Good Morning Tuesday!

Trying this post again – it’s a long one, too! Erick, Nikki and Camber were here this weekend – Camber loved the cats, Hazel and the ice from the refrigerator door! Ha! Hazel behaved perfectly with this 3 year old – wow! I borrowed a few toys from Vera and June.

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I really cooked this weekend – all these beautiful eggs for potato salad and deviled eggs, biscuits and gravy, carrot cake, the usual favorites.

The kids don’t get here often – they live in NW MN just 50 miles from the Canadian border so it’s a long trip for just an extended weekend but it was so nice to have them here.

The finished #8’s are coming in! Congratulations to all!

Attn Rug Makers – do you have the dvd we made?

I don’t think I’ve ever shown the picture of this antique twined rug – I think it’s made mostly of old mens’ pants and suits.

Someone asked to see how much Simba how grown. Here he is with his brother Kevin.

On July 1 I posted the picture of this golden campine hen on a nest of eggs – surprise!

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I wondered how many eggs were fertilized and here we are today – 2 darling little chicks!

Eric, Nikki and Camber left yesterday morning and yesterday afternoon Sr. Carol arrived. She’s an animal lover and it’s mutual as you can see! They flock to her.

More books – Jo Morton’s new book has a gorgeous cover, doesn’t it?

Here’s one of Connie’s favorite quilts from the book.

And here’s one of mine – a simple design but oh, so wonderful!

This old book came off the shelf the other day – there’s just so much valuable stuff in this book! Mary Ellen Hopkins was one of my favorite people and I treasure the memories of retreats I attended with her.

And back to another favorite book – Oh, Scrap! We’ve talked about this before and recently I finished binding this project that I did months ago called Plus Marks the Spot. Very simple but I wanted to follow her color design that uses the darks in the 9patch to make the plus sign – except in my colors.

I hope this long post has caught me up with things I wanted to talk about. The fair judging is today and I’m delivering my quilts just to be hung from the rafters for folks to look at. We have to get a lift to hang them so it will be a big job. Wish me luck!

49 thoughts on “Good Morning Tuesday!

  1. Judy

    Camber is such a dumpling!!!! Just want to sqeeeeeeze her!!!!

    Glad Y’ll had time together!
    Hugs,
    Judy in Texas

    1. Jeri Niksich

      I agree little Miss Camber is a real cutie! I have numerous grandbabies so when I say a little one is a cutie it’s true lol.

  2. Diane

    Interesting! Connie’s favorite quilt from the Jo Morton book is featured in another one of her past books. I know this because I have 9 of those basket blocks finished!

  3. Kate Schrot

    In the mid 1980’s I attended the MN quilt show in St Peter. I was a fairly new quilter. We signed up for Mary Ellen’s lecture. Had no idea who she was. When this small older lady walked on the stage we wondered what we were in for. Not only was she very funny but she had some much quilt knowledge. Still have that book. It definitely expanded how I though about quilting. So glad I went.

    1. CountryThreads Post author

      Kate Schroeder’s – she was nothing if not entertaining! So fun to listen to her!

  4. Judi L.

    Camber is absolutely adorable. I wish her parents the best of luck as she gets older! Loved seeing the finished #8’s from everyone so far.

  5. Diane in Maryland

    Camber is a beautiful little girl! Visits like that are precious.

  6. Diane Deibler

    What a darling grand daughter. I just loved that age. Bet you hated to see them go.

  7. Kathy in western NY

    So nice to see the family. They all share the same sweet smiles.
    I got ads this time! Yeah! So excited for Fair this week for you all as I remember those days well.
    Nice to see the UFO’s of other readers. It was a great idea Mary to put names on paper for the picture. I am in a reading mood lately so I might have a book to recommend for August’s list.

  8. patti leal

    what a lovely note today. thanks. all the #8 finishes are wonderful. the books are aways fabulous to see. i see you are another mary ellen hopkins fan. that ‘it’s okay if you sit on my quilt’ book was the very first one i bought. she is the first quilter i paid to go hear. just loved her down-to-earth personality and what a hoot she was. also liked that she stressed your very own ‘ppm’. ( personal private measurement) i’ll be working on doing the warp this week. probably not til thursday as i have doc appts. tomorrow. thanks for the cheer. beautiful family that came to see you. patti in florida

  9. NANCY PLEIMANN

    I took many classes with Mary Ellen Hopkins. And I remember being in one of her classes with you and maybe Connie. She made class fun. Nancy P

    1. CountryThreads Post author

      Nancy Pleimann – the only one Connie went to was one in Maine – could you have been there? Or else I went to LV several times by myself.

  10. Marian F Stever

    Loved the post on this beautiful Tuesday afternoon! Camber is a little doll and looks to be a lover of animals and they love her. The books look intriguing. Your eggs are beautiful–too pretty to crack! Love your kitties and Hazel. The twined rug is a classic and will wear forever. Thank you for keeping us informed on your happenings…do enjoy! Oh, I think Sr. Carol has the touch!

  11. Kathy Hanson

    Loved seeing Camber and your family. How wonderful to have the visit. Camber is taking after you with her love of animals, and so darling! Loved seeing g the first of the #8’s. Mine came back from the quilter today so I will have to get it really done soon, only a few days left! We are house and dog sitting at my daughter’s for a week so I don’t Have my binding strips here. I had better pick them up this evening when we go back into town to watch our granddaughter show an alpaca at the fair. I suppose Reed will be showing his quilt – he will get a blue ribbon, for sure, on his beautiful quilt!!

  12. Penny C Maryland

    Camber is beautiful! Hazel loves veryone! Loved this long interesting blog.

  13. Barb

    Mary, you always show us so much to be inspired by. I too, love the quilts you and Connie picked out from Jo Morton’s book. I will have to look for it.

  14. Diane Bauer

    What a lovely visit with your family! Camber is a cutie! Bet you enjoyed the time, even if it was short!

    I’m sitting at Denver Int’l Airport reading your post, realizing I forgot to send another picture of my #8 (my grain bags) before I left town again. I’ll be home again on the 1st and will try to remember to send it then. So fun to see what others are working on!! I’m anxious to know what my next project will be!

    Your chicks are cute and the hen is gorgeous!! I so love the colored eggs, especially the blues! So pretty!

  15. Deb Renken - SW Minnesota

    I have the book Oh, Scrap. Have used many of the patterns from it. I cannot pass up a pattern book of scrap quilts, they are my favorite to make. Maybe it is because I am slightly color blind and struggle with putting fabrics together. With a scrap quilt, you don’t need to worry about it so much.

  16. Deb Renken

    I have the book Oh, Scrap. Have used many of the patterns from it. I cannot pass up a pattern book of scrap quilts, they are my favorite to make. Maybe it is because I am slightly color blind and struggle with putting fabrics together. With a scrap quilt, you don’t need to worry about it so much.

  17. Ellie

    Camber is a little charmer and she certainly charmed the critters! That hen is beautiful. Hope the chicks are as pretty! Be sure to let us know how Reed does. We!re all so anxious to hear!

  18. Diane, Squeak's Mom

    Thank you again for inspiring us to finish our Dirty Dozen!! You are a good motivator, Mary.
    Camber, Hazel, and the kitties are so cute together. It is so gorgeous today here in Central Ohio that I went for my walk and ended up putting 7,700 steps on my Fitbit!
    My husband loved seeing the hen. It is beautiful. I am warping my rug this week:)

  19. Brenda

    Camber doesn’t need to wear a hug me shirt. How could you not hug that sweet darling

  20. Connie R.

    Thank you for all the pictures. You have such a wonderful eye for photography … as well as quilt colors.It always amazes me how two different colorways for the same quilt pattern can look so different. I’ll have to check out that Jo Morton book as the quilts you and Connie chose are simple but beautiful. I look forward to your posts every day.

  21. Debra Miller

    I really like your pick from Jo Morton’s book. I am currently in a nine patch block swap and that would be perfect!

  22. Sharon Ray

    That Mary Ellen book was the first I bought. She was wonderful! I have finished one quilt (Firecrackers) from Oh Scrap and want to make a few more from that book . Jo Morton’s book is on my wish list, so many to make!!

  23. ada

    I’m looking forward to seeing the quilts from the Fair, especially yours and Reed’s.

  24. Donna Sproston

    Oh, Scrap! and Jo’s new book are on my wish list. The UFOs and bucket list will outlive me for sure! I have post it notes stuck in every book. How lucky Camber was to spend a weekend on the farm. Not many get to do that these days!

  25. Pat Smith

    Dogs, cats, chickens—how lucky you are to have them all! We love our dog and would have more if we only lived in the country with a lot of room. The quilts are beautiful that everyone is finishing. I love the “Hearth and Home” book and the “Oh Scrap!” Instead of sewing today, I spent the day dismantling my sewing room and moving it all to our smaller house. We are downsizing from a house to a smaller size villa with no grass to deal with, and it’s a horrible job. But we think we’ll be better at the new place as there’s less to take care of. We turned 75 this year and a lot of things seem harder. Beware the ides of 75, Mary! The food you made this weekend sounds delicious.

  26. Vicki in Seattle

    Mary, the photos are great! What fun you had with Camber this weekend. I too love the “Oh Scrap” book and have made 2 of the cross quilts. One is like the example in the book and the other is all reds and white. I really like your color scheme too….maybe I will have to make a third! Enjoy the fair!

  27. Launa

    Mary, what a darling picture of Camber and Hazel playing with the borrowed doll house. Seems the animals enjoyed the little visitor as much as Camber enjoyed them.
    Mary Ellen Hopkins was an energetic and humorous speaker for a Quilt Sitters Group I belonged to years ago in CA. Great memories!

  28. Janice Hebert

    What a fun visit with family. Camber looks so much like her mom! I love your version of the quilt from Oh Scrap! Really love your colors in that pattern. And Jo Morton’s new book looks wonderful. I just bought her Jo’s Little Favorites III as I love little quilts! Your little hen is darling and her chicks! I really want chickens again. Miss them so. Hazel is such a love. Jan from MA where it is SO MUCH cooler today!

  29. Diane in WI

    I remember pictures of Camber as a baby. How nice they could come for a visit! Hazel had a friend her size. Mary Ellen’s book was used in the first quilt class I took. The pattern was called Fox and Geese. Jo Morton’s book looks like it has some beautiful quilts. I love the colors.

  30. Linette Stewart

    As always love your photos! I was able to find Oh Scrap! at one of our libraries. Can’t wait to start my millionth project 😂

  31. Felicia Hamlin

    Camber is so pretty and it is so nice to see pictures of her and Hazel. Love to see the picture of Simba and his brother is so cute. Say hello to sister Carol even if I don’t know her. Yes, animals know who loves them. Good luck to Reed at the fair.

    1. CountryThreads Post author

      Felicia Hamlin – she says HI back to you! She does Senior Outreach in Walsenburg, CO and comes home to visit her brother 3 times a year. She stays here in our guest room. We have such great conversations!

  32. Dorothy Howard

    Attended a class with Mary Ellen Hopkins in Vermont. To display her quilts she stood on the table! Great sense of humor.

  33. Anniewiththeducks

    Beautiful quilts, family and pets. Love the surprise little chicks and the proud mama. Good luck to you and Reed at the fair. I am amazed at his quilting skills. He is a treasure. Thanks about the reply about the starch and leaders, Makes sense now.

  34. Brenda archambault

    Another wonderful post of quilts, animals and people too! Love Camber. Now, I have a question about your hen and her two chicks. What do you do with the unhatched eggs? We have so many quail with their tiny chicks. They never have learned to look both ways before crossing the street and I braked for a family today with at least 6 newborns. They are wonderful. Had .7 ” of rain last night, wind, lightning, all the components of monsoons, and of course, humidity too.

    1. CountryThreads Post author

      Brenda Archambault – the unhatched eggs are likely rotten – never fertilized so I will carefully pick them up and dump them in the ditch where the dogs won’t find them to roll in. Rolling in something very stinky is one of their favorite pastimes!

  35. Donna Ondler

    Amber is s little cutie 😊 & I bet the animals liked her as much as she liked them. I don’t know what child wouldn’t love visiting a farm. The kitten are sure growing. I love Jo Morton books & I’ll have to check out her new book and Oh Scrap because I like Plus….too. So many quilts to add to my “to do one day”
    You have many comments to read today. Your eggs are so pretty as is the hen and her new chicks. Mama is so pretty.

  36. Jeanie Stufflebeam, sw Illinois

    Thanks for a beautiful post, Mary. Camber is a doll, and the pictures of her with the cats and Hazel are precious. Those are some great quilts, too.

  37. Jo in Wyoming

    Great post today. I loved all of it. The #8’s are exciting.
    There were only 5 ads today…usually there’s 8-10.
    The jail was about 100 degrees today. They have allowed us to bring a bottle of water, but I’m too busy to get it out. My energy is just zapped at the end of the session.
    That’s it.

  38. Nikki M

    Camber is adorable…glad the animals enjoyed her visit.
    Enjoy the fair.. wish I could attend & view the display of your quilts, & all the other sights& smells. Always enjoy the Texas State Fair, even if it has been a couple of years since I have attended.
    Have a good day, be safe.

  39. Mrs. Goodneedle

    Funny about the flood of emails. I didn’t realize that post was an old one and cut out everything to make that Split Square quilt from your Sew Charming book; I thought I had missed something!! 😂🤣 You had also mentioned setting your orchid outdoors and how it had taken off; I have an old one that has quit blooming and will try that trick. Camber is adorable and those chicks are simply precious, love the pics of Camber with the pets! 🥰 I’m closing in on a #8 finish.

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