Four years ago Michael died of throat cancer. Years ago, his family and the family of my best friend, Linda, would come to my house in the fall (from Brooklyn, in the big city) and we would take the kids to the local apple orchard to pick apples. The adults would spend the rest of the day on the patio and the kids would play in the yard. One time Linda's daughter, Leah, saw a rabbit outside and refused to leave the house even though I kept telling her that the rabbit had gone home for dinner because his mother was calling. Those are memories that stay with you forever, even now that the kids are adults and ready to have kids of their own.

Michael was addicted to ties that way I'm addicted to fabric. I told his wife that I would make a quilt from his ties. So, Denise took his extensive collection, disassembled all of the ties and mailed me a box earlier this year. I have been looking and looking for a pattern that would do them justice and a couple of weeks ago I found it. I've started work on one of the two quilted wallhangings I'll be making from Michael's ties.

The stars are dupioni silk to go with the silk ties. When the blocks are completed and sewn together, it will eventually be three stars wide and three stars long and then I'll add borders.

Don't worry. This is on my UFO list. This is in memory of Michael.