JLW Quilts Fall Outing

I haven’t shared  my JLW meet up last month.  After taking the summer off we got together.    Many of the members got their Holiday Inn quilts put together,  they were so fun to see, even if there not completed its fun to see them.    

We all made 4 inch baskets  for Gail our leader, she was so surprised with them, and very touched I think.   

It was a fun time together,  I am glad I joined a local group.  I had been participating in one by mail, and I will say Carriage Country Quilts is fabulous, they have many fabrics and have wonderful kits for their projects.

But like I said I am very pleased attending a local group, meeting together with women, making new friends and  old friends too!!    For me the personal touch makes all the difference. 

Here is my quilt, unfinished but I am enjoying the process of Holiday Inn.   The medallion style  is a fun one.   I have admired Round Robins and it also reminds me of them.

Last weekend I spent time with my family in Cottage Grove.    My father passed away 2 years ago and we met on Friday,  which would have been his 82 birthday.      We interned his ashes next to his parents.   It was very bittersweet,   lets say for me its a work in progress living without a parent.   It was a beautiful day and the view of the surrounding valley with the turning colors was peaceful.    We spent the afternoon at my mothers visiting with family that gathered.    Then we all started  working on the handrails of her new deck that she built last year.    Many hands make light work it really took shape and got some weather treatment too. 

Saturday we went up to Junction City to a century farm,  Thistledown Farm,   a wonderful family owned  and operated farm.    I got a box of apples, squash, huge sweet onions, filberts and small cute pumpkins.    We  got some sweet corn for dinner that was delicious. 

Mom took a picture of this cute bench,  the painting has alot of detail.  It was a cute bench,  hmm, hint hint!!

We headed in to Junction City to visit Buttermilk Junction,  I did not get pictures there, naughty me,  the store has recently moved into a space with a quilt shop,   it was a nice arrangement.    It is a prim shop with many wonderful items to decorate your home.  I did get a couple things,  a batter operated candle and stand,  that I put on my mantel with my pumpkins.

Next we went to 5th Street Market in Eugene,  they had a very cool truck their so I snapped a shot of my sister and mom. 

Then we headed to Mindy’s,  where you have to hide your pocketbook from yourself.   Mindy has everything you would want and more for needlework, she hand paints her own needlepoint designs too.     She has many different types of embroidery thread, all  beautifully displayed. 

This display of thread is my favorite.  It is antique from a Post Office in Portland.

 

She carries Blackbird Designs patterns,   I purchased their pattern May Flowers, Three Stockings for May and Maggie’s Needlecase by Maggie Bonanomi,   you know I love her!!!     Embroidery threads for the patterns from Weeks Dye Works,  The Gentle Art and some 30 ct. linen.    They had Crescent Colours coming in this week so I will get those threads when they arrive.    And one piece of textured green wool.    

I’m sure you read Alma’s blog  its wonderful to get all the peeks of their artwork.   I always  like their little stockings, so now I can stitch up a pretty cross-stitch!

I made up a new concoction for dinner,  my sister gave me the idea, I will share it soon.

Fall blessings,

Carrie

Watch Ya Workin On ~ A Winner

Well in my case it seems to be “What am I not workin on…”  ya know what I mean?

Everything at once, and nothing is getting done.   If I would sew a binding on a quilt then it would be done.    I could say I finished something.   Maybe that will get done this afternoon,   I should make a list, that’s  one tip that works for this girl.   

First I will show you the newest BOM I started, through Farmhouse Woolens.   Vintage Halloween, by Buttermilk Basin.     Karen’s selections for the wools are wonderful.    I received  the 2nd block this week, this is going to make up into such a special holiday quilt.   I won’t want to take it down.

I sewed on this block while we were on the plane and on our delayed layover in Denver.   I am so glad they didn’t cancel our flight,  we waited 7 hours for a new crew!!  Weather  related so no free tickets would have been given.

Then while I was in Omaha, Krista and I snuck a visit to Country Sampler, it was pretty close to where they live so I look forward to visiting them again.    I have to say this is the perfect shop.     They have a wonderful selection of gifts as well as quilting goods.      I could have stuffed my suitcase with lots of stuff.         But I was a good girl……..    I bought 3 kits from Primitive Gatherings.       Krista chose,  Love Ya Man,   it will be her Christmas present.    Three snowman, just like you know who!!!

They had a wool kit to make the Pumpkin Row Pillow out of Autumn Gatherings book.       Perfect kit because I want to put it on the top of a quilt, not make a pillow.  Either way would be awesome.      And Old Saint Nick , an 18” table topper.     They fit nicely in my suitcase and didn’t  add to much weight!!     

Next is my progress on A Tisket, A Taskit  BOM,   I have created myself a dilemma.     I found my antiqued muslin and love the way it looked so I am changing backgrounds.    The printed muslin has really been bothering me,  to white.    So I am  thinking I can dye the backgrounds.   Tea, Coffee or Rit tan dye, this is the question?    I will experiment, but I am not sure how the wool will be effected.     I am wondering if I can sponge it on the fabric instead of immersing the whole block.      I really don’t want the block to shrink up since I have cut them to the finished size. 

Some blocks need there embroidery finished,  and August is looking a little bare isn’t it.    I am auditioning wool for those cute cupcakes!!   Anne had given us the cutest darn gift to make!!!   Each month feels like Christmas on the 5th!!    I get tickled over the comments here, she always gets hers done  so quick!!

Any suggestions on my dying these cute little blocks,  I  would love all you have!!

This is the center of my JLW, Holiday Inn quilt.    Boy I have really slacked off on this project.    I was going to have it ready to appliqué on our trip but it wasn’t happening so I am doing the appliqué in the evening and  sewing some flying geese up during the day.      I am really preferring hand work over my machine.    But this quilt isn’t going to be all hand work, at least if it is going to be finished by Christmas.     I want it on the wall this Christmas.   If I don’t have a goal, well things just go on forever…….

I purchased a new design wall,  not a fancy one but it is a bit wider and  longer.       Now I can see progress on some of my projects and I really love that.    I am a visual person,   if its put away, it doesn’t get worked on.    Without a big enough wall this really makes for a big mess in the sewing room        I would like to have two walls,  maybe I could move that desk out of my sewing room…….lol……just kidding dear!!    So you can see I have two untouched blocks to my Wool Garden BOM.      I love that one,  I know I say that about all of them,  no ….I said  TT was cute so I can use “Love” here.   

And I have the next wool kit for Vintage Halloween, this “charming pumpkin man” is  going to have a friend so he doesn’t stand alone on this scary white cloth.  I wish it was gray, maybe I could dye it too.  Probably not,    I better keep moving if I am going to finish anything.

OK there you have my progress confession!!!               Now…..

Last month I was a winner at Mary’s Cottage Quilts, and I received a pattern to make her Figgy Pudding quilt.     It’s so fun to win!!!       This is a versatile pattern,  she has a picture of a large quilt on her website, this pattern gets even better in a larger quilt.

Thank you Mary for sharing your talent and I hope your vacation is fabulous!!

Oh!   The picture of Figgy Pudding is Mary’s,  I borrowed it to only show the gift!!!   No, its not part of my progress report and I take no credit for the very cute quilt.   :))

Summer blessings to all of you,

Carrie

p.s.   “Blessings”,  new fabric line by Brannock and Patek,  its wonderful!!