Bella

Here's a quick, easy table runner in my favorite color, purple. I sewed the center block from scraps back in May as a sample of the Jackaroo Star die from Blue Wren.

One afternoon I decided to stitch two more blocks with similar fabric, and finished it off with two inch borders. I quilted in white thread using a spiral ruler template. Bella is 16½” x 40” finished size. It's nice to have projects like this in mind when I want to get something done quickly.

Last week, my resident handyman refinished the top of my sewing desk. While it was out of the way, I deep cleaned the sewing room, including windows, shelves, and dusty baseboards. I love a clean room! 

Naturally I got sidetracked while putting away quilting magazines. I flipped through a few older ones to rediscover some amazing ideas for the rest of the summer and into the fall.  So many possibilities!

Blue Wren dies used:
6369 Jackaroo Star 12” block
6720 Magic Strips

When you focus on

possibilities,

you'll have more

opportunities.

Thankful Anyway

Well, 2020 hasn't given us much to be thankful for. Between the election, hurricanes, and COVID-19, most of this year has seemed frantic and unsettling. It has definitely been a time for vision.

With my ever positive attitude, I am still thankful for a lot. My husband and I are both healthy. We have a roof over our heads, food, water, and paper products. We are retired, so we don't have to go out except for necessities. We can stay in and stay safe, wearing masks when we leave the house. I do miss eating out, but to me it isn't worth the risk.

I'm grateful that I truly enjoy being at home. I've taken advantage of extra time here to make a few small improvements. I've cleared out and reorganized cabinets, closets and drawers. Home to us is sanctuary; a cozy, peaceful place to relax and enjoy life.

Going through quarantines and shortages made me pause to think about what's really important. The extra solitude gave me the opportunity to reconsider what I want my life to be like. Simplicity and comfort are key ingredients; saying no to people and things I don't want is another.

I've turned off the news, listened to more music, read more books, explored new ideas, taken long walks, and had great conversations with my husband. I found that I don't need so many clothes, shoes, and accessories. My hair has grown out to a pretty silvery color and I just trimmed off the last of the blonde ends. I'm officially an old gal now, but still a feisty one!

Last of all, I appreciate having a lovely craft room with enough fabric and supplies to keep me sewing for at least another year or two. My sweetie has the full basement for his toys and projects.

So, we're good here. And thankful.

Wishing you all

a peaceful Thanksgiving

Little Green Apples

Wearin' of the green for St. Patrick's Day...it's a natural at our house!

I'm sewing with green, too.  Little Green Apples is a lovely baby quilt in shades of green and white. These prints are old fashioned, just like the pattern. The curved seams in the Apple Core die went together perfectly on my Janome 9400 machine.

I quilted in white thread, using straight stitch and following the curves. The outside borders were stitched in straight lines. This little beauty was a delight to sew, and finished out at 42” square.

I have several projects cut and ready in case of quarantine due to the current pandemic. In fact, I'm thinking about staying home anyway. Who wants to risk getting sick? I need to spring clean, and I'll use ANY excuse to sew all day.

Accuquilt dies used:

55036 Apple Core

55017 2 ½” strip

Sláinte!

Singer Slant-O-Matic 500 Rocketeer

Singer Slant-O-Matic 500
Rocketeer

Do you know what sometimes happens when you're just browsing around, not intending to buy anything? Yep, that item catches your eye and you are hooked.

I've been bad. I certainly didn't need another sewing machine, especially a vintage one from the early 1960's. But this Singer Slant-O-Matic 500 is so cool looking, so space age and interesting that it is commonly known as the Rocketeer. Price was only $49, including the original manual and accessory box, so I figured why not.

My sweet husband and I cleaned, degunked lint and grease out of the gears, replaced a worn bobbin winder tire, broken spring, and a few other parts. We polished this well built gem to a shine. I love working on projects with my guy.

She sewed beautifully, even before we cleaned her up. But now, what lovely stitches! I had attachments from my Athena 2000 that fit, but ordered some cams and bobbins. My investment is around $100 so far; I call that a bargain!

Rockette won't be my primary machine, but I will use her often enough to keep everything running smoothly. I tested her out by quilting and binding a small project and she sewed a dream.

Rockette at work

I've got to stay away from antique malls, thrift stores, yard sales, and online marketplaces. I'm too easily tempted! I don't have space or funds to go crazy collecting sewing machines. But, if I win the lottery...

Wine Cellar

Wine Cellar

Strip quilts are fast and easy, but still allow for creativity. Wine Cellar brings to mind sweet sangria and crisp, bubbly spumante. 

Coordinating wine and burgundy 2 1/2” strips are sewn alternately with a subtle cream print, then trimmed into 8” diagonal squares. The same cream Sedona print is used for sashing and backing. Quilting is simply stitched in 1 1/2” parallel rows. The tranquil 43” square would make a nice wall quilt.

I had a bonus week since we came home early from camping. After unloading and cleaning the camper, I spent most of my time sewing, designing, and reading. (Who would have guessed?) I would sew all day every day if I didn't have to eat and keep the house clean. And I've found that I can't drink wine while sewing.  Too many crooked seams.  I'm thankful that my sweetie has hobbies too, so he understands my addiction to fabric. 

 

Lessons Learned and Things Remembered

It's been an interesting year. As I reflect on 2015, these thoughts come to mind.

The only person that you can really change is yourself.

Things don't always turn out like you planned, or the way you think they should, but they mostly turn out like they are supposed to.

When you focus on what you want, everything else falls into place.

There's a lot of beauty and joy in ordinary things.

Some fools aren't worth the breath needed to cuss them out.

There are people out there who pretend to be nice, honest and compassionate, but ultimately their words and actions prove otherwise.

Surround yourself with the things you love; discard the rest.

It's ok to say no to unnecessary crazy.

Choosing to be happy is good for your health.

Life is better when you're laughing.

In the end, only three things matter:

how much you loved,

how gently you lived, and

how gracefully you let go

of things not meant for you.

--Buddha

The Very Best Days

Now. 

Today. 

You have the opportunity to enjoy this day, to make it what you want. You can't go back, only forward. So make today the day to do what you need to be happy. Continue to do that tomorrow, and the next day, without fail.

Live life now, don't just exist.  

These are the very best days. 

I Don't Have To...

follow the herd.

impress people.

fix everything.

tolerate fools.

get frustrated.

feel obligated. 

 

explain myself.

listen to lies.

keep everything.

pretend to like someone.

seek approval.

always say yes.

wait for the perfect time. 

 

agree with everyone.

offer excuses.

be perfect. 

 

act my age.

    ...if I don't want to.

I'm just trying to be me. I didn't ask for anyone's opinion.

“Don't put the key to your happiness 

in someone else's pocket.” - Unknown

Responsibility

re·spon·si·bil·i·ty

: the quality or state of being responsible, answerable, or accountable

: a duty or task that one is required or expected to do

: something that one should do because it is morally right or legally required
: a person or thing for which one is responsible

There are many people in the world who never, ever, take responsibility. They slide through life declaring “It's not my fault” or “That's not my problem.” They lie to cover up mistakes, to get out of sticky situations and to avoid accountability.
 
I prefer those folks who do the right thing. They take care of their family, help others, abide by the rules, and behave in a responsible manner. They are the friends you'd like to have, and the ones you'd rather be around. Most of them do these things automatically, happily and without hesitation, because that's how they are made. 
 
I'm grateful that my parents taught me responsibility, because I expect that the good Lord or karma will hold me accountable one day.  


Useful Notions:
“I believe that we are solely responsible for our choices, and we have to accept the consequences of every deed, word, and thought throughout our lifetime.” ~Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

“Life is a gift, and it offers us the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility to give something back by becoming more.” ~Anthony Robbins

Simplify!

That's my theme for January. 

Sim-pli-fy:  
to make easier to do or understand
   a: to reduce to basic essentials

   b: to streamline

   c: to clarify

There are a lot of areas to work on, and I've already started. Home, shopping, food, clothing, hobbies, habits and goals are all under review. I'm hoping that simplifying life will lead to harmony, joy, peacefulness, fun, and a beautiful 2014.

Useful Notion: There is beauty in simplicity. 

Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated. --Confucius

Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify. --Henry David Thoreau

** BRRRR!  it's COLD here on the ridge this morning!  Three degrees at 6 am.