New quilt in the frames

 

Well, I put a new quilt on the frames.  I think this one is going to take a while.  It is about 86" square.  I was trying to think of ways to make it not seem so monotonous.  I thought maybe choosing 3 or more different colored quilting threads might make it interesting.  But, my husband (who normally has absolutely no opinions on anything I quilt) convinced me it would be distracting and not add anything to the quilt.  He's right of course.  So I'm in for the long haul.

I haven't really come up with a name for this quilt though it reminds me of the scripture in Isaiah 1:18. 

My daughter #2 and I put Grandma's curtains up in the living room.  I love how it looks.  And we rearranged the furniture.  It seems so much bigger now.  I had the piano and an antique organ on the far wall.  The organ went to my daughter#2 who has a degree in organ performance and the piano went to my youngest son.  That picture on the far wall was centered over the piano and now should be moved over the center of the couch.  But, I keep thinking I might want to do something else with the open space on the right.  I thought about hanging a quilt but there is already a quilt in the room.  (see below)

I need to do something to make the room more cozy - warm it up a little.  Any suggestions?

As I'm going through things because that's what I do in January.  I noticed this darling picture of my mother and her sister.  My mother is the one on the left with the over-the-top bonnet on. She was 2 yrs. old.

I decided to get it out and enjoy it for January.  It's on my hutch.

I thought I'd share this cute picture that was a gift to me for Christmas.  It is supposed to represent our family including our little one that passed away (flew the coop).  It is a sweet reminder of everyone.

I am having a hard time coming up with a new project.  This has never happened before.  When I sit down I am itching for some handwork and I suppose I could get out an applique block I started but it's on hold because I can't make a decision on what should go in the corners.

I  really liked the scrap quilt Quiltmania tried to do last year.  All the patterns are online.  But when I started with the first block that is just four-patches and HSTs and it didn't come out to size I decided I didn't want to fuss with the French/English - inches/cm and I'd move on to something else.  I need a project that's not going to give me grief.

It is so cold inside today.  I made myself some cocoa to try and warm up.  I'm always trying a different cocoa and right now the thing that tastes the best is regular instant cocoa with 2 generous squeezes of Hershey's chocolate syrup.  (and miniature marshmallows, of course)

We had a funeral last Saturday and I was at the church from 9:30 till 3:45.  We served crockpot soup, rolls, cookies, and had a Hot Chocolate Bar.  Going to the cemetery for the dedication of the grave chilled everyone and they were pleased to return to a warm meal.  

Well, I've rambled on long enough.  Keep inside if you can and stay warm.

Robin

Just a quick post

 

I took my front room curtains down.  I had blue toile curtains and I've had them for about 10 years I think.  They were cumbersome to open and every thing was so dark when the were closed.  It is time for a change.  (If you look closely you can see the Christmas lights that are still on the tree on the left).

These are my grandmother's curtains that have been in a box since she passed away in 1993.  They are gorgeous French embroidery on voile.  My grandmother worked in the drapery department in Z.C.M.I. for years.  These curtains were hung in her apartment on 50 East 5th South  (a building that has long since been torn down) and so I remember them from the 60's. 

I've decided that this is the year I'm no longer saving things to be passed down.  My kids don't have any memories with these curtains, I do.  So I'm going to live with them and see them everyday.  Which is what I should have done a long time ago.  If the sun shines on them - I'm not going to fret.  I'm going to enjoy the filtered sunlight just like my grandmother did.

My kids can make some of their own memories with these curtains at my house.  I'm anxious for my daughter to come over and help me hang them.

I'm working on the binding for this quilt we tied Christmas eve.  (See the whole quilt in my previous post)  I found a piece of drapery fabric (coincidence?) for the binding that has all the colors of the blocks in the quilt except for the lavender.  I had just the right amount of this backing fabric with bunnies on it.  This little quilt is so happy, I don't know if I can donate it as planned.  I want to keep it.

I finished another quilt but it needs a label and I don't have a picture of it. 

Next time. . .  Robin

Mailing cookies, sled from the 70's, Memory tree, and a belt.

I was trying to find a recipe for gingerbread boys in my grandmother's old Betty Crocker cook book from the late 40's early 50's.  I came across this information for "Packing cookies successfully for mailing."  

Maybe the post office had the time to be more careful with packages back then .  But, I wonder if anyone was able to open a mailed box of cookies without them being in crumbs for the most part.

 

A couple of summers ago my husband was cleaning out the wood lot and came across our old sled.  He was going to take it to the dump but I convinced him to clean it up so it could be use to decorate.  He wanted to paint the runners etc. but I like it just like it is.  I think it could use a mini-quilt hanging.  I've  also thought about putting a wreath on it instead.  But, for right now I'm just enjoying the memories it invokes and it makes me smile.

Our Christmas tree is decorated with memories this year.  There is an ornament I made when I was nine years old.  There is a picture of my deceased sister.  The Christmas tree ornament below and to the right of the mittens is a new memory this year.  It is from our son and his family who have been transferred to Hawaii.  It lists all our children with our little boy who died when he was 3 yrs. as the star.

There are two ornaments that were on our first tree back in 1973.  And there are homemade ornaments from my mother.  

And this is Shane's belt from when he was about 7 yrs.  We went to the mall so the kids could visit Santa one year  There was no line and the minute Shane saw Santa he opened his arms wide and walked down the whole long aisle ready to give Santa a big hug.  When he got on Santa's knee he was asked what he wanted. 

 "A belt" he cheerfully said.  

That's all he asked for and I saved the belt.  It goes on the tree every year.  He is 47 now and looks like Santa with his tummy 😁.

As far as quilting goes, I finished quilting the Flowers quilt by Linda Brannock.  I need to bind it but that will have to wait till after Christmas.

And, my grandson, age 12, is in charge of the family Christmas eve party this year.  He has requested that we tie a quilt as part of the activities.  So that's another quilt top getting done.  I think that takes me down to only 8 unfinished quilt tops.  Wahoo!!!

The quilt we are tying next week.

One of my other sons got a new puppy for Christmas, a golden doodle.  His well beloved dog died in September and now he's starting a new chapter.  I'm happy for him.  Puppies are always an adventure.

I like what Dr. Pol said about getting a new dog.  "You'll never get the same dog back but that doesn't mean that you won't love them just as much and become attached to them."

I think I'm almost prepared for Christmas.  I just need to make Swiss Christmas Bread (Challah), my ancestry is Swiss.  And I need to clean (my least favorite part).  

Love to all,

Robin

Random late autumn

This has been an interesting fall.  The leaves of the  flowering pears across the street usually turn a plum color and have completely fallen by now.  This year they are an orange/bronze hue and when the sun rises and shines on them each morning they send a dazzling golden light into my living room.  It is so so bright and pretty

 

Well, we have turned the corner in to the next holiday.  It's time to change the decor.

We had a little snow this week.  It made everything look so nice.  The mountain got 10" and we got 1".  

Getting ready for Thanksgiving always takes a lot of time.  It's tradition tis to use my grandmother's meat grinder to grind the cranberries for relish.  I had never had relish till I got married.  My family ate jellied cranberry sauce.   My husband's family ate relish and I have say,  I heartily prefer it now.

I decided to use my Apple pattern dishes this year instead of the usual paper plates.  There were only five of us and I don't mind washing these dishes because they shine so brightly when they come out of the sudsy water and are rinsed off.  

The pie was made out of butternut squash this year.  The "garden gnome" AKA my husband, harvested about 15 this fall.  Very tasty!

And then I got sick  

This is a view of the sunshine and shadow from the window near my bed  The sun is shining today and it's cheerful.  

I still need to debone the turkey that is chilled and waiting.   I sure don't feel like it. . . 

It's officially Christmas time and I'll end with this violin tree I saw recently.  It proves that anything can decorate a tree.

Enjoy your day,

Robin

Top is finished

 I finished the Wisconsin quilt top.  That border is just so lovely.  It is from a line called "Riverbanks" by Jeanne Horton.  I have about 1 1/2 yds. left so I can use it in some future project too.  The center unit, bumblebee, and post mark fabric are from Jeanne Horton's Wisconsin line from 2014. The golden fabric that the applique is on is a Kim Diehl fabric.

We had snow yesterday.  It was big heavy wet flakes but it didn't pile up. It melted by sunset.  It cleaned the air and made everything sparkle.

I put on Christmas music this morning.  Tis the season. . . 

Robin

(I keep hearing big booms.  Camp Williams is having it's howitzer shooting practice.)

Happy Hallowe'en

 

Just a quick note to wish you all a Happy Halloween and repeat my love for this season of the year. 

 The sun continues to change it's angle and by so doing I can see my maple tree reflected on my garage side window from the inside of my house.  

If I open the front door, which is just to the right of this round window and look out to see the reflection. . . it isn't there.  

Autumn is such a magic time of year.

Have fun tonight whether you have a gathering to go to or you are repeatedly answering your front door.  

Robin

Exchange, quilt on the floor, autumn

 

I have been working all week on an exchange we are having in my quilt group.  We are exchanging any size (mine are 12") pumpkin blocks.  I made the one on the right and decided it didn't really shout pumpkin so I changed the pattern.  Thank goodness there are only 8 of us participating because it's taking longer than I thought it would (doesn't it always?).  I've got 6 pumpkins shapes appliqued so far, just 2 more and then I'll work on the stems and leaves. (Was just reminded that there are only 7 of us participating so I'll have one extra regular pumpkin as well as the first block I made - Good Grief!)

I thought I'd show some of my progress on the flower quilt.  I call it "Earth with her 10,000 flowers" from the song.

I am enjoying doing the Baptist fan quilting pattern.  It makes it feel like it's going fast.  I'm using white DMC color #712 pearl cotton size 8 thread.  It is so soft and glides right through the fabric.

My #2 daughter has finished all the blocks for her batik quilt but she has no room to lay them all out so here they are in my family room.  She has such little time to sew because she's in the thick of teenagers (four of them to be exact ranging in age from 12 to 18).  She's in the car constantly taking them to school, ballet, friends houses, etc.  Her husband is deployed so she's doing it all by herself.

She comes over one morning a week because that is all the time she has to spare.

So, this quilt might be on my basement floor for a while.  It's just my husband and I so it's not bothering us.  He exercises down there and I quilt at the frames both of which are not hampered by her quilt.

I set up a sewing station down there too so when she comes she can just sit down and sew.

The valley is finally showing some signs of fall.  I've seen the colors on the mountainside for a month now.  This is our maple tree on the south side of the house.

Halloween is next week already, actually one week from today.  September and October have flown by in a dream.  

Robin