Good Bye February

It is really hard to believe that we are entering the third month of 2013.  My, time flies.......just like my mother said.

Here is my board at the end of February:

All of the Block of the Months are finally up to date.  Quite an accomplishment for me.  The rigid heddle scarf, Blake's Civil War quilt, and the embroidered pillowcase have all been accounted for in previous posts.  I barely touched the Scroll Rug this month.  I did work on my Jayne Hester rug a bit at the Guild Hook In last Saturday.  The Scroll Rug is just too big and heavy to haul to an event.  I am knitting a cute little scarf that should be on the finish list for March in the next few days.  And Blake's CW quilt, which is at the longarmer's, should be finished by the end of March.

I ended up with six finishes for February.  Four of the six were UFOs.  I feel pretty good about that.
I really found that having my list posted has helped me stay focused, so I am going to keep at it.

Starting the redwork BOM spurred me to get excited about embroidery again, so digging deep into my stash, I came up with this pattern and the background fabric.  I probably bought this at Little Quilts about four or five years ago.  I think Kathy Schmitz is a great designer and this project has turned out to be fun to work on.  All of the blocks are prepped and I have finished 2 1/2 of them.  I will consider this an ongoing project.

Garden Baskets is a BOM pattern by Primitive Gatherings.  It is wool on cotton and the dozen little blocks (which I have obviously not squared up yet) will finish at 4", with the whole little quilt being 23" x 28".  It is a sweet little thing, but the blocks are awfully fiddly and I would just as soon spend my time on something a little larger.  I didn't pay attention to how small it was when I ordered it.  However, I am determined it will be a finish and I know I will enjoy it once it is done.

The Love Letters Square in a Square BOM is over and all of the blocks are finished (not trimmed yet).  I picked up the setting fabric today, so setting it will be my BOM task for March.  Then it will move off the BOM list and will come up on the top list when I am actually ready to progress from flimsy to quilt.

And finally, though it is not on my list, I finished the blocks for the Primitive Gatherings freebie, Favorite Things.  I have the finishing kit for the borders, but am not quite ready to start on it yet.
These are small blocks, too, but not like the others.  They are much simpler in design and finish at 5".

So, now I need to think about what I want to add to my list for March.  For sure, I want to add some things that will net finishes.  And I also want to get some more UFOs out of the way.  I will try to post my updated list in the next couple of days.

GRATITUDES:

Accomplishments.

A venue like a blog in which to share my hobbies and thoughts with others.

Friends who understand and share in the love of our crafts.

Take care,

Jennie

Spring Fever

I am so ready for Spring. As much as we need rain, I have grown weary of it. Here in the South the hyacinths, daffodils and forsythia are blooming....teasing us with a tiny taste of Spring......although the high temps will only be in the 40s this week.  It could be worse.  I don't know how you guys who have all of the snow can stand it.  God knew I needed to be a Southern girl.

What better time to warp the loom with some twill towels that say Spring, Easter eggs and bunnies. The pink towel is done and I started the blue one today. It reminds me of a little girl's dress.....sweetness.

This week I also finished the first rigid heddle scarf that I wove.  The selvedges are a bit sad, and the wool Noro sock yarn in the fringe felted when it was washed, but I still like it.  Sorry for the quality of the photo :-((

Finally, I pieced the backing of Blake's Civil War Pinwheel quilt and got it to the longarmer today.  What a nice feeling to have that done.  And in March, it will be a finish!!

GRATITUDES:

The soothing rhythm of throwing the shuttle.

The first bluebird spotted at the bluebird house.

A trip to Tractor Supply.

Take care,

Jennie

Primitive Garden & Pillowcase

My February Primitive Garden block is the hoe block.  You should always read the instructions before stitching a block.  These instructions said that the birds wouldn't fit, so don't add them until later when they can overlap other blocks.  I didn't read the instructions first.  Life goes on.

I love vintage looking embroidered bluebirds.  I just melt when I see them.  I started this pillowcase with the incredibly sweet embroidery three years ago........got it half done and walked away.  Last week I pulled it out, finished the embroidery and made the pillowcase.  What was I waiting on????  Honestly, why don't I just finish these projects when I start them.  I love this pillowcase!!

Found this children's cabinet at a local antique shop just before Christmas.......the price was right and I have the perfect place for it.  I think it needs some little quilts tucked on the shelves, don't you?  And maybe a little rug to sit on??????

GRATITUDES:

Finishes!!

Internet pals.

Pinterest (a mixed blessing, I think).

Take care,

Jennie

Sally Post & Such

February's Sally Post blocks are finished.  I am still not 100% sure about the setting fabrics, so I haven't added those yet.

I know that I said that I was not going to fret over UFOs, etc. this year, but that doesn't seem to be a possibility for me.  Particularly since I heard some fellow craft people speaking of a lady who recently passed away and leaving a large stash as a HOARDER!!!!  OMG, is that what I am?  So, now I am sort of obsessing over this.  Not majorly, but sort of........

Early this month much time and effort was spent prepping various projects I planned to work on.  I tried this approach to see if it would facilitate me being more efficient in completing the projects, as well as to try to encourage me to stay on task with the projects at hand.  I do think it helped and I will give it another try when I have completed what I prepared.  

Another approach that I am trying is one that was suggested to me many years ago by some women on a Yahoo group who were trying to finish their UFOs.  There were several different approaches, but here is my modified version.  I have listed the Block of the Months that I am actively working on.......they are not new starts, but ongoing projects.....and I don't plan to add anymore until at least one of them is finished.  Hopefully I can step away from joining new ones entirely and just work on some of the ones I have amassed.  The next thing that I am trying is to chose a project from each area of interest and try to see that project through before starting another in that particular area.........for example:  Knitting, Quilting, Rughooking, etc.  Now this one will be really hard to stick with, and there may be times when I am working on a big project and just need to interject something smaller that I can finish.  I know that there will be things that come up that will sidetrack me from time to time, but I am giving this approach a try.  I have mounted a little dry erase board in my sewing room to help keep me on track (in addition to my constant list making :-D).

I am also choosing a few things that I know that I can finish quickly in those groups so that I can feel the sweetness of success.  Not each thing is a UFO, but some of them are.....and some of them are projects I already have on hand.  I am trying not to add to the stash too much.  To say not at all would be unrealistic, but controlled would be good.  Enough!!

Here is one of the UFOs that I finished this week.  The needlepunch was already done.  I distressed it and made the little pillow.  The design is from Country Stitches and I probably punched it three years ago or more........what was I waiting on???  Sweet success!

Past my bedtime now.  Good night.

GRATITUDES:

Southern cornbread.

Quiet afternoons.

Clothes warm from the dryer.

Take care,

Jennie

Bragging rights.........

The grandkids are just as busy as they can possibly be.  It is impossible for us to keep up with them.  They certainly keep their parents on the run!  And we couldn't be happier with them or for them.  They are great kids.

Robert has finished his football season and church league basketball season. He is active in his middle school choir and academic team, Boy Scouts and Church Choir.   This is his academic team at a recent meet.  He was chosen by his peers at his middle school as "Most Academic".

And this is him with several friends last week serving as a Page for the Legislative Session at the Georgia State Capital.

Sara Ashley won first place in the elementary school division for Center for an Educated Georgia's essay contest.  She wrote about the reason her school, The Bedford School, is the best school for her. She has been featured online, in the local news and honored at her school, in addition to winning a gift card for her efforts.  Click on the photo below to visit the website and see her essay.

As a result of this, she and Christi were asked to represent School Choice at the Georgia State Capital, where Christi spoke about Sara Ashley and how School Choice has served her.  We were so proud of them both!  This is a photo of Rob, Christi, Sara Ashley, Lynn Smith (our local House Representative) and the Governor, Nathan Deal.

Sara Ashley is staying busy with horseback riding lessons, intramural basketball and her pets, including her new guinea pig, Skitter.

Macy is enjoying and excelling in first grade at Elm Street and taking Hip Hop lessons.  Last weekend she and her dad attended her Father-Daughter dance, and this week she performed in her First Grade Valentine program at school.  I can't believe how grown up she is!

Jackson likes his preschool at Newnan Presbyterian.  He took soccer lessons this fall.  He got a drum set for Christmas and we think that entertainment might be in his future.......he is such a character.
This is a photo from a recent family visit to Legoland in Atlanta.

Christopher is attending Pre K at Newnan Academy and is looking forward to playing T-Ball this spring.

Dillon is in Middle School at The Bedford School where he was on the Bedford Bears Soccer Team and Basketball Team.  He has been spent lots of time this winter hunting with his dad.  The Bedford Bears won first place in their division of basketball this week.  Needless to say, Dillon was pretty excited.

Colten is in fifth grade.  He still loves to play baseball and is an excellent student.  We don't get to see him as much since he lives further away.

And Blake.........well, he just celebrated a milestone.........his 70th birthday........and all is well!!.

GRATITUDES:

Active, happy grandchildren.

Schools and all of the folks that make them what they are.

Those people who are blessed with the desires and skills to inspire and teach our children.

Take care,

Jennie

Plodding along......

I am plodding along with my projects, taking a slightly different approach, which I will explain shortly.

First of all, I had two January finishes that I didn't post.  The first one was a simple panel (Seven Sisters) that just needed the border done by me.  It is for our Sew Crazy QOV project, and finishing the top off was my part........so, it is done and I can count it as a finish.

The next finish was Sweet Pickins'...........quilted and bound..........all ready to enjoy come Fall.

For February I have only a couple of woven towels finished so far.  They are Summer Winter weave and I am pleased with the way they turned out.  Weaving has not come naturally to me, but I am determined.

My big Macomber loom got some much needed work done last week with the help of John and Blake.
We installed a new gear to replace the broken one and she got nice, clean aprons.  What an improvement.  Now I need to get her warped and start doing some serious weaving on her.

As I have finished up the blocks for the BOM I was doing at the LQS and am just awaiting setting fabric to arrive to complete that top, I thought it would be a great idea to support my LQS by signing up for another BOM.  I know............but it is so cute, and a little different from anything I have done in a long while.  It is "My Family" by Lynnette Anderson........a redwork and patchwork combo with birds, dogs, family, chickens.......really sweet stuff.  The four hearts for this month are already completed, and it was fun doing something different for a change.  I had my first experience using Cosmo thread off the spool......it is great.......comes stranded in two strands, ready to roll right off the spool and stitch.  It is a bit more expensive than DMC, but so much more convenient. (meaning no snarls and struggles trying to separate those strands).

The Birdhouse block was the Primitive Garden choice for January.  Didn't finish it till this week, but it is done now.

What I have spent the bulk of my crafting time doing this month is prep work.  I decided that if I could get a lot of things prepped while I had the supplies out for that particular type of project, it would be a timesaver in the long run.  So prepping it has been.  I have a stack of blocks piled up and soon it will be time to start stitching them.  It will be interesting to see if this approach makes sense in the long run.  I will keep you posted.

Time to get back to my busy work :-))

GRATITUDES:

Rain.

Mild Southern winters.

Fresh cabbage from the garden.

Take care,

Jennie

What a week.......

Lots going on this week.  I can hardly keep up, honestly!  Robert, Dillon and Sara Ashley had a total of four basketball games, I had weaving, a quilting class and my Sew Crazy quilting group met, we celebrated Christi's birthday, visited my sister in Alabama, had lunch with a friend, Good News Club........and more.  Whew!!! I am ready for a few days at home.

Christi celebrated her 42nd birthday.......I can't believe it!!!!  Sometime last year she had seen the unfinished blocks for Tisket a Tasket and expressed a desire to own this quilt.  It was started several years ago when it was a free design from Bunnyhill, brought back out last year, and finally, finished just in time for her birthday this week!!! For birthday dinner it was chicken enchiladas and strawberry cake.

Also got the Spring Runner that was started last year quilted and bound.  And I am almost done with Sweet Pickins'.............just stitching down the binding.

And, although it is still winter here in Georgia, the daffodils are tempting us to think that it just isn't so.
This was the first one from our yard this week.

The doggies did get their haircuts last week and look so nice.  They do not, however, desire to pose for photos.  Why is it that other folks get such cute dog photos?????  Here are Roxie and Poppy in their usual positions.  Rascal went running at the sound of the camera snapping.  The chickens are more cooperative.

All for tonight.

GRATITUDES:

Stubborn, sweet old dogs.

Fragrant, yellow daffodils.

Time spent with friends.

The tradition of family birthday celebrations.

Take care,

Jennie

Made in the USA

What a nice surprise to hear that , according to ABC nightly news, WalMart is participating in the "Made in the USA" campaign.  I hope that they follow through.......and that many other retailers will follow.

I was pleased when shopping at Target this week, to find a whole isle in the cosmetic section that was devoted to organic, cruelty free, natural and mostly Made in the USA products.  I purchased these items, that qualified as being natural, cruelty free and Made in the USA........and were also On Sale!!!
And the Burt's Bees GUD hand cream is in my favorite Orange Petalooza fragrance.

My daughter wanted a Dust Buster for her birthday.  Dust Busters are not Made in the USA.  I tried.......

This beautiful camellia was planted this summer and this is the first bloom, with lots of buds on such a young, small bush.  What will it be like when it is full grown!  I love the way it is darker around the outer petals.  How nice, in the dark days of winter, to find this in the garden.

Working at finishing several UFOs this week.  Will post those later in the week.

GRATITUDES:

Beautiful winter blooms in my favorite soft pinks and reds.

Finally understanding knitting instructions.  Maybe I am not too old to learn.

Made in the USA.

Folks who truly care about cruelty free, environmentally friendly and take the risks to do something about it.  Thank you brave entrepreneurs.

Take care,

Jennie

Sally Post

Another project started????  Well, yes, but honest........I can explain.

The Sally Post Sampler Quilt (click on the link to read about this circa 1854 quilt) has been on my "To Do" last for awhile........ever since Gay offered it as a free pattern on her site several years ago.  At that time I printed off the patterns and carefully stored them away.  End of story.  Until this year; Gay has now offered the patterns once again as freebies.  And by way of motivation, my Yahoo Prim Folk Art group has decided to do them as their group BOM this year.  Perfect, I am in.  If we complete three blocks a month, the blocks will be done by the end of the year.

 In my defense (not that any defense is really needed, but somehow I have a little tug of guilt at starting a new project with all of the others that are underway), all of my fabric except the background and maybe the sashing will come from stash and scraps.  I am digging deep into the scrap bin and will try to stay pretty much true to the colors of the original quilt.

I am loving the background......... just couldn't resist it when I saw it at the quilt shop.  The blocks are set on point, and I think that it will add interest to the simplicity of the appliqué.  I have chosen to fuse and machine stitch with matching threads using a tiny zig zag stitch, knowing that it is more likely to get finished this way.

GRATITUDES:

Sourdough buns, warm from the oven.

When a fabric works out as perfectly as you hoped.

When the Bible verse you are studying is dead on to your question or situation (God works like that, you know!).

Take care,

Jennie

Chicken News

A little update on the chicken front.  I think the flock number is finally stable now with one rooster and seven hens.  Sadly, we lost a few girls for various reasons.  And we ended up giving four roosters away......... those girls just kept coming out and crowing.  I really wanted a rooster to crow and take care of the girls, but the first four to declare themselves were terribly aggressive and not suitable (Captain Cluck, Zulu, Stella and Chloe).  Alas, handsome Ronnie (fortunately with a unisex name) is quite a gentleman.  He is not aggressive and takes very good care of his girls, so he is a keeper.  Finally!

Over the past couple of weeks we have started to let our little flock free range, under our supervision, in the fenced garden area.  Their run has a gate that opens into the garden, and they are waiting anxiously for us to allow them to roam when we go up to care for them each day.  We don't leave them out without being there to supervise them, as we have resident hawks and owls.  They really love running around the garden, scratching, hunting and eating.  And we love watching them.  They are so funny.  The other day Ginger uncovered a worm and Puff chased her all around the garden trying to take it from her.  They were like a couple of kids.  And they are rewarding us with a bounty of delicious eggs........enough for us and to share.......anywhere from two to six eggs daily.

Chicken keeping has been challenging, hard work and immensely rewarding.  I love my little flock!

GRATITUDES:

Garden goodies to share with chickens and to eat.

Fresh eggs.

Funny chickens.

Take care,

Jennie

The process.......

I am trying to enjoy the process of machine quilting.  I am not adept at it; not at all.  I would like to be, but it takes lots of practice and I am always in a big hurry to get things done, and I get all wound up because it is not perfect, the tension is off, the line wobbles...... Be still.  So, I have a project with a deadline, and it is ready to be machine quilted.  Finally, I sat down and watched the Sue Nickels DVD that I bought months ago....... sat still and watched and learned a few things along the way.  And then pulled out two UFOs (more about that later), spread them out smooth and sandwiched them and did a little practice piece, too.  And I practiced, using the thread and needle recommended, and did a pretty good job doing the really simple stuff.  The runner is now quilted and ready for binding, and the cute fall wallhanging (Sweet Pickins) is a work in progress.  Not perfect, but okay, and I am working calmly and actually enjoying it.  Next is the project with the deadline.........the deadline that may not get made, but it is close and it will be okay.  And I will keep practicing and someday may even be proficient at machine quilting, who knows.  But I won't be so terribly uptight about it again.

This is the little wallhanging, ready for quilting

and a funny story about the backing.  I started trying to quilt back in the 1970s when the quilting resurgence occurred.  I had small children and not much time and life got in the way, so it was many years later when I finally became serious about it.  That being said, I took a couple of classes at a shop in the Atlanta area and had a friend here in Newnan with a cross stitch shop that also carried some quilting fabrics.  I learned to appliqué and do some very simple hand piecing.  When my friend closed her shop, she gave me the remaining quilting fabrics.  I washed them up, put them in a big tub and have used them for backings on charity quilts and a few other things over the years.  I went to this tub when I chose the backing for Sweet Pickins, and as I ironed, I saw the  selvedge.  Note the year............and also note that the fabric was made in the USA.......Atlanta no less!!!

Hopefully in a few days there will be another finished project to show you.  And the runner and Sweet Pickins will be quilted and bound.  Then there will be three UFOs finished for January!!!

Speaking of counting projects, I have decided this year that I will only count a project that is complete.  Now, complete can mean a flimsy if it is donated or if I am totally done with my part on it.  Otherwise, it means FINISHED...........quilting, binding, framing, whatever.

UFOs.......geez, I have a lot.  Sometimes there is a long forgotten, unexpected surprise.  That happened as I pilfered through the drawer of the sewing machine cabinet searching for machine quilting supplies.  There it was, the significant start of "Nines and Vines", started way back in 2004.....languishing there, totally forgotten.  About half the blocks are finished, with the remainder of the nine patches pieced and the setting blocks cut.  I still really like the project.  Wonder why it was never finished?  The fabrics are mostly reproduction fabrics, some of the earlier ones.  Think I will give this one another chance!

 Just in case you are interested, this is October, 2004, McCall's Quilting.

On the reading front it is another doggie book.  Content and photography are wonderful.

My old dogs are looking pretty grungy and smell like wet dog (that is Roxie beneath those eyebrows).  The groomer is coming tomorrow, thank goodness.

GRATITUDES:

Dog lovers.

Mobile dog groomers.

Small kids who make big differences in this world.

Take care,

Jennie