Sue Bower, a customer renamed as friend, came to help me put the patterns in order today. I’m not much of an organizer – when I’m done with a pattern I leave laying on the shelf which eventually makes for a mixed up mess and Sue fixed it all. Everything is I order and she brought a photo album from her first camp at Country Threads in 1998. I’m hoping some of you current readers were in this group. Sherry – your picture is here, Mary Hawk and so many others.
Enlarge these pictures so you can find yourself or a friend who might have been here. Those were the days but at the time I didn’t realize it and it was just so much work. I think Sue said the cost was $140 for 3-1/2 to 4 days so sewing in the barn and meals were included. Good grief!! Connie would go on home, I’d do chores etc and leave them up in the haymow till 9 am the next day when we’d start again. They could shop in the quilt shop throughout the night -I gave them flashlights to find their way from the barn to the quilt shop. Those were the days.
Here’s Elliot!
And here’s Hazel, Elliot!
Reader photos
A friend who belongs to the Clear Lake Quilt Guild stopped by late today to pick up some patterns to use as a monthly handout and she brought these quilts for show and tell tonight.
Good Night!
Ms. Hazel sure stays busy! Loved seeding the pictures from your quilt retreat in the barn. Our local gals enjoy going on retreats twice a year — there’s nothing better! Love the chicken quilt with the log cabin border in the 2nd retreat picture (lower right corner). Is this one of your patterns we can buy? That Chew Stopper pic was hilarious! Looks like Three perfectly matches that jelly roll!
Barbara – the chicken quilt picture that has a terrible glare? That’s from our first book on Behalf of Chickens – quilt name is Folksy Chickens, I think. Should I look and make it available?
What a fun blog today! I could watch Hazel and Keeper play all day; they are so funny.
I so enjoyed the quilt camp scrap book/photo album. A great time was had by all!
Is there anything cuter than that precious quilt using 30’s fabric with embroidered blocks/button flowers? I think not!😊
Thanks So Much, Mary 🥰
Pat Williams: As Mary stated, Jo at Jo’s Country Junction blog has an excellent recipe she calls Yard Sauce. I’ve tried it several times and is delicious and easy to make.
Thank you for that info, I found that recipe too, going to try this & the other recipe with my tomatoes. They sure sound easy & will make good tomato sauce. Pat in Iowa City
Oh my goodness- we had so much fun at camp. I thought our brains would pop as you handed us all these patterns to test out and had all these great ideas. Nancy and I so enjoyed going. Your hospitality, the new friends, the good food, your home tours, it was all the best. Hi to Sue and Polly. I remember you gals!
Hi Mary. Those camps were the best.
Oh my Gosh; I remember this first quilt camp. It was fantastic and really got me hooked on quilting. We had such a fun time and spent time talking to each other. I left feeling that I got wonderful patterns and ideas and had many new friends who were just as crazy about quilting and the simple life as I still am.. Those were the good old days and I miss coming to camp still.
Message for Sunflower in Michigan—a couple of blogs back you mentioned you had tomatoes and veggies in the oven roasting and you blend and freeze for sauce in chili etc. Just curious if you could elaborate a little bit more on that, what veggies and seasonings and how long do you roast. I have an over abundance of tomatoes right now and that sounds like something I could use this winter.
Today’s blog has so much great stuff, fun pictures, great quilts and the memories of the summer camps. Thanks to everybody for sharing and to Mary for keeping the blog going. Glad to know just closing the ads is all that is necessary to get credit for them. Pat in Iowa City
Pat – I’ll make sure Robbie (Sunflower) gets back to you- I think our friend Jo also makes this type of sauce
I’m not sure who I remember but I’m the one with dark black hair and a red shirt.
First day we were there it was very cool. The one they remembered me as I said….its winter!!! Must have really been hot here in Texas.
My friend Karen is next to me. We were just beginning the Quilt Shop. Quilters Patch. Victoria, Texas.
Sherry/Texas
Pat,
For the tomato sauce recipe, here is what I do. Wash and cut large tomatoes into four pieces but for Roma tomatoes, I just half them. I throw the cherry tomatoes in whole. So, I use a variety of tomatoes as I grow many kinds, including orange and yellow tomatoes. I like all kinds of vegetables in my sauce. I have used eggplant, yellow squash, zucchini, red, orange, and green peppers, I will add a few jalapeños also. Usually for a big roaster pan, I will put in 2 to 3 large onions. And a few tablespoons minced garlic. For spices, I will add one to 2 tablespoons of oregano and basil, a few teaspoons and cilantro a few teaspoons. If I have fresh of those spices, I will add those instead. I usually Wash and cut up the other vegetables but not too small because I’m going to blend them eventually. Once I have a whole roaster full, I will put it in the oven on 275° for about four hours. Covered. I will check it then and sometimes have cooked it as long as 6 to 8 hours. I usually pierce some of the vegetables with a fork to see if I think they’re soft. Once they’re soft, I will take it out of the oven. I will let it cool for a couple of hours with the top off the roaster pan and then I will put it into batches in my blender. I like to blend it for about three minutes at a time because then everything gets mixed up. When I put it in the blender, I make sure that I also split the juice between the batches if that makes sense. I don’t want the first batch to be all vegetables and the last batch to be all liquid. I would guess my ratio is 60% tomatoes to 40% veggies. Once I have a batch blended, I will put it in gallon Ziploc bags in my freezer. I will get about 3 gallon bags and maybe 1 quart bag per roaster. In the winter then, I will use 1 gallon bag in the chili that I make because I make a large pot. I hope this helps. 🌻
Perfect, thanks so much for sharing. Sounds like good tomato sauce. Pat in Iowa City
Robbie – this is fantastic!! Rick doesn’t really like red sauce and only makes his own southern chili recipe. I wish I did make this sauce!
I made three roasting pans full today and froze it in pint jars. Depending on what I need it for, I just get a jar or two out in the morning to defrost. It’s yummy! I don’t have fresh herbs right now so used Italian seasoning and sprinkled balsamic vinegar over the top. Makes really good spaghetti. And I use regular yellow onions because the sweet ones make the sauce too sweet for my taste.
Great pictures, so many fun quilts and fun to see retreat pictures. Did the attendees sleep in the barn loft also?
Lynn – no, they had hotel rooms in the area.
Entertaining tidbits served up with a quilt idea every single day. My goodness Mary, ‘a flashlight from the barn to the quilt shop’ is essential to any retreat.
Li – haha! When you say it like that, it’s pretty funny, isn’t it? Quilters would be in the quilt shop throughout the night, shopping, planning, cutting their own fabric and keeping track of their own tabs. Connie was at home and I stayed up as late as I could in case they needed something. They had my cell number for an emergency. And thinking of that – we never had to call for an ambulance in all those years.
Li – here’s another detail about camp – we had three classes everyday – 9 am, 1 pm and 7 pm. We handed out several new patterns each class – Connie and I were quite productive, haha!! Some retreaters brought their own UFOs to work on and some started several new projects while here. At each class we also had a show and tell time – campers brought quilts to show – u less they flew in and couldn’t pack quilts as well as supplies. It all worked – we all made it work.
Mary, I may have mentioned this before about attending a Mary Ellen shop owners seminar, My friend had a small shop at the time and I was able to tag along. As I recall attendees were were required to bring along a good number of one yard cuts to use throughout the week so that they could return to their shops with many samples at the ready. Charlotte Angotti was there and happened to mention she arrived by train in order to bring along a trunk containing not much else but bolts of fabric.
You shop owners seem always to be packaged with great imaginations.
Li – we haven’t talked about this before, have we? I attended 4 or 5 Mary Ellen retreats – could you and I have met at a retreat?
Oh, and has anyone told Elliot that he is a big DILL??
Sorry, that cucumber is just too tempting not to joke!!
Tanya – that’s a good one!!!
Oh My Gosh! pattern is by Sue Garman. Sue made fabulous intricate quilts and taught at the now closed Friendswood, TX shop. She worked for NASA and died all too soon. Her daughters showed many of her quilts at the Houston Festival several years ago. Sue did author some books with her works and patterns. I was lucky enough to take a couple of classes in Galveston from her.
Tanya – thank you for that info – I knew that at one time.
The Chew Stopper photo was P-E-R-F-E-C-T. LOL
For anyone who has ever raised a Golden, you will understand how important this stuff is, although I’ve successfully used liquid hand soap on items and that works really well too. Plus the pup doesn’t chew the bottle. HAHA . Those darn shark teeth.
Great pictures of the camp at Country Threads. A lot of memories!
Love the pictures of Elliot. Now I know why he likes Hazel’s antics. He’s a kidder.
Great quilt show today. The one with the embroidery blocks with button is so pretty. The 39’s fabric suits the theme. Oh my gosh quilt looks like a lot of work. Amazing!!
We all love Hazel in action!!!
Elliott is a cutie, he needs to look at his picture, it looks like he has three arms but it apparently is his little sister sitting behind him. Wonder what he thinks of Hazel digging in the dirt? To bad Hazel doesn’t find some buried treasure!
The pictures of the retreat were so much fun to look at, that would be wonderful to sew in a barn for the day!
I’m off to my barn, the little donkeys are wondering where their breakfast is! After I return I am going to make a test block to see if I like it in some of my scraps. It’s an 18″ block unfinished so I’m hoping it will be a good block to turn into a king quilt for my bed.
Blessings to everyone
Linda – I hope you show us the 18” block!
Mary all the pictures are awesome!
Quilt retreats were so fun. The one we enjoyed was put on by Roelofs in Sioux center at the Inspiration Hills Campgrounds. Planing what to take and cut it before we went, fun! Actually, I did get a lot of sewing accomplished! The first year we went, we all slept in one big room! Needless to say, I did not sleep much! After that, we were able to rent a room. That was much better plus our own bathroom! Then sadly Roelofs was sold. And now it is closed. There is a quilt store in Canton that does some one day sewing get togethers. But, I don’t go because I really cannot drag my machine anywhere..
went to the garden Wednesday and guess what, more cucumbers to make a batch of lime pickles. The third batch. I planned to do one! I have one plant (vine) because Jay accidentally hoed out the other three! I’d be giving away cucumbers if I had four plants 😂
No sewing yesterday because our good friends from Arizona stopped for coffee! So fun!
Have a good one and thanks for all the pictures. Elliot is so cute! Hope he loves school! Hazel must have really dirty paws! 😆 those embroidered quilt squares ae so cute and colorful.thanks Mary for the blog about ‘nothing’. 💕
I love Eliot’s sparkling grin with his cucumber . He is going to be a happy kindergartner. Hazel has the cutest butt and a great work ethic: if it is dirt, start digging. Loved the quilts and the jokes. I would have loved quilt camp but I did not start quilting until I retired from teaching science to seventh graders in 2004. Playing with fabric is less stressful!
Hi Elliot. I love your cat in the doll bed.
I never would have thought to put the book showing the quilt I’m making with the strips and Star blocks. I guess that’s what makes you the best blog momma.
Kathy – haha! The best blog mommy! Well, I try to think what I personally would like to see so that I don’t have so many questions to research for the next post. I loved that quilt you’re making – soooo many I’d like to make again, I’ll never live long enough because there’s always a new one as well.
Thank You Sue for sharing your photo album, wished I had lived closer to attend some of the retreats!
Love the quilts your friend brought, the one that won first place I think I have that pattern and always wanted to make it! The embroidery quilt with the buttons, adorable, and the last one, so many tiny pieces, a gorgeous quilt! Thanks also for sharing them!
Cats have a way to find comfort anywhere and Three sure did!
Keeper and Hazel always seem to have fun don’t they?
Thanks Mary for your blog about nothing!
Carmen – just curious, where do you live?
Carmen – the quilt with all the tiny pieces would have been one I’d love to straight line quilt! I think the swirls detract from the design which I love. Remember this is just my opinion – I love the quilt!
I was never lucky enough to come for quilt camp, but my bff owned a quilt shop and we came for pre-market lunch once. So much fun! Lunch and laughs and you debuted new patterns that would be for sale from Country Threads. Then we all wandered over to the shop and I got addicted to needle punch. I spent a lot of money that day. lol
Elliott says thank you! He is my little buddy and we’ve been fortunate to watch both our grands since they were born. Elliott starts Kindergarten Monday. Leah will start 4 year old pre-school after Labor day. 1/2 days so we will start sewing lessons this fall. My mom got me started at 4, so I will pass down to her.
I am truly blessed.
Diana – oh, yes, I forgot about those shop owners lunches – fun for us to get to know them and hope they would carry our patterns. I think it worked.
The Oh My Gosh quilt is really more than that. It just makes me shake my head in wonder. Hazel takes such a good picture! 😅 Elliot is so cute, and he is a jokester. The quilt with the buttons is so pretty. What a lot of work. As usual, your blog is such a good morning treat. Thank you.
Thanks for sharing the scrapbook pictures of the retreat.
Some gorgeous quilts today! I’ve always loved the OMG pattern. Tiny pieces, beautiful blocks. Love the embroidery and button blocks: perfect with the 30s fabrics.
Mary, you are the best!! I love your blog!
Makes my day—I
Ann in Virginia – telling me that just made MY day!!
Sue, thank you for letting Mary share your photo album with us! I really enjoyed looking at all the photos in detail and taking a trip back to the ‘90’s. My favourite quilt today is the one in 1930’s style fabric with the button flowers: literally as cute as a button!
Hi Mary, thanks for all the butt photos! Up at 4am,left at 5am to get to Brisbane Airport at 7am,then l think we went half way back to my sisters to get to the gateway for my flight back to wellington, thank goodness for wheelchair assistance, can’t walk too far these days. Tired,and waiting for fish and chips for supper now! Take care everyone, best wishes from Sandy
Sandy – up at 4! You’ll need a nap today – I know I would!
What a big help to have someone get all of your patterns in order. Along with fun memories to boot. Elliot looks like he could be quite entertaining. Had to laugh at the difference between personalities-Kevin the perfect gentleman/Hazel the tomboy. 😂 and both are adorable. Nice quilts! Looks like what Hank would have done if he got ahold of the Chew Stopper. 😂😂 A good photo to send to the inventor to let them know what a great product they have.
Ha! Elliot, I’ve heard Raffi sing the Banana Phone song, but I never heard of a Pickle Phone before! You are so silly! How about calling a Zucchini Phone for garden jokes? I know…use a Carrot Phone to hear rabbit jokes! Can you think of any more???
Do you think Hazel is getting Keeper into trouble? They will both need baths after exploring the big dirt pile, that’s for sure!
Love the quilts tonight and the Country Threads quilting retreat scrapbook was fun to look through. Mary, is the Sherry Ware (TX) on the attendance list your quilt shop friend we sent cards to? If so, what a small world.
Cooler and drier for the next week or so. Good walking weather and a chance to check out the neighborhood gardens. Thanks once again for hosting the blog about everything! Kris in WI
Kris – yes, Sherry Ware is a card pal. And then we have Sherry Whalen who has the Monarchs – two Sherry W.’s which I had not realized. Like two Hanks, we’ll now have Sherry in TX and Sherry in MN. Such a small world. Your own jokes, Kris, are pretty darn clever!
Kris – yes, Sherry Ware was a card pal – she was a shop owner from Texas when she attended camp and one day when the temps got down to 50-60 degrees she walked out and announced “It’s winter!” We all laughed at her – it was the best of times.
embroidery and button stitched (aunt grace fabric?) quilt is ADORABLE!!!
Wonderful quilts! How fun to see my sister Nancy Thomas and her friend Mary Hawk pictured in the album. I bet they got a lot of sewing done!😊
Vicki – did I know this? Nancy is your sister? Did I just forget?
The laughs on me! After I read Tina’s comment, I scrolled back to the bottle of Chew Stopper…now I see! That is funny along with the other two jokes. The OMG- OH, My Gosh quilt is just that. Is it a king or queen size? It is beautiful and amazing. I chuckled at the two butts…busy at it again.
I enjoyed looking at the scrap book pages. Many years ago I bought your rug making book either at Vermont quilt Festival or at Maine Quilts, but until I started reading your blog a few years ago I never knew of you and Connie and your patterns. I do remember seeing bullseye quilts at a show here in Massachusetts and my friends and I were really infatuated with them but couldn’t find a pattern. All this before the internet. (I’ve been loving quilt making since 1972). Love your blog and all your cats.
Oops,” contented”
Three, a well fed conted cat! She’s lovely.
Great photo album memories! Too funny-most of Hazel’s photos are of her tail in the air and head in a hole!
Wondering about the quilt in greys and browns in the photo labeled-Nancy and Melinda from Georgia-is that one of your quilt patterns? It is simple looking but interesting.
Debbie – yes, I think that’s a Country Threads quilt but don’t ask me the name or number. Feel free to draft it up.
Great jokes! And the chew stopper made me laugh out loud! I’ve never understood how cats could find comfort in the places they sleep. Great quilts as usual and isn’t it a good feeling to be organized?! Sue’s photo album was fun to see. It would have been wonderful to have attended one of your workshops. It’s always a lot of work but when we were younger, it was no big deal!
That quilt is OMG–Oh, My Gosh! The little 9 patches are 1/2″ squares. It is beautiful.
Betty Klosterman, Rapid City
Betty – no, the little 9 patches are 1-1/2” not 1/2”