I haven’t replied in so long. My four day quilt retreat was a nice rest and I made a “preemie” quilt top 36 x 36 its elephants, so cute. I also worked on my reproduction fabric quilt squares that finish at 3”. It’s a pattern from Kathleen Tracy. It was supposed to be a small wall hanging, 5 different quilt squares-4 of each. Well, I’m turning it into a lap quilt and making 32 of each and then adding borders and such.
I thought the cat in the picture with the dog was a statue, I had to enlarge the picture to see. Very cute picture. The fall table runner is really nice. I have a fall quilt wall hanging but it is still in a box. I’ve been having to wash all the walls. One of the owners was a smoker, we are not. Not sure what they did to mask the smell all the times we came to see the house but it didn’t smell like smoke, just about choked it was so bad when we walked in the first day, unpacking is on hold till the walls are washed. It is helping. I have a walk in closet in what will be my sewing room and it is lime green, the room is a dark caramel colour so I’m painting the closet an off white and when I washed the walls the lime green was even brighter, the nicotine on the walls was quite disgusting.
Despite this, we are enjoying our little farm. I promise I will send more pics, once I’m done. Hoping it will be soon as it is Canada’s thanksgiving on Oct 13th and I’m going to have a small family gathering. Probably only 7 or 8 of us.
I will tell my sewing story another day.
Thanks again Mary for this blog, I look forward to the pictures and reading all the comments.
BTW my MIL has received a few cards and then unfortunately our postal service went on strike. She was thrilled to get them and wondered why, so I explained. She couldn’t believe strangers took the time to wish someone a happy birthday. So I’d like to thank you all on her behalf. She has kept the envelopes so she can remember how far the cards came from.
Mary EtheringtonPost author
Teresa – postal strike? Oh no! Maybe when it’s over you can tell me and we’ll post her info again? Darn. The best laid plans.
Teresa from Maple Ridge,BC
Hi Mary, I know that if there is any mail it is held until the strike is over and then it takes a few weeks to catch it all up. Any cards that have been mailed are just sitting in a warehouse right now.
Mary EtheringtonPost author
Teresa – oh, that is so sad! Darn it – all those birthday cards piling up. I’ll bet you’re busy still getting settled – are you having nice weather?
Cindy K
I’m a bit late to the comments on learning to sew-harvest started on Thursday and is in full swing so my time is limited. My mom didn’t sew when I was growing up-there were two women in our town who sewed for a living and they sewed many of my school clothes. There was a clothing store in town that sold clothes (very expensive clothes) and I would get to pick out a few outfits for school. They also sold fabric and clothing patterns. I always got to pick out the pattern and fabric when my clothes were made and I always enjoyed that process-getting measured-not so much. My grandma did sew. She worked at a coat factory and I was always impressed that she could not only sew but make her own patterns. But, she called sewing work so no wonder that she never taught my mom to sew. And no one in my family made quilts that I’m aware of.
When I was in jr. high, I took home ec. and that is when I was first introduced to running a sewing machine. We didn’t have a sewing machine at home. The teacher said she would be sending homework home and that we each needed a sewing machine. My parents went to Salina (Sears) and mom tried out several machines and purchased one. She got free sewing lessons with the purchase and attended all of the classes-Salina was an hours drive from our town. During the winter, the teacher sent homework home-a lined bag and I did not care for it at all. It had snowed and my siblings along with all the neighbor kids were out sledding down our back alley and I was not going to stay inside and make that ugly bag. When I came in from sledding, mom had the pattern cut out and was starting to sew the bag. She ended up making the entire project. Seems like she got a B on that project. LOL!! We made a few other things in that class-pillows, pillowcases, and finally we were done with sewing and onto cooking classes.
Years later, my husband bought me a sewing machine (his sister sewed and apparently he thought i would like to sew too). I didn’t use it for a long time and when I did, it was mostly for mending. When we were expecting our 1st daughter, I decided to make my maternity clothes. I purchased a pattern and fabric and that was the 1st time I enjoyed the sewing experience. Then I made a baby bunting. When I showed it to my mom, she gave me two large boxes of fabric scraps to make baby clothes. The scraps were two small and they got put in a closet. Months later, I was in the grocery store checkout lane and on an end rack was a quilting magazine-a nine patch pattern was on the cover. It dawned on me that I could use those scraps to make a quilt. So, I purchased the magazine and that was my first experience making a quilt. My daughter was 10 months old at the time. I put my sewing machine on the kitchen table-pins, scissors, ironing board, etc. to my left and my daughter to the right of me in her playpen. By the end of each day, my daughter would have her playpen full of fabric she would pull off the table and play with. We both had a blast. The top was made out of both cotton and polyester. I used a blanket for the batting and sheet for the backing and tied it. And I turned in the edges and hemmed them-no binding necessary. We used that quilt for years. We do custom harvesting and years later, I put that quilt in the hired hands camper and one of them stole the quilt.
Through the years, I have made many halloween costumes and clothes for my kids-also purses, bags, rugs, curtains, etc. along with many, many quilts. I have been sewing and quilting since 1977. My sewing story is also in the book “Zen and the Art of Quilting”. I have three daughters and they all know how to quilt and 4 granddaughters of whom 3 have made quilts-the other is not so interested in quilting-not yet anyway. Ha!
Gwen
I can’t actually remember when I started sewing. I just remember that my mother always sewed our clothes. In elementary school my friends and I would sew clothes for our “fashion” dolls with needle and thread. I started to sew my own clothes in middle school. All my friends sewed clothes and all our mothers also sewed clothes. I sewed most I my clothes in high school and college. I had a sewing machine in my dorm room. I continued to sew my clothes until my first child was born. I was 28 years old. I sewed her Easter dresses and lined Easter coats. This came to a screeching halt when my daughter stopped taking a nap. She is very social and never wanted to spend 5 minutes playing on her own. I finally gave up. Later I made Halloween costumes but lost my interest in sewing clothes. Ten years later I started getting interested in sewing quilts. For the last 30 years quilting has been my passion. I haven’t sewn any clothes in that time
Jo in Wyoming
The pixs are pretty, as always.
The days here are incredible. Sunny, light breeze, flowers are colorful. I have a basket of orange and purple somethings outside my quilting room window…the butterflies visit it all day. Once in a while a hummingbird stops by. I will miss this. In a month all will be gone ☹️
I had to get new phones this week. The joy of learning and remembering current communication technology. Is there anything more fun? I’ve already lost one handset. Telemarketing generates lots of tax revenue, so caller ID is a must. Now I have it on all the phones. The ones I can find!!!
Diane, Squeak, Buddy in Central Ohio
That seasonal table runner is so pretty and Squeak would love it:)
Who is the designer/seller? Is it Onyx? I am not familiar with that. Nice here, too. I went to Prairie Peddler with good friends today. Great weather, good choices, good food:)
Mary EtheringtonPost author
Diane – I will look online
Mary EtheringtonPost author
Diane – I sent you the info
Bonny
Today a small cadre will meet up to pick apples donated to support next weekend Apple Bash. This is an afternoon of apple cider pressing, pony rides, face painting, Cornhole, music and food organized by the Friends of the Library. Last year 300+ people came! We have hopes for continued good weather! Last year we pressed….and consumed… roughly 14 gallons of cider! The event is free.
Marlene Clausen
We are also enjoying “perfect” weather here in East Tennessee, Chattanooga to be exact. Mid ’60’s in the a.m. with bright sunshine and my windows OPEN! Gradually heating up in the afternoon and, eventually, the ceiling fans get turned on. Turn off the fans around 10 p.m. , perfect sleeping weather with only a very light quilt required. Open window weather is always my favorite time of the year, and, doubly delightful when a rain shower passes through.
Mary EtheringtonPost author
Marlene – yes! I agree with everything you said!!
Rita in Iowa
Fall is definitely in the air. Great front porch and table runner.
Spent from 5 to 11:30 yesterday watching my 9 year old grandson testing for his black belt. So intense. He has been doing Taekwondo for four years. Today they have a rewards ceremony along with a performance program. Then a reception. So a busy weekend in Texas.
Hope to get my sewing mojo back when we return.
Enjoy the days of fall as we all know what comes next.
Mary EtheringtonPost author
Rita – I don’t know about you but I hate what comes next
Christine in AZ
Love the photos, which inspired me to work on finishing my two small Halloween quilts…. and others.
We’ve had lots of rain here in AZ – and lower temperatures. It’s been so nice!
We’re watching our two grands for three days – they’re 2.5 and 7. We’ll be exhausted afterwards 😆
Sharon F
Those are such pretty seasonal photos. I have the pattern for the table runner and would like to make it…. Someday.
Sheryl Harrison
Do you have the Christmas table runner, Onyx at Christmas? It has presents instead of pumpkins and is also a free pattern.
Mary EtheringtonPost author
Sheryl – no, sorry. It would have to be in my personal collection and I don’t have any of that brand.
Erin
Great photos, as always. Isn’t that a great table runner? Why can’t I remember to start seasonal projects a year ahead?
Dot in NC
Love the Fall photo of the dog and cat! They’re posing so nicely!
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I haven’t replied in so long. My four day quilt retreat was a nice rest and I made a “preemie” quilt top 36 x 36 its elephants, so cute. I also worked on my reproduction fabric quilt squares that finish at 3”. It’s a pattern from Kathleen Tracy. It was supposed to be a small wall hanging, 5 different quilt squares-4 of each. Well, I’m turning it into a lap quilt and making 32 of each and then adding borders and such.
I thought the cat in the picture with the dog was a statue, I had to enlarge the picture to see. Very cute picture. The fall table runner is really nice. I have a fall quilt wall hanging but it is still in a box. I’ve been having to wash all the walls. One of the owners was a smoker, we are not. Not sure what they did to mask the smell all the times we came to see the house but it didn’t smell like smoke, just about choked it was so bad when we walked in the first day, unpacking is on hold till the walls are washed. It is helping. I have a walk in closet in what will be my sewing room and it is lime green, the room is a dark caramel colour so I’m painting the closet an off white and when I washed the walls the lime green was even brighter, the nicotine on the walls was quite disgusting.
Despite this, we are enjoying our little farm. I promise I will send more pics, once I’m done. Hoping it will be soon as it is Canada’s thanksgiving on Oct 13th and I’m going to have a small family gathering. Probably only 7 or 8 of us.
I will tell my sewing story another day.
Thanks again Mary for this blog, I look forward to the pictures and reading all the comments.
BTW my MIL has received a few cards and then unfortunately our postal service went on strike. She was thrilled to get them and wondered why, so I explained. She couldn’t believe strangers took the time to wish someone a happy birthday. So I’d like to thank you all on her behalf. She has kept the envelopes so she can remember how far the cards came from.
Teresa – postal strike? Oh no! Maybe when it’s over you can tell me and we’ll post her info again? Darn. The best laid plans.
Hi Mary, I know that if there is any mail it is held until the strike is over and then it takes a few weeks to catch it all up. Any cards that have been mailed are just sitting in a warehouse right now.
Teresa – oh, that is so sad! Darn it – all those birthday cards piling up. I’ll bet you’re busy still getting settled – are you having nice weather?
I’m a bit late to the comments on learning to sew-harvest started on Thursday and is in full swing so my time is limited. My mom didn’t sew when I was growing up-there were two women in our town who sewed for a living and they sewed many of my school clothes. There was a clothing store in town that sold clothes (very expensive clothes) and I would get to pick out a few outfits for school. They also sold fabric and clothing patterns. I always got to pick out the pattern and fabric when my clothes were made and I always enjoyed that process-getting measured-not so much. My grandma did sew. She worked at a coat factory and I was always impressed that she could not only sew but make her own patterns. But, she called sewing work so no wonder that she never taught my mom to sew. And no one in my family made quilts that I’m aware of.
When I was in jr. high, I took home ec. and that is when I was first introduced to running a sewing machine. We didn’t have a sewing machine at home. The teacher said she would be sending homework home and that we each needed a sewing machine. My parents went to Salina (Sears) and mom tried out several machines and purchased one. She got free sewing lessons with the purchase and attended all of the classes-Salina was an hours drive from our town. During the winter, the teacher sent homework home-a lined bag and I did not care for it at all. It had snowed and my siblings along with all the neighbor kids were out sledding down our back alley and I was not going to stay inside and make that ugly bag. When I came in from sledding, mom had the pattern cut out and was starting to sew the bag. She ended up making the entire project. Seems like she got a B on that project. LOL!! We made a few other things in that class-pillows, pillowcases, and finally we were done with sewing and onto cooking classes.
Years later, my husband bought me a sewing machine (his sister sewed and apparently he thought i would like to sew too). I didn’t use it for a long time and when I did, it was mostly for mending. When we were expecting our 1st daughter, I decided to make my maternity clothes. I purchased a pattern and fabric and that was the 1st time I enjoyed the sewing experience. Then I made a baby bunting. When I showed it to my mom, she gave me two large boxes of fabric scraps to make baby clothes. The scraps were two small and they got put in a closet. Months later, I was in the grocery store checkout lane and on an end rack was a quilting magazine-a nine patch pattern was on the cover. It dawned on me that I could use those scraps to make a quilt. So, I purchased the magazine and that was my first experience making a quilt. My daughter was 10 months old at the time. I put my sewing machine on the kitchen table-pins, scissors, ironing board, etc. to my left and my daughter to the right of me in her playpen. By the end of each day, my daughter would have her playpen full of fabric she would pull off the table and play with. We both had a blast. The top was made out of both cotton and polyester. I used a blanket for the batting and sheet for the backing and tied it. And I turned in the edges and hemmed them-no binding necessary. We used that quilt for years. We do custom harvesting and years later, I put that quilt in the hired hands camper and one of them stole the quilt.
Through the years, I have made many halloween costumes and clothes for my kids-also purses, bags, rugs, curtains, etc. along with many, many quilts. I have been sewing and quilting since 1977. My sewing story is also in the book “Zen and the Art of Quilting”. I have three daughters and they all know how to quilt and 4 granddaughters of whom 3 have made quilts-the other is not so interested in quilting-not yet anyway. Ha!
I can’t actually remember when I started sewing. I just remember that my mother always sewed our clothes. In elementary school my friends and I would sew clothes for our “fashion” dolls with needle and thread. I started to sew my own clothes in middle school. All my friends sewed clothes and all our mothers also sewed clothes. I sewed most I my clothes in high school and college. I had a sewing machine in my dorm room. I continued to sew my clothes until my first child was born. I was 28 years old. I sewed her Easter dresses and lined Easter coats. This came to a screeching halt when my daughter stopped taking a nap. She is very social and never wanted to spend 5 minutes playing on her own. I finally gave up. Later I made Halloween costumes but lost my interest in sewing clothes. Ten years later I started getting interested in sewing quilts. For the last 30 years quilting has been my passion. I haven’t sewn any clothes in that time
The pixs are pretty, as always.
The days here are incredible. Sunny, light breeze, flowers are colorful. I have a basket of orange and purple somethings outside my quilting room window…the butterflies visit it all day. Once in a while a hummingbird stops by. I will miss this. In a month all will be gone ☹️
I had to get new phones this week. The joy of learning and remembering current communication technology. Is there anything more fun? I’ve already lost one handset. Telemarketing generates lots of tax revenue, so caller ID is a must. Now I have it on all the phones. The ones I can find!!!
That seasonal table runner is so pretty and Squeak would love it:)
Who is the designer/seller? Is it Onyx? I am not familiar with that. Nice here, too. I went to Prairie Peddler with good friends today. Great weather, good choices, good food:)
Diane – I will look online
Diane – I sent you the info
Today a small cadre will meet up to pick apples donated to support next weekend Apple Bash. This is an afternoon of apple cider pressing, pony rides, face painting, Cornhole, music and food organized by the Friends of the Library. Last year 300+ people came! We have hopes for continued good weather! Last year we pressed….and consumed… roughly 14 gallons of cider! The event is free.
We are also enjoying “perfect” weather here in East Tennessee, Chattanooga to be exact. Mid ’60’s in the a.m. with bright sunshine and my windows OPEN! Gradually heating up in the afternoon and, eventually, the ceiling fans get turned on. Turn off the fans around 10 p.m. , perfect sleeping weather with only a very light quilt required. Open window weather is always my favorite time of the year, and, doubly delightful when a rain shower passes through.
Marlene – yes! I agree with everything you said!!
Fall is definitely in the air. Great front porch and table runner.
Spent from 5 to 11:30 yesterday watching my 9 year old grandson testing for his black belt. So intense. He has been doing Taekwondo for four years. Today they have a rewards ceremony along with a performance program. Then a reception. So a busy weekend in Texas.
Hope to get my sewing mojo back when we return.
Enjoy the days of fall as we all know what comes next.
Rita – I don’t know about you but I hate what comes next
Love the photos, which inspired me to work on finishing my two small Halloween quilts…. and others.
We’ve had lots of rain here in AZ – and lower temperatures. It’s been so nice!
We’re watching our two grands for three days – they’re 2.5 and 7. We’ll be exhausted afterwards 😆
Those are such pretty seasonal photos. I have the pattern for the table runner and would like to make it…. Someday.
Do you have the Christmas table runner, Onyx at Christmas? It has presents instead of pumpkins and is also a free pattern.
Sheryl – no, sorry. It would have to be in my personal collection and I don’t have any of that brand.
Great photos, as always. Isn’t that a great table runner? Why can’t I remember to start seasonal projects a year ahead?
Love the Fall photo of the dog and cat! They’re posing so nicely!