Ok, listen up! There are some rules you need to read in this post.
All fall patterns will be eliminated by Thanksgiving. I’m putting them all away and not digging them out again till next year and NO, I will not post them again.
I will start posting just a few Christmas patterns and if you see one I haven’t posted, you absolutely must get my approval before you order it. I do not have a complete inventory and it just makes more work for me to try and locate a pattern I have not shown on this blog. I don’t care if you’ve seen it on Pinterest, Facebook or at a quilt show! We’ve been designing patterns since 1980 – hundreds of them – and like I’ve said dozens of times – we thought we were done. Quilters have been making our quilts for 45 years and if you’re just now discovering Country Threads, you’ve missed a lot.
The new generation of quilters makes different quilts than my generation who loved to piece blocks. They want to cut big pieces and get done fast. That’s not Country Threads which is proven by looking at this quilt top ready for the longarm.
Simple squares and rectangle quilts can be made by just seeing a picture, no measurements – many times because there are no triangles. Does this make sense? It does to me.
So…..if any of the fall patterns have interested you, order now or wait till next year. And for those who read this blog only occasionally, they’re gonna be out of luck.
Here’s a trip down memory lane – when a reader sent in the quilt called Plaid Pines and mentioned Madras plaid, I had to go searching. In 1987 we made our first Madras quilt called Starlight, Starbright and then went on to design 6 more Madras quilts which resulted in Country Threads selling the first quilt kits – we called them Plaid Kits #205. Each kit consisted of nine 9” squares of madras that we purchased retail and cut into squares. Then….my mom folded and packaged them, 9 squares per kit. We sold hundreds of plaid kits. We were way ahead of our time and didn’t even know it!
What a trip down memory lane!
Rick’s friend J.J. stopped today – with his new dog, Bandit. I am thrilled for both of them – Bandit, a silver lab, needed a loving home and J.J. needed a buddy which he hasn’t had since his golden retriever, Bailey, died several years ago.
Meet Bandit Steffen!
Molly was here again today and so were my window washers – sparkling windows again! Except the inside glass is dirty from somebody named Mortie who sneezes on it. My vet says she isn’t sick.
On the longarm today:
Quilted in straight lines -purposely missing the intersections of seams to avoid falling off the line. Some quilters say they quilt in the ditch only but I cannot stay in the ditch.
Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you’re a mile away and you have their shoes! (That’s kind of a dumb joke, isn’t it? Sent by a reader.)
It’s been a really busy day – I am so tired.
Mary I just love your civil war modern quilt. All the fabrics you chose are so perfect. So happy to hear of more people rescuing pups.
Good day Mary! Yesterday was another beautiful day, such nice temperatures, and the wind was mild as well. I am working on cleaning in my basement yet, re-arranging storage items and trying to eliminate a few things as well. Next is my sewing area. I would like to hope I can still find things once I get this done. I watched my grandson in their first tournament for hockey this season, he is in fourth grade. Two more games today. This is a traveling group, so needed to watch these as they will play in Fargo, Rochester, and New Ulm coming up. The first two towns are four hours away, too far. New Ulm is about 1.5 hours so not a bad drive unless there is bad snow. I am working on a binding also for a National Parks panel quilt also. I looked up a comparison on a Silver Lab vs a Weimaraner, and Bandit is a Silver Lab for sure! I have enjoyed the sun and mild temperatures this week! Have a nice weekend as well!
Cynthia – I’m so glad Bandit is lab – his ears and shape of his head just doesn’t look quite right but I’m so happy for JJ it just doesn’t matter
So glad Bandit has found a good home! Miss Mortie has to be the prettiest ginger kitty I’ve ever seen!😻❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Love, love the Civil War Modern, it’s gorgeous! Piecing is my favorite part of quilting. I love Mortie too—I’m a sucker for orange cats, lol. I’m sorry to read you have anxiety, especially since you bring so much enjoyment to all of us. Fingers crossed that your readers follow the rules and don’t add to your troubles. It really doesn’t seem like you ask for anything hard to do. Sigh.
Mary…
I too love your Civil War Modern quilt. It’s fabulous!
Looking forward to ordering it when available.
Good things,
Susie from TEXAS
At the risk of sounding crazy, did anyone else notice that if you scroll up and down on the beautiful photo of Martie that the light in her pupil moves and sparkles. It was a little unnerving at first glance. I have tried it several times and it happens every time. Anyway, I love this post as always!
Mary I love the Civil War quilt and the log cabin . I hope to finally get some ‘free’ time to get into some serious sewing in December. Why does life need to get in the way. I totally feel for you with having to make rules. I think in every business I’ve been involved with, some people don’t think rules pertain to them. Life would be so simple if everyone just followed the straight and narrow! We can only wish. Mortie steals my heart everytime I see her. Such a sweet cat.
Mary! Your quilt civil war modern is just lovely! Impressive. Your fabric selections are just perfect. What a great quilt. Please show us again after it is quilted and bound. Mortie is the cutest thing EVER! A blessing that hazel likes her. Whew.
Jean – I am very grateful Hazel likes Mortie! What would I do if she didn’t????.
I am so in love with Mortie. Thank you for showing her often!!
Mary your quilt is just beautiful. Did I miss your offer of a pattern yet? I hope not. I do want this one. Love that sweet doggie. Eyes so expressive!
Daughter having shoulder surgery today. Went back at 10:30 and have just now started surgery. Why the long wait since she’s been there all morning??
Gorgeous weather here in south Georgia. Loving this long fall.
Love your blog Mary. Have a blessed day everyone!
Helen – pattern not ready yet. For my last surgery, I had to be there at 9:30 – surgery didn’t even happen till 5:30!! I didn’t get to my room till 10:30 pm!
Bandit looks like a Weimaraner to me! The face, eyes and color are so like one we had in our family. She was a goofy dog who gave us all a lot of laughs (well, mostly… lol). Mortie is such a heart-stealer. Every time I see her I wish I had a kitty. Then I remember so many hard things about kitties we have had and loved and I just can’t try it again. We rescued a lovely Australian Shepherd last year who, although she had been deemed “unadoptable” and “vicious,” may be the sweetest of the three Aussies we’ve ever had. How can a pooch be expected to show their best side when they’re locked up all day in a place where there’s constant barking? Thanks for all the quilts and pets, Mary. I’m off to click some ads. ~ Suzanne
Suzanne – we agree – he looks full blooded Weimaraner! I’ve compared lab heads and W heads and ears and they are very different. Bandit looks Weimaraner to me. Poor dogs locked up in kennels with so much disturbance around them. I just cannot let my mind get stuck there – it will drive me over the edge.
Mary, the Civil War Modern quilt on the long arm is gorgeous! Such a beautiful mix of fabrics and colors. Expertly pieced. In the picture, we can see a little of the wrong side of the top, around the roller at the bottom. I noticed you pressed some of the seams open, but some to one side. Any advice/words of wisdom on why you pressed the way you did? Pressing is one of the most frustrating parts of quilting to me, but I know how crucial it is.
The blocks for the low volume log cabin are so pretty, calming and relaxing.
Love seeing the pictures of Mortie!
Good morning all. Mary I love all your quilts, the colors, patterns. I do love some modern quilts but I love the old ones. The history of the blocks. Super nice here in Idaho. Hubby and I will be getting our insurance coverage for next year done today. Why is everything so expensive and complicated. Have a nice day
Deb – why, indeed? My income isn’t going up but everything else has nearly doubled! A 3 lb bag of cat food is 9.99!! But it’s their favorite.
Great post today as always! I loved madras plaid! I wonder if I happen to have some? I will have to hunt and see if I do
Your quilt on the long arm is beautiful! Happy quilting.
Judy B – Michigan
Mary, I marvel at all you do. Church/piano, blog, quilting, animals, work on your farm, etc. Makes me tired just listing them. I look forward to your post each morning and thank you for all that is involved to get it done. I quilt for charity so an easy design that sews up quickly is what I look for, but I have bought a couple of your patterns. My most elaborate (most pieces per block) quilt was for a granddaughter, but it was worth it. Hope your readers will follow the requirements to make your life easier.
Jane – I had to be strong with the rules because you can imagine what I receive. My life is filled with anxiety – I gotta get a hold of it!!
P.S. I don’t respond every time, as you can tell. BUT, I do read and click ads every day! Have a productive day all. 🙂
Jan
Mary, your Civil War Modern on the long arm is fantastic. I was intrigued by the color combo when you first showed the block a few months back. Now to see the finished collection of blocks together – WOW! did I remember correctly a pattern of the block might be forthcoming? Log cabins were the first design that quickly became a favorite when first getting serious about quilting. The low volume will be beautiful when finished, too.
Bandit looks so calm and handsome. I’m glad JJ found a new furry friend – a win-win for them both. 🙂
Thanks for the post. It’s always good to be reminded of the rules.
Jan
I love your Civil War Modern quilt. And what a pretty boy Bandit is!
I’m finally getting over a nasty respiratory virus my 2-year-old grandson shared with me. Two months of coughing isn’t fun but has given me more sewing time.
Take care everyone
The animal and quilt pictures today are all lovely!
I also love your quilt on the long arm. Those colors are really lovely and the block design is intriguing. I am currently working on two projects. One is an Edita Sitar Laundry Basket Quilts very large star made out of 64 red, white and blue log cabin blocks and surrounded by star blocks all around. The other is a quilt for my granddaughter’s 13th birthday next year. It has 224 blocks so I have figured out how many I have to make each month to get the top done by July and then I will have it longarmed. I am not a fast quilter and never spend long hours at the machine because of back issues. So far I am ahead of schedule and that makes me very happy since there is a possibility of surgery in the spring.
I enjoy all the animal pictures so much and reading all about their adventures. JJ’s new companion looks like a sweetie!
Thank you so much for the blog, Mary. I look forward to it every morning!
Your quilt on the long arm is beautiful. You surprised us with only one block, a teaser. I thought you had given up on that block. Ha
Thanks for sharing the log cabin quilt as well. It’s all inspiration to us. ( why didn’t I think of that?) kind of thinking.
I like plaids in quilts, too.
Bandit is a lucky dog. JJ is lucky, too!!
Follow the sun. That’s what the inside dogs and cats do.
And I will say this, cleaning a window from cat snort is better than my birds’ cage! Ha ha
I have to go to the city today. And then I have two days to prep for a retreat. It’s in Harlan, IA and called Honey Comb. Threw my back out after my trip to AR and hope I can manage this one.
Fran – you’re the only quilter I know that goes to so many retreats – either you get lots done or you chat with your friends – which one? I could never sew in a group setting but I used to . I traveled across the US to take Mary Ellen Hopkins’ retreats and I learned so much – guess hers was more of a class since she taught us. I still remember some of her rules and slogans.
That star quilt on your longarm is fabulous! Your piecing skills are remarkable. The low volume log cabin is also beautiful. That little Morty is quite a little stinker. She is stealing the show from Hazel. The woman who lives at the end of my lane is babysitting her granddog Stella. Stella is a 135 lb Cane Corso, an Italian mastiff. Her son rescued her from a puppy mill.
Des – I wish I could thank her son for getting that wonderful dog out of the puppy mill!! I’ve never seen a Cane Corso dog in person, only the dog show, but they are impressive.
Stella is an intimidating looking beast but she is sweet & lovable. Just wants lots of petting. Her grandma was sure to introduce us to her because she wants to reassure her that she has many friends despite her fierce looks. She was a breeding dog but her litter was too large for her to deliver naturally. Because she cost the puppy mill money for a C-section & the pups died she was discarded. Just one of the many things that makes me so angry.
Isn’t that just disgusting. So glad that nice young man adopted her. We need more like him and fewer like those puppy mill people. UGH!!
Des – even worse to think she was discarded because she didn’t produce!!!
The quilt on the longarm is beautiful, my piecing is not the greatest, it never turns out the way I want it to. Hazel & Mortie are so cute!
From Bob Purcell Superior Threads
This Joke Will Leave You in Stitches
“I don’t know why I didn’t figure this out sooner. I use shampoo in the shower, and when I wash my hair, the shampoo runs down my whole body. Well, printed very clearly on the shampoo label is the warning, “For Extra Volume and Body.” No wonder I have been gaining weight! So I got rid of that shampoo and decided to shower with Dawn dish soap. That label reads, “Dissolves fat that is otherwise difficult to remove.”
Wished it would work!
Rita – hahaha!! I have Dawn around here, too – wish it worked!!
I love your quilt on the long arm! I’m not big on all the long pieces in the modern quilts. I’m old I guess.
Mortie maybe has allergies. She is so cute. Does she snuggle with Hazel?
The weather is beautiful!!
Have a great day!
Joy – Mortie and Hazel get along very well. I’ve always said I wish Hazel had a friend smaller than her and I guess that’s gonna be Mortie. The quilt on the longarm is the Civil War Modern quilt I showed last week. I hope to get it bound this weekend.
I know it was a tedious post to write stating the rules but it’s needed for your peace of mind and most of us read it daily to know what’s right to do. People have become complacent in many walks of life so a good reminder to be respectful of your business to help supplement the blog we enjoy. Your pictures today are so fun to see. I’m so happy to see another pet companion for Ricks friend. It had to be exciting meeting him.
I love seeing that little stinker Mortie so much!
Kathy – my life is filled with nothing but anxiety – I can’t babysit everybody in my life including readers. Nobody knows the half of it.
Mary, your quilt on the longarm is beautiful! When have you had time to get it all together?
My farmers finished corn harvest on Wednesday, so yesterday they “cleaned up” around the yard. It was a beautiful day yesterday, I washed my outside windows again. Since they are done by the bins, I don’t have all that corn dust sticking to my windows. Got my pumpkins hauled away from the house. I think I will sew a bit today.
Lori – wow, you hd a busy day but isn’t it rewarding to know you got all that done? Being on winter!
Oh wow, this blog post was just full of fun stuff and quilty goodness. What a pretty dog and the happiness that will happen between JJ and Bandit. Love the picture of Hazel and Mortie just chilling out! I love the quilt made with the Madras plaids and especially the tree quilting echoed in the border. Mary, your quilt on the longarm is just gorgeous, love everything about it. The straight line quilting will make the stars shine. Love the low volume log cabin on the design wall and especially love a well used design wall with lots and lots of threads stuck to it. Have a good day everyone, I’m out to blow more leaves.
Mary I love both of your quilts, so pretty! Your picture of MORTIE says “I got this”. Bandit is such a pretty dog J.J. is so lucky to have a good companion.
Yesterday was so nice here and not windy, we finished burning a pile of weeds to have it all cleaned up before the snow flies. I think I’m done with the outside clean up. This week we replaced the light fixtures in my sewing area with LED lights, oh what a difference it makes. So now it’s putting things back in place. Never goes back the was it came out. One of the blocks I made for my Spooky Quilt Sampler had for units that made up the block. The block is 15 1/2 square and had 137 pieces. Some pieces only 3/4 inch square. But got it done. The Jack the Ripper has been my friend. The issue with the pattern is that each block is written by a different person so it not consistent and requires due diligence on my part. On block 5 of nine.
Thank you Mary and the readers.
Rita – I hope you post a picture of your Spooky Sampler here. I’ve saved all the patterns, but haven’t made any of them. Thanks for the heads up about different designers writing patterns differently and needing to have on my A game.
Bandit is a very good looking dog. So glad JJ and Bandit found each other. I love the quilt on your long arm. I loved Madras plaids. I googled it. Didn’t realize you can still buy it. I hadn’t thought about it until you mentioned it. This blog is so interesting.
I love the low volume log cabin! And I love the silver lab! I did not know they came in silver. We had a yellow lab who was wonderful. Mortie is so precious. We are a cat household now……I am a sucker for them.
I really like the quilt on the longarm-lovely design and very nice fabrics! I don’t mind the piecing, I just can’t deal with little pieces due to poor eyesight, I have to see them properly to sew them properly. Hopefully my cataract surgery Tuesday will help.
Not mentioning any names but I took a class from an internationally known teacher and there were 57 pieces in the block and I believe the block was either 7 or 9 inches-Ridiculous! If I had known, I wouldn’t have taken the class. I made the one block in class and never made another.
Debbie – I love it that quilters are all different and have their own opinion about what they like and don’t like in the quilting process. Hoping your cataract surgery helps with your eyesight, that’s got to be very frustrating when sewing. I’m one of those nutty quilters that loves a block with lots of pieces. At the end of the day, you just have to be happy with yourself.
Diane- I love to piece blocks! Now I’m looking for another one I can use 4 -5 fabrics in. I love putting the fabrics together.
Bandit is a very handsome boy-glad he has a good home. Love the low volume log cabin. I have a plastic container full of plaids in the basement-need to pull them out someday and get them used up.
Cindy K – let’s all do something with plaids – something easy!
How wonderful JJ and Bandit are sharing life together. Bandit sure is a good looking dog. Mary, your quilt on the longarm is gorgeous! You color combinations are amazing. I like your low volume log cabin too. I remember Madras plaid! It was very popular really comfortable fabric. Mortie is so sweet. Hope you have a good nights sleep?