Next Saturday is the first class of the Jo Morton Little Women quilt classes. Just think this time next week I will have new Jo Morton fabric to show and share. While I was registering for the class, I caught a glance of other fabrics.
I keep reminding myself of my goal to reduce my fabric stash and complete projects--not add more to it!
There is an old mountain saying my Father once shared: "Turning Betty loose in a fabric shop is like letting the dog loose in a meat house."
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Saturday, January 14, 2012
With a little help from my friends
One of the projects on my "to do list for 2012" is hooking the rug Midnight Watch. This Midnight Watch hooked rug is an adaptation by Sandy Williams of the Blackbird Design Midnight Watch. AppleJack and I visited Sandy at her shop, American Whatever in Liberty, Missouri in 2010. I think I mentioned her shop is awesome! I mean totally awesome, think you have died and gone to heaven awesome!
American Whatever has the most lovely collection of wools, hooked rugs, and applique pieces one can image. If there is a hooked rug hall of fame, Sandy is in it. After meeting Sandy, we both realized we were kindred spirits loving wool, hooked rugs, people with creativity and the hands willing to work and learn. Our friendship was sealed when I met Miss Rosie, her cat companion.
Sandy, my kindred spirit is always willing to give assistance. For example: I wrote to her and said: Sandy, I am ready to start hooking Midnight Watch but I need help with some of the wools. Guess what arrived via UPS today! Are these not the most delicious wools you have ever seen?
Included with the wools was a letter from Sandy saying " I only hooked thirteen rugs last year, but several were large and one was huge." WOW! I'm hoping I can hook one rug and it isn't huge. Sandy can you send me some of your energy? Sandy goes on to write "finished Edyth O'Neill's Blue Basket Antique and then did Thankful's Bed Rugg. It is 48 square feet and did it in 73 days and bound it in three days. Below is a picture of the rug Sandy included with her letter. I am thinking AppleJack and I need to make another trip to Liberty to visit my kindred spirit friend and see this incredible rug in person.
Sandy closes her letter by saying "I would rather wear out than rust out." Me too, Sandy. One of the true blessings in my life is creative friends and kindred spirits who encourage me to be a better person.
American Whatever has the most lovely collection of wools, hooked rugs, and applique pieces one can image. If there is a hooked rug hall of fame, Sandy is in it. After meeting Sandy, we both realized we were kindred spirits loving wool, hooked rugs, people with creativity and the hands willing to work and learn. Our friendship was sealed when I met Miss Rosie, her cat companion.
Sandy, my kindred spirit is always willing to give assistance. For example: I wrote to her and said: Sandy, I am ready to start hooking Midnight Watch but I need help with some of the wools. Guess what arrived via UPS today! Are these not the most delicious wools you have ever seen?
Included with the wools was a letter from Sandy saying " I only hooked thirteen rugs last year, but several were large and one was huge." WOW! I'm hoping I can hook one rug and it isn't huge. Sandy can you send me some of your energy? Sandy goes on to write "finished Edyth O'Neill's Blue Basket Antique and then did Thankful's Bed Rugg. It is 48 square feet and did it in 73 days and bound it in three days. Below is a picture of the rug Sandy included with her letter. I am thinking AppleJack and I need to make another trip to Liberty to visit my kindred spirit friend and see this incredible rug in person.
Sandy closes her letter by saying "I would rather wear out than rust out." Me too, Sandy. One of the true blessings in my life is creative friends and kindred spirits who encourage me to be a better person.
Friday, January 13, 2012
An Apple by any other name
When AppleJack and I married, I had to learn a new language! You see AppleJack's family owned and operated a wholesale produce business. When we met and he told me this, I just sweetly smiled.
Well. . . was I ever naive! I did not know this meant I would have to learn a new language. The first time I was with AppleJack's family--Sis and Sister C and the whole flock of birds, started speaking in their native tongue--produce. When I referred to an apple as just an apple, they were appalled! I learned very quickly about the hundreds of varieties of apples--Arkansas Blacks, Stayman Winesap's, Gala's, Golden Delicious, Empires, and Granny Smith's. Sweet apples, sour apples, cooking apples, pie apples, applesauce apples, mushy apples, tart apples! They discussed the pros, cons, merits and virtues of each variety.
After the apple discussion, they moved on to potatoes. Idaho bakers, Kennebec, Irish, Red Pontiac. This new language continued with every dish Sis was preparing.
With Sis being a wonderful cook and hostess, there is always "food talk." I learned very quickly if I was going to be a part of this family, I was going to have to learn the language. Through the years, I have learned some of the language. Mostly, I just sit back and enjoy listening as Sis, Sister C and AppleJack discuss the merits of the fruit or vegetable of the day.
Remember that famous line William Shakespeare wrote when Romeo was wooing Juliet? A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet? All, I'm saying Bill is be thankful you did not share this quote with the AppleJack gang. They would have been discussing the virtues of a hybrid tea versus a floribunda.
Well. . . was I ever naive! I did not know this meant I would have to learn a new language. The first time I was with AppleJack's family--Sis and Sister C and the whole flock of birds, started speaking in their native tongue--produce. When I referred to an apple as just an apple, they were appalled! I learned very quickly about the hundreds of varieties of apples--Arkansas Blacks, Stayman Winesap's, Gala's, Golden Delicious, Empires, and Granny Smith's. Sweet apples, sour apples, cooking apples, pie apples, applesauce apples, mushy apples, tart apples! They discussed the pros, cons, merits and virtues of each variety.
After the apple discussion, they moved on to potatoes. Idaho bakers, Kennebec, Irish, Red Pontiac. This new language continued with every dish Sis was preparing.
With Sis being a wonderful cook and hostess, there is always "food talk." I learned very quickly if I was going to be a part of this family, I was going to have to learn the language. Through the years, I have learned some of the language. Mostly, I just sit back and enjoy listening as Sis, Sister C and AppleJack discuss the merits of the fruit or vegetable of the day.
Remember that famous line William Shakespeare wrote when Romeo was wooing Juliet? A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet? All, I'm saying Bill is be thankful you did not share this quote with the AppleJack gang. They would have been discussing the virtues of a hybrid tea versus a floribunda.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Progress--An All Was For An Appil
Have I mentioned that I am a S L O W stitcher? There are no lighting rods on my needles, no Mercury swiftness. I think there must be an anvil attached to my needle. I just keep plodding along and eventually I do finish something.
Today I am rewarding myself with a small Snoopy Dog Happy Dance, singing one stanza of the Alleluia chorus and will play the beginning part of the Pomp and Circumstance. All this seems pretty dramatic for the photo I am about to share.
I finished the tree! I'm rationalizing! The tree is the largest motif in this sampler! The tree is very significant to the Adam and Eve story and the fall. The tree means I have crossed the half way mark. Instead of stitching on the left side of the chart, I have crossed the half way mark and I am now stitching on the right side of the chart.
Alleluia! I love the colors in the tree but am ready to start stitching the blue of the clouds.
The clouds on the right side of the chart! My goal for the upcoming week is to complete the clouds on the right hand side of the chart.
The black outline is the beginning of the clouds on the right hand side of the chart. There are more clouds on the right side of the sampler than the left. There are only four colors used in the clouds--very dense, filling stitches.
In case anyone is wondering why I haven't finished stitching the snake. Well, Grandmother Bessie and I have a morbid, over the top, run for your life, fear of snakes! The last motif which will be stitched on this sampler is the snake's head.
Today I am rewarding myself with a small Snoopy Dog Happy Dance, singing one stanza of the Alleluia chorus and will play the beginning part of the Pomp and Circumstance. All this seems pretty dramatic for the photo I am about to share.
I finished the tree! I'm rationalizing! The tree is the largest motif in this sampler! The tree is very significant to the Adam and Eve story and the fall. The tree means I have crossed the half way mark. Instead of stitching on the left side of the chart, I have crossed the half way mark and I am now stitching on the right side of the chart.
Alleluia! I love the colors in the tree but am ready to start stitching the blue of the clouds.
The clouds on the right side of the chart! My goal for the upcoming week is to complete the clouds on the right hand side of the chart.
The black outline is the beginning of the clouds on the right hand side of the chart. There are more clouds on the right side of the sampler than the left. There are only four colors used in the clouds--very dense, filling stitches.
In case anyone is wondering why I haven't finished stitching the snake. Well, Grandmother Bessie and I have a morbid, over the top, run for your life, fear of snakes! The last motif which will be stitched on this sampler is the snake's head.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Mail Call
I watch MASH re runs. All of the characters in MASH are my favorites. I especially like Radar O'Reily and Klinger when they would say "mail call." They delivered mail to Hawkeye from his father who lived in Crabapple Cove Maine, they delivered mail to B. J. Hunnicutt from Mill Valley, California. Margaret received mail from Donald Penobscot and lovable Colonel Potter received mail from Mildred who lived in Hannibal, Missouri.
Mail call at Thistle Manor is a big deal. Great Grandfather John Palmer ran the post office at Pigeonville. Grandfather Isaac delivered mail on horse back in the Smokey Mountains. My father was a Post Master, and AppleJack also worked for the USPS for many years, retiring in 2010. I have a long history with the postal department. There are many colorful stories from each of these men in my life about the post office.
Every day one of my favorite questions to AppleJack is "Did I get any mail today?" There is good mail--a package from a shop or stitcher, a letter from a friend, the arrival of a favorite magazine or a catalog. Of course, there is also bad mail--bills. AppleJack put a stop to junk mail many years ago.
Today was a good mail day. Why? The arrival of the spring catalog from Hancocks of Paducah.
I spend hours drooling, studying, turning the pages of this catalog.
When I need inspiration I look at this catalog and start thinking about how to use a particular fabric in a project.
The winter volume is filled with one hundred and sixty seven pages of mouth watering, eye candy fabric! AppleJack often finds me asleep in bed with the catalog covering my face. I am sure I am having sweet fabric dreams.
Mail call at Thistle Manor is a big deal. Great Grandfather John Palmer ran the post office at Pigeonville. Grandfather Isaac delivered mail on horse back in the Smokey Mountains. My father was a Post Master, and AppleJack also worked for the USPS for many years, retiring in 2010. I have a long history with the postal department. There are many colorful stories from each of these men in my life about the post office.
Every day one of my favorite questions to AppleJack is "Did I get any mail today?" There is good mail--a package from a shop or stitcher, a letter from a friend, the arrival of a favorite magazine or a catalog. Of course, there is also bad mail--bills. AppleJack put a stop to junk mail many years ago.
Today was a good mail day. Why? The arrival of the spring catalog from Hancocks of Paducah.
I spend hours drooling, studying, turning the pages of this catalog.
When I need inspiration I look at this catalog and start thinking about how to use a particular fabric in a project.
The winter volume is filled with one hundred and sixty seven pages of mouth watering, eye candy fabric! AppleJack often finds me asleep in bed with the catalog covering my face. I am sure I am having sweet fabric dreams.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Jo Morton Country Spice
My friend Cindy says I am a fabric snob. Cindy says I am like the story of the Princess and the Pea except fabric version. Civil War reproduction fabric is my favorite fabric--it sings to my heart. Cindy says "you could lock Betty in a warehouse with hundreds of bolts of fabric and she would find the one and only bolt of Civil War reproduction fabric." Its the colors and the design which draw my eye to it.
Presenting Jo Morton's Country Spice (minus the binding). Today I picked up the quilt from the long arm quilter. She did a fabulous job. I spent several hours drawing out the quilting design for her.
Here is the quilting on the top
And quilting on the back
The quilting is so nice it could be a reversible quilt. The colors in this quilt just say fall. Will be the perfect quilt to use with Midnight Watch--the sampler and the hooked rug. Now to get that binding sewn on and start working on the rug.
Yes, this makes me even more motivated to start the Jo Morton Little Women quilts on January 21st!
Presenting Jo Morton's Country Spice (minus the binding). Today I picked up the quilt from the long arm quilter. She did a fabulous job. I spent several hours drawing out the quilting design for her.
Here is the quilting on the top
And quilting on the back
The quilting is so nice it could be a reversible quilt. The colors in this quilt just say fall. Will be the perfect quilt to use with Midnight Watch--the sampler and the hooked rug. Now to get that binding sewn on and start working on the rug.
Yes, this makes me even more motivated to start the Jo Morton Little Women quilts on January 21st!
Monday, January 9, 2012
One ring a ding
Does anyone remember Ernestine from Rowen and Martin's Laugh In show? Ernestine was that lovable telephone operator. It went like this: One ring a ding ding. Two ring a ding ding. Oh, gracious, good afternoon. Yesterday, I received a good ring a ding ding telephone call from my long arm quilter. She was calling to tell me my Jo Morton Country Spice quilt was finished and ready to be picked up. This was a good ring a ding ding telephone call.
Am off to pick up the quilt, which is now ready for the binding and I can add another finish to my 2011/2012 quilting reduce my stash goals.
Photos to follow. By the way Lily Tomlin played the entertaining telephone operator Ernestine
Am off to pick up the quilt, which is now ready for the binding and I can add another finish to my 2011/2012 quilting reduce my stash goals.
Photos to follow. By the way Lily Tomlin played the entertaining telephone operator Ernestine
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