Happy New Year and Dirty Dozen, 1-1-22

It’s bitterly cold here today – good day to stay inside and sew, watch football, snack and talk to you guys. I cleared myself a place to work – it’s not totally cleaned up but better. TheDirty Dozen Number for January is 6 – number 6.

Remember Henfolks that none of us knew about? Here it is.

Here are more projects for today:

Here is mine:

And now since this is my blog I can give my speech. When hanging a quilt vertically the blue field should be in the upper left. How do I know you ask? Years ago when I had a flag painted on my haymow door I painted it wrong with the field in the upper right as if you took a horizontal flag and just tipped it to vertical. My painter was actually a schoolteacher who didn’t know either. I had military people that I didn’t even know stop and point out my mistake. It got so bad I was forced to hire a painter again to change it, long before it needed repainting.

I want to hang this quilt vertically in my porch so I am changing it. I did email the designer but doubt I’ll hear back.

So now to work on the flag and watch Yellowstone!

24 thoughts on “Happy New Year and Dirty Dozen, 1-1-22

  1. Kathy Hanson

    I can see that it should be on the left since you mentioned it but I wouldn’t have thought about it otherwise! I am working ,diligently , on my blocks. Have about 13 of the 42 left!!! Checking to see if I can find Yellowstone on Netflix!

  2. Jan Smith

    Happy New Year to you!
    Your final finishes of the year wowed me. I’m always amazed at your use of color, and ability to reinterpret a pattern in completely different values, or fabric styles. Do you consider the pattern, or the fabric you want to work with first? I would love to hear about how you approach a new project.

  3. DebMac

    The correct way always looked wrong to me. I would make this pattern as shown as I would hang it horizontally but since you plan on hanging it vertically, do it correctly. Easy enough fix. I made a quilt flag for a retiring teacher who was also retired Navy as it is Navy custom to present a US flag upon retirement. He was very touched by the gift as the back was signed by all the students in the class but did comment that he would always have to hang it horizontally because of the way it was made.

    1. Mary Etherington Post author

      DebMac – I love that he accepted your gift and let you know he’d hang it horizontally!

  4. Diane Bauer

    Now I’m going to have to go get out my Small Flag Houses quilt to see if I put the flags the correct way! 😳 Flag etiquette is important (says Army Mom) but I sure don’t know all the rules—not even close!

    I shoveled all morning so am joining the sewing crew late in the game today. Grateful to have snow over the fire that my southern neighbors had this week, so no complaints!

  5. Evie H

    Thanks for the flag lesson. Is there a reason why the blue field is on the left when hung vertically? It doesn’t make sense, does it?

  6. Sheila in WI

    Thanks for the flag lesson. Love the pattern that spells “winter” with a snowman and mittens. Is this available? Happy New Year!

  7. Lisa

    Thank you for posting the flag hanging information. Who’d have thought? I admit it doesn’t really seem to make sense, but I guess the military people must know what they’re talking about! Happy New Year!

  8. Sue

    Happy New Year!
    Mary, I love reading the Chicken Scratch. It’s always the first email that I read and today’s entry entry is no different. I love the Country Threads pattern “Winter #577.” Will you be offering this pattern as a digital download?

    1. Mary Etherington Post author

      Sue – with big appliqué pieces, presenting the pattern digitally is difficult

  9. Betty Klosterman

    Absolutely love Henfolks. I’ve always had a thing for chickens. And in my idea of a perfect sewing room would be kitchen cabinets, good lights & windows. So much for good ideas….. Your sewing room in the old quilt shop is made in heaven.
    The sun is shining. It is 9 above. And one of my Yellowstone favorites was just on — Monica riding to summer camp and the ranch hand riding the not-quite broken horse! I have to really laugh out loud.
    The flag would have to be the same on both sides in order to hang it correctly? Never thought about it.
    I’m having a terrible time keeping the days of the week straight.
    Betty in Rapid City

    1. Kathy in western NY

      Betty- I too am all goofed up with the days of the weeks with the holidays falling like they did this year. What was closed, when, and what kid is working which day cause one has to while the others are closed. It was just enough to mess me up totally this year and I am already saying next year more of the same cause Christmas falls on Sunday. So I imagine businesses will be closed on Monday? Friends told us some restaurants they frequent were closed much longer than the two days like NYE and New Year’s Day to give workers a longer break. Could also be due to staffing shortages with covid spikes here but honestly if I didn’t keep a wall calendar in my kitchen, I would have to check my phone to see what day it is lately. Having warmer than normal temps isn’t helping me think it’s winter either. Maybe next week we will both get back on track!

  10. Karen Gaither

    Mary thank you for the tip on Flag hanging vertically. I guess it is like on military uniform and airplanes the blue would be in top right, like it is moving the driection they are going!

    Happy New Year!

  11. Karen H

    I bought this same flag quilt pattern a few months ago. I have not made it yet, but will have to remember to reverse the stars. Thank you for pointing that out!

  12. Sue in Oregon

    I love that flag quilt. I need to find one and remember to reverse the stars too. It’s on my bucket list now. Love the Hen Folks too.
    Happy New Year, everyone. I finished my first block of the Timberland fabric and discovered I need more. Isn’t that the way though?

  13. Joy

    Happy New Year! It is bitterly cold here in NW Iowa also! We don’t have much snow left after the 12 inches we got earlier. Crazy weather in Iowa. But, it was great traveling weather for our Michigan kids to come for a week before Christmas. I did some sewing also today. Good day to hibernate. Think we will have popcorn for supper 😂. Enjoy your blog.

  14. Mary Markert

    Love to see all your quilts and farm life! Looked for the mitten pattern on your web site, but it wasn’t there. I was able to track one down and ordered it. Looking forward to making it for my table for the winter! I have made so many of your patterns. My favorite being the Garden Quilt that is on a bed in our home. Thank you for all your patterns. Love reading your blog.

  15. Dee Winter

    I used to manage a store and we hung a flag veritcally. I consulted the Major of the local reserves unit, we looked it up and hung it according to the guidance in the rules. I had so many military people who didn’t realize which way NORTH was, that I finally took it down. My corporate called me, I just told them that I was tired of the whole thing and had taken it down. Then I got complaints about taking it down. Never again.

  16. Nancy Kirchner

    I missed a couple month of the Dirty Dozen. Could you send me the numbers already selected?

  17. Kathy Hanson

    Last night (Sunday) I finished the last of the 42, plus one, blocks that I was sewing for our New Years Day sew along! I am ready to sew the blocks together now, hopefully soon!!!

  18. Ginny Andersen

    I am new here but am enjoying all the pictures and conversation. Jo Kramer talks about “The Dirty Dozen” and I wondered if you could explain the process a little more for those of us who may not know.

  19. Ruthie

    Everytime I look at that flag , it seems it should hang normal then simply be tipped to hang the other way. I think someone got it wrong and everybody is just following blindly. Until I find a reason better than” Well thats just how it suppose to go” I will hang it how I like. Sorry for the rant, funny how some things bug ya.

    1. Mary Etherington Post author

      Ruthie – to convince its correct, I would go online and look at flag rules and etiquette – I assure you I’m correct. When you “hang it as you like” you are disrespecting our flag – in fact I’m going to dig a little deeper. I think I read somewhere that hanging it like you say is a sign of distress.

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