I am an Enabler

www.connectingthreads.com has books on sale 20-55% off. No I don't work for them or am I compensated for this message. Hey if you can save a buck do so. Also anything over $50 is shipped free. Also a lot of Batiks are on sale too. Just thought I would help out. Chris

What technique do you prefer?

Sewing and Quilting by hand? Planned piecing?

Random piecing?

Scrap quilting?

Hand applique?

I wonder what most of you prefer to do. As you can see I have tried a lot of it and still would like to try some more machine applique. Have you tried a new technique lately???? Chris

96th Birthday Party

My MIL had her party today. She will be 96 years young on the 1st of September. She is flanked by two of her 10 Grandkids. She has 9 Great grandkids. In the last year she has had to move to assisted living and she is going down for meals three times a day. She had a stroke and heart attack and is hard of hearing but she walks fine with a walker and she gets around really well for 96 years old. Happy Birthday Ethel. Chris

This is where I was at today

I was at the Fire Station all morning and through the lunch hour. This is one of the bays with a truck and ambulance stored inside. The rest were moved out to make room for the tables and chairs.

Here is where the gear is stored for the guys and gals. The rack holds the gear all ready for each firefighter. The pants are already over the boots so they can jump into them. The fluorescent tape really reflects in the camera flash. This is one of the bays that is set up for this seminar. Normally it holds two trucks and extra gear. The Italian beef was cooking in the back and it was driving them nuts while it was cooking. The smell was wonderful.

After the breakfast of breakfast pizza and donuts orange juice coffee and milk was over with several stood out in front to stretch their legs.

This is towards the end of the long line for lunch. Italian beef sandwiches and potato salad, Italian noodle salad, brownies, bar cookies and cupcakes. Everyone said it was awesome. It makes me feel good when I can see the food disappearing fast. Some came back for seconds and thirds. There was plenty of food.

It was a beautiful day and the speaker was really in tune with the age group and funny. Makes a long seminar go good when you can enjoy the speaker.

I am home and the dished done up as far as I could go. I heard many thanks and very nice comments about the food. I did part of it and my son and a friend of his helped. I am wore out now and I forgot to eat can you imagine. Chris

Baking is done and potatoes all peeled

I made 30 # of potato salad and made 52 cupcakes and 4 pans of bar cookies. I am up at 5am and having coffee and off in a little while to cook 70# of beef for this event. I have to drive 32 miles to get to the Fire Department it is at and then unload and get the meat started.
Coffee to make and ice to chill the soda and the water. I am tired just thinking about all this.
About Noon the tables will go up for the buffet style lines and the food will be consumed in 20 minutes and it took three days to buy make and cook all of it. Seems like a lot of work for no more time than it takes to consume it. Oh well as long as they are fed and like it that is all I care about. Will take pictures of the crowd. Later Chris

Chaos

Tomorrow is the seminar. so today I am baking and cooking. The mess is overwhelming at the moment. Cookies, Bar cookies and also brownies and cupcakes for 60 can take over the house.

Eggs for potato salad on cooking now. They have to cool so I got them started.

20# of potatoes, onions and Salad dressing are waiting to get their time in the sun. Well not sun in the hot tub of boiling water. Then to cool to peel and get the mess stirred together. Not much sewing going to go on today. did a couple blocks. Well the hair is up and the dishwasher needs unloading and the counters need arranging. You know where I will be today in the kitchen. Chris

Yardwork and sewing

Yesterday was a very full day. My monthly shopping and bill paying day and also yard work. I was really tired last night.
Listening to the news is depressing. I have family in the hurricane's way and not just in Florida also on the coast. We live in the Midwest and we are suppose to have nice weather all because of the hurricane.
Today and tomorrow I have lots of baking and cooking to do. Cookies and brownies and cupcakes for all these guys and the seminar. Then potato salad for 60 plus people. Haven't heard if I have to serve also. Guess I need to ask about that.
What mother's won't do to help their kids. LOL Well the coffee is done so I need about two pots to get going today. Take care Chris Umm..... blogger won't let me add pictures today

No more feeding tube

Went to the Doctor and he pulled the tube out. He has done so well. He weighed 106 lbs when it went in about 19 months ago and now he is up over 140 lbs. I thought I was going to loose him and now he is eating on his own and I have been fixing everything he wants. He hadn't been able to swallow good for over 2 1/2 years. He is excited. We are going to a birthday party this weekend for his mother and she will be 96 years old so he wanted to go and eat. Well we can now. Chris

Doing it again being a cut up........

Cut cut sew sew. Scraps galore are being whipped into shape and piles are going down. I have been getting up early and cutting and sewing in the quiet.

This time of year I hate the TV. My husband has trouble hearing and with the A/C running and the TV at the highest decibles imaginable I like sitting in quiet in the mornings before the sun comes up. These are 1 3/4 inch squares in a 9 patch and 3 3/4 inch squares cut diagonally to make this block. not a lot of fabric and small when done. But they are attractive when sashed with a darker fabric. I made one last year and the kids all try and grab it when they are here. So thought I would make another one and have it on hand for sleep overs. That way the other one won't wear out as fast. Funny it isn't just the little kids that want it the big kids try and grab it too. We have a Dr's appointment today hopefully the feeding tube will come out soon. It would sure make our day to hear that bit of news. Chris

Going to be a busy week

My son is hosting a seminar for Firefighters on Sat. So Mom gets to cook for about 65 people. He says he is going to grocery shop on Friday.

Firefighters in the State of Illinois have to have training and so many hours a year to hold their status as a firefighter. He is a Nationally accredited Instructor and also has State certification. So he hosts other instructors in his local Fire Departments to take these training classes. It is usually an 8 hour seminar and you have to provide food for them. Snacks drinks and a lunch meal is in order. Guys like to eat so we cook a lot of food for that many. Holding a hose on a fire isn't the only thing they need to know. Most of the training is on saftey issues of protecting you and the other firefighters plus the residents or other persons in harms way. Men and women that place their lives on the line for others is a very dedicated profession . I applaude the selfless efforts they preform each day. Thank a Firefighter when you see one. Chris

This is what I did today

I thought I had a bright idea. Well I am not so sure now. I am not for sure I did this right and also if I even like it.

I wanted to make some Victorian Christmas stockings with the cotton velveteen I was given.

There is rayon velvet taffeta and brocade in this also. I thought I was smart to cut a pattern out and make a base to stitch the velveteens onto. The foundation is of a softly woven twill cotton. First mistake. It stretched. Then the velveteen slid and I have a puckered sock front. Then the stitching on top also made it more ruffled and rumpled looking. I will finish it, but I think it will be the last one I make. Also I think I have to many dark colors. With the embroidery it does lighten it up some, but still dark. I know Victorian era looking stuff is dark.

I did make some more HST blocks. I think I have about 18 done and maybe I will make 30 so over half way there. Chris

Got it done and used for two hours

Before the machine set on top of the cabinet. Now it works much better. I could even lower my desk chair less stress on my legs that way.

I am so glad he did it for me. I gave him a great big kiss. Chris

I am so Excited

This is my sewing machine cabinet. It is a cheapy cabinet because at some point I am getting a Koala cabinet from my Mother. So the machine sat on top of the cabinet. I had trouble balancing the quilts on the raised surface to machine quilt. He measured taped squared it up and began to cut the top of the cabinet. He has made a tray for the machine to sit on and it will go into place tomorrow.

He said it will either work or I will screw it up. Well all the measuring and the taping and marking paid of because it works well.

Here he is rounding the corners a little more and the machine fits well in
the hole with room to attach the cord and I will be in like Flynn. I am so excited. It took a lot of convincing but he got the cutting done today and the tray is stained and varnish and will go in later on. Maybe by tomorrow I will have the cabinet back in the house and in use. Chris

Kitchen smells Wonderful!

Canning time of the year has started here. I didn't get the green beans the bugs got them. But I have Tomatoes and peppers. My counter was full and they were ready to be cooked and now the process has started. The stewed tomatoes will turn into sauce when I get done with them. This has been a funny year for vegetable gardens. Some things just didn't do well. The cucumbers didn't do anything and last year I was giving them away I had so many.

The smell is heavenly in the kitchen. Nothing like a pot of tomatoes onions and pepper cooking.
As soon as this this thicker and reduced some I will run it through a food mill and get the seeds out and can them.
The sauce will be great for soups and spaghetti sauce this next winter. Plus it is so filled with all the vitamins and stuff we need to keep healthy. Chris
PS. All that work and only 3 quarts of sauce came from all that. It is in the canner and waiting for it to boil. Chris

Up early and yet not sure I should be

I had a very busy day yesterday and it was all for others. Which I guess is ok once in a while. This morning I woke up and had to get to the sewing machine. Here is the progress on the HST blocks I have been working on a few at a time. This is 12 blocks and they are 12X12 so they will get there fast. I am down to adding some more for variety. I pulled out of my stash a large stack of fabrics that need to be added for one quilt or another. Some are not used in recent quilts so it will be a different look for what I want to get done before Christmas.
My son gave me some bad news the other day and I have been pretty upset over it. His Dog Bashful chewed almost every quilt I have given them. Two of them were from the last two Christmas's. I have three of them here and two more to be repaired. One of these quilts is so old I am not sure what I will do with it. It was a crazy quilt block my Mom and I made for him almost 30 years ago. But it is his and he wants it repaired. So to free up some more space in the sewing room I need to tackle the problem and get them done. They are all king sized so it will be a day when I can wrestle them under the needle on the machine.
School starts in the next town over today so please be aware of kids out in the morning walking to bus stops and to school. Can't be to careful with the little ones on their way to school. Chris

What was I thinking

I think I am either an idiot or to frugal. I had all these small pieces and I tried to make this all by hand. I have worked on it off and on while at Dr.'s appointments.

As you can see they are small pieces and I think they are 2 in. pieces. There are three for every hexie. It is using up small stuff. I think a lap quilt or a table topper not sure yet.

This one is done all but the backing and quilting. 80 X 87 inches. I will be glad when this one is done. The small pieces in this one used a lot of scraps up. I really must be nuts. I guess I don't care for all the big block patterns. They are attractive to look at , but I like the challenge of making it small. Chris

One more row don't you think?

This is a queen sized bed it is draped over. The length is a little short. It is to go on a full sized bed and I want it long enough to cover the foot of the bed. It is 80in X 80in in the raw form. I thought about borders but it still isn't quite long enough.

Definitely colorful for a scrap quilt.

Lots of parts and pieces were cut and used for this top. Chris

Doll house finished

The whole thing is done now. The finishing details were put on it today. Enjoy the tour.

This isn't to scale but a Barbie would fit in it. The total hours are about 100 in labor. Hopefully the little girl likes it now. Chris

Frustrated

There are no pictures today. I have had a nasty thing to deal with in the last 24 hours. I mow lawns for two of my neighbors. We agreed on a price and also the terms of payment were agreed on. Well one neighbor has had some financial difficulties and I was nice and let the agreement slide some. Well it ends up I had to get tough over getting paid and it has me so frustrated I can't function. I know I shouldn't let others work on me that way, but I was trying to be the nice guy, but "Nice Guys finish last" I know others have had trouble getting paid for their work and I am sure you feel just as badly as I do. What are you to do? Hurt someones feeling and stand up for yourself or just don't help anyone out. Hope everyone has a better day than what I have Chris

Windows open finally and the coffee tastes good

The horrible heat wave has broke here. It was 58*F first thing this morning. Needless to say the windows are open. Tired of the A/C running. I bought a different coffee grind the other day and I think I like it better. When I was young my Mom shopped at a A&P store. They had a brand name of Eight O'clock coffee. You ground it right at the store and took it home with you. I found it again and the bitter taste other coffee's has isn't there. Taste good to me.

Here are the scrappy blocks I made early in the Spring. I had been looking for fabric for the sashing and I found some a couple weeks ago. This is the width of the bed and four rows all connected together. 6 more rows and then the borders. I will be glad to get this closer to finished.

The County fair is this week and the grandkids want to go. Not sure I am up to walking the fair with them. Dad is working today so maybe tonight he can take them to the fair. What kids doesn't like the County Fair. Can you tell we live in a rural area? Chris

We are embroidering

Derek decided he wanted to embroider a sub machine gun. What a thing to embroider, but if it keeps him busy no big deal. He is 10 years old and he likes to do things like that once in a while.

Here is the image he traced it off of. He uses the picture window as a light box.

Taylor is working on a butterfly pattern she started last winter. She likes doing it also. She is 12 years old now.

She has been doing it long enough now she does nice even small stitches with her outline stitch.

It is raining out and not much else to do without their video games here. So they do like to try other things from time to time. I think all kids need to know how to sew so they can do minor repairs and sew on buttons. Chris

What is going on?

So many times the news is on the TV and I am not even listening. I just spent 3 minutes in tears. The World is upside down. Why are we in such turmoil? Money, Wars, Weather and it's aftermath. I guess I am to tender hearted and it all wells up when I listen to closely.
My grandkids are here sleeping and my life is ok. Guess turn off the TV and go to the sewing room turn on the lights and get lost in seams and scraps all waiting to come together.
The first thing Taylor did when she got here was to see if I had messed up the sewing room since last time they were here. I hadn't. Well a little and I am sewing a project so some things are out. She couldn't believe it.
Progress on the flowerbeds and the quilt are both going on. I have been pretty aggressive in the yard and I am really out of shape so I hurt really badly today. I guess I need to get some more sewing and visiting with the kids done today to recuperate. Chris

No sewing weeding instead and enjoy the flowers along the way

This is the first of this Rose of Sharon's flowers

We have had so much rain and the weeds are taking over. The Trumpet vine went nuts. I think it is going to be history this Summer.

The Grape Hyacinth Bean is doing well waiting on blooms to come.

Look at the weeds. The tomatoes are dying. The heat was so hard on the plants. Even though we watered it fried the plants.

This is more Grape Hyacinth Bean vines.

Some of the peppers are turning red, They had so many weeds around them I was surprised they survived.

The old fashioned Rose of Sharon and the Black eyed Susans are in full bloom. We pulled 5 1/2 55 gallon garbage bags of weeds out so far. My hand hurt and my muscles are screaming at me. The green beans died in the garden and didn't produce. The cucumbers have only produced 2 cukes and we replanted them. The rabbits ate all the beets so nothing to can. Not been a good garden year accept for the weeds growing. I could win a prize for the amount of weeds I had. Finally got 2/10 of an inch of rain today. Wanted to do more weeding and separating today but to muddy. Maybe will clean and sew a few seams. Chris