three Porche at Moncaccio and a small wood at Ciocca.
I had to spend on your part totally 60 Lire in order to divide the properties and to make your proxy statement legal, therefore I still owe 940 Lire to your Bride.
As for these money, I thought to save 1000 Lire in a Cartella del Prestito Nazionale (it was a way in the past to “invest” and save your money)

I will put the rest of the money in Cassa di Risparmio (it ‘s the name of a Bank), which is a very small sum of money, since la Cartella (it was a form of low risk investment) of Liras 1000 costs 900 Liras. You will also earn Interests from January 1st up to now. This Cartella earns 5% interests a year, this means you will gain 50 Liras a year. All I did was planned considering your bride and your best interests. I hope you will be happy with it. But, listen, in case you and your bride are not happy with that, you just have to let me know and I’ll do everything according to your will. In case you don’t agree with what I did, I will sell the Cartella and I will give you the money back. Anyways, let me know what you would like to do.
I will be always here available to please you and your bride.
Please say hi to your children from me and my family.
Your friend
Ulisse Pierotti
Dear Antonio,
as for the lands owned by your wife, if you agree, I would leave them to Alfredo to take care of them, he will do it as the lands were his. I passed by the Boncaccio and noticed that the vineyard was totally neglected and looked awful. I suggest to write to Alfredo and ask if he can also take care of them and would make some grape grow, as he did for your wife…but this is just a suggestion, do what you prefer doing.
Again, greetings from you Friend Pierotti





I love my family. I love my Italian side. I feel very connected to it. I love Italy. I miss it and think about it all the time. I feel at home there. Never have I felt comfortable in a place that was not my own town. I am always a little nervous other places, but Italy was just right. I could spend the summers there no problem. It brings me a peace that I enjoy. I just still need to work on my Italian. I will learn it one day!


:-)






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