Tuesday's This and That: December 9, 2024

 

Happy Tuesday!

I have a couple of things for this and that this week!

I've suggested a few podcasts from Haptic and Hue and another is available that focuses on Ukrainian embroidery.  Sewing can be subversive in the best kind of way.  For many cultures, it can be a way to hold onto the identity of a people while enduring oppression.  Ukraine is one of the areas and I'm hoping to listen to this podcast this week as I sew.  You can listen to it here.

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Our guild recently shared a drive for Quilts of Valor blocks and if you are interested, you can go here for pattern instructions and here for where to mail your blocks.

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I've been reading and sometimes following Karen Brown's declutter challenge at Just Get it Down Quilts.  What I like about Karen's suggestions is that she says, just do 15 minutes a day.  I usually do longer than that but it is a good way to get things organized in the sewing room.  You can read her blog here.

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Janet, my sister-in-law, was moved out of the ICU yesterday.  She is still a very ill woman but we feel blessed for the victories we get.  The one good thing about the snowstorm is that it forced my brother to go home to rest.  When one is a caregiver, everyone says, "be sure to take care of yourself."  And if you are or have been a caregiver, you know that is so difficult to do.  Jim finally got some sleep this weekend.  

 If any of you are in this situation, my heart goes out to you.

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Wishing you a safe and happy day!

Snow is Delicious!

 

Some dogs--like Teddy and Seamus--loved snow.

Other dogs just tolerate the snow.  Pretty Scout didn't run around the yard with abandon the way that Teddy and Seamus did. Snow just wasn't her favorite weather:

So when we were preparing for our first snow storm of the year, the question we received a lot was "How will Lucky react?"  We really had no idea.  

I took him out in the first part of the snow storm when there wasn't too much accumulation on the ground.  I've heard that some dogs don't like to step in snow--although that's never applied to our standard poodles.  I figured I better get him a little used to snow before there was more on the ground.

Turns out Lucky thinks snow is delicious!   I could barely get him to turn around so I can snap a photo of him.  He isn't supposed to graze in the garden so he turns his back to me (like a kid, he thinks if he can't see me...I can't see him 😁).

But once we had a couple of inches on the ground, Lucky went a bit bonkers.  Bounding and leaping, he resembled a rabbit more than a dog.  My brother asked to get some photos of him in the snow to show Janet in the hospital...

BUT HE'S JUST TOO FAST!

Thankfully the red suit gave me some clue to as to where he was!

Quick shake off the snow on his back and...

he's gone again!

His excitement and delight was so much fun to watch.  I was lucky this time, Brad was home to help out with a brief couple of walks but I think Lucky is getting more acclimated to using the backyard as his loo--it's a big problem walking a young crazy dog in ice or snow.

Did you get any snow this past weekend?  We only got about 3-4 inches (not counting the sleet).  

Have a safe and joyful day!

First Snow

The first snow is expected Saturday night and continue until Sunday evening.  I was hoping that before that happened that I could convince Lucky to do his business in the backyard but that clearly isn't happening.  😑

I thought I would feature my snowflake quilt today in honor of the pending storm.  I've featured it before but it's nice to take a look at it again.  I'll probably sell this beauty in the coming year.

This was a kit quilt and offered by the Paragon company.  The original kit was offered in two colors the grey above and also a dusty rose:

Ad from the Winter 1949-1950 McCall's Needlework magazine. The kit featured 4 different snowflake applique blocks:

It also had a charming dog toothed border:

Much like today, quilts and home decor followed certain colorways and this is a good example of the grey that would be featured in many homes from the 1950s to the early 1960s.  At the time I bought it, I had no idea the grey would become such a popular home decor color again.

If you are expecting or receiving snow this weekend, enjoy a hibernating day in the sewing room!

Have a safe and happy day!

 

Thursday's This and That: January 4, 2024

 

Good Morning!

Well it's that time of year when designers are offering Mystery Quilts, Quilts of the Month, and other patterns that entice us to get back in the sewing room.   And then there are challenges!  I do like a challenge and it looks like my guild will be doing another UFO challenge which I enjoyed last year.  Anything special on your 2024 to-do list?

I did get one thing done this week...my first finish of the year.  The Winterborne quilt is finally done.  I'm unable to bind by hand still and going for more injections in my hand today.  To make things more complicated, Lucky wants to play tug-of-war with any textile I'm holding so for now, binding by machine it is (and only when he's finally tuckered out and taking a nap).

Not a very good photo but it's the best I can do these days.

The one thing I did sign up for was Karen Brown's declutter challenge (see here).  Unfortunately, I haven't done much yet.  I say that but yesterday's post about clearing out magazines made me feel hopeful.  I don't buy many any kind of magazine anymore because I just never get a chance to read them.  It seems like there is always something going on in the family that needs my attention.

With that said, my SIL is back in the hospital and her congestive heart failure continues.  I won't go into details but we are all praying for her as that is the one thing we can do.  Letting you know this in case my posting becomes sporadic again...

Have a safe and happy day!

Rabbitboro

 

Happy Wednesday!

On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day I posted antique postcards illustrated by Albertine Randall Wheelan.  She doesn't fall into my Storybook Stitches category because I've never seen her illustrations featured on a quilt.  

Albertine was an artist and also a costume designer.  But in the 1920s, she entered the homes of most people and was celebrated for her syndicated comic strip, Rabbitboro.

Although she depicted a variety of anthropomorphic characters, the Rabbitboro Sewing Circle was probably the most popular.  

It begs the question:  did folks (especially men) who didn't sew wonder what was going on when women assembled to sew?  I sometimes think that some men find this kind of women's get together threatening.  One exception is sewing circles affiliated with religious institutions.  Day to day life for women could be challenging.  I wonder--for some women was the sewing group the one thing they did for themselves?

 Albertine's sewing circle was depicted in a very benign way as gossips and snobs (in their own way).  I wonder how many folks wanted to think of a sewing group this way.

There wasn't a focus on sewing in these comics.  Although Albertine designed costumes, it is unclear if she herself did much sewing or even visited a sewing circle.  "Rabbitboro" remained a successful comic through the 1920s.  Later she wrote a book about the same characters called The Dumbbunnies.  She had a thriving career as an illustrator for children's magazines and books.

Anyway, the Rabbitboro maybe forgotten by many but I thought I would mention as something different.  

Have a safe and happy day!

Why We Quilt

 

Happy Tuesday!

Maybe some of you are like me: grateful when the holiday season is over.  Even though we don't do a lot anymore, it still feels like I'm holding my breath through the week between Christmas and New Year's.

Happily, my sister-in-law is home from the hospital and we got to see some family over the holidays.  Sometimes I get grumpy at all the things I need to do over the holiday break and then... something happens that changes everything.

On Saturday, we visited Hughie and the family.  His wife had been killed in a car accident in September.  Throughout last year, I had planned with Paula (Hughie's wife) about Christmas quilts for each of her children and their family.  They were finished and I took the quilts to gift the families.  

I don't know what I expected, but I was surprised by the reaction, especially from the kids.  One child--who was in the car when her grammy died--wrapped her family quilt around her like a robe and was still wearing it when I left.  I walked by the family room and saw two different cousins together snuggled under another one:

Sometimes we forget how our simple gift can brighten a difficult time.  The kids were prompted by grown-ups; they just liked having a family quilt.  I surely didn't expect the reaction that occurred.  It made my day and I hope it makes yours.

Have a safe and happy day!

Happy New Year!