Answers and details from yesterday:
Connie’s Etsy shop is SEW IT GOES BY CONNIE
Connie loves to make repeat stuff – I hate it. Haha! Opposites attract, don’t they?
For all those who have beige furniture, it’s what is certainly popular and makes so much sense but I have my own separate tv area in front of the windows and I want a red check couch – outdated? Yes, but so am I. Connie’s big old red chair is going to the covered entry to the quilt shop for Keeper – I know he doesn’t want me to move it but this time it’s going. The big chair (light tan) will take the place of big red chair and the red check couch will be in the sun porch area. I have my favorite old rocker glider with two cushions that I will have recovered as well.
Rick’s living room is where the fireplace is and I can’t really touch it – his old chair that he won’t give up was $7 at the thrift store and then he has his bike. I have to pick my battles.
For those suggesting a neutral couch with throws and pillows, I’ll have to take the time to explain. (!) Before we were married I had white Eddie Bauer furniture with those big round wooden feet – a couch and two matching chairs and I made quilts for all that just fit on the seat – it was so nice! I loved it! And then Rick came along and his son Eric and neither would take their shoes or outdoor clothes off before sitting on my gorgeous furniture. I had to give up and sell the stuff I loved.
So now in the fireplace room it’s all about Rick – his old $7 chair and his bike and huge speakers. Sigh
The old red chair was Connie’s and the dogs LOVE IT but it’s gotta go – then the BIG chair in the sun porch will move to the old red chair spot and my red check couch will sit there – it’s all planned. Now I just have to find the couch.
Ok – next detail. I think you’d love to see the cross stitch/embroidery collection a bit closer because they’re very special. I have a couple more in the quilt shop.
Pretty sweet, huh? Connie and I traveled a lot and always, but always, hit an antique mall or store – this was before thrift stores. Now it’s the hunt for treasures that are few and far between. I also collected solid gold baby rings – have you seen my necklace?
Reader photos
P.S. I called the farm store to make sure those older chickens were still there and they were not so no chicks for me yet.
Here’s my next challenge fabric:
I really enjoyed the pictures of the samplers. I only have one. It’s made by my husband’s grandmother. I’ve never seen one at a thrift store. I guess I’m not very lucky. I can’t wait to see what you do with the great fabric choices you have pulled. They are such fun.
Love the cassette tape fabric. It and several others in your challenge pile remind me of the 50s-60s. You just need some Beatles fabric. Marie C. – I like how you showcased that gorgeous floral print.
Thanks. I just couldn’t cut it up.
I have really enjoyed looking at your collection of embroidered pieces. I have several myself and saw one I do own on your wall. The piece with the basket of flowers and the two kittens climbing over the basket looks like a funeral basket. It seems to be the right time period.
Enjoyed all the quilts shown. Thanks for sharing.
So much beauty to behold: the loving hands doing the cross stitch patterns with words of wisdom; variety of quilt colors and designs to inspire, and, of course, the great picture of Lexi – such an intelligent look and rich color of fur.
The two spring wall hangings are very pretty – I love tulips. Jeanine, I’ve worked on 2 1/4 by 2 1/4 squares grouped by 9, 12 or 16 to make square blocks for scrappy quilts. I like your idea of the strips. I’d sure get those scrappy quilts done faster for charity that way. Mary, I know you will come up with a great idea for your next project with those fabrics. I was amused by the cassette tape print. 🙂
Jan – I still had some leftover strips so am working on them, making squares from the rest. I sew five strips together and then cut into 2 1/4″ strips, so goes faster than cutting them in to individual squares. I sew five strips together so have 25 squares in each block. This quilt will not be a big as the one with the strips. It’s sort of an Improv quilt I guess.
Jeanine, in the future I’ll use your method for squares strips. At this point I’ve already got several blocks I made using the squares as leaders/enders while working on other projects last year – kind of a background quilt. This year I hope to group the blocks with sashing and setting stones to make scrappy charity quilts. Thanks for sharing your method.
Mary, have you visited Brick furniture in Mason City? I have gotten all my living room furniture there and always pick the fabric I want. They are very accommodating and have hundreds of fabric choices.Good luck.
You may have to special order the red and white couch; it will be a great choice. The samplers and quilts are so pretty. I’ve almost finished a small quilt. I’m looking to seeing some nice quilts at the Miamisburg OH quilt show on Friday or Saturday.
Beryl BC – I think you misunderstood my post – yes, of course I’ll have to special order – it’s the fabric I can’t find. I would never have expected to find this couch on the floor of the furniture store.
Beryl, where is the quilt show in Miamisburg? I wasn’t aware of one there! I’m 30 min south of there, near kings Island.
The Bridge Church, 323 N 11th St, Miamisburg OH. If you do a search for Miamisburg Quilt Show, you should find more information.
Thanks Beryl! Unfortunately I won’t be able to go. I discovered my water heater has a leak & a new one is being installed Saturday. Grandson’s a plumber, but still not happy about this!
Alice – oh, I’m sorry about your water heater! It’s always something, isn’t it?
I just loved it that you took time to snap photos of your wall of samplers. Thank you for sharing the sayings and designs. I’m so impressed to see so many different ones.
What a treat this post was to read. The quilts are always a joy to see.
Thank you for opening your home for us to learn about all your treasures.
Kathy – I’ve always been a collector but no more – I don’t get anywhere and there’s nowhere to put it even if I did find it – ha!!! The samplers are quite special – what will happened to them when I die? I so hope they don’t end up in the landfill.
I, too, have a love of cross stitch samplers. My mother gave me one to make in about 1969. Finished and framed it by about 1976. No longer have it. Framed the Give UsOur Daily Bread for my daughter’s wedding. Another one I made from a kit about sunshine after thunder is hers as well.
I love your collection.
Is it possible to have a new couch made with your choice of fabric? Red check is so beautiful.
Carolyn – yes, that’s what I’m trying to do but it’s the red check that’s impossible to find. Several others asked the same thing – I never have expected to walk into a furniture store and find a red checked couch – impossible.
My thought is, find the couch you love and find the red checked fabric at the upholsterers and have covers made.
I think you should make Wensleydale by Jen Kingwell with that pile of fabric. I have been debating ordering the foundation papers for it, but then I think I should finish some of my ufo’s first.
I agree with you – I love the red plaid couch……
Your cross stitch collection is fantastic! What a treasure! I have a few but you’ve inspired me to start back at the thrift stores……… like I need more stuff…….. hahahahaha
Lynette – yes, you should consider it a scavenger hunt at your thrift stores! Wish I were in a different part of the country to see if this was a Midwest thing or USA?
One more thought on couch color … I live mostly in blue jeans, and my favourites are a fairly dark wash. The problem is that no matter how many times they’re washed, that blue dye rubs off on my couch and love seat. The furniture is not really light colored … kind of a medium gold-brown with a paisley print … with a distinct bluish tint on the cushions … boohoo! I don’t know what color I would choose if I decide to replace them some day.
Candy – you could try “setting” the color with Retayne
At one time just after we built our house I bought a blue plaid couch & I loved it. Then I got it in my head that I’d like to have a leather couch. Leather is pretty, but it’s cold in the winter & any quilt I put over the back simply slid off. My next & current couch is a neutral beige. I do like it except it only has two cushions & they tend to dip in the center. I prefer 3 cushions on a couch. Most all of the couches I looked at were huge! I’m only 5’2″ & I refuse to buy something my feet won’t touch the floor. I wouldn’t be happy if the plaids were crooked or didn’t match either. That would drive me crazy. Some brands will allow you to select the fabric you want when you order the couch/chair. That’s how I ordered my recliner. If you want a red plaid or check couch, get what you want. Nothing else will make you happy!
Alice – you’re right! Nothing else will make me happy! I had a leather couch at one time, too, and hated it / I traded it to my hairdresser for a haircut!!
Wow! I bet your hairdresser loved you! My mom did something similar to get one of those curved Eathan Allen couches, I did not put my request in fast enough to get her sofa that had the high back and pheasants for design, back in the 70’s or ‘s, it was a busy bunch of women trading, all were happy just like you! One must act gpfast when there is no room to store stuff, just like at an auction..you cannot hesitate!
Can you post a picture of the necklace with
the baby rings? Ive never seen a baby ring!
Rose – yes, I’ll post a picture tomorrow night
Mary, I have a baby ring of my MIL’s and it baffles me why they were a “thing” for a baby? Can you explain why they were bought for a baby?
Love a good history lesson.
Kathy – hmmm, I don’t know why actually but my own ring is in this necklace, too.
I have the Christ is the head sampler, my mother bought the kit, was making it for my uncle. She did the big letters at the beginning of some of the words, then asked if I would finish it. It was all brown – so I added some gold and some orange. Uncle loved it, mom not so much. But then a few months before he died, he gave it back to me, didn’t want anything bad to happen to it if he had to move. And when I bought a new couch, I bought a light gray. I had a dark blue, it looked like a big blob. The granddaughter went with me, realized why I didn’t want brown, or dark blue. I love the animal pictures. I’ve been looking at chicks at the various farm stores, but none for me. Though the store in Charles City had turkeys.
Dee / loved your story!!
I love red checked couches too! You’ll
find one!….. then there’s the necklace of the baby rings! Wish you’d put that in “the will for me”. I saw yours at Quilt Market thousands of years ago. I started hunting for baby rings!…..,yikes – so far I have 5!🤷♀️….. a long way to go! Will check out Connie’s Etsy Shop too! Hugs from another dinosaur, Mary Ellen – Little Quilts!🥰
Mary Ellen – I picked out 4 fabrics to cover a chair like you did – I don’t have a chair but I loved the fabrics. One, however is $159/yd!!!!’
Wow! Quilts, pets, samplers, a story, and a teaser about what quilt you’ll make next—all in one blog post about ‘nothing’—haha. Love the kitten stitchery and the hats quilt. Have a great day, everyone!
Sara – haha! But really – nothing covers a lot of conversation in this case – too funny!
I agree get the red checked couch. A friend has one. Next go round if I live long enuf I hope to get one. Love the blog. Keeps me going.
Sherry
“It’s winter”
Texas
Sherry – my search has only just begun!!! I have high hopes
I love, love, love red checked couches! Get two! I always wanted a red checked couch. I read a lot of “Country Living” magazines over the years and they featured them often. Who cares if they are out of style? We have off white furniture this time around; a nice change from the red/green plaid we did have. I liked it but it was time to change after 20 years.
You have quite the collection of cross stitch samplers. The “Christ is the head” sampler is wonderful! I have the motto on a plaque that my parents received as a wedding gift in May of 1954. I have never seen it done as a sampler.
As usual, lovely quilts ladies and animal photos, but oh Mary such a wonderful collection of cross stitch! So nice they are on display for all to admire. Cheers