Calling All Sleuths

This beautiful quilt photo appeared on an Italian blog with a reference to Primitive Gatherings; however, this pattern does not orignate there. If anyone reading knows of this quilt and can point me in the direction of where I might purchase, or find, the pattern or designer I would appreciate that information! Thanks so much.

Life is Good!

Betcha Can't Stop At One!

I've been following the newest quilt-a-long (QAL) at Crafty Fox; I was intrigued by her choice of  pattern: "Star Flower". As far as I am concerned this one might as well be called "Potato Chip Stars" because once I started I simply couldn't stop! I chose the scrappy option using these soft, low volume, prints; they will be set alternately with pale solid hexagons giving the whole thing a washed, faded look. I figured I had time to stitch up of few of these while quilting this, and while cutting out and and binding other projects; after all... who can stop at just ONE? Not me.

Life is Good!

Photo Documentation and Organization

It all started innocently enough, doesn't every great adventure? For years I've known that I had to something about the burgeoning box of photos that was hiding out in the dark recesses of an armoire in the guest room. But, where, and when, to start? I kept putting it off, adopting the "out of sight", (almost) "out of mind" philosophy. Every once in a while I would be challenged to find an old photo and the wrestling match with my conscience would begin all over again. And then it happened... I entered The Container Store (this is where it all started so "innocently"), that mecca of  happy home organization (which, for me, is like returning to the mother ship). I stumbled upon a display of photo storage boxes, each with the ability to hold 1,200 photos, and they were on sale. What more could I ask for? The time had, at long last, arrived!

The dining room has become work-station central, folding tables have been erected temporarily and the contents of boxes are being exposed. This is going to take a long time, but that's okay; this stash didn't amass itself overnight. Every time I pass by the room I work a little bit, that's what it's going to take. At first, I started with laser-beam focus but I can't continue with that intensisty; it's too hard, it makes my brain hurt.

A highly visible, front and center, work location is exactly where this project needs to happen. No more sweeping this task under the rug; a light is shining brightly on the job at hand and those brand new, slick, photo boxes are ready and waiting! I bought two, I believe I need to get another one... while they're still on sale.

One can never be too prepared!

Life is Good!

This Mom's, and Nana's, Observations...

Of course you already know that I am going to say something about time passing much too quickly... blah, blah, blah. Well, that's a given, lets go ahead and get that out of the way on this, my son's (the youngest, he's my baby) 33rd birthday! Here is Lynnleigh, his baby, at seven months. Jokingly, I had remarked about her being proud of this new sitting-up skill. No joke; she is so enamoured with sitting up, and the ability to do so on her own, that it actually interferes with her sleep! She and Gregory spent the last few nights here and I found, at naptime and bedtime, that she often sits herself up immediately after being put down and then cries pitifully because she's in that position! I got lucky with this picture, a quickly snapped photo (looking ever-so posed!) in the kitchen while I was making dinner earlier in the week. Her crawling has been halted in a similar fashion because all she wants to do is raise herself up onto her feet. With her hands planted on the floor in front of her, and her hind-end straight up in the air, she is the personification of a capital "A" (or inverted "V") and she cannot move. I tried to show her how to put her knees down on the floor, time after time, but she's not one bit interested in Nana's solution; right back up she goes!

Gregory is a little sponge, absorbing everything around himself and spouting back to us his own observations and experiences on the world in which he lives. These two commentaries kept us entertained, enjoy; I am posting here two personal status updates from Facebook:

e

Valuable information from Gregory to keep in mind before your next shopping trip; this will, undoubtedly, save you time and miles on your vehicle.
At WalMart you can buy dog food, cups and see the fishies.
At Lowe's you can buy better lawnmowers.
At Target you cany buy shoes, but... (this is important!) you need to pay first!

 e

With apologies to his Methodist grandparents, Gregory is showing his deep Lutheran roots; instead of being happy about our new television in the kitchen he is very concerned about where the old one went. At lunchtime today he said, hanging his head, that he is "very sad" that the old TV has been taken to Goodwill, he " really loved that one"!

e

Time is going to fly, we can't stop it or hold on to it or bottle it up to use it later; but, we can enjoy each phase and document the passing of time with photos and sweet stories of precious children growing up and exploring their world. We can be ever grateful that we're on this adventure called life right along with them! My daughter sent photos over the summer of Mason building and writing; of Lucy Ann painting at the easel... miraculous achievements for children who were, seemingly, only born a few days ago! 

I feel much closer to my own parents now. They've always reminded me about times long since gone with questions of  "remember when..." referring to occurences with my own children. To be honest, sadly, I don't recall most of those same things that they do; I guess I was just too preoccupied with being a Mom and getting it all done.  Now, I understand; grandparents were created for just this very thing, thanks be to God!

Life is Good!

Feather Fear

I'm fearful of  feathers. Not those flying friends of mine who visit the feeders, but of my ability when it comes to stitching feathers, ... and, yet, I love them! I shy away from the idea of quilting graceful, undulating, curved feathers on my borders and, yet, I can't stop thinking about how much they will add to the finished quilt. With this fear at the forefront of my mind I have adopted a new mantra: "you can't improve on the feathers you never stitch". How's that for deep? If I want to be fearless and tackle feathers without a second thought I need to work on them, conquer my fear! I don't think you can see the feather in the floral border on the right, it doesn't show up very well, but... it's done! One down and three to go!

 You can see the quilted feathered border here on the underside of the quilt. I loaded "Sturbridge Strawberries" on Sundance yesterday afternoon and have worked in the little bit of time that I've had since then, we have grandchildren here for the next two days (and nights); any further progress on this one will be during naps! I'm tickled with the way that this is turning out and will repeat my mantra over and over!

"All Are Precious..." came off Sundance yesterday morning, the quilting is done on this one at long last!

It feels extremely liberating to be moving these old tops off the hangers and out of the closet, seeing them actually "come to life" through the quilting is very satisfying.I am hoping to get this quilt piped, bound and hung by the weekend!

Life is Good!

Saturday Detour...

Good Morning Starshine  ~ 51" X 39"

It all began innocently enough... I was cleaning up the studio and grabbed my project envelope containing the current BOMs from my LQS to put them away. I placed them in the bin on top of those blocks from the previous year and stopped short. "No" I decided, "I'm NOT going to keep piling UFOs one on top of another"! I took the completed blocks out of the bin and laid them out on the cutting table; I moved them around until I was pleased with the arrangement. Then I went searching for the Setting Triangle ruler that I knew I had...somewhere. Eureka! I quickly located it on the bottom of the ruler drawer, it was brand new; I had to peel the paper backing off and am guessing that I bought that ruler six to eight years ago. I knew I'd need it one day... and, yesterday just happened to be that day! I found the black and white speckled setting fabric in the stash closet and had this together by the end of the day. Is this the path I was heading down when I entered the studio yesterday morning? Heavens, NO! I took a detour... and am happy to report that somedays an unexpected direction can make all the difference!

Life is Good!

C'mon In...

 ... let me show you a few things that I've been working on, and thinking about, lately. There's never any shortage of projects in various stages of construction in and around the sewing space!  "Scaredy Cat" has come off the rails after machine quilting, Sundance did a great job with the woodgrain on the fence and the swirling, starry night sky. The pumpkins are wool; I will hand finish them with big-stitch quilting. I will hand-couch the thread to add toothy-grins for the cat, moon and pumpkins; plus I plan to add flat, black button overlays to those white, zombie-eye circles, giving them a less possesed appearance and one small round button eye to Mr. Moon! I'm pleased to get this one done up and ready for fall, it's only been two years in the works! This pattern is from Kim Diehl's book: Simple Seasons. This project, however, is a newbie compared to what's on Sundance today. I pieced the quilt below from a McCall's Quilting magazine (mid 1990's) pattern named "American Melting Pot". I added the folk-art border after taking a Sue Nickels' machine applique workshop back in 2005!  I layered it and pin-basted the sandwich, eight years ago, and quilted most of it on my domestic machine. For some reason I stopped working on it, I don't have any idea why; just lost interest I guess.

All Are Precious In His Sight   56" X 68" circa 2005

On Tuesday this week I stopped by to see a friend who just bought a new longarm machine, an APQS George, the sit down variety. I stitched on it for a few minutes and realized, immediately, how very long it's been since I sat and machine quilted! I tried to recall the last quilt I had quilted that way, before Sundance came into my life; this one (I have renamed it, see above) jumped to mind. I came home, dug it out, and loaded it onto Sundance by wrapping it onto the rails, I couldn't load it by the conventional method; 80% of the quilting was already done, all that remains to be quilted is border work! In 2005 I had been quilting a small stipple in the border; yesterday I found just enough of the matching thread to give it a go and see if I could make this work, and look seamless. Lo, and behold, I can! I need more thread and will be moving this one, soon, from the recesses of the stash closet (where all self-respecting UFO's hang out together) to the bedroom hallway; in a special spot I had chosen for it to hang many years ago!

Star Flower block pieces arranged per  QAL at  A Crafty Fox.

You may recall, earlier in the summer that I began collecting low-volume fabrics to make "Chicken Soup" quilts to give to my children for their respective families, a quilt to put away and use on those inevitable stay-home-from-school sick days. As a sick day quilt, I felt, the fabrics chosen would need to be soft and quiet; and so, the fabric hunt began and the collection grew... and grew, and grew! It's time; time to stop collecting and start cutting! Now that I have the fabrics, and they're all so gorgeous, what pattern could I use to incorporate them all, scrappy style? I cut out a few diamonds and placed them on a background.

Sunday Morning strip block from the book: Sunday Morning Quilts.

Tumbler block pieces, randomly arranged as a small test piece.

And, so... my decision? All three! I told you I had collected a LOT of low volume fabrics this summer! I plan to make a Tumbler and a Sunday Morning and let my children draw straws for those. I'll do a Star Flower to keep for myself. These soft, quiet fabrics hold great appeal for yours truly; I believe each one of these is a classic quilt just waiting to be born! Looks like I have my work CUT OUT (or about to be!) for me. Thanks for stopping by today to see what's being finished... and what's being started... life in the sewing space at Chez Goodneedle is all about balance!

Life is Good!

Blueberry Cake

I try not to let a summer, or a blueberry season, pass without making my Grandmother's Blueberry Cake. This "cake" can easily be served for breakfast as well as for dessert, for it's not "cake" as much as it is one large blueberry muffin baked in a square baking pan. My copy of this recipe is hand-written, and the measurement amounts are a bit unusual in today's language; but it bakes up, and tastes, every bit as good today as when I ate it at my Grandmother's table 50 plus years ago. It's still summer... enjoy!



BLUEBERRY CAKE
2 C. sifted flour
3 level tsp. baking powder
scant tsp. salt
Sift all three ingredients, above, into a mixing bowl.
Rub in softened butter the size of a walnut (2 rounded TBSP).
Add scant 3/4 C. sugar and mix well.
Beat 1 egg in a cup and fill up with milk to 7/8 C. add to dry ingredients.
Fold in lightly one heaping cup of blueberries.
The mixture will be quite thick, so spread in prepared 8" square pan evenly.
Sprinkle with a mixture of cinnamon and coarse sugar.
Bake in a 400F oven for 35-40 minutes.

Life is Good!

Challenge?

I need help with this. So, this quote is posted outside a local church on their streetside sign. The quote puzzles me precisely because it's outside a church. This quote, to me, begs more questions.
1.  Who is the "we"?
2.  Who's doing the inviting?
Being that it's a church I don't find this an enticing call to worship but believe that something along the lines of: We are constantly CHALLENGED to be better than who we are (or who we perceive ourselves to be) would be an improvement.  But then, that's just me. I require challenge and inspiration for growth and who am I, after all, to mess around with the words of the esteemed Henry David Thoreau? I have no idea why this bothers me so much, but it does. The more I have pondered this I have concluded that, perhaps, the invitation being issued is just to come... as we are... sinful, flawed, human beings; nothing more than that... come as we are (but be prepared to grow and be more, to be our BEST?). I don't know. Come to think of it, I suppose I've been challenged all along; but, when it comes to inspiration and a call to worship, I'll be relying another source, not  the words written by a nineteenth century transcendentalist but, instead, words from THE book! What are your thoughts?

Life is Good!

 

Sad News From The Treasure House And Other Updates

This archive photo is dated 1979.

I grew up watching Captain Kangaroo, Mr. Green Jeans and Dancing Bear in the Treasure House,  I loved every minute of  it! Sadly, I learned that
actor Cosmo Allegretti passed away last month in Arizona at 86. He was working as a set painter on a brand new kid’s show when the producer decided he didn’t like a particular puppet. So Cosmo volunteered to fill in. And that’s how Bunny Rabbit and Mister Moose and Grandfather Clock and so many other beloved “Captain Kangaroo” characters were born. Cosmo Allegretti was every one of them. He was also known as character Dennis the Painter on Captain Kangaroo.  What happy memories I have, to this day, of eating cereal while sitting on the living room floor, cross-legged, in front of our large console TV! And, speaking of television sets:

Life is Good!

Buyer's Remorse?

 I did a lot of bragging about Quilted Threads after visiting there back in June. Since I've been home I was haunted by the memory of a precious baby quilt hanging up in that shop; I couldn't get it out of my mind! On a whim, I called them to inquire about the pattern. The woman that I spoke with on the phone was knowledgable and friendly, she not only immediately knew what pattern I was referring to but informed me that they had that quilt kitted up, too. Of course they did! I am not normally a kit person at all, I far prefer to make my own fabric selections and individualize whatever I choose to work on. So, I was inclined to turn down the offer of the kit and stick with the pattern that I had called to inquire about; that is, until she mentioned free shipping! They're good salespeople at Quilted Threads, she had me at free shipping. I chastised myself all week over making that impulsive decision and, admit to, suffering from some over-the-phone buyer's remorse; that is, until the package arrived. With a deep "what have I done" sigh, I ripped open the shipment only to be tickled beyond belief, I LOVE this! Thanks, Quilted Threads, you've pleased me all over again! Now, do I have a plan for this quilt? Do I need one? I hope not.

The "big surprise" quilt has been removed from the frame and is waiting on presentation, once that occurs I can reveal it here. Here's a peek at what I've been quilting since then, "Scaredy Cat" is loaded now, just in time for fall. Sundance and I have been having fun with woodgrain, swirls and stars while watching season #1 of Downton Abbey on DVDs. My plan is to hand quilt, big stitch style (with perle cotton), the countour lines of the wool pumpkins and only machine quilt the background details, I'm happy with this one. 

Life is Good!

Dim The Lights...

... cue the soft music, it's nap time! Okay, so maybe it's not nap time yet, but it soon will be! My dear DIL teaches Pre-K, where students still nap after lunch. Once again the generous Miss BeeHaven quilters have joined me in the challenge to supply three classrooms with nap blankets for the coming year. I handed off eleven last evening, what a good feeling! More will continue to come in before the school year begins; and, according to my calculations, we'll meet the goal of forty-five! In fact, this year's "Blankie" award goes to LP; who has, single-handedly, sewn up fifteen and blanketed one entire classroom! YAY!

I have a large, designated, tote bin that resides in the bottom of my stash closet into which all appropriate fabrics, measuring at least one yard, are placed throughout the year. Fabrics are donated from friends and family, the bin is still this full after sewing eleven yesterday, (that's twenty-two yards out!) it has truly become a "loaves and fishes" box. The nap blankets are simply sewn from two one yard lengths, placed RST and sewn all along the edges, pillowcase style, then turned and topstitched around the outside edges and from corner to corner with a large "X"; there's no batting. They are lightweight and comfortable, the children love them!

One little tip that I learned recently (an online tutorial... what did we ever do without those?) is to secure the opening when doing the RST stitching with a backtacked line of stitching perpendicular to the stitching along the edge, it makes the turning, and pressing down of that opening, so much cleaner and better!

Here's the teacher, my deal DIL, last evening. She burned the midnight oil and powered through to get her quilt top done for little Lynnleigh; she goes back to school next week and her evenings won't be as leisurely as they've been all summer, her clock was ticking! Didn't she do a fabulous job? I am SEW proud of her! She has some yellow flannel (Big Bird motif) for the backing, she's not exactly sure how she wants to finish it yet; she may go batting-less, like the nap blankets for her classroom, she's still deciding. Whatever she decides though, Lynnleigh will rest comfortably under this quilt of love sewn especially for her by her own sweet Mama!

Life is Good!

 

"Hear That"?

Last week, one morning, Gregory and I were the only ones awake together in the pre-dawn darkness of the house when we heard a distinctive, low battery warning, beeping sound.
"Hear that?" he asked.
"Yes, I do" I replied and made a mental note to mention that to Mr. Goodneedle when he got up, knowing we'd need to do a room-to-room smoke-detector check.
About an hour later we heard the beep again, by this time the sun as well as my husband and granddaughter were all up. I started to explain about the smoke detectors and noticed that Gregory was listening intently and had the most perplexed look on his face.
"No, no, no" he interjected, he went straight to the front hall closet and returned with my purse, all the while furiously digging down in it to retrieve my phone.
"Here, Nana" he proudly presented my cell phone to me, with its dying battery inside; "this beeps" he exclaimed. He was right. I should have Gregory here all the time, he definitely sets me straight; the only problem with that is that I would need to keep my own, personal, battery fully charged just to keep up with him!

Life is Good!

Boiling It Down...

"Light Of Day"

... to bullet points. I've been absent for awhile but only because the summer that stretched out ever-so-lazily before us a few weeks ago kicked into full gear and has left me chasing each day just to keep up!  I'll report a few highlights  from the last few weeks and will, hopefully, be back on track here as well as visiting around blogworld again too!

* You might remember the Centennial Quilts project for my DIL's Daddy's church. The quilts were completed and dedicated a week ago Sunday; one is hanging permanently in the sanctuary and the second one was auctioned off for a HUGE sum following a Homecoming picnic luncheon on the church grounds. I was thrilled for the church and buoyed by the happy realization that the quilt held such value!

* My embroidery machine has kicked into overtime stitching up personalized T-shirts, pillowcases and bibs for little ones. Here's just a small sampling.

* Mason joyfully celebrated his fifth birthday at his neighborhood pool, it was a VERY happy day! Our daughter did a wonderful job decorating for the party with adorable, personalized, buckets filled with pool-appropriate favors for the guests. The food was delicious and a good time was had by all!

* Last Wednesday we were invited to breakfast (at their mountain campsite) by our son and his wife. It was raining when we arrived but our spirits weren't the least bit dampened. Following breakfast we caravaned on down the road to visit Tweetsie Railroad. Gregory loved it; although, I believe, the Tweetsie train was a wee bit bigger (and louder) than he expected! We brought the little ones home with us for the remainder of the week, giving Mommy and Daddy some peaceful time together in the home-sweet-tent.

* The kitchen backsplash tiling project has been completed! Now, onto choosing less obtrusive outlet covers!

* And so it goes; busy days filled with everything good, some sewing related items thrown in for self-preservation!  Those seemingly endless summer days have definitely been numbered after all. The R.A.W. (Row A Week) "Light Of Day" quilt top is growing by leaps and bounds. It is being made purposely to cover our King-sized bed and will measure 115" square at completion; that's big,considering the blocks themselves finish at six inches! I will persevere on this one, begun back in 1997. Now that I have an Accuquilt cutter there are no excuses! Speaking of numering things, I can hardly believe I ever began this project cutting the HST's the old-fashioned way; after all there are 1800 pieces in just the blocks, that's NOT counting the sashing strips! 

*  This is how I begin each morning; stiching pinwheels and mentally planning a schedule for the day ahead as I sew.  This quilt top is growing... this photo shows what half of the quilt top looks like... that's a LOTTA pieces! 

Soon there will be much more to share too, 

Sundance is up to a great big surprise, it's all good!

Life is Good!