Tractor Cozies, Dental Aprons, True Blue Swoons, and the Big Five-Oh

….it ain't heavy; it's my brother's birthday quilt.  Well, actually, it IS heavy.

Some few weeks ago, I consulted via email with my most senior brother, Hercules "TVC15" Reflux, about what kind of quilt someone might want, if someone were to be turning 50 soon, and happened to know someone else who was in the quilt-making business.  This is the brother, by the way, who introduced me to "Space Oddity" and also to the loud, stupid joys of punk, in its heyday; who, the night before I precipitously went to work in Alaska all summer when I was 19, asked no questions about my incredibly poor planning, but trotted me right out to SportMart to buy me a tent.  And who came with me to Alaska the following year.  Who decreed that I should wear a shirt bearing the legend "Jail Bait" when partying with his rugby team when he was in college despite the fact he wasn't letting me talk to any of them anyway; and who is always up for a long bike-ride, for helping to move your heavy furniture, or for acting as an excellent, canny straight man in the continual comedy routine that is my siblings' dynamic.  He's smart, he's funny, he's got a heart o gold and is genuine, salt-of-the-earth good people.  I mean, he's my big brother.  I LOVE the guy.

Anyway, to the question of quilt preferences, Herc responded, in his inimitable way:

Phantom Frankenquilt Lone Stars and Other Works of Fiction

…a quick quilt meant to bring cheer, deep in the heart of Texas.

This quilt fights cancer.

A friend I shall dub L is in Texas is going through chemo, and so to send her some moral support and good juju, and to continue my streak of sending quilts to people in the very hottest parts of the country at the very hottest times of the year,

Positively Educational: An FMQ Primer

…Part one of I don't know how many.

Testing, testing…….

Or that's then plan, anyway.  This here top, colloquially known as a "Plus Quilt" or "Cross Quilt" among modern quilters, is my guinea pig for Free Motion Quilting.  You know how I've been complaining that I don't want to f*ck up anyone else's quilts by practicing my FMQ on them?  Enter one quilt, not earmarked for anyone in particular, and in need of a great deal of stitchery.   When the student is ready, the teacher will appear!

This guy has actually been a number of months in the making, at least in the "thinking about it" stages - ever since March or so,