Pictures of second phase of the quilt piecing.

Darlene Zimmerman to the rescue...remember I talked about Lavendar Hill Farm and my beautiful Frosty Morn quilt? She is the one who led that class. I am going to quote from her book on this one, she writes better than I do. Taken from Lavender Hill Farm quilting book, page 9, @2008 published by Krause publications. I think this is really important and has made a difference in my quilt piecing. " Tip try this quick check to see if you are sewing an exact 1/4" seam allowance: Cut three 1 1/2" x 3 1/2" strips. Sew them together on the long edges. Press. The square should now measure 3 1/2". If not, adjust your seam allowance. (Also check that you have pressed correctly)."
I discuss setting seams in just a few paragraphs here on this post. 

Once you have determined the perfect edge of your seam line, mark it with the painters tape as
shown.  I like it towards the front of the pressure food as that is where you actually guide your fabric.
(Yes, I do have my own spool of painters tape...one for my drawer close to my machine, and another in my tool box to take to retreats)

 

 

As you start sewing each seam, please be very cautious...some machines just love to eat up the fabric, right down in that little hole....Set your needle down into the fabric, or better start with that little square of fabric that I talked about earlier.  Start and finish each lenght of sewing with that little scrap of fabric.







Now is the time to sew the long narrow strips to all four sides of your center block.  I press each side as I go.  (Yes we press alot as we quilt...and that is why I like my iron as close to me as possible.)

Pressing? This makes this seam lie as flat as can be. It will make the piecing work better, plus the finished product looks nicer...just as in garment sewing. (no use in having a sewing machine if you do not have an iron). First set that seam by setting the iron down on the just sewn seam. 2nd flip open and iron from the right side with the seam laying towards the darkest fabric. If you want, a burst of starch works well here. I just push right into that seam...don't stretch your fabric.

 Now, remember, set that needle carefully, place the edge of the fabric on that blue painters tape that marks your exact quarter inch seam line.  Then ....trim off the extra strip that is hanging past your block.  Then.....

Set your seam, as showing on the picture on the left below, then flip your fabric and press that seam nice and flat on the right side of the fabric.    Remember the up and down movement of the iron, not sliding across the fabric.

  

After the borders (my orange strips) are all sewn on, and pressed, arrange your 2" blocks in a pleasing pattern, or, just pull them out of a paper bag.... After you have the blocks placed as you like carefully stack them, go to your machine and sew them with those careful quarter inch seams, with right sides of fabric together.     For this quilt you should sew about 11 blocks together.    Set and press the seams , then pin to the orange border.

 

With this strip of blocks on the top and bottom of your square, carefully pin, sew that nice little seam, set your seam, press and this is what you end up....the beginnings of a small pieced top.  Next time look for the blog to talk about half square triangles.

 

Phase two quilters blog

Today, we will start sewing seams.  What?  are you aghast...you think I'm going to teach you a thing or two about sewing seams???

Do you remember my choice of threads?  On the upper spool I like to use at a minimum a 50 weight thread...I love it more if I can find a nice silk to use...but that is expensive and used only on my bestest quilts.  On the bobbin?  Lets use the bobbin thread.  What is bobbin thread?  It is a 60 weight thread.  And some machines have been calibrated to use certain brands.  I know both my machines are fussy little buggers when it comes to the bobbin.  Both love Finishing Touch.  I think mainly because it is pretty low lint producing for some reason.  I know one of my machines does not care for pre wound bobbins--especially when I am machine embroidering.  So, I have decided to just stay away from them.  I think the Brother machines (which is a sister to mine) loves the prewounds.  I really don't think that the thread is as fine as Finishing Touch.  But, that is my humble opinion...not my dealers.    There is that beer budget with champagne tastes, I imagine.  However, I have not done a cost comparison.

Before really putting the needle to the fabric there are several things to review...

• Clean your machine--open your manual and see what they suggest.  My biggest trouble area in each of my machines is in the drop in bobbin area.  Whewie...what a lot of lint.  (BTW, please stop and clean this area each morning.  If you get those funny little birdsnests, that is probably the problem.
• Change your needle--we are told to do this with each new project...I don't necessarily do that.  My machine tells me when it is tired of the needle by acting up.  But, I do put a fresh one in often.  I use an 80 or a 100 when quilting.  I think there are even quilting needles--I use the universal, most often.
• And, if your machine likes to eat fabric--so easy to do when piecing--start and end with a scrap of fabric.  A friend gave me a bunch of squares for a secret sister gift one time.  ;*))
• Find a bottle of water, and go to the chain sewing...if what you are sewing merits it.  I don't think we will do that til we the half square triangles.  Chain sewing is just keep feeding the machine pieces without cutting the treads or lifting the pressure foot.
• Make sure you are sitting ergonomically at your machine.  Please, please protect your body.  Google "ergonomics for sewing".   Remember to get up and move around periodically.

Yes, the weight of the thread is important.  But the heavier thread does increase that seam.  Oh, shucks, what am I thinking?  even the 50 and 60 wts take up space.  So what do we do? 

Darlene Zimmerman to the rescue...remember I talked about Lavendar Hill Farm and my beautiful Frosty Morn quilt?  She is the one who led that class.  I am going to quote from her book on this one, she writes better than I do.  Taken from Lavender Hill Farm quilting book, page 9, @2008 published by Krause publications.    I think this is really important and has made a difference in my quilt piecing.  "  Tip   try this quick check to see if you are sewing an exact 1/4" seam allowance:  Cut three 1 1/2" x 3 1/2" strips.  Sew them together on the long edges.  Press.  The square should now measure 3 1/2".  If not, adjust your seam allowance.  (Also check that you have pressed correctly)."

Pressing?  This makes this seam lie as flat as can be.  It will make the piecing work better, plus the finished product looks nicer...just as in garment sewing.  (no use in having a sewing machine if you do not have an iron).  First set that seam by setting the iron down on the just sewn seam.  2nd  flip open and iron from the right side with the seam laying towards the darkest fabric.  If you want, a burst of starch works well here.  I just push right into that seam...don't stretch your fabric. 

Stitching a 9, 12, or 16 patch. Not included in our blog quilt

I've been working on another project that involves chain piecing.  This is  using nickel blocks (5x5) and making a 4 x 4 set of blocks.  This will work for any chain of blocks, I use this method when I'm stitching big blocks together.

First one has to decide how they want to place their blocks.  If you are working with a lot of different prints, you may just decide to pull your blocks out of a paper bag.  Or you can divide your blocks in darks and lights and alternate them.  Or do an even number of big units of all darks or all lights.  These methods is about as simple as it can be, and look great.

So after you have tested your seam measurement, just join two blocks together, only take a couple stitches without lifting the pressure foot or cutting your thread stitch the next two blocks, and repeat until you have stitched  four roses of these blocks.  At the end of that row just cut your thread ....no back stitching!  Then at the top of that chain of blocks and chain stitching add another block, repeat with the next row.  Now you have a dangly set of 16 nickel squares sewn together.  Press your seams with one row all the seams going the same direction and alternate the next.  This will keep the bulk down in the seams at the joins.

Now just take 2 rows and pin at the corner of each block...I go straight down in the seam to be sure I'm at the same place in the under block.  Sew up those open seams in one long strip of 4 blocks.  (This will be 3 seams). Press, and you have one block complete.  I think you should have an 18.5" block.  This what you would measure for center focus fabric.  We will discuss sashing later.

In this last step in sewing the blocks together, hopefully all your seams on top are pressed upward, and on the underside they face downward.  This will make a nice flat corner.  It also helps your seams  match better.  That pressure foot just find of pushes one seam up to the other.

Pictures of actually doing first task

Hello,  I was remiss in not doing some pictures for all of you to follow along with.  I am such a visual learner, I'm not sure why I did that.  Just new to writing tutorials:

This is one of the fabrics I have selected.  Notice the ravelly edge.  I could have avoided a lot of this had I made a little cat-ear cut at each of the four corners before laundering.    If I have a small piece of fabric, I do not prewash...just because most of it will be lost in the washer and dryer;  I just spray starch and press very carefully in an up and down motion so you do not lose the integrity of the straight cut of the fabric.  You do not use the motion you use when pressing clothing.

Here are the fabrics I selected to start the quilt...since this is strictly stash, I may add more pieces as I go along trying to keep some of the first selection for the last borders blocks of a quilt.

They all neatly starched and ironed.  My focus fabric is at the bottom and is a sweet little block print with teddies.  This quilt will most likely end up in the community Christmas project.

I am straightening the width of my focus fabric.  Note the placement of my hand.  I have "walked" my hand along with the ruler as I cut.  This helps it stay stable.    (see the white masking tape on my ruler...don't use white...use the blue painters tape.  Old white tape does not peel off very well)

I placed the folded edge even with a measure line on my cutting board...trying to maintain an even edge and not running kitty rompus
Next, I trim the selvedge off...maintaining the straight integrity...I have placed the width straight on a line on my cutting board...so I will have a perfectly even edge.

I also like to make sure the line that I'm cutting on is at the same measure mark at the beginning as it is at the end of the strip of fabric.


But, in trimming this selvege, do you see what I see...my blade is not working properly...it is dull and did not cut through all the layers.   Very carefully, replace the blade.  Do pay attention so you make sure you put the whole rotary cutter back together in the proper order.  That new blade is very sharp...And, you can have the old one sharpened...inquire at your local quilting shop.  I tape up my old blades in the original cardboard and plastic carton.  My new package contains 5 blades.

I am measuring the focus fabric, very carefully at 14 1/2 inches.

 Here, you will see the blue painters tape on my ruler marking two inches.  That is the size of blocks I want to cut from the two inch strips of  fabric.  I start with the blue tape at the left edge of the fabric, and move it up without disturbing the fabric, so the blue edge is on another two inch cutting line.  Walla...to the left you see the cut squares, the third set is separated to see the stack of fabrics I cut.

Can you believe it...here is the focus fabric, the strip of border fabric, and the next border of squares. 

See you in the morning with sewing pictures and Darlene Zimmerman's tip on sewing seams....

A Quilting Tutorial in the Rose Garden

I'm wishing it was Summer and there were Roses in the Rose Garden...it isn't.  This little shrub rose is supposed to camoufloage the gas tank.  It doesn't....

I'm writing a blog about quilting...just because...someone asked me to help them with a quilt, then several others chimed in and once this makes Facebook and the sewing forum I participate in I expect more may be interested.   This is my most recent quilt.  It is called Frosty Morn (more appropriate for a lead in to this blog on this wintery evening).  Frosty Morn is designed by Darlene Zimmerman.  Darlene is a very interesting woman and is better known as the Feedsack Lady.  Frosty Morn is in the the book from Lavender Hill Farms.   I have attended workshops and lectures given by Darlene.  Some of the other workshops and lectures I have attended have been given by by Pat Speth of Nickel Quilts; Marianne and Liz of Fons & Porter; Judy Martin, the lady who designs and publishes so much with Log Cabins.  Another evening, you will see my Log Cabin; Marsha McCloskey with Feathered Stars.  So what I will be sharing with you are just little gleanings floating around in my brain. 

Let me show you a picture....It is from the magazine Easy Quilts by Fons & Porter, Summer 2009. The quilt is designed by Jodie Davis.  This will help you understand how simple quilting can be, if you only think in terms of segments.  A few slices of the scissors and joining and sewing some fabric together and you can create stars out of what was once simply a square.  Sound exciting? 

This beautiful quilt is just made with squares and half square triangles.  After you make this first quilt, you will know how to make squares and half square triangles....  I really like this magazine for all level of quilters; but particularly for the first time quilters.    I also like the book Fons and Porter Complete Guide to Quilting.  If that is the only book I could have for a resource...that would be it.  Having said that...Darlene Zimmerman tells us many useful things in her Quilts from Lavender Hill Farm--as she probably does in her other books as well.  Judy Martin's Ultimate Rotary Cutting Reference book is tops...and I gain a lot from her other books too.    TV and you-tubes are good to use as a resource.  A new one that I have learned about on you-tube is Jenny Doane of Missouri Star Quilters.  (I'll be going to her workshop at Okoboji in March).  I would recommend checking out your public television stations for their quilting and sewing shows.  Most are excellent.   And, you can google Alex Anderson for her show on the computer.  

Tools:  For cutting you need 1) a self healing cutting mat.  Get one at least 18" x 24".  It is a nice size and will handle that 42 inch wide fabric folded in half-from selvedge to selvedge. I like the grid lines on mine...however, many do not and turn the board over and cut on that side.   2) Rotary cutter: a nice medium sized  ergonomic one is nice and  handles most jobs you want to do.  Perhaps when you become more skilled you will want a smaller one to cut curves...but don't worry about that now.   3) A long wide rotary ruler.  Mine has a lip on one short end to hang tight to the cutting board, and helps the ruler stay in its place.  Some of the rulers are made with little grooves on the wrong side--this keeps it from slipping around on the fabric.  Or you can buy little round felt sticky grippers to put on the bottom...or simply glue on strips of sandpaper.

Let me stray from the tool list now...just to talk about the rotary cutting tools.  Blades are expensive; keep pins and needles and other stray objects off of your cutting mat...or else they may jump into the path of the blade.  And, remember, extreme caution with your rotary cutter.  I always try to remember to put the safety lock on when I'm not actually cutting with it.  (I don't mean after I'm all done cutting- mean every time I lay down my cutter.)  Those blades are very very sharp...and do keep the pets and small children away from the Rotary Cutter.  When you are cutting, keep your fingers out of the path of the blade.  And, cut away from your body.  When I use the cutter and ruler...I am right handed so I like the ruler to the left side of the blade.  But, do what ever is comfortable for you.  There are situations where you might do the reverse for a moment. 

Be kind to you cutting mat...Store your mat flat; do not bend it, roll it, or store it in a stack of junk.  It isn't pretty when you bring it out.  Periodically use a nylon net scrubby on it to get all the lint and junk off of it.  And, please at least once a year if not oftener...give it a nice bubbly bath in your tub.  Yes, just dish soap and a little warm water and let it soak for a while.  After the workout and being sliced all the time, it well deserves some coddling!  :-))

Be kind to your ruler; it is made of a very nice acrylic that can chip if dropped on a concrete floor.  Don't ask??? 

Other tools

•  A good pair of sharp scissors.  I use the same ones I use for other sewing.
• Fine pins and pincushion
• A 5" square acrylic ruler with the grippers
• Another square ruler I find invaluable is a 10 or 12" square ruler for squaring up your blocks.  For now the 5" ruler is all you need.
• An iron; essential item  (a small one is nice, and I don't use the steam)
• Thread...no more than a 50 weight thread, and I like to use bobbin thread  in the bobbin.  The less thread space the more accurate your seams will be. 
• A marking pencil that comes out with heat or a spritz of water.
• One more ruler, just a short school type ruler.
  
  

And, last but very not least, is a seam ripper...practice using it alot.  And, if you have the choice or a birthday coming up...get one with that rubber end on it...great for picking up those threads.  Yes, I use it alot!!

Of course, you say...what will I make. I would suggest a simple quilt with a block in the center...or at the top...or placed off to the side. We will call that block your feature fabric, then we will do borders that work well with your feature fabric and make pinwheels, square blocks, half-square triangles, flying geese, and whatever else I may dream up before we are finished. Once you have mastered these, you will be ready to go.  

 Don't let me scare you...You would use your little square of focus fabric in the center...then we will develop borders on each side.  We won't do the blocks shown in this picture...instead we will do the ones I talked about before.    That center focus fabric could be a fabric with wildlife; big splashy flowers; a bright print with fish or puppydogs; or the one with all sorts of balls; as well as purses and high heels, or fairies.    Or if you want, you could embroider or applique something on a fabric.

Or, you could use several strips of your focus fabric and place rows of our quilted blocks in between.  This is a really poor example.  But, I could not find a pic of any of the baby quilts or laprobes I have done that way...only my DH's train quilt.  Shhhhh...don't tell him...it is a Christmas Gift when I get it finished.

 This is a patriotic panel quilt, and I used a log cabin and half square triangle on the borders of it.

This is a winter scene as the focus fabric, with pin wheels, snowballs, and 9-patch blocks used in the borders.  I love pinwheels.  Especially in childrens quilt.  They just give such motion to a quilt, don't you think.

SORRY DON"T KNOW HOW I GOT EXTRAS, and can't figure out how to delete them...

 

 So, now...your assignment is to select your focus fabric and several fabrics that blend well.  When selecting your matching fabric, remember we want a variety--small, medium sized prints.  Some darks, some mediums, and some light colored fabrics.  Do the eye squint to see how they look together.   I would also use all the same weight fabrics.  Don't mix a denim or corduroy in with your cottons. 

So you will want a  the focus fabric, and scraps of other fabrics. 

Focus fabric:

Cut 1 - 14 1/2" square of your focus fabric....unless you want it to run border to border...as in the train.  Then you will just want to figure out what each strip needs to be according to the repeat of the design.

Dark fabric:

cut 2 - 1 3/4" strips for frame of focus square.(1st border)

Medium fabric: 

cut 6 - 3" strips x width of fabric strips for 5th and 7th borders  (if you are using stash you may cut 4 strips of one color and two of another color

Light fabric:

Cut 4 - 2 1/2" strips x width of fabric fabric for flying geese squares.  These will be cut into 2 1/2" squares.

Cut 4 - 4" strips for a 3rd border

Scrappy fabric:  Light, medium, and dark fabrics

Cut 22 - 2" squares for second border

Scrappy fabric will be used for the flying geese...you may need as many as 60 - 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" rectangles (dependent on size of your quilt at that point).

5" squares for half square triangles (fourth border) and for pinwheels (final border).  5" strips of various fabrics.  Some light, dark, and medium colors.

Preparing the fabric:  I like to spray starch my fabric and press one last time before any cutting.  (I don't like to steam or spray the small strips of fabrics that you see.  They tend to distort very easily when you are pressing.  Do cut the selvedges off, and square up your fabric...checking right angles with your ruler (I lay the short end of the ruler on the fold, and trim off anything that isn't running even with the long side of the ruler.)  Likewise, when you cut your strips, please square up that short side. 

You may go ahead and cut that nice square of focus fabric; and the dark strips for the second border.

You may also cut the 2 inch squares.  Please do not cut any other pieces yet.

When cutting, be sure to hold the ruler in place by inching your left hand up the ruler as you cut.   After you cut the strips...it is easiest if you just place your ruler at the left end of your strip, and square up that end.  Then, by moving your ruler across at multiples of 2 inches cut each block.  You don't pick up a thing, or move any fabric until finished with that strip.  Leave your fabric doubled, and you may stack your fabric before cutting.  (You may not want to cut the entire lenght so you have more colors)  If you are cutting just little pieces of fabric...go ahead and square up by using the 5" square....I use masking tape taped to the appropriate line to see an easy measure.

Good luck with your cutting...do not sew anything...special tip from my friend Darlene Zimmerman for seams.

Remember to cut carefully and accurately.   The cutting and the sewing is very important so the blocks don't go wonky.  

I plan to be back tomorrow with the second step (the sewing). 

 

                                                                                              

I've thrashed my goals!

Do you remember, did you hear, do you know?  I made the pledge to myself--not like a resolution--to not purchase until I had sewed up the last purchase.  Does it count, will it matter if the fabric was fairly current, lovely designers, and selling for $3 a yard.  I could not believe the price, and ended up with lots for summer tops and shorts for the darling grand daughters.  I don't think there was any pj fabric for the boys in the lot. 

And, then, there is the dilemna of the sewing room...unfound respect for it...I emptied out the top drawer of all the miscellaneous clutter and started putting some of the patterns that rested in the box in the appropriate area of that drawer.

It is getting down to be winter weather here.  It feels like -8 here tonight.  I love it.  I had a surprise, we have a dusting of snow here on our hill in the woods...but I went to work on the far east side of town, and they actually had drifts of snow in front of the doors (where are the maintenance people to clean a decent path for us).  But it was beautiful, seeing just a bit of winter.

My new black short coat is plenty warm, and the collar stands up high around my head keeping it warm.  I've not found a cap to wear.  I think I have some...it is just a matter of remembering to put them on.  I have three new pair of gloves this winter.  One a black pair with texting fingers and thumbs, a plain dressier pair to wear with my lovely long black coat, and a black and white plaid to wear with my shorter black coat.  And, most times I go barehanded.  Haven't had to build the habit of all that this winter. 

My darling has not had to use his new tractor yet; he ordered a tank of diesel fuel this morning; and is set for blizzards.  We will see if that happens or not.  He also has new duds for winter, the winter we are not having.  Brand new insulated coveralls, two new heavy sweat shirts, etc...but where or where is the snow, the huge drifts dancing across the lawn, the frosty morns, the beautiful hoary mornings?  I suspect our humidity is very very low, so we won't have a frosty morn.

I made bacon jam last weekend.  Delicious...absolutely wonderful on bran muffins made with maple syrup.  My friends on this machine  make the very best food with the very best ingredients.  That bacon jam.....yummmmmmy.   My new fabric is all washed, dried and folded magnificiently in my laundry area/back entry.  You know, we didn't place a high priority on laundry room.  Just enough space for a stack washer and dryer--I now have a beautiful LG in RED, and a three shelved cart to hold the soaps, sprays, etc...as well as the bbq equipment. 

I sewed with friends all day...9 a.m. until 11:45 on Saturday, and from 7 a.m. to 3:30 on Sunday at Camp Foster in a cabin on the weekend.  What fun...we can't get too silly though, we had one man and one 12 year old quilting with us.  She loved it...told her mom she learned so much just listening to us.  So all was well!!!  I must remember to take pics of these things to share with you.  I worked on two different quilts--one appropriately wishful "Frosty Morn" by Darlene Zimmerman in beautiful blues and frosted silvery whites; and the other is a crazy star patch by Rosies Something....and the fabric by the Buggy Barn.  We drove back into the wheat fields to purchase the fabric for this and see the Buggy Barn--they are so well known...but it has went to their heads.  They had several customers from the midwest there that morning, and another from the east coast...and they could not be bothered to come say "hi" to us.  SHAME ON THEM!!!  One has to be there by 10 a.m. to see them; then they go back to their homes and studios.  I am still sad about that.  I do rant don't I?

Frosty Morn is very easy to put together, I just forgot one of the special rulers for it; and the other is more convoluted and many different blocks.  But it will be beautiful when finished.  It is done in Buggy Barn Sherbert.  We went there on our way to Alaska with Floyd and Gerry; so it is time to get it worked on some more!

Have a good week!!!  Whether it is hot, cold, steamy, or blowy......

The Sewing Room in Winter...needs

My sewing room...first, I should name it...A play on the words Rose Garden and Sewing Room...Second, it needs cleaned, organized, decorated, and most of all RESPECTED!!!  No my sewing room is not an inaniminate object...it is real and needs a good name. 

That sounds like five things that have needs to be done.  I started.  I did not take a picture.  Perhaps I should have, I think it will get worse before it gets better--Think, it already has.  cleaned out one corner last night.  This morning, my darlin' unearthed from the bellows of the overstuffed lower level my pattern cabinet.  Tonight, I shall go down and clean up that cabinet.  Perhaps should have put a fresh coat of paint...But, I'm hoping a good cleaning does it.  Then, unload the drawers.  That used to hold all my sewing supplies when my boys were small and I really sewed a lot.  I must have had the rule...sew it, then you may buy some more...(one instilled by my mom) in tune yet.  Now....something happened.  I digress...

So before I turn in tonight, I want the cabinet washed and cleaned out.  Tomorrow morning I can start sorting patterns.  Will I part with any?   I think not...But hopefully there will be organization to it all.  So, as I sort through the rest of my room, I can continue adding patterns. 

Question?  How many hours a day shall I delegate to cleaning, organizing and respecting that poor area...and IF I can still find my little nook...how much time can I sew.  Should I figure in hours and minutes, or percentages of time??? 

Pattern organization?  I think by sex, then item...Do I want 6 and under in one section and older girls in another, etc, etc.    I have sew many patterns.  That was almost my fetish this year, since I sorta put myself on a fabric diet.  (Unless, I was on a shop hop)

This year, I'm adopting the sew it before you buy more theory.  That does not count anything that in this house prior to January 1, 20121.  We shall see how that goes.  Course on those before mentioned fabric shop shop hops, there are absolutely no rules!!!

A picture?  not yet....Maybe tomorrow after The Pattern Cabinet is finished.

I love Sivjes chair.http://goosegirlsews.blogspot.com/2011/11/new-slipcover-for-goosegirls-sewing.html..Goosegirl, I love the ruffle and hearts.  That will be the last thing for my room.  That darned office upholstery is so strong.  I need new wheels though.  That should be an adventure.  And, I won't do curtains...however, I do have some nice twill light and summery looking with a narrow stripe on a cream almost white.  I could do a little topper of some sort.  Something airy. 

Good Morning….This is a test to see if I can use a word document to create my blog with pictures…and then just copy and paste to the blog…just so I don’t have to spend so many $$$$ keeping my journal up as we travel.

This is a rather poor picture of an absolutely beautiful jacket we saw in one of those learning centers in Alaska. Note: I selected this pic as I wish I had a warm fur coat on this morning…it is brrrrrr cold here…and will be at least 90 when we land in Cairo next week.   

PS  I could could copy and paste but the picture didn't come with it....I had to go back and add that.  Does anyone have hints for me?

Linda

Same ol' April

I just read my past 8 blogs...(is not that awful--8 blogs in two years.)  Seems I only get in the mood in April...around Easter....But, the weather has been constant...cold, snowy, last year it was 59 degrees April 27...something wonderful to draw me to this blog.

Just want to say....I wll be blogging our trip to Egypt...It starts with us leaving April 27 after an evening meeting...we will go to Omaha and fly out shortly after 8 a.m. on the 28th...arrive in Cairo at 2:30.  I expect to be at our hotel by 4 p.m.   Then we will find things to do to stay awake until 10 p.m.  I hope it is safe for us to be out walking around, exploring. 

I posted a new dress for Piper on Facebook and my sewing forum...very pretty with scallops.  I wanted to learn about scallops as I have a quilt I want to finish the border with a scalloped edge.   I used one of my favorite school girl patterns, and used an article from Sew Beautiful Easter edition to work up the scallops.  It turned out very pretty.  I have picked up some tips on taking pics of clothing, and it has helped a lot!!! 

Ha-ha...do you see the bits of snow remaining?  This was taken today....Anyhow...I think I will think now....do I start a separate blog for the travels...or just include them here as part of my continuing journal.

Hugs......

Ellie Inspired is doing a sewalong for us gals...a little halter dress sewn in tiers, and just as sweet as can be, and will fit our little girls up to size 8!!!   Love these gals that are designing for the "older" girl as well as for the 4 year olds and under!!!

Click on the widget on the right hand side "Ellie Inspired Sewalong" to join if you choose! 

It is 46 degrees here in NW Iowa...brrrrrrrrr.  I'm off to work.  Check out Ellie Inspired.  I plan to look and see if she has the directions up after 4 p.m. today.  If she doesn't, just be patient.

Ellie Inspired Give away

You have to check out Ellie Inspired.  She just released her fourth pattern, Dancer,  and has a giveaway going on right now. Check it out to learn how to be entered into a drawing for her four patterns and fabric to make her new skirt pattern in any size up to a size 8.  Aren't we lucky to have someone designing, so we can just sew-sew-sew

http://www.ellieinspired.com/apps/blog/show/3572642-it-s-done-now-time-for-a-giveaway-

Check out Goosegirl and Ellie Inspired..they are both running contests...As I write this, the non-techi person is coming out, and wondering....hm.  I hope my friends can find their blogs on my page.  We will see about that, I guess.

Good news, my eye is healthy!!!  Now as sooon as the numbness wears off, I will be able to see appropriately and get some sewing done...as in buttonholes on jammies!!!

It is a cool in Iowa today, but the temp is up to 59...so the soil should be warming right along! 

Easter Sunday, every day from now on!

I loved our Easter Sunday, started off with decorating the bunny cake for Mr. Reece to enjoy after church and dinner.  Church was marvelous.  With my Meniere's disease, loud piano music is very hard on me...so I don't often get to sit in church all the way through.  I know how much I can take, and just quietly leave the sanctuary so I don't have a headache that lasts for 3 days!!!  But this morning...no pianist, just our lovely handsome John playing the organ.  Dr. Blake sand a beautiful Pennsylvania Dutch song and was accompanied by Denny on the guitar.  Just a beautiful Easter song, in the Peter, Paul, and Mary style of the 60s!

Taylor has grown so much in just a very short month!  His high chair straps even had to be moved from just his last visit here in early March.  He is one huge hunk...shocked me when I first picked him up.  My back just creaked.  But, he is just such a darling baby...equal to Reece!  Reece enjoyed the easter egg thing this year, from coloring to hunting!  He's a lover...smooches still at almost 4...how long will that last?

A friend sent me the Chez Ami website, I forwarded it on to Melissa, so she can pick out fabrics for the girls.  Lovely fabric and lovely clearance prices.  I love it!!!   Plus the wovens cottens have polyester too, so that will make that ironing chore easier for Melissa!  She keeps my granddaughters so sweet...and has everything ready since their Daddy has to send them off to school.

I just wish Oregon was 1500 miles closer, so they could share the special days with us.  We miss out so much of them, and they miss out on so much without us!

Have a pleasant week!

IT'S BEEN 10 Months since I last blogged???

Good Evening, I read my blogs from last April...I cannot believe the changes in Haiti since then. They were so very poor with very little, and now have even less. Our April '10 Tea Speaker will be a lady who traveled to Israel in the Fall of 2008 with the Woman-to-Woman project. We will be anxious to hear about her trip--but am sure that Haiti will still be uppermost in our minds. Who would have guessed.

And, I wrote about SNOW in April...that is scary, we had our first snow of the season October 5, 2009, and then more snow in November, and we have not seen grass since then. (or mud)...and it is almost the end of February and the temperature is just at 1 degree. I know I have stayed in a lot this winter--sending my DH to the grocery store the majority of the time--but today, at this cold temp and 'gentle' breezes, I had to go get the stain for some of the wood trim I'm working on. I don't trust DH to get what I want...At last, I'm to three windows in the dining room and my office. But, ho, I still have the floor boards to do. I'm slow at this, but, this is all Lynn's hobby (our home) so it just draws his job out longer, and I don't have to worry about him being underfoot!!!

Our new guestroom, that I wrote about in April is just about finished...some trim around the door, and that will be it. I finished that up today.

I've been working on the simple little jumper/sundresses for the little girls...Ava and Piper are almost 6. I need to start birthday outfits for them! But, Hospice quilts are the big things that I'm working on right now. We have 8 cut out, and 4 sewn--we worked at a sewing gathering on Monday night. Along with the woodwork project going on right now...I'm keeping a little busy.

Ho...I noticed I also talked about Mr. Reece--he still isn't potty trained---he acquired a new brother in July and had a tonsilectomy/adn, etc in early September and was completely set back...and still is. I have promised to take him to Uncle George's for a 'horsey' ride when he decided to use the bathroom for all jobs all the time. He says, "we can go now, I'll use the potty at Uncle Georges"...HA

I hope I'm inspired to keep up with the blog more, post pics, etc....

April is over`

I cannot believe that I wrote first early in April...a ton of things have happened...snow, wind, rain, and the corn is planted! How is all that possible in just a few short days?

I went to a ho-hum quilt workshop...it was delightful, but too many students in the class. Imagine 27 women, and some needing help from 1 instructor. I don't think this was fair to the instructor, or to us who paid so much for the two days. She was a delight...but just was spread way to thin by the promoters.

But, it is always fun to go to these quilt things, one learns much, and the adult slumber parties are great fun! The bedrooms are far away from the activity so if one wants to sleep, she can.

I've not shared this blog with anyone...We have cleaned up some of the flower beds, but the vegetable garden is not at all ready to plant; however, Lynn planted two more apple trees, asparagus, some flowers and raspberry bushes. He has gotten much more done than me...is that a surprise--he wouldn't know how to blog though! He also put down the bamboo floor in one of the guest rooms. It looks wonderful, he is now working on white woodwork. Lovely romantic bedroom is the design for this one.

We spent the weekend with Reece in Des Moines along with his parents. Mr. Reece turned three on Sunday. We had a rainy day birthday party on Saturday--his parents hosted about 30 or so adults and children to a "Movie & popcorn" themed party. What wonderful new toys this little guy received...I finished up a truck quilt for him for his naptime blanket for his new room. Then his Mommy requested a new blanket for his new pre-school. We concurred that Carz or something like that would be nice, and I told her I would take Reece fabric shopping on Monday and he could pick out his fabric for his quilt. We saw Carz, we saw Police Cars, we saw airplanes, all with great excitement, then overjoyed he yelled Grandma--train tracks...and next thing he saw was a bolt with antique trains, and exclaimed as he was pulling the bold off the shelf "this is it, this is the one" and promptly took it to a lady that was just waiting for him!!! So it will be antique trains, red sashing, railroad track border...it will be fun. I think we will have it about ready to sew when he comes to visit in a couple weeks. Then, he can help me with the easy seams. Not hard to just push a button--just have to watch those little fingers! He will be the 3rd little boy to sew on my baby lock machine...kids think it is so great to see that process occuring.

Good night, Retirement Luncheon at the college tomorrow...it will be good to see some of the faces from the past that we so dearly love!

Hmmmm, I may get the hang of this, it is so difficult to figure out how to blog or more correctly to post a blog.

This is a new screen so we shall see what happens. It has really been a lazy day--I have not made it downstairs to sew...we got up this morning to little "blizzard" and that was not a blizzard...we had a bit of heavy snow gathered on the trees, looked like the hoarfrost. So off to church, and a good lunch at the hospital with our friends. We sat and sat and talked, I think it was good for all of us. Just fun, nothing deep....the deepest was talking about prostrate cancer or any cancer and the staging and grading. Lynn goes in a couple weeks or so for his PSA test--we just know it will be a low number.

The most amazing sight with the snow outside our bedroom window is a small tree, and next to it about 3/4 of the way up there was a tube of snow hanging in mid air...appeared to be just hanging and occasionally swinging in the breeze free form. I'm can't say it was attached unless it was a hair like thread in mid air.

We missed all the widows at church...most of them sit behind us in the last row; and we finish out the 2nd pew...but here we were Matt, his wife, Matthew James, Diane and Jim behind us, and our friends the Andersons with Melissa and 3 of her children--totally different atmosphere!

Peace,

Storms a brewin' in Iowa

Tomorrow is Palm Sunday, it is always such a wonderful time in church. All the youth, toddlers and up parade around the Sanctuary Praising Jesus--swinging the Palm Branches! What a wonderful start to a glorious service, we have lovely banners proclaiming the beginning of Holy Week--and we have to catch them tomorrow or else they are gone by Easter Morn... More importantly, tomorrow is the DAY that some of the youth make the decision to accept Christ into their Hearts and become "members" of the chURch. I always think that an odd practice--most have accepted, but perhaps not publicly admitted, their love for Jesus a multitude of times...and most have been Members of our congregation from the beginning of their time!

But...alas, we may miss Palm Sunday in the quiet Sanctuary, but instead begin the prelude of Christ's last week on Earth at home, celebrating, remembering in the midst of a blizzard.

We had visitors this weekend: two ladies, Ann and Mary, came to be at our Spring Tea at Church. Mary spoke about her adventure as a Woman-to-Woman participant in Haiti. Her talk and slides were wonderful. Certainly made me more than thankful when I turned on the faucet at church after the tea in preparation to wash dishes...and again when I came home, got a drink of water, or more so when I heard my grandson flush the toilet. He is almost three, and is working on this new adventure in his little life--getting potty trained--he is really good...after many efforts he announced "I went poop, I earned some jelly beans" He had spotted the thankyou gift from Ann on the dresser!!!! He is a sweety!!! And, of course, I'm a doting grammy!!! Reece was here with his Mommy and Daddy for the day...they hurried back home to beat the weather; but we spent a lovely afternoon with the 3 of them...now I'm going to go cozy up to my sewing machine for the duration of this snow!