Updates from November, 2016 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

  • Noreen 3:06 am on November 28, 2016 Permalink  

    Sometimes – 

    Megan's Blanket Repair 001 (Custom)

    I realize that sometimes accidents happen and that is when Grammie is called into service. The family dog got a hold of Megan’s blanket that she made several years ago here in the sewing studio. I found some fabric that will service as a patch for the two holes that need fixing. Out came the Sears sewing machine as I am running an embroidery design on the Bernina. Dueling sewing machines . . . not. The Sears can not compete with the Bernina but it sure is a loyal companion. Hopefully the family dog will soon realize what it can chew on and what it can’t. All in all this is the simplest repair job of the “dog chewing” episodes.

     
  • Noreen 5:23 am on November 27, 2016 Permalink  

    Lots of happenings with Dennis being gone for the day. A surprise visit this forenoon from Dennis’ daughter and family as they are visiting multiple families. The Silver Bay north country people reported maybe an inch or two of snow on the ground and it seemed like a good time to travel as that could change in a heartbeat. Good thing the cookie jar was full.

    I did get back to hemming a quilt for a bit, still taking time off to put files into folders for the sewing embroidery options. It does seem that I am someone who needs to see and take in all new items via the computer. After repeating the steps several times, I do scratch my gray head of hair trying to understand what the stumbling blocks were initially.

    In the late afternoon, I visited Dennis’ daughter’s home here in St. James. The youngest of Dennis’ grandchildren is taking a job in Seattle as a personal trainer. Cheyenne had her last college exam right before Thanksgiving and she will be leaving on the last day of November and starting her new job the first full week in December. I did remark to Cheyenne that when I retired at the age of 65, my end salary per hour is where she is starting. Amazing. I came home with a huge stash of her t-shirts from her participation with the college track team. Her desire is to end up with a quilt large enough to use on her full sized bed and lofty enough that she won’t miss hugs and cuddles from family. Her cat Lou will be going with her. Priceless. Young people are so much more adventuresome than I ever was.

    Dennis will be stopping in to say goodbye to Cheyenne on his way home from the Jackson trade show. What a blessing that the temps being in the mid 40s allowed for everyone to get to and be where they wanted. Maybe . . . we might have a few more nice days before the blanket of snow will allow all of us to cuddle into our warm homes for a long winter spell.

     
  • Noreen 6:39 am on November 24, 2016 Permalink  

    What a slam dunk of a day. The cheesecake just came out of the oven and is looking good. The meat is marinating and there was just a lot of dicing, chopping, etc. Tomorrow our Thanksgiving Day will begin with a lot of prep having been taken care of today. We are looking forward to the day and all that it will bring to Stauffer Avenue.

    Dennis is very fond of seafood salad, either on crackers or as a side dish. We have purchased it at several places ready to serve. I can tell you we have concocted our own recipe that we feel far outdoes those that carry a hefty price tag per pound. I think it was the Asiago shredded cheese that gave it a great kick.

    The trip to The Old Alley Quilt Shop was a great break from the kitchen duty. Of course the long arm did a great job on yet another scrappy quilt. I am about ready to tackle an actual pattern quilt top as I am scrappied out for now. Of course when a pattern quilt top is worked on . . . it makes more scraps.

    Just a few more items to take care of before I prop my feet up. Gotta love a day of planning for family.

     
  • Noreen 4:53 am on November 18, 2016 Permalink  

    What a Team 

    Pillow Bed 2016 & Cookies 003 (440x330)

    For my first experience with a pillow bed, I deem it A.O.K. I will look forward to a photo of Lux as she is deep in the loft.

    I can assure you there are no dust bunnies hiding today. The pillow bed will be on its way to Mike, Sadie and Lux’s home in Mankato this evening.  Mike and Sadie have National Guard Drill this weekend and Sadie’s mom will be taking care of Lux for the weekend. A delivery like this is better than FedEx.  I read Shopko’s sale bill and I headed right up to take advantage of the price of pillows.  It would just not be right for the empty pillow bed to be delivered without the pillows themselves.  Of course, it is long enough for either Lux’s mom, dad or even grandma to enjoy the floor pillow bed with Lux for video watching or storybook reading.

    Pillow Bed 2016 & Cookies 006 (440x330)

    Now this I would call a great afternoon. Nothing says success like containers that will be full of goodies.  Some will find their way into the freezer.

    Dennis stirred up cookie dough for me; doing a bang up job.  I was in charge of the baking and I sat right in the kitchen on a wooden stool so as to not let them burn.  Our thinking is: why not do a double batch right off the get go as long as the oven is going, utensils are needed and dishes need doing afterwards.  It makes us feel good when we can send a few dozen packing when the kids come.  This did give Dennis an entire new perspective on how those choice cookies end up in the Tupperware container.  We hope to have one more batch of ginger cookies done before Thanksgiving.  I had given up on cookie making as the dough was just impossible for me to stir properly.  For years I had heard that Kitchen Aid mixers were the choice of those who liked to bake.  My sister, Elvera, swore by hers.  Now I know.  With December not far off, I may be tempted to try out those old time favorite cookies that were such a tradition.  Were they worth all the time and effort?  Definitely, yes.  Time will tell how the flour shakes out here on Stauffer Avenue.

     
  • Noreen 4:58 am on November 16, 2016 Permalink  

    Pillow Bed Progress 

    Pillow Bed 2016 010 (440x330)

    One yard of fabric makes a pillow case. When asked for a project, I always make sure to let them know that I will use what I have on hand. I thought it would be fun for Lux to enjoy her pillow bed while having letters and numbers to add some interest. These little kids are quick to catch on. When the six pillow cases are done they are sewn together length wise ready for pillows to be popped into the openings and then buttoned shut. The first pillow and the last pillow will have a strip of Velcro on the length of each. The pillows can be attached via the Velcro for a stand up enclosure, perfect for looking at storybooks with the favorite stuffed animals.  I had no idea going into this how it would turn out . . . a new experience for this sewer.

     
  • Noreen 5:46 am on November 14, 2016 Permalink  

    Requests 

    The sewing studio has a request from the home of the two-year-old Lux. Apparently, pillow beds have become popular for wee ones and toddlers to lay upon the floor for playing, storybook looking or snuggling. A Velcro strip on pillow one is possible to attach to the counter part of the Velcro strip on pillow six and it then becomes a stand up fort for the kids in be inside a cozy surround.

    It sounds like a play on the old sleeping bag. What happens is six pillow cases are sewn together along the length of each. Pillows are tucked in as usual and the ends are fastened shut with Velcro. I am not buying pillow cases pre-made. A lot of time was spent in my stash closet. Mike, Sadie and Lux have two dogs of a pretty good size. The dogs have the run of the fenced in yard and also the house. No light colors for this pillow bed. I priced Velcro and nixed that for the amount needed for the closure of each pillow. Each of the six pillows will be of a different color and the end result for closure will be coordinating buttons from my button tree; compliments of Kersten and Kevin. Most of the afternoon was plotting and planning and measuring. Each pillow case takes a yard of fabric. This will be interesting. There will be more to share as I get organized.

    The great grands, Ava, Bella and Josie from the north country had requests that were fulfilled last fall from the sewing studio. Each of the three girls had quilts made from their clothing items.  Great grandchild Oliver has a quilt made from pieces of his baby clothes.  These requested project are always a joy to work on to make it the best it can be.  The usual sewing projects are put on hold until the sewing studio on Stauffer Ave. delivers for Dennis’ grandchildrens’ children.  A pillow bed is on the schedule.
    IMG_8587_reduced (1) (267x400)Bella's Quilt 008 (400x300)

     
  • Noreen 4:46 am on November 8, 2016 Permalink  

    Shabby Chic 

    Scrappy Classic Quilt 010 (440x330)

    Sometimes when scrappy quilts can be ho-hum, a bit of design on the border gives it a shabby chic kick. Anything is worth a try.  It also gives the reverse of the quilt some appeal.  This project is getting very close to having the binding applied . . . and of course, it will add a bit of additional color splash.

     
  • Noreen 5:55 am on November 5, 2016 Permalink  

    No one is harder on me . . . than ME! Stitching is my thing. Stitching that does not measure up to what I had anticipated or expected, causes me to scratch my head, making the gray hair stand on end. I realize not all things will bring my seal of approval, but that does not make it easy to suck it up and move past it.

    I have found I need to walk away from the project as it is laid out on my sewing tables and find something else to do for a bit. When I return and do a quick glance, I may be hard pressed to see the elephant in the project. I had zeroed in on the problem area for so long, that it was all I did see. Interestingly, some of my fellow quilters are into what they call “heirloom quilts.” Nice to look at but don’t you dare expose them to the crunching that a quilt would normally endure while its owner tosses and turns in bed. My quilts become heirlooms as my loved ones use them, abuse them and always feel good snuggling up in them. It is all about perspective.

     
  • Noreen 2:58 am on October 26, 2016 Permalink  

    Buttons, Buttons 

    Buttons and Quilting 2016 004 (440x330)

    I enjoy using buttons in a quilting project when it is not actually a quilt. Ten buttons per card and I am down to the last fourteen to sew on.  The staples that hold the buttons onto the card are as much of a pain as the actual sewing.  Ironically my Bernina is not the machine for sewing on buttons. My fifty-year-old Sears Kenmore is back in harness. I can control the back and forth sewing to attach the buttons in an easy motion. The Bernina is too much speed even if I want to take it slow. A gal learns those things by what else . . . breaking a sewing machine needle.

     
  • Noreen 2:34 am on October 24, 2016 Permalink  

    What a grand weekend I have had. Dennis being gone from Friday until . . . I am sure he will be home today before dark. Girl’s weekend “Home Alone.” Baking cookies, stripping beds and outfitting them with flannel, getting a batch of potato salad ready for the ole cowboy when he gets home, sorting through the closet and having a bag ready for the Wounded Warriors clothing van next month, cutting down plants and shrubs, emptying the dirty laundry baskets (that is until Dennis gets home and fills them up from his weekend) and most of all babysitting Dennis’ cats. They were in for a surprise. If they were not home by nine p.m., they stayed outside for the night. Both nights, Butter Ball and Tabitha were in. Snuggles, Honey Bunny and Harriet were left out. Grammie’s curfew is a bit more stringent that Dennis’. Both mornings, they were at the back door waiting to get into the porch for food. I am really mean.

    It really felt good to sleep in this morning. I think 9:30 a.m. can be deemed “sleeping in.” Another great day for a Sunday with the winds being quite strong. My agenda today was being in my sewing studio and I did and am so enjoyimg it. The pot of coffee I am topping off doesn’t hurt either. There is just something about spending time by yourself with not one single thing having to be planned or done but still hitting all the marks of necessary tasks to be taken care of.

     
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