Check out our new look on a Facebook – thanks to Kayla! I think it’s just super!
Between Kayla and me we are pulling together the patterns that we need to open the digital store – which may not happen this Friday but very soon. I am overwhelmed at the issues this has caused for me – mainly finding everything. When we closed the business/shop in 2014, we had a big sale the following June and after that we simply closed the door. Yikes! I cannot find anything! It’s very likely we sold it at the sale – all the quilts were sold except the Civil War quilts and an odd one here or there. But not knowing if it was sold or if it’s here somewhere is creating lots of work – and anxiety! I’m having a glass of wine tonight just telling you about it.
My day was a busy one because I was determined to move the antique rug from the downstairs bedroom and into the living room. I’ve had this rug for almost 40 years and my friend Darlene and I bought it for $15.00 at the estate sale of a former Iowan, Governor Hamill of Britt, the town just west of me. This rug was in the governor’s mansion in Des Moines in the 1920’s. It has a mate that is property of the Hancock County Historical Society in Britt.
That means this rug is 100 years old! It is hand tied wool, I believe, and extremely heavy – at one point both Rick and I fell to the floor trying to get the heavy bed off the rug so we could move it. It was probably hysterical if you were watching BUT we both have fake knees and honestly I’m just glad we’re both OK.
Here is the rug in the living room. The white spots in the rug are actually woven in to look like pollen. There is only one small worn spot which happened before it came to my house. I don’t like to use it because I have two white dogs that shed but I will for awhile and then I’m selling it!
I had so many eggs in my frig I had to bake eggs for the dogs again. I took 8 dozen to church with me last Sunday and only got rid of 3 dozen.
My new washer was delivered this morning – I only hope I’m smart enough to use it!
This is Connie’s #5 – pretty sweet, huh?
I’m also learning a new blog format – bear with me.
For Sue in Texas – Colton says “HI!”
And that’s it for tonight – tomorrow is another day on the farm!
Colton is a beautiful cat!
The rug is absolutely beautiful. The Blue is striking. Good luck with your online store preparation.
Love all the #5 finishes. At least some folks are being productive. . Me, not so much.
I did bake eggs for Belle today, tho! She loves them for breakfast with a little grated cheese on top!!
Thanks, Mary.
You deserve a glass of wine after your busy day Beautiful rug and great estate sale find at that price Maybe you could consider finding patterns/quilts in the store a continuation of hour mega-cleaning. Can’t wait to see the online offerings Good night
So much news today! The rug is incredible. I’m sure whoever gets it will cherish it like you did for so many years.
Daddy-o sure is proud. What colors. Love it.
#5 is a popular dd. So many done…and such fun projects.
I’m getting labels on for the fair, no display, just judged. I learn a lot from the critiques.
I’m glad so many companies are requiring masks. It’s a small thing to do to.
Stay calm, safe and cool
Jo in Wyoming – it really IS such a small thing to do for others – I still can’t believe so many don’t wear one!! Yes, #5 has certainly been popular – maybe because it’s hot and we’re all inside in the AC!
The FB page is great!! It even had ads to close! many here tonight too, some you couldn’t close.
Your rug is beautiful!! It has been taken good care of.
All of the finishes are so nice. I hope to get back to wing soon. I have so many plans!!
The chicken picture needs to be in a calendar, it is beautiful!!
Thanks for all you do!
I love the rug and all the DDs. I’m almost done quilting mine and hope to get the binding on in time. I so enjoy reading your blog. Thank you!!
I went to JoAnn’s today to get my binding fabric. Their inventory is getting low. Guess they aren’t getting any shipments from China.
Hi, Mary, I love the rug, but I can’t imagine moving it. How did you get the shot of the chicken and the rooster? That should be made into a poster, no kidding! The green background really sets the animals perfectly. Good luck finding your stuff.
Felicia Hamlin – my phone is always in my pocket when I go to the barn – this shot was just lucky!
I am sorta cheating…I traded my number 5 for another project . I knew I would not get to my #5 and get it done AND finish up my other project which is making masks for the homeless in the St Paul, MN area. To me this was a must. I have been making masks for adults, teens and now for little ones 4-5 yrs old..Been fun cause I have been using unicorn and dinosaurs fabrics in hopes they will give the mask idea a try..I have made many masks for friends, family and mailed some away to others. My hope is they will all wear them to protect one another.. I hope everyone else is also wearing one…
MJ – you are excused! You’re very kind to make so many masks for others – your #5 can wait.
Your rug is lovely and the history makes it even more lovely!
I LOVE your chickens!! I’m not a chicken person but I sure am a farm girl. Not sure how that matches up, but there you have it!
I have not been sewing. Think 3 weeks in MN put me 6 weeks behind. I want to sew and have plenty that needs sewing, but I’m crazy busy with clients and just have not had the time to sit down and focus. That’s why I take classes! I need to get the baby quilt bound so I can take it down to the kids before my grandbaby is born–due in less than 2 weeks!
Akira seems to be well after her attack by the neighbor’s dog yesterday. The police officer let me know she would plan to visit the dog’s owner today. I haven’t heard how he took the news that a complaint had been filed.
Diane Bauer – it should be NO surprise to the dog owner that he has had a complaint filed – good grief! Why would he be surprised when his dog broke through his fence and attacked YOUR dog? It makes me so sad to think about Izzy who attacked Telly so many times that we had to put her down before she got a customer’s child. Ugh – one of the saddest things in my life!
Hello Mary, Beautiful pictures of your birds, I don’t have a cell phone right now-I honestly don”t have a reason to get one. It seems foolish for me to buy a phone to take photos, I don’t have all the animals and farm, etc. and a blog. I do have two little white dogs tho-but I have a camera somewhere, oh well, I love your new changes Mary-but not if you put all that pressure on yourself and take all the joy out of it. We just like having a window into your exciting life on the farm and all the things that you do! So put your feet up and drink some wine, tomorrow is another day! Bossy Cindy from Wis!
Cindy K – Bossy Cindy! I love it! Today will be a much calmer day for me – no furniture to move and Kayla has enough patterns to keep her busy for awhile. Once she and I get the process figured out, it will be much easier. The learning curve for me is steep! Haha!
Hi Mary, love the rooster and hen, Colton seems to be a big boy! Will have a look at the Facebook page at Andrews , I’m not u
thAt level.( As you can see my my spacing). Is the cabin quilt a panel? Hope it’s not too hot for you ,best wishes, sandy
Sandy – both the flag and Cabin Rules are panels. I put a 3” border around the Cabin panel and then a 6-1/2” border on one side. I used a Country Threads star pattern for the three stars in the border.
Mary! That picture of the rooster!! OMG. I want to get it enlarged and framed and hung in my kitchen. It is GORGEOUS.
So glad the new FB page is up and running. I look forward to the posts and I so appreciate your willingness to learn how to use it. Kayla sounds like the perfect person to help you get familiar with it, she does a great job on Jo’s site. I recall being in Britt Iowa in the early 90’s for a draft horse show, it was amazing to see all those Giants pulling. Do they still host that show in Britt? What wonderful #5’s finishes.
Kim LeMere – yes, the draft horse show is an annual event held Labor Day weekend but don’t know about this year.
My uncle was really involved in the draft horses in Britt.
I’m wondering how to get on the Country Threads face book site?
Betty
Betty Klosterman – look up Country Threads Quilt Shop and Pattern Company – that should get you there.
Would you please post email needed to send Dirty Dozen pics? I have sent pics but maybe to wrong email.
Marcia – email shown on home page
Can’t wait to see your new Facebook page! Love the finishes, was surprised that Gloria’s are panels! Really nice! Love the way you made them your own, Gloria. I’ll have to remember that idea the next time I see a pretty panel. I’ve never known what to do with them. Mary, your picture of the rooster and hen is amazing, I agree with everyone, it could be in a calendar. Hooked into a rug! What a beautiful rooster – and such a pretty hen. Are they a particular breed? Or just a lucky mix? We are enjoying watching the chickens grow up. The strange thing is I’m having a hard time getting them to go in at night! Never had that problem before, they always went in on their own. I find these girls all over the place – on top of the door, on top of their coop! It’s been really, really hot and I’m wondering if that is the problem. Anyway, good luck with finding all of your patterns and quilts! But as Cindy K says, don’t let the pressure take the joy out of this new adventure. Stay safe, here in MA we are finally getting fewer cases and even fewer deaths, thank God. Praying that this new vaccine is a success. Jan, wearing a mask when out and about in MA
Jan Hebert – the small coop is just too hot! Can you hang a fan? Both the rooster and hen were hatched here so they’re probably just a lucky mix.
No electricity at the coop site. I think you’re right though, it’s just too hot. The whole run is made of 1/2″ hardware cloth, I might just take a chance and leave their door open tonight if it’s still so hot. Poor things. And I love that your chickens are a mix – so interesting how genetics work. The Icelandic birds we have are so fun to see develop – most have that “bad hair day” poof on their heads. Some are definitely roosters. And they are a smaller chicken than we’ve ever had before. Next to the big Barred Rocks and Brahma’s they look tiny! My daughter said to her they look like roadrunners! Haha! And I guess they do sort of. Enjoy your day! Jan in MA
Gorgeous rug! The colors are so rich and vibrant for being such an old piece. When you’re ready to sell it, perhaps the Hancock County Historical Society in Britt might like first dibs on purchasing the rug and reuniting the pair?
Beautiful rooster! His colors are striking and he looks very regal standing there against all that green. Great composition for a candid shot!
I am working on #5. Today is the quilting of it and photo will follow toward end of week. This is my first time to join in the DD challenge and it has given me a reason to get to the sewing room and get busy! Although I am part of a city-wide mask effort here in Tucson. My group – an army of sewing maniacs – have made and given away over 85k masks! I help serge the ties – have serged two miles of them!!
Barb in Tucson
The rug is beautiful, as are all the number 5 quilts. Was Mrs. Hammill’s house on the same street as the museum, just a ways further from Main? I’m remembering a woman named Grace that I think may have lived with her. In response to Kim above, Britt still has the draft show. You can google it to find a website and FB page. It’s usually Labor Day weekend, not sure how they will run it or if they will have it this year.
Beryl BC – it is certainly close but I can’t recall just which street – you’re probably right! Since Hobo Day is cancelled, I’m assuming the draft horse show will be cancelled as well. Sad.
Your rug is really beautiful, and what a great backstory! What a lot of work to move, though. That picture of Colton is just precious. I met him when he was a kitten and he’s grown up to be so beautiful.
I used to try to give away eggs and was always amazed when people turned them down. Fresh farm eggs beat anything in the store. And the price is so high to buy them. Now that we live in town and don’t have chickens, we buy fresh eggs from Napa Auto Parts, of all places. A guy brings in his extra eggs every week and charges $2.50 a dozen for beautiful, fresh, brown eggs from happy chickens.
Well that’s quite a rug you have there! And Daddio should be entered in a “pretty boy” rooster competition … I guess your other roosters were beating him up bcz he’s so handsome!
I know what a circus act it can become here when I get the mood to change this and that so I vision with yours moving the rug it is just like ours. BUT thank God you are not hurt. Next time wait for the young ones to lend a hand. Gotta be smart as we get older.
Once again the variety of projects your readers are completing are so neat to see. This makes up for all the quilt shows that were cancelled this year having these DD to view. You have come up with a very successful year long activity that keeps us all inspired.
Love Colton! He is so sweet.
Kathy in western NY – we don’t have any young ones!
I just love the rooster/chicken picture. Every year someone in our family buys me a Lang chicken calendar for Christmas. Your birds are so beautiful they should be on it. You are working so hard getting your on line project going. I will be glad when you are successful! Technology is still such a big obstacle for me. That project would finish me off and even wine might not save me! The carpet is beautiful, but I can imagine it with Sonny’s hair on it. The story behind it is the best part. Hearing you describe getting the bed off it to move it made me glad we didn’t have to do it. (But made me remember a few similar situations like it). It sounded awful! Glad neither of you was hurt.
Pat Smith – we finally had to lift the one leg of the bed and put a dolly under it and inch the rug out – it was horrible! It’s never going back in there!
That antique rug is gorgeous! But, like you, I have a white dog who sheds–so it would not be practical in my home! Humboldt area had some rain this evening; not sure how much, but it seemed like it could have been at least an inch. Sure hope so; we are in drought right now. I spent four days in Kansas with family; Bailey had to be kenneled at the vet. clinic. Her nose was kind of out of joint when I picked her up last night. Poor baby girl! I, too, hate learning new things. My kids want me to get a “smart phone” but I am happy with my little flip phone. If one of them lived closer, I might do it, but I will need lots of instruction at first.
Hey Colton!
How’s things going? Any bird sightings😂
Thank you Mary for the pictures!
He is the best.
Sue Davis – Colton has gotten so big – he and Ernie are about the same size now!
Your rug is awesome, Mary. I can see why it was so hard to move, though.
Love the barn board background.
All of the #5s are wonderful. Tell Connie her circles are perfect. Did she hand applique’ them? They look like it. Still working on mine. Now I need to pin the layers together and quilt.
Your rooster is so handsome. Does he know he is? Looks like he was posing for his picture.