Christmas Past

This quilt has a story, although I don't know much of it. I found a box of beautiful hand stitched quilt blocks at an estate sale earlier this year. The fabrics are soft and look old, probably feed sacks and repurposed clothing. Each 9” block contains four 4½” LeMoyne Stars around a center square.  I can't imagine hand stitching all those tiny points with such precision!

Interestingly, these lovely blocks had once been in a quilt, then taken apart. There is cotton batting fuzz on the backs and tiny holes around the edges from picked out stitching. I'm guessing that the red material bled onto the original sashing, since a few look slightly faded. I don't know happened to it, but someone took that quilt apart to salvage those blocks, and meant to finish it. I guess now that someone is me.

There were 37 blocks total. I chose sixteen that had some green coloring to make a Christmas wall hanging. I added narrow green sashing after doing a couple of repairs and squaring up blocks. Considering they were hand cut and hand stitched, most were nearly perfect.

Christmas Past vintage quilt rescue, 2021

To keep the vintage look, the backing is natural muslin and binding is a green mini check. I used a machine stitch that looks like handwork for quilting with cream thread. My hand stitches are not that pretty. Christmas Past finished out at 42” square.

I'm so pleased that I rescued vintage blocks that someone felt were important enough to carefully pick a whole quilt apart. Now they'll live on in at least two projects. And that's a happy ending in my book.

Merry Christmas to all,

and to all a good night!

Spring Cleaning

I didn't do much sewing last week. Between spring cleaning and stormy days when my machine was unplugged, my stitching time was limited.

When I'm really in the mood to clean, I go all out. Our camper needed the full treatment since it hasn't been used for almost 18 months. Because of COVID, we canceled all our 2020 trips. Oh, we aired it out and unloaded some gear during that time, but it was still a little dusty and stale.

We spent all week. EVERYTHING came out: pots, pans, dishes, linens, all the stuff that normally stays in there. Lots of laundry and several dishwasher loads made it all fresh and clean. I wiped down walls and cabinets, replaced shelf liner, vacuumed, mopped and dusted.

I find it very satisfying to clean and organize once I get started. I culled out duplicate, expired or unused items before moving it all neatly back in. Rockette, my sturdy Singer 500-A, is stashed snugly in a cabinet with her sewing supplies and a couple of quilt kits. I've loaded basic clothing and canned goods. 

Now the camper is ready for our next trip--a few weeks after we get our 2^nd vaccine. All I'll need to add is fresh food.

Spring cleaning will now carry over into the house, but not until we rest and rejuvenate. I logged several miles just toting things back and forth. Thank goodness I had the help of my favorite guy. He finished indoor and outdoor trailer maintenance as well.  We're a great team.

Spring time

is the perfect time

to clean!

Bits and Pieces

This colorful quilt uses some of the smallest pieces I've ever sewn into blocks. Talk about saving scraps...women of the 1930's would be proud.

When I got the spider web die for my birthday, I started cutting fabric remnants. Selecting different colors, I randomly stitched them together. Because of the tiny pieces and many seams, it took several days.

I used a natural muslin for contrast to showcase the web shapes. I chose a meandering stitch to quilt in free motion, with cream thread. Bits and Pieces is 36” x 48” in size.

I love the final product! The die is awesome for using up the smallest of remnants. It looks like an old fashioned quilt that my grandmothers would have made. I can't wait to make other versions with different background colors.

Bits and Pieces

It seemed like a perfect project to sew around Mother's Day. I thought about how women during the Depression years would have spent their time. They'd cut up old curtains, housedresses, shirts, and feed sacks to create a warm quilt for next to nothing, using faded blankets for batting.

Thankfully, I don't have to worry about saving every cent, although I do get a certain satisfaction out of using leftovers to make a bonus quilt or two. It must be my rural Southern thrifty dirt farmer roots showing.

Accuquilt die

55487 Spider Web 6"

Daydreams

Fun and color were on my mind when I designed this week's featured quilt. Using up some of my scraps is a happy bonus. I cut crossed canoe blocks and 5” squares in shades of aqua, red, blue, yellow, orange, green and purple with gray contrast.

I laid out the design in EQ8 software so that I could experiment with color placement. Daydreams is 45” x 54” in size. Backing is a white and gray wide print. I quilted with gray thread in a scallop stitch.

Accuquilt dies used:  

Crossed Canoes 55181

5” square 55010

Final 2019 project count is fifty-one. I've enjoyed sewing each and every one and though I always want to keep them, I have gifted a few.

I'm looking forward to the new year, even though the temperature here in Tennessee has been unseasonably warm. 

My 2020 quilt to do list is growing quickly, but first I'll take some time this week to organize the sewing room.

As for other resolutions, I say make a few, break a few, but always live the life you choose.

Granny's Garden Walk

Granny's Garden Walk

Are you ready for another Granny Rose block? She had two completed samples of this one in different sizes. The nine patch block is based on 54-40 or Fight design, but has been known by several names over the years. In 1939, it was published as Garden Walk; in 1969 it went by Bird of Paradise; some call it Grandmother's Star when colors are arranged to emphasize the star points.

Mine is a 12” finished block, and as usual, I used Electric Quilt 8 to design and Accuquilt dies to cut the pieces. The 2 ½” square value die for center and corner four patches and the 4” finished triangle in square die went together perfectly. 

Lydia Rose's Garden Walk blocks

I chose four 1930's era colors in two shades each: sunny yellow, luscious lavender, true blue, and grass green, with white for all the triangles.

Granny's Garden Walk is 48” square. I arranged the colors diagonally and decided not to use sashing between the squares. I like the secondary design where the corners come together. 

Quilting was done with white thread, using a walking foot to stitch lines in a lightly flowing wave pattern. Backing is a tiny lattice print in light lavender and white; binding is white.

Start to finish, this took me seven days, working on it several hours every day. I still had time for walks, housework (basics only), and errands.  

A week of sewing = one happy quilter!

A day without quilting

probably won't kill me,

but why take the risk?

Road Trip

When we were camping in April, I pieced a bunch of four-patch squares in random color combinations. Once we were home, I added a few signature blocks, resulting in this cute 29” table mat called Road Trip. The bright yellow and white dot backing and binding gives it a happy look. It's quilted with bright yellow thread in a diagonal pattern.

I enjoy sewing in the camper, especially using scraps from my favorite quilting projects. When a small scrap basket fills up, I schedule some cutting time with my AccuQuilt cutter. It's much better than my former system: a huge hamper and boxes stuffed with wrinkled fabric odds and ends. Cutting pieces into commonly used sizes keeps my scrap piles neatly organized and gives me plenty of inspiration.

Starting somewhere 

now

is better than

starting somewhere 

later

How About Them Apples?

Red Delicious

This mouth-watering lap quilt was finished in early January. I used the Accuquilt apple core die that I got for Christmas. Cutting was a breeze...I can't imagine how long it would have taken me to cut out this shape by hand! Notches helped make sewing together the pieces much easier. I did have to slow down a bit to maintain accurate seams. No racing at full speed on this one.

Red Delicious finished out at 43” square. Red prints and a cream/black modern geometric are alternated for the center. Black fabric with gardening tools is used for inside border, backing, and binding. Outside border is a red burlap print. I quilted a straight stitch along the curves for the interior, and used a decorative serpentine stitch with black/grey/cream variegated thread to accent the red border.

This beauty should remind me to eat apples more often. It's said they keep the doctor away, you know. 

An apple a day keeps anyone away

if you throw it hard enough

🔴...feeling a little saucy here...🔴

Why not upset the apple cart?

If you don’t the apples will rot anyway

~Frank A. Clark

Berries And Blooms

It's May...berries and blooms are showing up everywhere! 

Strawberries are in a bit early, medium sized, and absolutely delicious. I believe Tennessee berries are the sweetest and best in the world. There are several pick your own farms within a few miles of us. Served over shortcake or biscuit, with ice cream, sprinkled with sugar, or plain fresh out of the basket--doesn't matter to me. I just wish the season was longer!

Most of my indoor plants have been moved to their seasonal home on our screened porch. I am loving my time in the yard; yes, even the weeding (for now). Have I ever mentioned how much I hate wild ginger vine and poison ivy?  

Spring flowers are so beautiful this year. I have purple, yellow, peach and white iris, pale pink peonies, lavender phlox, beautiful dark pink heirloom roses, and a few late red azaleas blooming right now. I've bought a few flats of red and purple petunias, yellow lantana, lime sweet potato vine, marigolds, salmon geranium, maroon and lime coleus, and orange violas to add splashes of color in pots. The hummingbirds are back and they love these blooms, too.  Now if I can keep the deer away from the hosta, I'll be doing all right. 

The earth laughs in flowers. – Emerson

Nature is cheaper than therapy.

Sewing...and More

Lately I've been spending my spare time doing what I love...sewing! After my last project, I freshened up my work space, put away scrap pieces, cleaned the machine and changed needles. Beginning a new project in an organized space helps me engage more creative brain cells. Several more designs are already awaiting my attention. I'm looking forward to a retreat to my own sewing room several times a week. It may be cheaper than therapy.

Once I finished in the sewing room, I focused my efforts on the kitchen pantry. New shelf liner and a couple of graduated racks for canned goods make it look nicer. Labels keep things organized and easy to find. Soon, I'll work my way through the rest of the cabinets—laundry room, bathrooms, hall closet, office—to sort and purge.

What's the upside to all this organizing? I'll have more time to spend living life, doing what I enjoy!

Useful Notion: Being organized isn't about getting rid of everything you own or trying to become a different person; it's about living the way you want to live, but better. ~Andrew Mellen

Contentment

 

con·tent·ment

 : the state of being mentally and physically satisfied with things just as they are

: peace of mind; satisfaction

: a happy or pleased feeling with one's circumstances

It is comforting to be at place in life where you know you can handle whatever comes along. You've cleared unnecessary things and exasperating people out of your path so that you can go your own way. That's contentment. 

 

Some people always strive to be somewhere else or someone else; they will never be truly content. You have to be comfortable with who you are before you can find your way to where you want to be. 

 

Happiness and satisfaction in life come from knowing you are where you belong. That doesn't mean you're stuck in one place, but that you trust yourself to go forward confidently and enjoy the journey.

“When you can think of yesterday without regret 

and tomorrow without fear, 

you are near contentment.” 

– unknown

“At some point you gotta let go, sit still, 

and let contentment come to you.” 

– Elizabeth Gilbert

Potential

po·ten·tial

: capable of becoming real 

 

: a chance or possibility that something will happen or exist in the future

: a quality that something has that can be developed to make it better

: an ability that someone has that can be developed to help that person become successful



Everyone has potential for something: Achievements, personal satisfaction, talent, success. Have you looked for yours? 
 
Clues are all around you. Discover what you do best by seeing what comes naturally. Look within to find who you want to be. Develop your talents and achieve your potential.



Useful Notion: You are confined only by the walls you build yourself.


“Potential is a priceless treasure, like gold. We all have gold hidden within, but we have to dig to get it out.” Joyce Meyer