Had a great road trip day. It must have been as it took almost a full tank of gas. Catch ya all later.
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Noreen
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Noreen
A Completed Fun Project
Christmas Tree Panel
When I saw this panel at the Old Alley Quilt Shop in Sherburn it just intrigued me. To be able to cut the printed Christmas Tree panel into nine pieces and finish it as if looking through a window – I was hooked. I don’t have the ability to do any free form quilting on my 45-year-old sewing machine. I either have to have someone with a longarm do the quilting, do hand quilting or do the stitch in the ditch. That last option is done by using the straight stitch on the sewing machine and sew exactly in the seam/ditch of the pieced pattern. Any time you vary the length of one stitch it goes south and takes away from a good finished looking project.
I began the hand quilting very slowly as I really had no plan in mind as to what design to use with the stitches. I finally decided on working with the print and whimsically outline the printed designs. What is a Christmas tree without a bit of bling? I dug into my stashes and found some beads and crystals to add here and there. 
No, I cannot do eight to twelve hand stitches within an inch as many talented gals can do. My goal is to be consistent and I really am not in any competition. The sad part is now I need to start a new project. Having something in the quilting hoop is so handy to work at it a few minutes at a time or several times a week. Starting anew it’s the choice of pattern, then the fabric and batting and oh yes a backing that will work. Lots of time before the hand sewing can begin.I perhaps should think about rousting out a few dust bunnies that are snickering in the corners. No longer being able to dry clothes outside means the clothes dryer is being used and that means the lint screen has lots of goodies to share. Our washer and dryer are in the main floor bathroom – like there isn’t enough lint with bath and hand towels and even bath tissue to take flight in the air. Dennis is apt to lend a hand folding clothes but I really have to beat him to cleaning the lint filter as he pulls it out as if he were pulling out a six shooter for the last dual. It isn’t the dust that settles from that draw, it is the cloud of lint that lets loose. Doing the dust bunny routine will give me a chance to think through some projects and fabric choices. There is a method to all things.
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Noreen
Bugger! Today was mending in my basement sewing and craft area. Winter jackets are not my favorite to shove under the presser foot. Two sewing machine needles later and sporting a Donald Duck band aid Dennis should be good for the season. As tough as my fingers are from hand quilting there just is nothing more painful that catching the tip of a stick pin – well actually quite a few stick pins. Catch ya later.
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Noreen
Fleeting Thoughts:
The Light Shines Through
It’s not the load that breaks us down, it’s how we carry it. Looking out to the northeast this afternoon it doesn’t seem all that heavy.
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Noreen
All in Due Time
Soon to be a Mighty Northern Red Oak
In this fast paced world most people know what they want and they want it now. Me – not so much. I can usually see the big picture and for that I have the attribute of visualization. How about that, I have an internal app. The speck of an idea starts in my brain and and from there it germinates and voilà – for all practical purposes it is reality.
About twenty years ago when hubby Dennis had taken a trip to Alabama to see family I happened upon a close out sale at Pamida’s garden hoop. A very weary dried up looking four foot stalk that was labeled “Northern Red Oak” was calling out to me. I bought it for $1.98 and stuck it into the trunk of my car. As several feet were sticking out of the trunk that could not latch the last of the leaves had totally blown off by the time I made it home. I dug out my post hole digger and went to work. At the end of the afternoon I deemed it a success.
Each fall since the planting the Northern Red Oak does not disappoint. I knew it would overcome the challenged beginning and become more spectacular each year. The itty bitty four footer is now stretching an estimated 25 feet or more.
So, for all the impatient folks out there, take the time to slow down. When a project comes along that you think you just can’t tackle due to the time it might take or that the odds may seem to be against a positive end, step back and look long and hard to see the rest of the story as to what it could be.
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Noreen
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Noreen
Seeing everything clearly
Magnifiers are an Easy Solution for Clear Vision for Hand Quilting
I had a great eye checkup and the detached retina situation is a complete success – check.
As of yesterday winter is on completely with several inches of snow that needed to be removed from the driveway – check. Both of those items mean I am onto my passion of quilting. I love piecing fabric with my 45-year-old Sears Kenmore sewing machine and finishing pieced wall hangings via hand quilting has become one of my favorite pastimes.
I have several comfortable spots in the living room I can take my lap hoop to and whack out a few stitches or work at it for longer times during some of my favorite television programs.
In regard to this photo, you are not seeing double, nor am I. I have realized that I need just a bit more help in seeing my quilting surfaces to get the best results. Having a magnifying lamp to look through is too cumbersome to relocate to where my latest and greatest spot to sew from will be. It was not a rocket science fix. By slipping an inexpensive pair of magnifiers over my prescription lens I have the best of both worlds. When looking over the top of them the world as I know it is normal, and looking down through my glasses plus the magnifiers the stitches slip in perfectly. Perfectly simple solution for enjoying the snow days that are ahead.
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Noreen
Sure enough – Give the weather man a blue…
Sure enough. Give the weather man a blue ribbon. We awoke to three inches of snow. It was a beautiful site on the trees but not quite so attractive on the sidewalk and driveway. It took Dennis and me about ten minutes and we had the fluffy top coat pushed off so the sun could work its magic on the layer that was more ice than snow. Today was a day for errands in Mankato and the closer we got to the big city the snow was much less. Sure enough, we came home from Mankato and the driveway was totally dried off. I love stepping and walking on dry cement. It’s official, winter is here on Stauffer Ave. Whoop, whoop.
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Noreen
Letting Go of a Faithful Beauty
The Patio Fern had a Great Run
We have been so fortunate to enjoy sunny warm days in these first days of November. I really would like to think that the weather men are wrong about their forecast of snow that is coming within the next 24 hours. The entire garden season was a struggle as we had last winter rains that froze and smothered many perennials. I had never ever lost as many perennials as I did with this last late winter and early spring.
As much as the gardens have been our pride and joy I knew I would have to take it just the way each day came as my first concern was my new reverse left shoulder that needed to be the first priority. We did the best we could to pop in an annual flower plant here and there to minimize the bare areas. I know the greenhouses and nurseries suffered with the loss of my business this last year.
Today I went out and enjoyed shuffling through all the Silver Maple leaves that fell this week. Lo and behold what greeted me was the tropical patio fern that has escaped the freezing morning temps that we have had. I sure got my $14.99 worth out of this beauty. This is not the type of fern that would hold onto it’s greens indoors so I bid this faithful beauty adieu as snow will be its undoing.
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Noreen
We have a wonderful two and a half…
We have a wonderful two and a half stall garage in the far northeast corner of our acre and it was a good day to take a few extra items from our basement to that destination. In the mid-nineties the neighbors directly east of us had an unfortunate house fire due to a candle that was left burning while they were not home. It was their choice to take the insurance money and relocate. In time Dennis decided to purchase the lot “as is” with the aforementioned garage that was on the back portion of the lot. The attached garage to the burned out house we gave to a fellow that was thrilled to move it to his farm site for an extra garage. The house proved to be a good training session for our local fire department. When the training sessions were completed we hired a local fellow to finish the demolition and we filled in the basement cavity. That sums it up as to how we added that area to our original residential lot.
The detached garage that I mentioned at the beginning of the post has proven to be an invaluable asset to us as new and “improved” zoning laws prohibit anyone in the City of St. James to build a storage garage on a vacant lot without immediate permits in place to also add a house in a definite time frame. In a small city I think the city fathers are missing out on a great opportunity to add to the tax base.
In the mean time my basement has taken on a little more elbow room and those stored items are in a great place for future use. Catch ya later.
