A Fun Saturday

Before I start this post, I wanted to tell you that my phone rang about 8:00 this morning and I heard "Grandma?"  It was Hannah calling from Mozambique - what a wonderful start to my day!  She is sounding just absolutely enthusiastic, happy and is really settling in to her home away from home.  There will be a post sometime today so, if you are following her blog, check later.  I am anxious to read more from her.

Now for this picture that I have posted.  Yesterday I went with Stepanie, Kathy and Linda to Decker, Michigan, which is out on the thumb of the state to attend a seminar and trunk show that was by Edyta Sitar, a young  up and coming quilter who actually lives in Marshall, Michigan, which is in the southern part of the state.  The drive there early in the morning was rather hairy since we had had snow through the night and the roads weren't clear.  Stephanie did a great job getting us there and we arrived safe and sound. Edyta is a young woman is and her work is absolutely wonderful - her quilts are gorgeous and she has the cutest accent (Polish).  It was a joy listening to her and seeing her work.  Pictures cannot capture the actual beauty of her quilts. 

She was featured in this month's issue of American Patchwork and Quilting which features this very nice photo of her being a "fabric" angel.   I am so glad that our guild is fortunate to have booked her next  fall to teach a class.  You can certainly count me in!  If you ever get a chance to go to see her or take a class, I urge you to take advantage of it,  you will most certainly be glad you did.  And in addition to the good time listening to Edyta and looking at her beautiful work, the coffee cake, rolls and coffee beforehand were yummy and the luncheon was double yummy.  It was served by the women of the church and they have some mighty good cooks there.

You can't take a road trip and not stop at a quilt shop or two along the way.  I think that is actually against the rules of quilters.  We stopped at one in Marlette and one in Frankenmuth.  In Frankenmuth, I bought this book of Christmas redwork patterns.   One more stop was made to Miles of Stitches in Hemlock and we got there in the nick of time as they were closing.  Stephanie needed some wide backing for a quilt and she was able to get what she wanted so that was a good thing.

All in all, including three very fun companions and a beautiful snowfall most of the way home (which wasn't sticking on the highway) it added up to a very nice day.  (Click to enlarge)

Fashion Friday

This morning our models are the Moss sisters, Jane, Ann and Martha, along with their friend, Lana, who were in the Chillicothe Kiwanis Kids Day Parade on a Saturday morning in October of 1961.  Lana, Jane, and Ann were the three blind mice, and little Martha was the Farmer's Wife.

What a happy time for the girls.  I think it is pretty safe to say that their mom, Ruby, was probably the one who put together the costumes.   The mice all wear mice suits and big glasses with placards around their neck for identification.  Martha is wearing a pretty little plaid dress, apron and white bonnet.  They won first in Group Costumes.  Good job, girls.  (Click to enlarge)

Little Quilt

For the last couple of days, I have been working on a little quilt that I will give as a gift.  I found the idea at the Moda Bake Shop.  This uses charm squares and I had quite a few of those, plus parts of a layer cake (10 inch squares) which I cut up.  Lots of these fabrics are in my little Tisket a Tasket wallhanging that I did last year.  The polka dot yardage was something I had already along with the batting.  So, this little piece was made without a single trip to a quilt shop.  I do believe there are many more little quilts that could be made  from what is down in the basement.

The colors are lush and springy. I have it already to be bound and will take it to our sew day tomorrow to handstitch the binding to the back.  Machine quilted with stippling and wavy stitch lines in the borders.  (Click to enlarge)

Kaleidoscopes

Oh, so pretty!  My kaleidoscope program is amazing and comes up with some awesome kaleidoscopes.  I am posting four that I just did and all from the same little block which is the January block of my Tisket a Tasket wallhanging I did last year. 

Just by moving the box around you come up with such wonderful variations.  There are dozens of shapes that you can use.

This one takes in one of the sashings that I used.

Isn't this a sweet one?  I could play for hours with this software but I had better get my old self busy and attempt to get something done.  How could a person ever be bored?  (Click to enlarge these beauties!)

Wave Totebag

On Thursday of last week, I took the class for making a wave bag or totebag.  As noted in an earlier post, I left my homework until the last day and it took quite a bit of time but I did finally get most of it done.  I really do like the bag, shown above not finished yet, but I must say it was not a very relaxing project to make.   With all the bias binding, there is a lot of hand sewing.  The top of the bag was just handsewn in the sections that needed to be seamed together.  Should not take too long to finish that part.  This morning I put the bottom in the bag and that was a wrestling match.  It's in and the bias is sewn around and now needs to be handstitched down.  The handles will be a breeze.  I also have in mind to make some yoyo flowers or other fabric 3d flowers and leaves with maybe some covered buttons for centers to spice this up.  The great thing about this pattern is that there are four nice big pockets formed when you put the two identical bags one inside the other and stitch down the middle of the front and also the back.  Lots of room.  I have been  athinkin' about how to do away with the bottom hassle and figure that by making it four or five inches longer and then doing the sewing across the ends bit to make a flat bottom it would be so much easier.  I probably will give that a try since this looks like it might make a good totebag for a new mommy maybe in some Dr. Seuss fabric!  What do you think?  (Click to enlarge)

Fashion Friday

What is more fun than to find a princess outfit at a garage sale your grandparents' neighbor is having?  That is just what happened to Hannah when we went "shopping" next door.  She models her wonderful purchase here along with a tiara and star wand that Grandma found at the Dollar Store (the most enchanting store in the universe - Hannah's favorite destination).  The outfit is a lovely pink with a wonderful tulle overskirt.  As we sat on our front stoop the afternoon this photo was taken, Hannah looked up and said, "Grandma, won't people be surprised to see a princess sitting here?"  I am sure they were enchanted!  (Click to enlarge)

Waited til the Last Minute

I am getting so good at waiting until the last minute to work on things.  Tomorrow is a class to make a totebag and there is the homework of making two quilted pieces for the body of the bag.  I should have done that before but here I am working on it today.  I think I'll make it!  Better get back to the basement and press the second part I pieced and then get to quilting them.  Also have to round up all the stuff to take with me.  And my spacebar is sticking!  Woe is me!  Good thing is the sun is shining, the snow is melting, so it ain't all that bad!  And I actually kind of like the piece I am making - and am using fabric I had so didn't purchase any new.  Stay tuned. (Click to enlarge)

A Sweet Valentine Surprise

One of my neighbors here in our condo complex has the sweetest little great granddaughter who has been coming to her grandma's since she was a baby.  Taryn (I hope I spelled that right) is an absolute delight and I enjoy talking to her so much.  Jane, her great grandmother, has her before and after school while her mom works.  One morning when school was cancelled, Taryn spent some time with me so Jane could fulfull an obligation.  It was fun - she so reminded me of having Hannah here when I first moved to my condo.  This afternoon, Taryn brought me cupcakes for Valentine's Day.  How sweet is that?  I have never received cupcakes as a valentine before!  Thank you, sweetie pie!!

Earlier this morning, these beautiful flowers came from Bill and Ann.  Just gorgeous.  And tonight I will have a repeat of a dinner that I had at Sherry's last evening which was sooooo good.  Pretty good valentine's day  I would say!!   (Click to enlarge)

Happy Valentine's Day

A valentine for you - actually, two of them - I couldn't resist these two.   The sweet little "roses are red" verse from Joe's own Sweetheart must have melted his heart. 

And then there is this one.  Really not very pretty but-

be careful, Howard - Fanny is giving you fair warning that she "will never leave go" if she catches you!  I wonder if she did.  Happy Valentine's day!  (Click to enlarge)

Working on Two Finishes

Here is the table topper I have been working on - quilted and it was in need of binding.  This shows the facing that I put on instead of binding.  Actually, it was pretty time consuming and I don't think I will do a repeat of this particular pattern but I actually like the way it turned out.  First of all, I found a good tutorial on Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwPe_84GBfY  that was good and quite clear.  I did it that way but actually did it in six sections.  Now that I think of it, I probably could have done in with one long piece by mitering on the six edges that are straight.  However, this worked okay.

When I had it all sewn, trimmed, turned and pressed, I topstitched about 1/4 inch from the edge.  I figure that the trimming was pretty close and probably could come loose and fray.  The topstitching should help.

Then this is all ready to be quilted and I did the center block.  I think I will eventually have to learn more than loop-de-loops!  The thread is The Bottom Line and it's very fine so doesn't show a lot and I like that.  Shows even an old dog can learn new tricks!  Never too late.  Haven't decided how I will do the strips in between but hope to come up with something pretty.  I like this little piece a lot.  I also started quilting the wallhanging with the four applique blocks on white tone on tone.  I am not enjoying what I have done to that so it's going to get put back and I will go on to something that is fun then hopefully back to it at a later time.  I started ripping out the stitches and got to thinking--life is too short to be working on something that kind of agitates you and that you really don't need.  It has hung around here unfinished for a long time so a while longer won't make any difference at all.  It's nice to read that some of you have UFO's tucked away - just think of the fun someone in the future will have when they find all that neat stuff tucked in boxes under the bed or the back of the closet.  (Click to enlarge)

Fashion Friday

This morning I'm featuring as a model for the first time my other son, Barclay, in a long, long time ago photo somewhere in the mountains in Europe.  Dressed in a warm jacket, pants and a stocking cap with a pompom, Barc is a very handsome young fellow.  Looking on to the left of him is his mom, Jeananne.  Their family spent some time living in Europe when he was a teenager.  Except for the mountains, this picture looks like it could have been taken in almost anyplace in the midwest right at the moment!   (Click to enlarge)

I So Look Forward to my 83rd Birthday

Here is my first grandchild.  That darling little girl, Norah Lee, sitting by the patio door with Mugsy and Teddy when she was probably 18 months or thereabouts is now waiting with her husband Chad to have their own little girl or boy next summer!   That means the Funoldhag is going to be a great grandmother!  And, are you ready for this, the due date is August 21st - my 83rd birthday!   I am pumped!!  However, I will not hold them to that exact date, for sure, the little one can come when the little one is ready.  But wouldn't it be wonderful to share my birthday?  And, an added note, I had Norah's mom, Sherry, on my grandmother's, Maggie, 80th birthday.  Sweet!!   And, of course, that means that Sherry and Barclay are going to be grandma and grandpa - they will excel in their new roles!  So will the two new aunties and Uncle Doug.  In the picture, the monkey (in diapers) is Mugsy, a birthday present to Bill when he was two.  He spotted the monkey when I had the kids in Ben Franklin's shopping.  I put him on layaway for Bill's birthday (even $3.00 was a lot of money back then) and when we gave him to Bill he was so excited.  How I wish there had been camcorders back then.  Bill thought he was alive, I think.  I kissed that monkey good night everynight when I kissed Bill and whispered in Bill's ear and Mugsy's ear also.   Mugsy lives with great uncle Bill and great aunt  Ann still.  Teddy is Norah's little bear that was actually on a swing on a macrame hanger that I made for her room.  That little bear became her security blanket, her best friend and constant companion.  I'll bet she still has Teddy.  I am excited!!!!!!!
(Click to enlarge)

A Lovely Surprise

Last night at guild, my friend  and fellow tag maker Julie had this wonderful surprise for me.   Julie does absolutely beautiful collage work and has been and is involved in online classes and trades, etc.  Her work is  gorgeous - she has a natural knack for this and has amassed a lot of emphemera and wonderful old vintage items to use in her projects.  I am thrilled with this lovely piece of art - not just for the fact that is a beautiful piece but also that the ladies in the picture are my mother, Nan Pearce, on the right and a friend of hers that pops up in a lot of the old pictures I have.  Julie asked me if she could use the picture in a project she was doing and of course I was happy to have her use it.  She can use any of my pictures any time!  Thank you so much, my friend!  (Click to enlarge)

Valentine Tags

As you know Julie and I still trade cards but have changed to tags this year.  I just finished making mine and used three different pretty ladies.  Along with the extra one, I may make two or three more for some pretty ladies in my family!  I should have chosen a different background for their photograph. Go to http://justtickety-boo.blogspot.com/ to see the darling one Julie posted.  (Click to enlarge) 

Top is Finished

Are you tired of this little thing?  It's all pieced together now and ready to be layered for quilting.  I have one more decision to make on the edge - whether or not to put a 2 to 2 1/2 black print border around it or just go with the black binding.  I'm leaning toward just the binding.  You have my promise this won't show up again until it is quilted and bound, but I have only been working on a couple of things the past couple of weeks.  I do want to get back to the applique blocks now.  One thing for sure, I don't get done nearly what I used to do but am happy I get anything done at all!!  And it's certainly not like I need more quilts and wallhangings - just love to make them.   (Click to enlarge)

Fashion Friday

What the well dressed couple wore to the National Square Dance Convention in Cobo Hall in Detroit, Michigan, the year of 1961.  Just realized that was 50 years ago--time is flying by.  In a frock I fashioned myself (pulling yards and yards and yards of gathering thread on that three tiered skirt!),  I look like the majority of the "taws" in my tiered skirt trimmed in eyelet ruffled edging, and a sleeveless scooped neck blouse.  The fabric is blue and white checked gingham.  And, look, moccasins!  Wonder how many of those I have worn out over the years since I was 13 years old.  They have gone from $2.98 to over $30.00 in the 68 years I have had them as a mainstay in my wardrobe!  They are soooooo comfy - and they have to be the ones with no soles.  I am wearing a pair right now.  My "paw" is looking handsome in a shortsleeved western shirt that matches my dress.  I don't think I made that one, although I did make at least one shirt.  They were hard to do, and I wasn't enjoying that kind of sewing much when you could buy such great shirts already made.  A nice white or black western shirt went with everything.    He has a bolo tie and a fingertip towel in his belt.  We wear our name tags - our club was the Ft. Madison Star Promenaders and there were three couples that went to Detroit.  That was one of the only times Ray and I ever got away by ourselves when the kids were young.  Guess we didn't think much about it since our friends didn't get away, either.  It was a treat, though.   (Click to enlarge)

Snow Pictures

We were part of the huge snow that went across the country in the last couple of days.   My patio is about half full of snow - it will probably be 4th of July before it is all out of there. 

 Huge pile to the right of my little porch.  Another big drift alongside the carport. 

The white bump is my neighbor's air conditioner - mine is beside hers.  We certainly won't be using those for a bit.

Down my sidewalk - don't think I will be going out today!  I don't know how much snow we had, but it was truly enough!   The wonderful thing about this storm is that we didn't lose power!!!!  Also, lots of people got a snow day including my daughter who really loves them.  (Click to enlarge)