If you were one of the first 150 people who sent your check for a copy of A Country’s Call, you have either already received your copy or it will be arriving very shortly. If you waited to order, it’s going to be a a short wait because we ran out of books and had to order more. It is nearly impossible to predict how many book orders we will receive and thus impossible to know how many books to order.
https://www.country-threads-chicken-scratch.comIt was another pretty day in North Iowa – not as nice as yesterday because it got quite windy but I decided it was time to mow for the last time in 2019. I really love to mow but I guess it’s time to put both the Toro and the Lawn Boy to bed for the winter.
I mentioned last night that I will post a free quilt pattern tomorrow. This is my friend Mareen’s quilt that she just made. I taught her how to run the long arm machine and she even quilted it! She isn’t really a quilter so she needed lots of instruction but I was thrilled when I saw how tickled she was with the results.
Of course Hazel helped! Ha!
i recently finished a small quilt that I named Ode to a Rose Breasted Grosbeak. Remember when
this bird flew into the window and was stunned and I picked it up so the cats wouldn’t get it. I could not believe how beautiful it was up close!
So here is my little quilt I made to mark the occasion.
And here’s another great finish!
Loved seeing the picture of the pretty grosbeak again. The quilts are beautiful 💞
Love, the grosbeak quilt. You captured the colors perfectly.
I got my copy a couple days ago and LOVE it! I love civil war history and these stories of the women involved in the war effort on all sides were very interesting and very informative!!! Thank you so much!
Mary, you amaze me! Your farm is so beautiful but when you post pictures of where you worked and the size of the job, commend you for keeping up with everything that you do–besides all the sewing. I really enjoy your posts and pictures.
By the way, do you have anymore Goat Gazettes (is that the right name??) I’d like to buy some more, they are very newsworthy and fun.
Mareens quilt is very nice. Great, in fact, for a first quilt. You really nailed the colors of the Rose-Breasted Grosbeak. So pretty.
If I wasn’t one of the first 150, I will patiently wait. No worries. It will be fun to receive it whenever it gets here.
The finished one looks to be a very nice one and quite difficult. Nice job. Can’t read who made it.
Great job on quilt Maureen.
The quilts are stunning!!! Nice job on them. Colors are gorgeous. I so love this new book and so glad I sent my check right in when you took the preorders.
It is a really great book and I have enjoyed reading it and looking at all the quilts over and over. I know you do straight lines for your machine quilting on the long arm so I figure we will also be able to do the same with our domestic machines, right?
Yes! I am always so happy to encourage quilters to do straight line quilting on their home machines. Yes, it’s much easier to handle a larger quilt on the longarm and I’m lucky we had one but certainly it can be done at home. Practice on something else first and be sure you use a quilting/walking foot!
Thank you for sharing your Grosbeak quilt. You captured the colors and the thrill of holding such a gorgeous bird right in your hand—making a beautiful quilt from a beautiful memory. Priceless.
The Grosbeak quilt is lovely! The colors are very pleasing to the eye and capture the birds colors so well.
It was fun and a surprise to see the picture of my daughters rescue dog sitting in the lawn chair. Bowser is a beautiful boy, very energetic and fun. He loves a good belly rub and is quick to flip over onto his back if anyone starts to pet his back, giving access to his belly. It’s quite comical. He was “adopted” twice before he came to my daughter from a shelter. He was just too energetic for one family and the other family adopted him as a companion to an aging pet but when that pet unexpectedly died, they changed their mind about Bowser. My daughter has a heart of gold when it comes to pets. Bowser was a big challenge but she was determined he would succeed and be part of her family. I just know when he looks at her, it is with such love and gratitude. He can still be a handful sometimes, but he is so lucky to have found his forever home with my daughter. I know you love great pet stories, Mary, and this one is really a good one. I’ve had a great weekend visiting her and the dogs and now I need to get home to finish my project!
I’ll say again, I love your blog, with all the quilting inspiration and the animal pictures and hearing about your life. Thanks for taking the time to share.
And nobody loves a great dog rescue story more than me! Lucky Bowser! He did look pretty cute in that chair. And tell your daughter that she did the right thing in accepting Bowser as the challenge he was and giving him that great home he so deserved! Thanks go to her!
My mailbox had a nice book in it yesterday. I “thumbed” through it, but will have to “read” it later, I’m preparing my living room for painting. The painter is coming Mon. at 9am. This is long overdue. It has been a very busy day moving furniture and taking down pictures etc. I have decided I have too many books (well, I don’t mean quilt books); they are a pain to move — so heavy!! At the end of the week, I will have to move them again!!!! Thanks for the lovely book and extra pattern.
I don’t envy you the upheaval you’re going to live through this week!
What a lovely and inspiring tribute to your colorful visitor. Late last summer I had a black headed grosbeak (orange breasted) visit our feeder. They aren’t native to our area but we live close to a major wetland preserve here in the San Joaquin Valley. The wetlands are a “hub” on the migration route from Mexico to Canada so a visit to the wetlands are a like a giant birdy cocktail party come fall.
I would love to visit those wetlands during migration! I am going to look up your orange breasted grosbeak – did not realize it even existed.
I received my book a few days ago…….and it is even more awesome than I imagined. Thanks for the free pattern, too!
I love the grosbeak quilt; so very pretty! I doubt that I was in the top 150 but I know that this one will be well worth waiting for. I love the simplicity of the strippy quilt, it’s striking!
Your bird quilt is beautiful and will bring back the memory each time you use it. I would write the story on a label for the back so others will know. Paula in KY
Thank you, Mary, for a wonderful post. Especially since yesterday is probably our last really nice day in Iowa/Minnesota! Lots of rain and cold coming. Brrr. Love the grosbeak quilt and the little bird along with the hind-quarter of Hazel! Ha! Maureen’s quilt is intriguing. I think I will make one just like it because it can feature some of my favorite quilt fabric. I will await my book whenever it decides to show up. No hurry on my part. Glad the book is such a success!
I received my book in the mail on Saturday! Drooled all over it already! Thanks so much for the lovely book. I can’t wait to start cutting.
The grosbeak quilt is lovely. I always get a couple of pair each year and I enjoy them so much.
Love your grosbeak quilt. The colors and pattern combine to create a wonderful memory. Please pass on to Maureen congratulations on making a beautiful quilt. I’m sure the recipient will appreciate it. I’m sure I am in the waiting catagory for your book but that’s okay it gives me something to look forward to in the mail rather than bills. Mary, I enjoy and look forward to this blog, thank you for sharing your life.
Wow, you have a lot of mowing to keep up with. I’m thankful mu hubby does our mowing at least right now.
I love both the quilts. I’m still making each family member a quilt so most of mine are queen size. I have a new great grandson coming in December I haven’t started a quilt for him yet. His mom hasn’t picked out the fabric she wants yet.
We had a lot of rain here this last week, it’s always so dark and overcast when it rains. Wednesday it’s going to be about 68 in places hope we are one of them. They say it’s the last day we will get anywhere near the high 60’s. Winter isn’t my favorite time of year.
Have a wonderful day, Mary.
Came home Sunday after eye surgery Monday & spending week at sons following same. Wonderful surprise finding my book in the mail. Electric company has tree trimmers out trimming ( more like butchering) trees in power line easements….I know is a necessary thing but do so wish it was done in an aesthetically pleasing manner .
Have browsed book and cannot decide which project will do first. I want to do everyone! I think this is your best book yet!
Bella doing well, adjusting to her new home.
Spoke to my friend that lives in Dallas & she was lucky with storms last night, even though in path of tornado only received minor damage, windows in garage blown out & part of garage roof gone. Had a gazebo in yard & it is missing…only one bench & concrete slab remain.
And I was texting with a friend in Dallas when she said they were having a thunderstorm with hail and her pups were not liking it! All is OK at her house but it looked bad on the news. I have a question about your eye surgery – can you read a text on your phone without your reading glasses? I sure can’t so that’s why I simply still wear glasses.
No.. still need reading glasses for text…also for books.. computer. Since phone normally 12 to 14 inches using 1.75 for reading it. On reading a book I usually read at about 18to 20 inches so using 2.00… they make an inocular lens that corrects at 3 distances but after much research & speaking with people I know that have & several Opthomologist decided against it. I have readers all over house…keep pair by sewing machine..night stand..chair in living room..kitchen..purse .. etc…lol & still go looking for a pair…finally bought chair & have pair around neck… forget they are there…lol. So far I am ecstatic with results..
Mine came this morning. How nice. So far I’ve looked at all the quilts and read the bits on women in the Civil War. I’ve heard stories out here about women dressing as men and nobody ever knew until they got sick or died. It is amazing that people do what they have to. So many have done extraordinary things in their everyday lives and nobody even knows it. These are the people we can admire, along with the others that just do the regular chores every day of their lives and nobody notices. We never know what we can do until after it is over.
Hi Mary and Connie! I saw your post about your newest book being advertised in the British Publication, TODAY’S QUILTER. I don’t remember the lady’s name but she showed a picture of the cover with a gray/red/white winter row quilt. I would love to make that quilt! Is it possible to contact her for information on ordering a copy or how to contact the publisher to obtain one? Maybe even a subscription?
Well, that’s asking a lot – instead of me getting in the middle, why don’t you just look them up online?
Loving your Rose Breasted Grosbeak quilt – just beatiful! What a reminder of that wonderful occasion! They are such gorgeous birds and come by for such a short time every spring!
Get a kick out of Hazel getting into all the pictures, she is such a great dog!
I am so enjoying the new book – have to try to get all the stories of the ladies read, so interesting. Loving the quilts!!
You’ve got a quilt for every occasion! Love the Ode to a Grosbeak one. Got my quilt book. Love it. After Christmas I have plans to make two or three of the quilts.
Our mail comes very late in the day. I was just putting dinner on the table when in walked my husband in the mail. You have a package, he said. Yah! I grabbed it and sure enough, it was A Country’s Call. Now I am headed to bed early to read and cuddle with my new book. Thank you, Mary and Connie. I love it.
Opps….In walked my husband With the mail. lol
Grosbeaks are my favorite bird also. They are just so stunning. We feed them and love to watch them all summer along with their new babies.
I received the new book. You both outdid yourselves. I love of them and cannot wait to make some of them. I think I will start with the muted color one . Thank you so much for sending them out.
I have not had any ads to click lately. Just thought you might want to know.
I just got caught up on your last several days of posts and seen your Xmas patterns for sale. I intend to order a couple of them, but I still have not received 2 Halloween patterns that I sent money for. The post was on Oct. 5th, so I probably sent for them the following week. I sent cash not a check so I’m not sure exactly what the date was. I ordered the Frank and Jack patterns. Would like to get these before I order any of the Christmas ones. Thanks
Connie – I will most definitely. Heck on filled orders tomorrow – can’t understand why you have not received them unless we didn’t get your envelope. I’ll let you know!
You did a beautiful job honoring your little feathered friend. It’s beautiful and I love it!
Thank you for your latest book and the free pattern and the nice note Mary. I am back in Las Vegas and missing Wisconsin and the cold. My old church always has a Potato Pancake dinner the last Sunday in October which I am missing too. Here I am busy paying bills and buying or leasing a Rav4.
Happy Autumn!!!