Simplicity is sometimes better...

 

There's a common theme I'm hearing from a lot of quilters these days:  simplicity.  We all seem to be impacted by all the chaos (and ugliness)  in the world these days.  Many of us have multiple responsibilities tugging at us and competing for our time.

I've been going through some of my quilts and textiles and pulled out this simple yellow quilt:

 

I love the space in between the 9 patches.  There's a sweet order to this quilt and I've enjoyed having it on my couch these days.

I think this piece is from the early 1960s.  I do believe that it was made then because the woman who sold it to me mentioned it was the first quilt she made. 

I'm looking for a new quilt to make and for some reason, I keep thinking I need to make something more complicated.  But the truth is I just want to relax and enjoy myself...and that is okay.

Do you find yourself putting pressure on yourself to do something more fussy?

Have a safe and happy day!

Hankie Holder?

 

Did you have a good weekend?

Today I'm talking about a mystery.  Years ago, I bought two mystery items.  I took them to the study group but none of us could figure out what the purpose.  Later I thought maybe they were shoe holders and wrote about it here.

They look like pants but are closed at the bottom:

Now I'm wondering if perhaps they were meant to hold hankerchiefs.  I was going through some things and found this which I had forgotten about:

Is it possible the "pants" were made for this purpose?

I'm still not sure.  

What do you think?

Have a safe and happy day!

Flower Friday: March 27, 2026

 

I was so pleased that Louise sent me photos from her garden.  Thank you Louise!  Our crocuses faded with the last storm so these are a treat!

I got the phone to work again (I'm not sure how) but here are some photos from my part of the interwebs:

The heather in my garden is attracting honey bees!

The storms we had a week ago really damaged the flowers.  My neighbor had lots of Dutch irises blooming.  They faded with the cold and rain but one little iris has appeared again:

Siberian Squill is blooming everywhere:

A true sign of spring is the forsythia blooming!

The daffodils are beginning to bloom.  These are miniature ones that were growing at the park!

Last but not least is my neighbor's Lenten Roses on the header above.

I am cleaning out the beds one at a time these days (weather permitting) and so enjoying any time I can get outside!  I hope you are too!

Have a safe and happy weekend!

A Glitch

 

I'm having problems getting photos from my phone to the computer.  This is a new problem and I'm not sure what to do about it.  I'll ask the 8 year old across the street to help me when he gets home from elementary school.

I had lots of photos of flowers so I'm hoping to get this running before tomorrow.  Thanks for understanding!

Inspiration Illustrations

 

Apologies.

I've been meaning to post more illustrations that inspire me to create a similar quilt (see post here).

Unfortunately, I'm usually running at 90 mph and I write blog posts very quickly before I have to be (or drive someone) to an appointment.

Without further ado here are three illustrations of quilts I would like to try:

Any illustrations you can think of that you would like to sew?

Have a safe and happy day!

Happy Spring!!!

 

It's here!  

I woke up on Thursday and wondered why is music playing so early in the neighborhood.  Granted, I am very hard of hearing and couldn't figure it out right away.  It wasn't a radio or an ice cream truck...it was birds singing!!  

We usher in a new positive season of rebirth and joy.  Goodness knows we all need it at this point.

The flowers that were blooming here were smooshed by the storms we had earlier in the week but the daffodils are surfacing rapidly these days and soon other flowers will be waving.

Nann from the "With Strings Attached" blog recently emailed be about a new habit going around the internet.  Instead of "doomscrolling" take a break and do some "bloomscrolling".  Here are some great definitions:

By the way, you should check out Nann's blog.  She is a fantastic quilter and I always find her posts enriching!  You can Nannscroll here.  😊

Hope you get some decent weather and an opportunity to absorb the beauty of spring!

Have a safe and happy weekend!

Baby Quilt

 

So happy that another baby is coming soon!

We are close with our neighbors, especially the family next door!  We've watched their kids grow up and often they played with my granddaughter over here.  The youngest son and his wife are having a baby in May.  The decor of the nursery is "cottage core".

Here's what I am sending over:

I actually made this quilt years ago for my daughter but she isn't going to have kids so this one is for Sam and Abby.  I hand quilted as well.  I want to get a bunny for the baby too.  Yes I know there are Easter eggs in the fabric but the colors are perfect for the photo sent to me.

I'm still working on the same quilt top I started in January.  It's an easy pattern but I just don't have time in the sewing room.  

What are you working on?

Have a safe and happy day!

 

Happy St. Patrick's Day

 

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

We are feeling lucky today because there were bad storms last night and we are okay.  Right up the main road, folks lost roofs and trees fell and a lot of people are without power.  We are grateful to be spared today.

Did you make it through the storm okay?

Today my brother is making corned beef and cabbage for the family.  For whatever reason, I just don't like corned beef although the rest of the family loves it.  Anyway, I will pick up some for my husband on my way to the doctor today.

How are you spending the day?  I'm hoping one of these days I can actually spend the day sewing!

Take care of yourself and have a great day!

Flower Friday: March 13, 2026

 

One week until spring!  We had great weather this week...until Thursday when it rained and the temps dropped again.  

The warm weather brought CROCUS TIME!!!

Louise sent this photo of crocuses she saw at a Chili Festival:

Then I walked outside and saw that mine were blooming as well!

Have a safe and happy weekend!

Tuesday's This and That: March 9, 2026

 

Today I have no cookies but do have one this and one that.

We also have warm days here and it's been a blessing!  Our snow is almost all melted!

I was at Paducah Quilt show back in... I dunno, the early 2000s.  Happily I got to see Ted Storm's quilt, "Spring of Desire".

Ted is a quilter from the Netherlands and there is a video of an interview with her here.  This interview was recently posted by the National Quilt Museum.  I also enjoyed this interview with Ted that was published by the Quilt Alliance here.

***

This is not my dog:

Although the same could be said for Lucky.  He finally got a grooming from Jessa...and it didn't even snow!

Fuzzy Wuzzy before:

Cleaned up and ready to rock and roll this spring!

"Can't you see I'm sleeping on LambChop?  

I'm not modeling right now!"

Wishing you a safe and happy day!

Monday Check-in

 

Actually we don't care about the time change...we're retired!

Interesting weekend here.

  

The internet went down and for the third time in three months we had to call our new cable/internet carrier to come out and repair whatever was broken (turned out it was their equipment).  It was also a little alarming that many of their customer service computers were not working when I telephoned them.  Verizon is a big company and this really surprised me.  Originally they told us the technician wouldn't be here until Monday (internet went out Friday).  But I think they realized that enough is enough and did get someone here late Saturday.  

For my husband who is really limited yet with his rib problem, it was a godsend.  Watching sports on tv is really his favorite thing right now and it doesn't hurt him. 

  

I've a lot of emails to read and catch up on so give me a day or two to get settled again.  

We are switching cable companies later this week.  Here in our valley, we have always had a three cable companies to choose from and this is unusual.  Growing up, my family in Philadelphia didn't have any cable companies until the late 1970s/early 1980s.  I'm curious as to when you had cable tv available in your area.

Have a safe and happy day!

Flower Friday: March 6, 2026

 

Only 15 days until Spring!

The snow is slowly melting here and finally I see these little snowdrops starting to emerge:

The snowdrops are soooo late.  They usually surface in January or early February.  But there was too much snow on the ground.  Over the weekend it is supposed to be warmer, in the 60s!  Hopefully I will have time to clean out some of the garden.

And our Amaryllis bloomed a second time!!!

This has cheered both Brad and I up!

What's going on in your garden?

Have a safe and happy weekend!

Wayback Wednesday: March 4, 2026

 

MEMORIES CALLING!

You know it wasn't that "the good ol' days" were so much better than now.  A lot of youngsters can't imagine the world without internet and social media.  At one point, Carol's grandkids found an old rotary phone in the basement.  They couldn't figure out how to use and were so enamored with it they begged to take it home (grandma let them).  There are a lot of youtube videos of kids trying to use a rotary phone.  I think this video is hilarious.  Anyway, here are some phone related memory memes to brighten your day!

Have a safe and happy day!