It was Antiques in the Park at Clear Lake today and you’d have thought it was Fourth of July there were so many people there. I saw so many people I knew from the quilt shop and the main conversation was they missed the shop. I told them that I, too, missed many parts of the quilt shop but not all of them. One of my friends said she appreciated the fact that I didn’t mention politics in the blog which is really no surprise. Not only am I simply not interested in politics, I think I hate it.
Here’s what I bought at Clear Lake:
So much fun!!!
I haven’t started my orange project yet – maybe tonight? I’m going to make Playhouse Pumpkin with the star inside.
This pattern is available for $5.00 and a SASE sent to Country Threads, 2345 Palm Ave, Garner, IA 50438.
Our new book Fresh Start Quilts is available from us at the same address for $30.00 which includes postage.
We have many patterns available as instant downloads – go to our online store to shop for those.
Reader quilts:
Remember my yellow Jake’s quilt?
Here is Julie’s original quilt made from our kit years ago:
This pattern, Jake’s Quilt, is also available for $5.00 – same address and a SASE please.
Mollie is here for the day and overnight – she and Keeper have had lots of fun and now they’re both sleeping so I can go sew. And here is one photo I took today in Clear Lake – love it.
You have so much fun! Makes it fun for all of us to read about it. I have to start my Orange projects for September, have what I need now and am excited to start. Just have to bind my last Yellow project and then both them will be done. I LOVE this color choice thing, I am getting so much of the things that I have had for ages done due to that and it is so much fun! Will send the picture soon! Happy Labor Day everyone! Hope you are all well and are going to enjoy the holiday!
We went up to Antiques on the Square today in Clear Lake as well!! You’re right – tons of people out enjoying the beautiful day! I bought a small white wire basket to hold a plant, and some white porcelain doorknobs for a project I plan to do. On the walk back to the car I spotted some HUGE mums. 3 of them went home with us 😉
I finally figured out what I’m going to do with the orange challenge. It’s not a pumpkin! Wish me luck, I decided to take on a big project!
Wowzers, have you got some busy readers!! All great quilts for us to enjoy.
On a fun note…I took some ufo blocks to the jail last week. Boy, oh boy…did the inmates have fun how to split them up and what they are going to do with them. It’s so heartwarming to see them share what little they enjoyment they have.
We are still doing maintenance and cleaning windows at my house. It’s still so hot. 96 today!!!
I kept going back to the top and scrolling down through the reader quilts to look at them again and again and again! I am awed. There are a couple I would make!
I wrote the names of the Country Thread patterns I can order. I have been a CountryThreads fan since back in the day when the mail would bring me the treasured newsletter. My husband would ask “what’s in Garner IA for us to see and do?” (I would hint about a vacation in Garner!)
I can’t sew right now. I’m going through a big health issue. I will get through it. I have no use for fabric right now but told my friend Jill tonight I felt like fabric shopping! (Never stop dreaming!)
I could write much more but I’ve yakked too much already!
Thank you for listening!
Marylou – you just got out of the hospital and you need to rest and recover. Just look at the quilts and dream – when you’re better you can sew again.
You are right Mary. Thanks! You touched my heart
Marylou, I will put you on our prayer list.
Sending healing thoughts and prayers your way.
ThAnk you too for next mentioning politics. I don’t discuss it either!
Such beautiful quilts from everyone today!! I feel like a kid in a candy store. I kept scrolling up and down looking at them and wishing I could make several of them. I do love making the panel quilts and have so many of them packed up to make once my sewing room is complete. I don’t even want to talk about my sewing room. Thats a project that has been on hold as hubby has been using that as his room to keep his succulents in and store “JUNK”….we enclosed that 16’x30′ backporch specifically for my sewing room as we bought my 12 foot quilting frame and needed the room. …..Oh, don’t get me started….LOL…end of rant!!!! MEN!!! Love him to death, but he gets on my nerves some times……
the doggies in the strollers are cute. I have a pink stroller for my smaller dogs when we go to flea markets, etc…hubby hates it….LOL
Hope everyone has/had a great Labor Day weekend.
Love from South Carolina. Finally starting to cooling down here.
Brenda – I’d say it’s time the room became yours to use as intentioned! Couldn’t we all go on and on about our husbands. So feel free to rant here if you want – sometimes it helps just to tell somebody. Could you move the stuff out yourself or get somebody to help you? Isn’t there anyplace else for the succulents? I would think they could be outside in SC but I suppose they have to come inside at some point. It’s not fair to you and life is too short not to enjoy your new quilting room.
Happy Labor Day Mary and all the cute critters. I’m not laboring today, only sewing, cutting fabric and doing hand work – although my husband will still expect to eat!
I love reading your blog every morning when I have my coffee. You life is very full, like mine, but I think you have more fun. Enjoy your day and give all your little fur balls hugs for me.
Wonderful quilts today!!
We are in the middle of moving from our condo to new house so I am very busy packing, etc,
Have a safe and happy Labor Day!!
Sally – moving is such a hard job! Show us your new house!
Such beautiful quilts today. I just finished a baby quilt top that used the same fabrics as the one with the colorful animals. It was a panel. I didn’t have all the coordinating fabrics to go with it. The red/white/blue quilt is just gorgeous! Whoever made it did a wonderful job. Have a wonderful Labor Day to all our USA folks. It will be a slow easy day for us. I may have time to do a little sewing too. Thank you Mary for your wonderful blog.
Diane’s two quilts have lots of detail. So pretty! I particularly admire the quilting design of holly leaves in the gnomes quilt. So artsy and perfect for the quilt. Looking at the quilts makes me want to sew. Maybe today I will steal a few hours away from outdoor tasks to do just that.
Thanks to everyone who shares quilt projects with Mary for the blog. So many ideas with interesting designs and color. Kudos to all of us who create art this way.
As always some beautiful reader quilts, so ambitious!! Gently raining here today all day. Not good for the State Fair goers or family gatherings. Good for me, I don’t have to mow or work outside, I can sew!!!
Ahh, those are certainly treasures! I would have bought them, too:) The quilt show is another great one. They are beautiful. RAINING here in Central Ohio today and yesterday. Usually in August, our grass is dry and looks like wheat! Today it is very green and growing a lot.
Another beautiful blog, Mary. Thank you:)
I am working on my next DD so better get going.
Diane – usually by September I’m mowing only occasionally but this year the grass is thick and growing so I’m mowing every few days it seems.
PS, I LOVE the “baby buggy” dogs. It made me laugh out loud which I needed. We celebrated our grand daughter’s 21st birthday on Saturday. She was actually born on Labor Day–fitting:) I always loved Labor Day because in Western NY we went to a parade and then the County Fair which was so much fun and some years it was on my birthday (9/7) so even better!
Happy Labor Day everyone!
Happy early Birthday Diane as it’s a day to celebrate. You need it from losing a sibling way too young so you relish being alive!
And I agree with everyone else here that your readers Mary make some wonderful projects for all of us to want to make too. What a beautiful quilts of valor Jeanne sewed. I wish I had the gift of using panels more as I don’t and should learn. All pictures make my day to see so thank you everyone.
The sampler you bought Mary at the town sale is very sweet. We are having a very gentle rain fall finally turn our brown lawn to green!!! Much needed here.
I also was in CL for the antique sale! It was a lot of fun! I wonder if you would have been present also. Would love to meet you in person sometime. I just love your blog!
Jeanne – next year should we organize a meeting for anyone attending? We could have lunch!
Mary, that would be so fun to have lunch and talk! I leave the Lake next week. I just hate the thought of leaving! I just Love it here. But your blog gives me a feel of what is going on in the area.
Jeanne Fee – where’s home? Do you have a home at Clear Lake?
Mary, my home is Northern Illinois, about 6 hours grime here. But I have a cottage in CL. So am here part of the summer. My mother was from Garner.
Jeanne – who was your mother? Might I have known her?
Mary, my mother was Harriett Olson Albers. Her father Herman was a rural mail carrier . So I still have a lot of cousins around that I spend time with. I just love it here!
Jeanne – any relation to Carroll Albers?
No , but she became a friend of my parents. They would come to the lake in May and leave in October. So they went and did a lot. My father was a Mason and went to Garner for meetings! So this area means a lot to me.
Mary, that would be so fun to have lunch and talk!
To Kathy in western ny—- thank you for your kind comment on the QOV. I am 90 and still quilting, a former Iowan, now living in Co. with my daughter. She will be taking me back to Iowa at the end of the month so I can present the QOV to friend, a Viet Nam veteran in a presentation at my former church. Jeanne
Jeanne – what a wonderful truly special person you are to present that beautiful quilt to a Vietnam veteran. I recently attended a full military funeral for a Vietnam Vet (my cousin actually) so it’s nice you can give your quilt now before it’s too late. I hope I am creating at 90 yrs old some beauties just as you are. Safe journey to Iowa and back home.
I feel like I came to Clear Lake with you in your post. Love your purchases and all the reader quilts. Some people have been very productive this summer. Thank you for all the news!
As much as I like your yellow Jake’s Quilt, I still love the Country Threads colors of Julie’s throwback version. I always seem to gravitate to the darker colors. Maybe because I love Fall.
I went to a flea market today, last of the season. The weather was beautiful and I bought a gorgeous handmade basket and a yellow ware bowl . Fun day spent with my Mom and sister.
Mary you always find such great dog items……
Ooh! That little sewing machine is so cute! I’ve never seen one like it. Is it in working order? Can you tell us anything about it?
Congrats to all who sent quilt pictures! The Eric Carle quilt is really nice. I’ve read “Brown Bear” so many times I couldn’t help but recite it to myself!
Thank you for the inspiration, Mary.
Kris – the needle in the little sewing machine does go up and down but I wouldn’t want to force any working parts. I had never seen one so little so had to buy it. I know nothing about it but went online – still not much info except probably German made.
Hi there, Mary,
I am with you on the Politics! I think I hate it as well… just sick of it all. So sad. Enough said!
Love the collie picture you picked up. Is that a tiny sewing machine, too? My phone would not zoom in to let me see. Nice day in Illinois… have to remind myself to send for your new book. Looks great!
I feel like I have been gone forever. Still trying to move out of the old house. Now we have issues with asbestos in the house. Wonder what it will cost to take the house down! Then I had Covid even though I have had all the shots and boosters. Life can certainly throw a lot of curves. The new house has metal siding, and so it is hard to get Internet connections. That should improve in a week or so. I was going through some old puzzles. I found a Country Threads puzzle called “Harriet and Friends”. If you would like it for your archives, I will send it to you. A group of us are going to the Great Wisconsin sewing Expo in Madison on Friday. The quilts were beautiful. So many talented people on this blog. Love your new little sewing machine. Take care.
Diane – what a sweet thought – I’d love to put it in the archives! So sorry about your house and Covid, too. Take a deep breath and tackle one thing at a time. And don’t forget to update us when you can. Have fun at Expo!