Dotty Update

 My good friend and sewing buddy, Sharon, has been making good progress on her dotty Kaffe Fassett quilt. Our sewing days have been rather erratic lately, but I did manage to snap some of her progress during one of our recent stitching sessions.

 

Above, Sharon has laid this massive quilt out on the bed, and since it is so huge, she had to finish the layout on the floor. 

Below are some fun shots of her block construction and the little box of overflowing 9-patches. All the fabrics are polka dots or some likeness of dots/circles. The entire effect is just as playful as can be, and I cannot wait to see this become a flimsy.

I have shared once previously on Sharon's dotty quilt. It has a proper name: Kites. All the details are in this post.

Today is my mom's birthday, and tomorrow is my husband's! Big celebrating! My siblings and I have not all been together since February - before Covid, in other words. There's a good chance we will all show up at my sister's today. Wearing masks and social distancing - what a strange time that will be!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Hello October

 

After a month of being very nearly dormant here in blog-land, I am back and ready to begin a new month! September was a topsy-turvy month, to put it mildly, and that accounts for my long absence from this space.

The September collage contains only the fun stuff. I began the month stitching my heart out at our modified quilt camp held at Terry's house. I used my little Featherweight machine to make 9.5" churn dashes for a quilt called True Blue. It was a productive week, and along with those 5" churn dashes made earlier, I was in churn dash heaven for awhile. To maintain our health, we bought a couple of used bikes, which you see there in the upper right corner photo.

The kitchen remodel got into full swing, and we currently live in chaos as the work continues. A big light in the center of our dropped ceiling was closed up and wafer lights were installed - this is what is shown in the first picture of the middle row. Then I share the two quilts I have spent the month working on. Meadow Lily is a 16-year-old UFO that I continue trying to finish. I have just the outer border to attach yet. The True Blue quilt did see completion and I love that I finished an item on my yearly goals list. *Yeah*

The bottom row of pictures features our daughter's cat, Rocky, who spent a big portion of the month with us as they took a couple of trips. He loves coming to the country where he is allowed to roam outdoors and snoop in all sorts of interesting places. The middle, bottom row picture shows a good view of the kitchen in its current state. Still some work to do, for sure, but so much has been accomplished. The final picture shows our new utility room, complete with an old gi-normous cupboard that will serve as our pantry. It is an angel in the rough; given a bit of attenion and a coat of white paint, it will be a beauty. It's got doors, shelves, and drawers and will be neat as can be when finished. 

Here's a larger view of my new counters, sink and lighting. The cupboards will be painted white; that will really change things. Backsplash is going in today.

All in all, as far as sewing goes, I did not do nearly as much in September as I did in August. The construction was just too intrusive on my time. And I am back to teaching, so that takes some time, of course.

And then, there's some of the real-life things one faces occasionally. September became the month of the Emergency Room. Yes, three trips for DH and one trip for me. Geesh. Husband's issues are somewhat mysterious, but are being unraveled with several screenings and tests - all the usual stuff, like colonoscopy, prostate screening, blood work, etc. My ER trip stemmed from those bikes you saw in the collage - I crashed, and really banged myself up. Stitches in one leg, deep contusion in the other. Xrays, catscans, and MRIs verifying that nothing was broken. I am still hobbling around, but healing, thankfully. 

I am calling on October to be much gentler with the two of us. Can I get an 'Amen"?

Happy Quilting, Friends!

 

True Blue Flimsy

 I have delayed posting a picture of my True Blue flimsy simply because I could never get my picture of it spread out on the bed. Finally, that became a priority and now she awaits quilting.

Making this quilt has been on my radar for a couple of years, actually, and this past January I made sure I put it on my goals list for 2020. At our modified quilt retreat a couple of weeks ago, this was my one and only focus, if you recall.

Back here at home, after retreat, I needed to make two more blocks and sew the top together with the sashing strips and corner stones - Voila! - a quilt top!

This quilt is made with about 20 different dark blue fabrics from my stash so that my churn dashes would be very scrappy. For the background, I selected a 5-yard cut of white purchased from Jackson, OH, Guhl's outlet store. Easy-peasy! The blocks finish at 9-inches, so quick work with only 42 blocks necessary.

It's a gorgeous Saturday here in south-central Ohio. We are ready to go for a long walk over at the bike path in Frankfort. Hope you get to enjoy this beautiful day!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

from At Home With Thimbleberries Quilts

 I showed just one of my Thimbleberries books in the last post - I am making Meadow Lily; look back here to see the quilt. 

I sat down yesterday to look at the rest of this book and discovered that counting Meadow Lily, I will have made five quilts from this book, a good indication that it was a good buy. I'm sure I've had the book for 20-25 years; I should check to see if I can figure out something more precise.

 

In the meantime, I thought I would do a bit of reminiscing about the other quilts from this book. 

First, I will share Harvest Mix, a lap quilt that has 'fall' written all over it. I still love the look of this quilt now as much as I did when I made it.

One of the pics in the book has Harvest Mix folded over the back of a sofa and it looks so amazing - I tried to select fabrics that were very close to those Jensen used in hers, in the hopes that I could achieve that perfect cozy feel. 

 

Another quilt featured in this book is Nine Patch Criss Cross; I have actually made this pattern twice. Here's one made with four fabrics, as the pattern is designed.

And below, the same pattern made years earlier in three fabrics. This one has been used and laundered quite a lot. This quilt is special because my late grandma hand-quilted it for me.

And finally, take a look at Yo-Yo Table Topper, a fun little quilt I bring out at Christmas time. 

 

This quilt, too, has been used extensively and has the dripped candle wax to prove it. I don't dare launder it or I will be restitching those yo-yos. 

When a single book can result in 5 quilts there's a good purchase. I wish I could say that about all the books I've purchased. (Are you nodding in agreement??)

When Meadow Lily is finally a flimsy, I will be sure to bring you a finish pic.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

2020's Single UFO

 The 2020 goals I published back in January had only one UFO listed - to finish a Thimbleberries quilt begun in 2006 called Meadow Lily.

I have gone back through the blog to see how often I have spoken of finishing this quilt, and I am embarrassed to admit that it's been more times than I care to count. But by gosh, I am doing it now. At long last. 

The setting blocks are all completed, so finishing simply requires making those lily blocks. Here are the ones done so far.

The quilt is very pretty, and I am making it almost exactly as pictured. The main colors are green and purple with a background of tan/beige. I need 18 full lily blocks for the center and 4 partial lily blocks for the border. 

 

The pattern is is this very vintage Lynette Jensen book, At Home with Thimbleberries Quilts.

Progress is slow with the craziness of school and kitchen construction, but I am steadily plugging away at those lily blocks. I hope to have a flimsy by the end of the month.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

 

The Week that Was

The posting has slowed down considerably, but life around here sure hasn't. For a couple of retired people living through a worldwide pandemic, we sure do seem to be busier than ever. 

 "The hurrier I go, the behinder I get!" Growing up, I remember my mother saying this. I cannot remember being excessively busy - undoubtedly for her it involved 5 kids and their activities whilst being a farm wife. Gardening, canning, housework, helping Dad with the crops or the cows, taxiing us kids all over, and generally working to make a good life for us, Mom probably felt a very pronounced sense of "busy-ness" on a regular basis.

Our busy comes in the form of our both returning to our part-time jobs. I am entering my third week of classes at OU-C where I teach two Freshman Comp classes every Monday and Wednesday. DH drives a morning and afternoon bus (van) route for 15 Mennonite children in our little community who live too far from their school to travel safely by bicycle or buggy. After a summer of free and easy, do-as-you-please hours, these obligations are forcing us back to schedules. It has it's perks, but also some restraints. Jobs are like that.

On top of our return to work, we began a kitchen remodel last Tuesday. Everything from our kitchen is now stacked in the front room and dining room. (Can you envision the paths?) We are keeping the existing cabinetry, with some modifications, but all will be painted. Consequently, doors have been removed from all upper cabinets and a handful of lower ones. After all is finished, I will do a post which will contain before and after shots, but here's a look at the current situation.

Our 28-year-old kitchen is getting an update. The dropped ceiling is staying as is the cabinetry. The configuration of the wall units will be minimally changed. The central ceiling light (4 florescent tubes) will disappear, in favor of the 6 newly-installed can lights that you see. The peninsula that we used to have has been removed (see spot in the flooring), and an island will be constructed. The fridge stays - it was new last November - and a microwave, stove and dishwasher - all matching the fridge - will go in. The sink will be replaced with a farm sink and a pendant light will hang above it. All will be painted fresh farmhouse white, with new wood-look flooring.

That is the kitchen portion of this job. We are also having a utility room built in the front part of our garage, and some minor changes made to a closet and other lighting in the powder room and dining room.

Sewing? Quilting? What?? 

Yes, even with all this to divert my attention, I still escape to my sewing room and get a few things done. I finished True Blue to the flimsy stage, and work as I can on the UFO, Meadow Lily. 

I also do have a goals list for the month, and even though we are practically half-way through the month already, I am focusing on these. (And playing around with a graphics app.)

I need to sign off here and get to class. I hope you are having a great Monday!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Historic Textiles

 On Saturday, the Mr. and I took a day trip to Marietta, OH, the site of the first land office in the Ohio Territory. We are quite enamored with the town and all its accompanying history since reading David McCullough's The Pioneers last winter. 

Situated on the Ohio River, Marietta served an instrumental part in US westward expansion. The first building and fort were built in 1788; remarkably many remain yet today. A number of fine, stately homes  adorn many of the downtown streets, several of which were built by Revolutionary War generals sent to the Ohio Territory by George Washington himself.

On our earlier visit to Marietta, we were too late arriving to get to tour the Campus Martius Museum, our main objective for Saturday's visit. Even in the midst of so much history significant to our nation's founding, the quilter in me was just as captivated by the textiles on display in the museum.

This beautiful red and white feathered star quilt was made by Phebe Sherman Jeffords in 1812. According to the accompanying information, her name and date are stitched into the reverse of the quilt. Isn't that border remarkable? The decay is rather extensive, and I am glad the museum can give it the care it deserves. What a treasure.

By comparison, this quilt looks relatively new. The condition is quite remarkable really. Yet, it has some age, despite its pristine condition. The sign explained that the quilt belonged to Susan Burlingame Pratt, the great-granddaughter of Rufus Putnam, one of the founders of Marietta. She was born in 1821 and married Henry Pratt in 1857. The block is called Chimney Sweep; the fabrics are dress scraps.

Scant information was available for this baby quilt. The sign says simply late 18th early 19th century. The fabric appears to be quite rough - perhaps homespun or wool. No fancy piecing, but that stitching makes up for the plainness of the fabric.

This whole-cloth quilt was interesting to study. Here's what the sign said for this 1750-1800 specimen, "This quilt is believed to have been manufactured in the last half of the eighteenth century and uses a floral pattern for its design. The materials used to construct this quilt are composed of natural fibers and dyed using a resist process and natural dyes. It displays some minor repairs from years of service and is typical of what might have been used by many families during the early settlement of Ohio."

 

 

Not all the textiles were quilts, as the cross stitch sampler above shows. This beauty was made by 11-year-old Sarah M. Pratt in 1841 or 1842 (depending on the source - do you see the discrepancy?)

 

 One special treat in the museum is the home of Rufus Putnam on its original site. It is decorated much as it would have been all those many years ago, with a beautiful blue and white quilt on one of the beds.

 

We began a big kitchen remodel yesterday, so between my classes and the remodel, stitching might take a secondary role. I hope not; we shall see. I definitely plan to share before/after pics here.

 

Happy Quilting, Friends!