Big Chairs

Hi there!

Last week I woke up to find that my computer no longer worked.  I worked with service folk (who were very nice) and my internet provider, but to no avail.  The computer had to be replaced.  At first, I ordered a computer from Amazon but it wouldn't work with my monitor so I sent that back.  

Then I went to Staples and I received such great assistance.  I didn't think I could get a computer with a CD drive anymore but they had one that had everything I needed.  Then they loaded the computer so that all I had to do was take it home and plug it in.  They even wiped my old computer and got rid of it!

It was a very busy week anyway.  We had ordered two new recliners in November and they finally arrived on Wednesday.  My husband swore they were the same size as the recliners we had.  They weren't.  Now half the living room is taken up by the chairs.😂  Even my know-it-all husband was shocked when he saw them (of course he was away during the week so I was moving furniture on my own).  

Lucky:  "I LOVE these chairs!"

How large could the chairs be?  Well big enough that my 27 lb dog can lay comfortably on one arm of the chair.  He can lay across my lap without curling up because he fits the width of the chair.

We aren't returning the chairs.  Mostly because we don't entertain anymore and the chairs are comfortable.  At this point in our life, we should just appreciate any comfort we can find.

 Anyway, I'm pretty happy that life is returning to normal (at least I hope that) this week.

Have a safe and happy day!

Tuesday's This and That: March 25, 2025

 

Hello and welcome to another edition of 

Tuesday's This and That!

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Donna Jordan of Jordan Fabrics passed last week.  We are all sending prayers and sympathy to her family.  For years, I've used a lot of Donna's free patterns and tutorials (see here).  I recently was using her youtube tutorial to make a Jewel Box quilt (top not finished yet).  

It was from Donna that I heard the hack about using weights to hold down my ruler when I was cutting.  It was a technique that I know Beth uses too.

I know the whole quilting community is praying for the Jordan family and sending sympathy to her family.

***

Last week I shared a tutorial of a possible scrap quilt (here).  I found another quilt tutorial that is very easy and would use scraps.  Either of these quilt patterns would make great charity quilts.  The tutorial is here and uses charm squares or 2.5 inch squares and strips.  It would also make a good beginner quilt pattern.  The end effect is quite charming.  Enjoy!

***

Speaking of charity quilts, have you heard of Wrap The World With Quilts?  There's a nice website you can explore here.

***

That's it for today!

Have a safe and happy day!

March Finishes

 

Hello friends!

I continue to focus on things that bring me joy.  The news is abysmal, the weather here got cool again, and I'm looking forward to losing myself in the garden as well as the sewing room.

Despite being sick and my machine being in the shop this month, I did manage to get some quilts finished (because they only needed binding).

The first one focused on a Mary Engelbreit panel and leftover blocks from a quilt I made a long time ago (maybe 8 years?).  Well another piece finished!

The quilt below will probably be a charity quilt.  I have lots of juvenile novelty prints left and I need to use more of that up as well.  

Now that I'm feeling better, I'm hoping to get back to my hand sewing as well.  What are you working on?

Have a safe and happy day!

Flower Friday: March 21, 2025

 

 Spring is here!

On Tuesday, I took Lucky to a different park.  Our regular park had workmen and it was a bit too loud.  Some of these parks in our valley really intrigue me.  

Who built this wall?  Was it a remnant of an old homestead or built by the WPA?

Lucky enjoyed the park and there were more flowers blooming there!

I can't remember what this ground cover is called (above) but the hills were filled with the pretty yellow flowers!

The first daffodils of the season that I encountered!

One lone Scilla Siberia Blue at the park...

But more starting to bloom in my neighborhood!

Wishing you a safe and happy weekend!

Happy Spring!

 

Happy Spring to you!

There might be little to celebrate these days but we must grasp the joy we can these days!

Go outside and have some fun!

If you find yourself photographing flowers, please email a few to me for Flower Friday!

Have a safe and happy day!

Dreams of Machines :)

 

Hello!  

Right before I became ill, I had a dream about my sewing machine.  I dreamt Bill had fixed it and called me to pick it up.  When  I picked it up, he handed me this:

I don't know how to interpret the dream--other than I am a bit unsettled without my sewing machine these days.😂😂😂

So here's a reorganizing tip:  In the world of textile collectors, we often find that substances like wood can soil fabric.  Cedar is particularly hard on cotton.  So what are we to do?  A museum taught my old study group about their technique years ago. 

Yes you can use acid free tissue and boxes, but it's expensive. Some people wrap their cherished items in thick layers of muslin but considering the price of fabric these days is also a bit expensive.  

Years ago,  a museum taught our study group their technique.  They lined boxes in tinfoil which is very effective at protecting fabric.  In areas where I store some of my vintage and antique textiles (like chest of drawers), I line the whole drawer in tinfoil.  

I actually do the same thing for fabric that is being stored on wood shelves. Case in point:  19th century reproduction fabric.  I was tired of the repro fabric after Beth and I made examples for our Civil War Quilt program (a decade or more ago).  But I'm glad I kept it now.  The reproduction fabric is charming me again and I'm glad I have it--and even happier that I preserved it with tinfoil.

 Another benefit of reorganizing?   Assessing fabrics that we rarely use.  For me that would be the 19th century reproduction fabric and also...floral fabric.  Regarding floral fabric--I know, I know.  It's so silly.  I'm loathe to cut up some of the florals because they are so pretty but I need to use it.

What do you think you have a lot of in your stash that you need to use?

Have a safe and happy day!

The Upside of Machine Repair

 

19th century trade card

Greetings!

My poor Pfaff machine is still in the repair shop.  I was going to make the best of it and spring clean the sewing room but I then got sick. Lucky got sick too with another ear infection...both ears this time.  We slept a lot together.  He is much better than I am but is being patient as I recover.  I still walk him through the day (sick or not, must be done) and it's good for my lungs to get the exercise and move around.

Before all that happened, I was enjoying cleaning out the sewing room and going through every little thing.  That's why I love reorganizing and cleaning.  

And yes, I did get sidetracked and spent one afternoon cutting all the scraps from the container destined to be 2.5 inch squares.  I don't even feel bad about being diverted.  I figure it is all part of the process and now I have an empty large container and a box of 2.5 inch blocks ready to go!

I also like finding stuff I had forgotten about.  I found this fabric

 and realized it would be perfect for the scrap quilt tutorial I recently viewed that used yardage and 2.5 inch squares (here).  It will be a donation quilt.

So more on organizing tomorrow but I need a nap now.  Have a safe and happy day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

 

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Today I'm sharing some photos of quilts that sport green!

Mid 20th century scrap star quilt

Mine: Pre-covid scrap quilt

Last quarter 19th century

Mid 20th century

Last quarter 19th century

Another pre-covid green quilt I made

Wall hanging made with photos of my Irish-American family.

Have a safe and happy day!

Flower Friday: March 14, 2025

 

5 days until spring!

The grass has not really greened up yet but the onion grass is showing (Lucky loves to smell it).  But there are signs of spring here!

Abundant snowdrops!

The crocuses are coming in!

And my neighbor's wee Dutch irses are blooming!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Tuesday's This and That: March 11, 2025

Grandmother's Flower Garden, circa 1940

Hi there!  The above quilt was one of two twin (matching) quilts and were made down the street where I live.  I was so happy to get them!  

***

This week, there is an interesting article over at Barbara Brackman's Material Culture blog.  Great quilts, especially the Totten quilt which has long been a favorite with me.  You can read it here.

***

I remember when we (women) couldn't receive a credit card without the signature of our husband.

I remember when a woman could lose her job because she was pregnant.

I remember when I had to wear a dress to school and choices about my body were dictated by men...including access to birth control if a woman was unmarried.

I remember when women could be excluded from jury duty.

We live in an age where the powers that be would like to rewrite history to focus only on white men.  There has been considerable controversy surrounding the U.S. Army (see here) and NSA (now rescinded) (here).  If there is a young woman you love in your life, you might want to read this report from the National Women's History Museum (here).  

Have a safe and happy day!

 

 

Hello and how are you?

We are recovering from a very busy weekend.  Because some of the family was coming in from out-of-state, we had a big ol' get together.  The highlight was Remi, my great niece--here with my brother Jim.  Two year old children really keep you busy!

Lucky is under the weather with another earache and will be heading to the vet asap.  Also my Pfaff machine broke down and that is in the repair shop.

So this week I'll be doing a deep clean and reorganization of the sewing room in between taking family members to doctors.

What are you up to this week?

Have a safe and happy day!

13 Days

 

13 Days Until Spring!

Have a safe and happy weekend!

Scrap Quilting

Circa 1950 scrap top

Hello friends!

Today's question is:  How do you define scraps and/or scrap quilting?  I was watching Sue at the From Small Things channel (here) and she asked how quilters define their scraps.

Her question and thoughts resonated with me.  As the new year has commenced, quilters have been reorganizing their fabric and looking at their scrap fabrics.  It always surprises me when folks consider fat quarters to be scraps.  I grew up thinking that the leftover pieces from projects could be considered "scraps" unless there was considerable yardage (rarely happened though).

Brown Goose Quilt, circa 1950

Sometimes when we look at older quilts we suggest that the quilt may be utilitarian.  Around here, that might mean the quilt was made for the cots of farm workers.  

One true scrap quilt that I own is this hexagon piece:

Hilda's Hexagons, circa 1930

We know the provenance of "Hilda's Hexagon Quilt" because she was able to relay the story of the quilt before she passed.  This quilt was truly a scrap quilt, comprised of many fabrics from dresses her mother made and some other household items.  She could go through the quilt and state where many of the fabrics derived.  

Some quilts appear to have been made from what we now refer to as a "deep scrap bag."  In other words, there appears to be a variety of decades in the one quilt.  Below a few of the dark pieces appear to be prints from the late 19th century in this 20th century quilt:

I'm wondering how you define scraps.

Have a safe and happy day!

 

March is National Quilting Month

 

Greetings!

March is considered National Quilting Month.  The third Saturday of the month is National Quilting Day.  This year that will fall on March 15.

Around 1991 is when the National Quilting Day or month was conceived by NQA--the National Quilting Association.  I was a member of that association and my guild was as well.  Unfortunately, the association dissolved in 2015.

Happily, we still have American Quilter's Society and you can check out the group's website here if you are unfamiliar with them.

This month, I hope to post many photos of the antique/vintage quilts from my collections.  The quilt above is a family quilt that I inherited and is from circa 1880.  I call it the Centennial Quilt because it features many fabrics that celebrated the 100 year anniversary of our country:

The unusual aqua fabric below is often referred to as "centennial green" because it was manufactured only around the time of the centennial.  We would have to wait another few decades until more pastels and bright colors were available in the 1920s and 30s.

Wishing you a safe and happy day!