Phew uploading pictures takes forever. Not use to this

I just spent two hours off and on trying to get this process done. Before Christmas I was embarrassed by the condition of my recliner. I had this piece of tapestry given to me so I make a cushion cover to cover the frayed edges on my recliner seat. We got it stapled to the base of the frame and it is in all one piece again. No it doesn't match, but blends. LOL

This is the next project. We are going to paint in this bathroom and we are using the color from the other bathroom. A Terra Cotta color so I need a new shower curtain and I went to my fabric and some that I can use to make a curtain with the vinyl liner.  

Here is the two prints I will use to make the new curtain. Not something I would use in a quilt, but it was given to me by my Mother. Good fabric, but not my type. It will work for a usable curtain. 

I have had a lot of time to sit and yet I am not getting anything done. Need to get up and be productive. We have had so many gray days and I am sure it has effected me.

This is the third row of 6 done but a few connecting sections. Maybe tonight while watching TV I can get it onto the other two rows that are sewn together.
I really have had trouble with uploading pictures. Wanda shared a posting from another blogger which helps, but I guess I get confused. This old head of mine doesn't like change when something works. Changes are hard at my age to digest.

I have to keep a copy of the instructions by my computer to refer to. Off to shovel a half inch of snow off the drive. Take care and stay warm. Chris

Thinking Dangerous right?

Almost 31 years ago I managed a fashion fabric store in Peoria, Illinois. This is one of three I had worked in selling fabric over the course of 18 years. I was called by the local TV station to do an interview on air of the interest in sewing that was going on at the time.

The town had about 6 fabric stores and the surrounding towns had a couple of quilt shops. Not something that was that popular at the time.  Then the name of calico was what they called cotton fabric for quilting. Back then the variety was mostly solids and small viney prints in either crayon colors or pastels.

We had a group that did quilting mostly by hand that would visit the store as a group and they had jewelers eye pieces to count the threads in the fabric to see if it was worthy of having it cut for them. I was fascinated that people were that vain over the types of fabrics they would purchase. I never saw any finished items they made. They wanted the fabric to be torn and not cut and then if it was printed off grain they wouldn't accept it. I guess I am fussy about this also.

In this TV interview the reporter asked if sewing interest was on the rise. We had a large amount of avid sewers in the store that were repeat customers. Most was around garment sewing and some deco sewing, Quilting was considered a grandma project at the time.

I have looked at several profiles of quilters in the blog and so many are in their 20's and 30's. I am pleased to see that the art of creative sewing is alive and well. More people make craft or quilts as their main interest. The garment sewer doesn't surface as much. With clothing so cheap in the big box stores and the lives of many families are so busy sewing is not a priority.

If you get a chance to observe with out stalking a potential customer in a quilt shop or your local fabric store see what they steer themselves towards. Color, texture and quality is the first to emerge. Price and the amount they need all play into the next phase of their purchase. Everyones' taste in design and color and quality are different.

One thing I like is plaids. Others like florals and some like mottles or jewel textures. This is how the same pattern can look so much different with every ones tastes being so different. Chris  

Nothing on TV and nothing going on in the sewing room

I guess I am stuck in a rut. All reruns on the TV shows we normally watch. Next week they will start up again.
The weather has been decent for this time of year and we are to get half an inch of rain on thursday.
Maybe in the next couple days I can find my mood to get something done. I have run for a couple weeks now and I need some me time.
My next door neighbor just called and she lost her house keys. Good thing I have an extra one. She thinks she pulled her gloves out and the key fell out. I always place my house key on my car key ring.
Well my neighbor hood is not dull. I think I am going to go to bed shortly and watch Chicago Fire. I don't think I told you the fireman that came up with the story line for that program is from Chicago and is a very close friend of my son's. He calls me Ma when he sees me. He is writing show story lines already for next year. The temperament of some of the firemen is a copy of his temperament. He was in the second show of this season as a walk on.
Just thought I would check in. Chris
 

New storage in the bedroom

This is and antique cabinet that was set out for the garbage many many years ago. It was in an auto shop of the school where I worked.It had ten coats of paint on it and we stripped 20 years ago and we used it for a TV cabinet. We loaned it to my son and he sent it back. We stripped it again and added an antique mirror to the top and it is now a display and clothing armoire.  

It will now go where this one was in the master bedroom. This was only able to sit in two places in the room because it was so big. We have a four poster bed to match it and two night stands. We think we have it sold. 

This other cabinet can be used for quilts clothing or what ever we chose after we don't need it in the bedroom. It is smaller and we can arrange the room better now.   

Jeff has worked on the old cabinet for three weeks getting it stripped and redone. Glad it is in the house and we can not worry about trying move it in the snow which is almost all gone now.
Finally figured out how to add photos. We have been so busy with the neighbor I hadn't noticed blogger had change. Thanks Wanda for the help. Chris

Snowed some

Not a lot going on. Have a beef roast in the oven on 250*F and I am about ready to take a nap. Was up a lot last night.

I probably will be banded from emailing a fellow quilter. We have been going back and forth over quilting blogs and techniques. Valerie from www.pumpkinpatchquilter.blogspot.com has an interest in furthering her abilities in machine quilting and also looking into long arm machines. We have compared the work of several LA quilters and some of the methods they go through to mark and quilt these customer tops.

I don't have the LA machine, but I am interesting in learning more all the time because some of the skills can be used with domestic machine quilting.

If you get a chance check out her blog and see what she is doing.  Still hand piecing my EPP and still trying to get some scraps used up.

Been on the road to the hospital and doing my own thing also. We brought a refinished antique cabinet in the house and I need to get pictures taken to show you what Jeff has been working on the last three weeks.

Stay warm Chris

Tragic start to the New Year

Jan 1 2013 started out fine and the middle of the afternoon turned ugly. This first picture is out my back door. The fire behind is a house that a single man lived in. My son called and asked if we were alright. He is a fireman and heard the call go out over the twincom radio. He said it was out here. About that time an explosion happened the windows were blown out of this house. As you can see which is just seconds after the explosion it was engulfed.

The owner was pulled out of the without shoes or a shirt let alone a coat. He is fine. He lost everything. The house behind them or to the right lost all the siding on the house and it melted the car bumper and front quarter panel. They were on the scene for 4 hours and 6 fire departments were hauling water. We live on a well and as many will know not the best water pressure. So water had to be hauled to a slurry tank to be pumped onto the fire.
The gentleman was lucky he wasn't hurt.

Then today I got a call from my neighbor who has been sick that she needed help. I went to her house used my key because she couldn't walk. She got up last night to get something to drink and fell on her kitchen floor around 10pm and crawled into her bedroom and went to bed. I called the ambulance and they took her to the hospital and she was admitted with a broken ankle and bleeding internally which made her really week. She has to have several test tomorrow to determine where the bleeding is and she is recieving 2 units of blood. She has no family here and she is all alone. So it has been a couple wild days here at my house. I would like normal someday soon.

Spending part of the day tomorrow running to the hospital and also to pay her bills and mine too. I am so tired and stressed out so I am off to bed early tonight. Chris

2013 New Year

We have new paint and color for the New Year. The next picture is true to the color. This one is muted. You can see the cabinets he took down and added more finish to them. He made these for this bathroom.

As I said this is more the real color of the room. It is a terra cotta color. It makes the room look so much warmer than the tan it was. This is another cabinet he made for next to the vanity.

More color with the EPP I am doing. I have worked on it slowly of late. When I get done with this row and attach it it will be half done. This is a use up the scrap quilt and something to do while watching TV at night.  

See this image. This is a strange sight in my neck of the woods. It is sunlight streaming in the window. It has been so dark and gray for weeks on end.
The laundry is started the showers taken and the dishes all cleaned up for this morning. Maybe I should do something creative today. I do need to make a good supper for tonight. We ate light last night and then today a decent meal and less snacking will go on.

We still have a couple details to do in the master bath to be finished. I need to scrub the carpet and then it will be officially done. At some point the carpet will be ripped out and some form of tile will be replaced in there. All takes money though.

Hope everyone had a nice New Years and all is well in your households. Chris