In Memoriam

We all know Memorial Day is about our troops who have given all they have to keep our Freedoms Free.

While I currently have (and have had in the past) relatives serving in the military
(my son included), The Lord has spared me the heart break of losing any of them to a war. 
I cannot even imagine.  My heart goes out to all the moms, dads, sisters, brothers, cousins and people who love "Our Fallen Heroes."

Of course, Memorial Day weekend is ALSO the unofficial start of summer (the airlines know this....have you checked those fares lately?)  And, a nice three-day weekend to do.....whatever....

I spent the weekend mostly at home; a little cleaning....some gardening... some sitting-on-the-patio -sipping-an-adult-beverage-enjoying-the-fireflies.... and, of course, some quilting.  

The creation of a Memorial Wall Quilt to the Quilting Auntie, Nyla is well under way.

Using all the Row-by-Row license plates we collected over the years, and the idea I saw on Pinterest, this is what I have so far.

Making Friends

 

 

When you're school age, you make friends at school.

 

 

College age people meet up at The Library.
"Hey, Mom, I'm going to the library." (wink, wink)

 

 

 

Young moms make friends at the park or via sports their kids play.

 

 

 

 

But, when you're old and fairly new to a small town making friends is harder. So far I have one new quilting friend,
Carolyn, and she's on a business trip for the next 3 months.

Would you believe it? There is only ONE quilt guild in this quilt city? 
And it meets in the middle of the week, during the day....during my work hours....

So, we do what we can....I have my Ukulele Jam via Zoom every Friday night.  (fun bunch)

Another avenue for making friends...even if they are long-distance friends...is to join some sort of swap.

 

 

 I joined a pincushion swap sponsored by
The Sewing Loft.

HERE is a Facebook link...but hurry,
the deadline to join is fast approaching.

 

Who knows, perhaps there are other well-past-middle-age
women out there who are also looking for a friend. 

 
Maybe even in my town....on MYstreet!!!

Designing Women

 

If you are not old enough to remember Designing Women, a weekly TV show from the early 1980's or if you ARE old enough but never watched the show....there are some episodes out there on the net. Funny, funny, funny.  If you need a good laugh....and they're clean.

The previous post about Remembering fired me up to take inventory of all the Row-by-Row row kits, patterns and license plates in my UFO stack.  The good news, not as many as I thought.  I don't feel so bad.  It was kind of fun going through all the patterns and license plates and Remembering all the shops. (A moment of silence for the 10 shops (out of 25) that are permanently closed.)

Next step....decide what to do with the kits and the plates. I found a nice design on Pinterest that uses the plates.

The Quilting Auntie and I zooming off on another quilt adventure.

So, now fire up EQ8* to make a quick design to determine how big to make the center and how much sashing fabric I'll need.  (Center 25" x 25".  Finished quilt 45" x 45"...unless I make changes along the way, as we Designing Women tend to do.) 
So far, still no trip to any Quilt Shop.

Finally, start arranging the pieces on the design wall....except both my design walls are already spoken for. 

As long as it is on the design wall I can pretend I'm actually making progress.

Long Time Gone
by Jen Kingwell
MUST get back to this.

Summer Soiree
Pat Sloan's Summer Sew Along 2021

Another design wall goes up in the hall outside the studio.

 

I'm liking it already.

Now there are three projects on three design walls....It's time for this Designing Woman to commence sewing!

 

*Electric Quilt 8

Set My Heart to Remembering....

Isn't it funny how our brains work?  If you think of a word like "coffee" your brain might come back with "beans" or "plantation" or "Juan Valdez."  (I think there might even be a game like this... ???)

This morning on FB someone asked about nice quilt shops in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.  YES!  My favorite!  The Bear Paw. 
The Quilting Auntie and I would go there every time I went to Spokane to see her.  Very nice shop.  

I went out to the internet to grab the web address for the person inquiring....

What?  Permanently Closed!   Sad face.... It was the nicest shop!

2019 - Off to the Quilt Shop
Our last excursion shortly before her passing.

 

 

 

 

That set my heart to remembering ... all my trips to Spokane...
all the sewing sessions with the Quilting Auntie...
all the traveling to quilt shows...
even at the end of her days, we were talking quilting.

 

 

 

 

 

 AND, when I blew up the internet picture ... I remembered Row-By-Row!

Be honest....how many Row-by-Row kits, instructions and license plates do you have tucked away somewhere?  

Ok, I'll go first....

At least a few...and I even gave some away before I moved.

 

Pre-Pandemic when I'd travel for work...I'd be scouting out the quilt shops and bringing home Row-by-Row kits, patterns, etc.

They become UFOs and I think NOW is a good time to do something with them.  Since my move to Quilt City, USA, I've had so much on my plate that I have not done a thing in the Studio.*  I just can't get started.   All my UFOs and projects seem so stale.

I found a good starting place!  And it requires no trip to the quilt shop!

 

*I've been dealing with a medical issue that I hope is now behind me.

Mother's Day - All New Feeling

It's hard to believe another Mother's Day has rolled around.  Last year I was still in California and Matthew and his family were close by.  And even though my own mom wasn't there, and my daughter wasn't there, 
I was still part of a Mother's Day celebration.  I felt loved.

A past Mother's Day

What a difference a year makes.  This year I'm feeling a little lonely and forgotten.

As Maggie tells Sarah in the book Sarah, Plain and Tall
"There is always something to miss, no matter where you are."

Mother's Days are different now.

Mom's been gone six years this November.

So, for those of you whose moms are close -- or whose kids are close, hugs all around and 

Happy Mother's Day!

(And thank goodness for Zoom!)

Quilt Show Product Review

We all know, as beautiful as the quilts are, we also go for the vendors....what's new and trendy. 
What do I need that I didn't know I needed.

Just a few days prior, I'd mentioned to my new Quilty BFF that I needed a new iron.  I'm currently using an Oliso.  

It's nice, the "lifting up" function is great.  But it no longer steams.  This iron was passed down to me after my Quilting Auntie Nyla passed by her DH.  I considered replacing it, but the price tag is a deterrent.

Enter the Power Steam Pro.  It's not an iron but a steamer.  No metal parts, the sole plate doesn't even get hot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Very light weight.  Not sure it would totally replace the iron, though.

Did do a nice job with this wrinkly tee shirt, and in short order.

De-wrinkled fast and easy.  Click HERE for more details.

Second purchase of the day was a re-usable Lint Roller, Sticky Roller.

 

Of course, the demonstration made it look like a miracle worker, picking up even coins.

At home it wasn't quite that wonderful, but I can't complain too much.  I tested it on a really (really) dirty car floor mat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After two passes, washing the roller in between following the directions, it did a respectable job.  Would a vacuum been easier?  Yes, if you have the right kind of vacuum.  If not...it works.  (Now, I need to go do the passenger side mat.) Click HERE for more details.

The last thing I probably would have purchased if they had not run out of supplies were these sewing machine lights. 
Lumitask Machine lights.  Click HERE for the website.

This model has two lights sources; one goes next to the machine needle and the second light goes in the throat area, illuminating the tunnel.

 

 

I was impressed with the brightness and there is no shadow! 
The down side--One more thing that that needs to be plugged in. 
I don't suppose you can avoid that, however, with any after-market add-on.

 

The Paducah Quilt show was everything you would want a Quilt Show to be:  Beautiful quilts, vendors with cool stuff and even fair food.  And, now that I live here I can go every year!  

Join me next year!  I have a fold-out bed.