Penguins – Ruth E. Hendricks Photography

Birthday T-Shirt Quilt a Hit!

Thanks to FedEx, the Pittsburgh themed T-shirt quilt arrived this afternoon. Right in time to celebrate my son Mark’s birthday on the 26th. Happy Birthday Mark.

I knew you’d love it! I was excited when you FaceTimed me as you opened it up. And of course your second call, showing me how Henry the Airedale was sniffing the quilt, looking for grandma.

My granddaughter Maura took the photo of her Dad with his birthday gift. Thanks for sending it Maura.

I took the shirts Mark gave to me and added a few so it was a row longer, scouting a thrift-shop, the closet here in my home, and ebay for the vintage Gateway Clipper T-shirt, where Mark worked when he was in high school.

Henry getting a scent from the new quilt.
Airedale approved.

I learned how to back the shirts with interfacing so they were flat and stable when they were sewed together. Thanks to Lisa S of Storm Sew for her tutorial and for her professional long-arm quilting services. Lisa can create a t-shirt quilt from start to finish, or complete your own sewing efforts like she did for mine. The quilting pattern was called Broken Glass. As soon as I finished handstitching the binding, I boxed it and drove to the main FedEx shipping center. He received it less than 24 hours later.

It looks gray in the light but it’s actually black flannel 108” wide backing with gold stitching

May 25, 2021 by Ruth Categories: Photography, QuiltingTags: Airedale, birthday, childhood, family, Penguins, photography, Pirates, Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA, postaday, quilt, quilting, sewing, Steelers, Storm Sew, t-shirt quilt 13 Comments

Being a tourist in my own city

When you turn 65 in Pittsburgh you can apply for a free PAT bus pass.

Monday morning I went downtown on the 71 B. I am going to familiarize myself with schedules and routes but having a smart phone is a big help

You can pick the stop where you’re waiting it tells you how many minutes until a bus arrives. My plan is to visit all of the 88 neighborhoods in the city of Pittsburgh.

Here’s Day One of my Free Bus Pass Photography Adventure.Me waiting at Highland and Bryant for the 71 B to go downtown.

Meet Kevin M. who accepted my medicare card until I get the pass.

His portrait will be wonderful in the People at Work show next July.

taken as I exited the bus, with his gracious permission.

The Port Authority where you fill out your application to get your bus pass.

I went to the City County Building where I was greeted by a sign and a bronze statue of Mayor Caligiuri

Mayor Caligiuri by Robert Berks 1990

Cathedral of Learning University of Pittsburgh

I rejoined the Carnegie Museum of Art in Oakland

Crabcake and Slaw lunch at the Union Grill

St. Paul Cathedral as I went to the next Bus Stop to get to Shadyside where they were setting up a Vintage Car Show on Walnut Street

Cars arriving in trailers I caught the next bus on Highland Avenue and guess who my driver was? Yep you guessed. Turns out Kevin went to the same high school as my sons but he was a class ahead of Mark.