Field Trip!!

While Millie is at the spa, Miss Ellie and I are spending time together in the studio working on this month's UFO Challenge.

But, while browsing on FB Market Place, looking for a table, I came across .....

I shall name her "Baby Doll"

I decided it would be a nice little machine for my grand-niece, Savannah.  Savannah has decided she wants to learn to sew....not necessarily quilt...(there is plenty of time to get her addicted to quilting.)

Back story:  While the family was here in P-town for dad's Home Going last October, I gave Savannah the "toy" machine I had purchased a couple years ago so I'd have something to do while staying with my dad...refresh your memory HERE. 
It is an OK machine...it will get the job done. 
But, really it is a toy.

 

Savanah took it home and her g-ma (my eldest sister) helped her get started.

Truth be told, I always felt a little bad that I gave a budding sewist such a  toy.

So, today, my baby sister and I drove out to Elkton, KY and picked up the above machine, that I'm hoping is a bit better.

I looked up the model number on line and I think I got an OK deal.  It is quite dirty and unkept so first-things-first...
a good cleaning.

Your score card:

Back to the story.... Elkton KY is more than an hour from where we live so Joy and I decided to explore the area.

We found a quilt shop in Hopkinsville.  It is in an historic building and run by a mennonite woman, Irene.  She had a nice selection of fabrics and the prices were excellent, $5 per yard of the yardage I inspected.  But the best part was all the quilts they had made and hand quilted...all for sale!  They were beautiful.

 

 

Clearly this is not a shop you would stumble upon...it's not even on the main street of Hopkinsville.  But while we were there a local woman came in to buy several yards of fabric, greeting each other by first name.  Certainly the locals know about this gem.  It would be worth the drive back, shopping list in hand.

 

Our final stop before heading home for a nap was BBQ at The Wood Shed in Hopkinsville.  One of those local restaurants where everyone seems to know your name...and the food is yummy.

Rules for Success

 

 

 

Psssst....pass it on!  The quilting auntie, Nyla wasn't joking. 
"DON'T SEW OVER PINS!!"

 

I'm nothing if not obedient....pretty much...I never met a rule I didn't like. 
It's in my DNA.  

 

But, sometimes accidents happen and then you lose
a day-and-a-half of quilting. 

Millie, as in "Thoroughly Modern...."

EEEEKKKKKK!!!  Error "E3".  I tried everything I knew
to clear the error...which really means
turn off the machine, then turn it back on
and then search the internet.

The internet consensus was "...take it in..."

Of course it is late on a Saturday afternoon.  In KY A LOT of businesses are closed on Sunday.

 Miss Ellie, the matriarch.

 

 

 

Sunday afternoon/evening was spent setting up Miss Ellie. (Isn't it the truth...the older generation always comes to the rescue.)

I'm ashamed to say it has been so long since I've sewn on Miss Ellie that I needed to oil her up....and I've forgotten.... 

How to oil
How to thread
How to wind a bobbin
How to insert the bobbin
....which way does the needle go on a Featherweight?

Watched a bunch of videos from The Featherweight Shop.  (Can't say enough good things about these people.  A lot of their content is free.)

 

So, now Miss Ellie is all set up and ready to go.  This evening, after work, I can start sewing again.  I'll call English's Sew and Vac and make an appointment....they are way out in Reidland...a 20-min drive! (That's a long way in these parts.)

And, speaking of the Quilting Auntie...more than one Super Bowl Sunday was spent visiting quilt shops while the men-folk watched their game.....HERE  February 8, 2016.  How I miss her.  And she was the ultimate rule-follower.

Me, Auntie and Gail

Quilted 'Til We Wilted

 

FSNG* got together for a Quilt 'Til We Wilt day.  We gossiped, we ate, we sewed and quilted, we taught....we wilted....we went our separate ways ... I napped.

 

 

 

 

 

Binding and hand sewing seemed to be the big
focus of the day.  (Wonder what they're talking about...hope it's not me...)

Teaching the youngest Q girl how to make a "sandwich" and then quilt it on her Brother.  Sent her home with "Q" homework.  

Next gathering she will learn to bind.

(Notice the pressing table in the background...keep reading...)

 

 

 

 

As you can see on my design floor, I made progress on my American Patchwork and Quilting UFO Challenge for February.  I'm using left-over squares from the Violet Hill Layer Cake I used for my sister, Renee's, quilt (2021). 

I recently learned my S-I-L is very ill...I think I'll gift this to her.

 

 

 

 

Served up yummy (homemade) soup.

Andi brought  yummy (homemade) dill bread,
and the hostess kept the left overs....

 

My new Duplex acquisition....a kitchen island for meal prep...AND doubles as a big pressing table!!! 
TWO for the price of ONE!  Winner, Winner!  (How many finished "Winner, Winner" with "Chicken Dinner"....ha ha ha ha)

At the end of the day....it was time for a nice long nap.

 

P.S.  I think I might have my quilting mojo back...
but, I don't want to speak too soon...
and, I do have a killer work-week coming up.

*FSNG = First Saturday Needle Group
**D.H. = Dear Handiman

February Needs a Holiday...or Two!

November has Thanksgiving
December has Christmas AND New Years....then we settle in for a long, dreary, cold winter until Memorial Day.

But Wait.....February has February 2nd.....So much happening on February 2nd!

 

 

 

We have Groundhog Day!!

 

We have National Ukulele Day!!!

Read about Ukulele Mike and Ukulele Day HERE.

Ukulele Mike even wrote a special song for this day:

With Just Four Stings...listen HERE. 

AND, it is my bestie's wedding anniversary!

Happy 43rd to the Valentines!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh!  I almost forgot the happiest day of all....it is my son's 40th birthday in a few days! 

 Time to Celebrate!!!

One Whole Month Down....

 January is about to bite the dust....ALREADY!

The studio has not seen much action this month....
My nephew, Wilbur*, asked me to repair a pillow  that had originally belonged to my mom (his g-ma).
His dog chewed a couple of holes in it.  I tried to find an old chenille bathrobe to cut up for repairs...that didn't work. 
So, instead of trying to match the flowers, I just went with repairing as best I could.

The only other thing I accomplished in the studio this month was making a pillow for Kathy's Mom using one of the blocks in the gifted bundle.  HERE .  After the First Saturday Needle Group took what they wanted, I did take the remaining items to the National Quilt Museum for their sale.

I will admit, I cheated and changed my UFO list...added these two items as #3, January's number, which was originally
Auntie Nyla's Row-By-Row wall hanging....just so I could mark them off!  Feels so good!  Whatever gets you down the road, eh?

If you are participating in the UFO Challenge, February's number is #6.

My #6 is a companion quilt to one that I made for my sister, Renee in 2021.  So, it's not TOO old.
July 4, 2021 I had traveled to Vegas for a quilting weekend with my niece, Desiree. HERE
That's when I started this quilt using a  layer cake, "Violet Hill."

This will be a fun one to finish up....the First Saturday group is meeting this next week-end for a Quilt 'Til You Wilt...
perfect timing!  It's not too late to join the UFO Challenge!  HERE

Well, folks...that's all the news that is fit to print!

From the Kitchen of "My 'Ol Kentucky Duplex": Melty Chili Casserole Bake HERE

 

 

*Yes, I am "Charlotte" and my nephew is "Wilbur" and he does like pigs. 
I made him a "Piggy Quilt" for Christmas 2015  HERE. 

First Week down....

 

 

 

 

52* To Go....and how are we doing on those resolutions?

 

 

 

I've printed my American Patchwork & Quilting UFO Challenge list for 2023.  In years past I've listed ALL my UFOs....there were always several sheets.  That can actually be very discouraging so this year there is only ONE sheet.  If I finish...or even work on....these 12 items I will be happy.

To participate click HERE.   I'd be willing to guess none of us has only 12 UFOs, but Slow and Steady Wins the Race, eh?

And speaking of UFO's....a very interesting thing happened this past week.  I received a message on the NextDoor site for my neighborhood.**  "Kathy" wanted to connect.  It seems her mom was an avid quilter and is now at an age where she needs help so she is moving into the home of one of Kathy's sisters.  Kathy has A LOT of  her mom's quilt stuff that she needs to pass on....She, herself, is not interested in becoming a quilter.

Have you given any thought to what you will do with all your quilting stuff ?????  (I had a plan until I moved to KY....)

Her work is beautiful ... a lot of hand piecing and hand quilting.

The First Saturday Needle Group met yesterday and some of the items made their way out the door.  Our newest member, Bonnie, suggested I contact the Quilt Museum and donate the remainder for their Auction that will be held in conjunction with the April Quilt show....I will do that.***

The top in the upper left would make a nice pillow.  I think I'll make it for Kathy's mom...a small remembrance. (Oh, I better add that to my UFO list...I should do it soon....)

And, speaking of the Quilt Show....I'm going to add to this pile by going through my own quilting stuff with a critical eye, especially the Row-by-Row kits.  They haunt my dreams.

 

*There are 53 weeks in 2023....a bonus
**The meeting for the First Saturday Needle Group was posted on NextDoor.
    That is how Kathy knew to connect with me.
***Yes, I did go through the fabric and I did keep some, I could not help myself.
****Kathy said "There's more...." 

A Resolution By Any Other Name

 

 

As I mentioned in a previous post, I don't make New Years Resolutions....
or maybe I do....maybe I just cannot help myself!

I'm already thinking ahead and trying to decide how 2023 will be different from 2022.    I feel like the pandemic years really messed up my internal clock.

I told myself I would not waste a year settling into my new Kentucky Life like I did when I moved from OR to CA....and yet, we're coming up on a year.  (You can read about it HERE if you're so inclined.)  It doesn't feel like I've made much progress, but maybe I have...

Off we go into this new 2023 Adventure.

*From the Kitchen of "My 'ol Kentucky Duplex":  Breakfast Zucchini Rolls 

 **If you are interested in any of the above:
Heartland Church
The Gym
Clean Eating:  Clean Food Crush
Fabulous over 50
First Saturday
Acre Homestead
Ukulele Jam via Zoom:  Lisa the Ukulele Fool Facebook
Lessons:  Time on a String