A Baby Shower, Popcorn and a Handy Tip

We hosted a baby shower for our Pastor's wife here at the house on Saturday. It was a glorious occasion, well-attended and the Mom-to-be was showered indeed! Their little one will be warm, cozy and well dressed for the foreseeable future!

Naturally, I was especially touched to see her receive three handmade quilts! A beautiful string quilt that is meant to serve as a play mat for tummy-time and dragging around, as directed by its maker.

A sweet flannel quilt; oh, so warm and cozy.

I made her a pinwheel quilt from the scraps left over from their wedding quilt four years ago. That quilt had some rose-tones and pinks in it, which I pulled out since the baby is a boy. If they have a girl sometime in the future I can make her a pillow, perhaps a small one, as that bin of leftovers is almost depleted now! There were so many lovely gifts; handmade bibs which I need to see if I can get the pattern for and a gorgeous hand-knitted blanket.

Sew, what else have I been up to? I will report back as there are a few surprises that I can't reveal right now but "Sew Berry Sweet" is loaded on the longarm. This top was made using the Hex N More ruler back in 2018, it was offered as a block-of-the-month at our LQS. It's been hanging in the stash closet for the last eight years and I finally got around to getting a backing fabric and moving it to the the front of the TBQ* line. I deliberated for days on end as to how I would quilt it. I drew up elaborate custom quilting designs and finally decided to ditch those plans and quilt it with the Popcorn pantograph from Willow Leaf Designs. I'm happy with the results, I believe that this is a whimsical and fun design and the popcorn only adds to the fun!

This is my Bernina 125 Activa machine that I take on quilting retreats. It's a perfect portable machine,but as you can see the "case" that it came with is nothing more than a glorified dust cover. It has pockets on either end for the power cord and foot pedal. Very basic and it isn't protected all that well for travel. 

So, I  had seen on Instagram that Trader Joe's had these insulated cooler bags in for the summer months at the almost unheard of price of $8.99. They were being touted as the perfect size to hold, and protect, a sewing machine. I ran by there to today to check it out.

Yes, one followed me home. Does it fit? Like. A. Glove.

Perfection!

I don't know how they can make these and sell them for $8.99

(it seems like I'd have that much invested after buying just the zipper)!

You're welcome. 

Life is Good!

*TBQ = to be quilted

Brother Bear

"Brother Bear"  ~37.5" X 43"

Working from the stacked, numbered, boxes in the closet I am endeavoring to finish one UFO each month until the end of the year. May's box contained all the elements for this precious little hand embroidered baby quilt, I even had all of the fabrics selected for the setting "logs" but scrapped them because it was too busy. I did keep chosen the border and backing fabrics, hence the name of the quilt.
See that baby bear roaming between the trees?

Here's a close-up with the backing fabric that I have chosen. 

Naturally, (if you're a fan of the Berenstains, like me) you know that there can't be a Brother Bear without a Sister Bear! Here's "Sister Bear", the girl version of the same quilt, currently under the needle.  I hope to get Brother Bear loaded and quilted right away; back-to-back bears 😉, successfully meeting my goal for May. These patterns are from Kristyne Czepuryk's book: S is for Stitch.

A current view from the design wall: Brother Bear and the first half of "Milk Money". 

Adapting in an upside down world: 🙃 We went out to dinner last night, at an actual restaurant, to celebrate our recent milestone anniversary! It's hard to describe that feeling, after all these weeks of quarantine; it was like we'd been set free. Everyone was extremely kind and all social distancing protocols were observed. It was a joyous occasion, certainly one to remember!

I'm happy to report that all of your prayers for Quiltkeemosabe's husband have worked and he is doing quite well; he continues to recover at home and grow stronger every day. We were so happy that he drove(! YAY!!) out to our home for a short visit yesterday, he and Quiltkeemosabe sat with us out on our new porch; it was just like old times, catching up. Thanks be to God!

"You are wisdom unimagined
Who could understand Your ways
Reigning high above the Heavens
Reaching down in endless grace
You're the lifter of the lowly
Compassionate and kind
You surround and You uphold me
And Your promises are my delight

Your plans are still to prosper
You have not forgotten us
You're with us in the fire and the flood
You're faithful forever
Perfect in love
You are sovereign over us"

 These words are from Michael W. Smith's "Sovereign" (you can listen here). 

You're welcome, the refrain has been playing in my head for two days. Amen!

Life is Good!

 

Outgoing...

The last few weeks have seen many things running under the needle and straight out of the house. A baby quilt, variation of this pattern, was finished up and gifted last weekend.
The recipient is a sweet baby girl who just so happens to have two older brothers. This quiltmaker decided her quilt needed to be delicate, feminine and personalized... just for her.

The embroidery machine has been humming, too. I made up some special burp cloths for another new baby. In between projects I've added names to a few shirts, an Easter basket and some draw-string bags, all of which have gone to live elsewhere.

Last Saturday the smart and talented Lady L. (with the assistance of Sundance) stopped by and quilted this vibrant baby quilt that is to be a gift for a family friend. She, and her equally smart and talented Mom, (Lady L. comes by it honestly) pieced this quilt as a team; now her Mom is finshing up the binding. It was a great way to spend the morning on National Quilting Day! One more beauty to be in, out, and on its way!
Life is Good!

 

One Quick Quilter!

I loaded this bright and colorful baby quilt onto Sundance last Friday so that it would be ready for my daughter-in-law's arrival on Saturday and her first machine quilting lesson. She arrived before 9 AM; I had her do a few walk-throughs over a panotgraph before we threaded Sundance up and switched her on. Leigh Anna, the new quilter, was done before noon;(seriously, it took longer to load this than it took her to quilt it!) she took to driving the machine and quilting like a duck to water. She did an absolutely wonderful job, she's a natural; born to quilt. Lucky me: I'm realizing we have one quick quilter in the family, this could come in VERY handy. Lucky Lynnleigh: she's the recipient of one lovely quilt made by her Mama to grow up with and love! Win-win!!

Life is Good!

Leigh Anna and her beautiful Baby Zig Zag ~ 40" X 56"

Summertime

It's summertime... and the livin' is easy busy! Our nephew and his wife welcomed their baby son last week; his name has been added, at long last, to his quilt top (which has been languishing in the stash closet) and now is next in line for a quilting date with Sundance.  I've also been working on a setting for my Civil War blocks from last year's block of the month sessions. After the central portion was completed (thanks to an idea I found in Sharyn Craig's Setting Solutions) I designed a pieced border, with the help of EQ7, and have been working, in small snatches of time, on getting that pieced and attached. This quilt, named Dixie, will be LARGE when it is finally completed; measuring approximately ninety six inches square! I began a beginning quilt making class, here at the house, last week and have four eager students; three will be piecing their first quilts and one will begin hand quilting a small top that she pieced and appliquéd a few years ago. I have a few other projects simmering right now too, it's summer after all... and the livin' is BUSY!

How are you filling your summer days?

Dixie (background) with border components freshly pressed and waiting.
Life is Good!

Labor Day Weekend

Summer 2010 is one for the record books; very hot and humid, I'm not going to miss it one little bit. We had a fun and busy weekend. The weather was absolutely phenomenal; the perfect way to usher in a new season. We were lucky enough to meet up with our favorite two-year-old on Friday for a quick bite of dinner and a hug before he was off, with his Mommy and Daddy, for some relaxation in the mountains. The rest of my weekend was spent piecing, and quilting. The baby quilts are being made in pairs around here these days, so if you're enjoying the pink one (above) you need to take a peek at the blue one (below) too! I cut apart two ABC panels, (thanks, Quiltkeemosabe!) combined them with two coordinating jelly rolls and... voilà; two 55" X 55" baby play quilts for tummy-time. I'll post more about what I'm quilting later on this week. I should have spent all my time inside; I did some weeding and managed to come in contact with poison ivy which resulted in a painful, itchy patch just above my left knee. That'll teach me to leave the sewing room, and do yard work, now won't it?

Pass the calamine lotion...

Life is Good!

Baby Feet, Small Steps

Don'tcha just wanna kiss those sweet, baby feet? This, a parting snapshot from the Angels Race on Sunday. Thanks for indulging this proud Granny~ one more time!

On the quilting front, there's progress! Small steps; but, hey, they're in a forward-moving motion! Round Robin: done, mailed. Block of the month: done. Southern Album: getting there. (class is Sunday) This block, at right, is what I've renamed "Turkey in The Strawberries". It's a Turkey Tracks block which I personalized, that became a career move took forever a while! Charming cotton swap: need to find two purple fabrics for slicing and dicing. (group meets next Wednesday) That's the way I operate: tend to the deadlines as they pop up, and in the meantime fill the days with ongoing projects; throw in a healthy dose of cooking, housekeeping and a church meeting or two and that's about all there is in a week, then it's time to start all over again! I pose this question for your consideration: how do you operate? Do you do you "assignments" ahead of time, or as they are due? Someone asked me the other day, very innocently, if I had all my quilts done. I had to laugh; clearly, it was someone who didn't know me very well.

Life is Good!

Spending Time With Fannye

This little beauty of a quilt top, a Bear's Paw, (71" X 82") made its way home from last night's Quilt Guild meeting with me, I was the high bidder when this was auctioned off as a Guild fund raiser. The top was sewn by Fannye Hall. Fannye was thought of as the matriarch of our Guild, a founding member, a quilt teacher to almost every quilter that I know here, a friend. Fannye passed away almost three years ago; suddenly, unexpectedly. Her daughter donated a few quilt tops to the Guild that her mother loved so dearly for the express purpose of raising funds in Fannye's memory. I am so pleased to have captured something tangible to remember Fannye, I will enjoy quilting this and reminiscing. I'll close with comments that I submitted for a memorial tribute to Fannye that was displayed at NC Quilt Symposium in 2006. Thanks, Fannye, for always expecting excellence from me; I remember, rest assured, I will quilt and bind this to the very best of my ability! "I was a brand new quilter. Not knowing any better, I entered that first quilt; with it's wavy borders and puckered, gathered binding into our Guild's show! I worked at that show; helping to scribe for the judges and, hopefully, to learn a lot. I heard one of the judges remark about my quilt, when it's time came to be judged: "someone needs to show this woman how to put on a binding and turn a corner". I dutifully wrote down, "binding can use improvement" as directed by the judge. I hoped no one noticed my pained expression, I was working hard to guard my own anonymity. Fannye was in the room at the time, folding quilts and stacking them for hanging. At lunch time Fannye requested that I sit beside her, she quickly and efficiently showed me right then and there how to bind a quilt and turn a sharp, square corner at the same time! I was amazed that she had known the quilt belonged to me! Fannye knew all, and was always quick to share her skills and knowledge with all of us; that we might be better quilt makers. We became friends from that day on. I learned a LOT from her. I think of, and thank, Fannye with every single quilt I bind to this day! Fannye is deeply missed, I am happy to have known her and will always treasure her kindness."

Forty Years From Now...

What will I be doing in 2048? Will I still be quilting? Oh, I do hope so! These two baby quilts came to me by way of a friend a few weeks ago. Nell still visits the nursing home where her mother lived for years until she passed away a few months ago. Many of the residents are like extended family to Nell; including one dear lady, a quilter, who is in her mid-nineties! She had hand quilted each and every motif in these precious panels but needed assistance with the binding, she doesn't have a sewing machine. My friend asked if I could help, I was honored. Nell's friend requested that I leave the hand work for her to complete, I was more than happy to comply! I stitched the bindings in place all the while marveling at her tiny stitches and admiring this lady's commitment. And so, I began to think... what will I be doing when I'm in my mid-nineties? Still quilting? God willing, I hope to be making baby quilts; happily preparing for the next generation!

Life is Good!

Dust Bustin'

Here's my daughter and her teaching assistant packing up the classroom. I've been back in the Capital City assisting with this monumental chore. It was two days worth of work, toting a LOT of books! An elementary school teacher accumulates many things, did I mention that my daughter collects books? She does, and they're heavy! Bit by bit, box by box the classroom was emptied and scrubbed down. We had fun working side by side, we always have fun together. It wasn't all work. We went to Char-Grill for lunch on the second day. It's a unique fast food restaurant where one marks up their own order form outside, drops it through the slot in the glass and waits until their name is called. My chili dog was delicious! I had to keep my strength up after all. I arrived home in time for Church Council meeting last night. Today I spent time visiting with quilting friends I haven't seen for years at our "Quilting Pleasures" Guild Show. I needed some quilt therapy in the worst way, I'm itching to stitch and received much inspiration. I've been gone so much lately that my sewing machine is gathering dust; sadly, I may even have to reintroduce myself to Sundance! I have baby quilts to make, and time's a wastin'. I'd like to use the colors of this puppy dog as a color pallete for a wall quilt for the nursery. The blue matches the crib bedding, the green is fresh and lively, while a little touch of red adds interest and will match a rocking chair in the room. I'll have to see what I can find in my stash. In the meantime I need to embroider some burp cloths and bibs and, oh yeah, find my dust rag; I know there's a sewing machine under here somewhere!

Life is Good!

It's Been Awhile...

... since I have been shopping for a baby; but, with a grandson on the way I'm back in the game BIG TIME and enjoying every single minute! Aren't these the cutest things ever? They're foot rattles! I love them. He needs them. My shopping list is growing; he needs this cute little sign for his doorknob, don't you think? The list could go on and on... we have time. He's not arriving until August, that's good, I have his quilts to make. Yes, quiltS, plural; it's what I do! I already have a few fabrics selected for a couple of projects, here's a peek:and of course he'll need a Picture Play quilt, and one with Minkee pets, and some special "quiet books"... I'd better get stitchin'! He will be receiving one very warm, soft, welcome to this world! And, if you think about it, isn't that the very best way to be received; all warm and soft and loved?

Life is Good!

21. Every day, find time to be alone.