Volunteering!

Every Monday morning I volunteer at "Operation Blessing". This is the local store that anyone can come and choose whatever they need at no charge whatsoever. The local citizens donate whatever they don't need and let me tell you we get just about everything donated!

The building is only open three times a month for "shopping" but if there is a need can be opened at any time. The volunteers are there everyday taking donations, going through them and putting them in their respective departments. Hard work, but I enjoy the people that work there and it gets me out of the house! LOL But, also, when I was a child, times were tough for our family and we were recipients of charity. I think we all should give back a little if we are able to do so.

Sick grandkids!

Three of my four grandkids are sick!

Paige had a severe stomach virus last week and then she got the N1H1 flu. That really scared me, but she's doing fine now and hasn't had a fever today, so I think she's about over it. But her brother, Jake, is sick now. Julie, my daughter, is keeping close tabs on them, so I'm sure they'll be fine, but it's still scary for us being 4 hours away.

Kayley, one of my other granddaughters, woke up in the middle of the night with big red welts all over her body. They had disappeared in the morning but reappeared in the middle of the day. She does have allergies and evidently something she has eaten or come in contact with, has dealt her a lot of misery. Stacey, my daughter can't come up with anything out of the ordinary that Kayley has eaten or been around, so it's a real mystery to us. Hopefully, she will be fine tomorrow, otherwise, to the doctor she's going!

Little Lyndey, 4, the youngest grandchild, is the well one. Let's hope she stays that way!

Marsha McCloskey class taken!

Friday was my class with Marsha McCloskey. Wow, it was great! She is such a nice person and a great teacher. This specific class was on "blended quilts".

You use a variety of florals, big and small, paisleys, toiles, etc., and the parts of the block blend together. It's very hard to explain in a couple of sentences and a very different quilt than I'm accustomed to making. Usually you want contrast in parts of a block, this technique you are trying to achieve blending and the block pattern is secondary most of the time, letting the fabric do the work. In my runner I have low contrast, medium contrast and high contrast blocks and in a large quilt you would want lots of each.

It's really a different type of quilt, very unusual and very interesting. The type of quilt that you stare at and can see lots of things happening in it.

Marsha lectured all morning and then we sewed in the afternoon. After choosing the fabrics for the Ohio Star pattern, which took forever, I finally got three blocks done and made a table runner with them. I loved the suggestion of putting a four patch in the center sometimes, more interest in the block pattern.

It was a fun day and such a learning experience. I was lucky to have had the opportunity to learn from her, thanks to Randa at Prairie Quilt in Hennessey. Whenever you have a chance to take a class from a well-known teacher/quilter, do it!

Paige's First Quilt

Paige's four patch "frog" quilt is all done! She is a great little sewer. I took video of her at each step and it is delightful to watch her.

This is a fuzzy photo, I must get another one of her and her quilt!

I also had her make a label for the back. Just had to have documentation in her handwriting, I think that is so important. In fact, in my local guild I am the one (there's one in every guild) who is always hammering everyone to get a label on their quilts.

Paige Sewing

My six year old granddaughter from Texas spent a week this summer with us. She wanted to sew so we went shopping for fabric and she sewed her first quilt. Paige was very patient and listened to everything I said.

I had her sew without thread on notebook paper for learning how to sew straight lines. She didn't sew over pins, taking them out as she approached them and her seams were very precise! She did a fantastic job and best of all, she wants to do it again next year!

Jake's Quilt

At my grandson Jake's baby shower (before he was born), I provided squares of fabric and pigma pens for the guests to "predict" what occupation he might have when he was an adult. I incorporated the squares in the "Jacob's Ladder" block pattern.

Right now his favorite color is black and I wanted something that wasn't too cutesy, so I thought this turned out pretty good.

By the way, his birthday is next month, he'll be NINE!! Better late than never.

Marsha McCloskey Class!

I just found out that I won a $75 class at one of my favorite quilting stores! Marsha McCloskey is teaching a class on Blended Quilts and I'm so excited to be able to learn from such a gifted teacher/quilter. Fun, Fun!!

The class is this coming Friday so I have to go shopping for fabric soon. And I do hate having to go to the quilt store--yeah, right, you know that's true.

This week will be busy. Tuesday I have my embroidery class, Wednesday, a class on a long-arm quilter and then the Friday class. My mind will be spinning by the weekend!!

Halloween wallhangings done!

Finished the bindings on the Halloween quilts yesterday. I used the BSR (Bernina Stitch Regulator) on the stippling and I really like that thing. Those stitches look so much more uniform than I've done in the past, which is just what it is suppose to do. The more I use it the more I love it.

I also put labels on them a different way. It was quick and easy since you fold the fabric and sew on a corner before you put the binding on it. Check out the photo.

New Look!

Thanks to my computer whiz daughter, I have a new header design and I love it! She found just the right look with the quilt/fabric and the hearts that look like cookies. And pink and brown is my favorite color combination right now. Thanks so much Julie!

Today was another wet, lazy day in Oklahoma. It seemed like a day for a casserole and since I had turkey leftovers, I made turkey tetrazzinni. It was a new recipe and really good. Here it is:

Turkey Tetrazzini

6 slices cooked turkey (1 pound) (I chopped mine)
2/3 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup oleo
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
2 cups milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tbsp. sherry
1 can (4 oz) sliced mushrooms, undrained
1 pkg (7 oz) spaghetti, cooked, drained

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook and stir onion in butter until tender. Blend in flour and seasonings. Remove from heat. Gradually add milk. Stirring constantly, cook over medium heat until mixture thickens. Add 2/3 cup of cheese. Add sherry and mushrooms to cheese sauce. Place layer of spaghetti in 12 x 8 inch baking dish. Cover with layer of turkey and layer of sauce. Repeat the layers. Sprinkle remaining 1/3 cup cheese over top. Bake 25 minutes. Yummy! Add a salad and some hot bread and you're set for a great meal!

Good news on freezer!

The freezer is working. Woo hoo!!! So the door (it's an upright) must have been left ajar. It was a big mess, but no meat was ruined and I'm thankful for that.

Now if we can get the insurance settled on the car accident last week, I'll be a happy camper. Why does everything have to be such an ordeal? I'm ready for things to get back to normal!

I did manage to machine quilt one of the halloween wallhangings and have the binding ready to sew on tomorrow. That new stitch regulator (BSR) is pretty sweet. I did see a posting today of a blog that was very interesting. It's "365 Days of Free Motion Quilting Filler Designs", by Leah Day. I think I'm going to love it. http://freemotionquilting.blogspot.com My goal is to do much more of my own quilting instead of sending the quilts out, so I'm hoping I'll learn a lot of new designs.

New Wallhanging started!

After putting a turkey in the smoker, a roast in the crockpot and cooking up some stew meat, I've decided to steal a few minutes in my sewing room. We still don't know if the freezer is "cooked" or not, as we decided to go ahead and defrost it. Yes, it needed it badly. My neighbors benefited from this calamity also. They both have young kids and were thankful for the extra meat shared with them.

I started a new project (why do I do that, I have several I need to finish!!) and it's "eating my lunch"!! The pattern is "Window on the East". A wallhanging that looks like you're looking through a window. I really liked it, but I didn't really think about the 16 MITERED CORNERS in it. The pattern has 13 pages of instructions. That should have been a clue, too, but of course, I didn't read the pattern before I bought it. I love the fabric I chose, red cardinals, and when it's done, it'll be the one and only, 'cause I'm not making another. I'm determined to finish it though, no matter how long it takes!

What Next?!

After a wonderful weekend with daughter and grandkids from Texas visiting, this evening was the pits!

After having some Blue and Gold sausage delivered from the local FFA, we discovered our freezer went out!! Either that or we left the door ajar. Doesn't matter, the meat was almost all thawed. Tomorrow we'll find out if we need a new freezer or not. Hope not!

So we delivered a bunch of thawed meat to my three sisters and sister-in-law and I've spent the last two hours cooking hamberger. Tomorrow I'll be cooking roasts. At least then I can re-freeze. And we'll be having steaks for supper. Just when I wanted to spend the day quilting!!!

Last week it was the wreck, this week the freezer. They say things happen in threes--I'm afraid of what's coming next. Okay, my husband will freak when he sees this. For some reason, he says I shouldn't even speak those words. As if I have the power to make things happen.

I did take my second lesson on my new machine this morning. These basic lessons are really pretty BASIC, but I think you always learn something when you go to classes. Last week, it was the first thing the instructor said. She said, "Open your accessory box by opening the little legs". What legs???

And of course, they always have something new to show you that you just have to HAVE!! I am NOT a garment maker, but today after seeing the ruffler and gathering feet, I want to try sewing something!! When my daughters were young, I did sew clothing for them. When they hit about third grade and wanted to wear jeans and t-shirts only, I gave up. As far as sewing garments from patterns, I do okay, EXCEPT when the patterns needs adjusting. Not gonna do it. Don't like it, can't do it, and don't want to learn. Let me just make quilts and wall hangings!

Two-Tone Apron

After the "accident" Tuesday, I needed to make sure my machine was okay, so I made the"Two-Tone Apron" from Bernina's website yesterday. It was really a quickie, which I enjoy doing! And to make it even better I used my stash for it. Aprons are sure making a comeback. I'm pretty sloppy in the kitchen, and always grabbing towels, so I plan on wearing them more often! Our grandmothers would certainly be happy. I love the following poem and I'm not sure who wrote it, but I really agree with it.

GRANDMA'S APRON

When I used to visit Grandma. I was very much impressed

by her all-purpose apron, and the power it possessed.

For Grandma, it was everyday to choose one when she dressed.

The strings were tied and freshly washed, and maybe even pressed.

The simple apron that it was, you would never think about;

the things she used it for, that made it look worn out.

She used it for a basket, when she gathered up the eggs,

and flapped it as a weapon, when hens pecked her feet and legs.

She used it to carry kindling when she stoked the kitchen fire.

And to hold a load of laundry, or to wipe the clothesline wire.

She used it for a hot pad, to remove a steaming pan,

and when her brow was heated, she used it for a fan.

It dried our childish tears, when we'd scrape a knee and cry,

and made a hiding place when the little ones were shy.

Farm produce took in season, in the summer, spring and fall,

found its way into the kitchen from Grandma's carry all.

When Grandma went to heaven, God said she now could rest.

I'm sure the apron she chose that day, was her Sunday best.

The machine was fine but I am pretty stiff yet, so taking everyone's advice and going to get checked out by my doctor. Better to be safe than sorry.

Car Accident!

Yesterday started out as a great day. Had my first lesson on my new Bernina, went shopping and was headed out of town. (Dealer is 40 miles from home.)

I was stopped at a stop light when "BOOM", I was rear ended. I wasn't hurt, but my poor Nissan is in bad shape. The estimate is $10,007. My first thought was "Is my machine alright?" I think it is, I'm going to go sew soon to check it out. And it had better be. Thank God, it wasn't in the trunk. I have pictures but they're on my cell phone and I need to transfer. Maybe later I can show you my poor car.

I'm not as sore as I thought I'd be today, but I am a little tight in the neck and shoulder area. I'm sure I'll be fine.

So the day, didn't end as good as it started, but no one was hurt and that's the main thing. Tomorrow I'll get back to quilting and learning more things to do with this blog.