We got up this morning to snow covering the ground – not deep but the ground was covered nevertheless – ugh. The goats haven’t even adjusted yet – they’re still in the barn at noon.
Here’s my Juki 98E. I’ve had it for years and love it because it simply goes forward and backward – nothing else. It’s an industrial machine that sews very fast and it’s my first choice to use for binding.


It has a knee lift and a red thread cutter on the foot pedal. Just hit it and it cuts the thread leaving you hands free to remove the fabric. I just picked it up from the repairman because the bobbin wouldn’t wind. Come to find out the machine probably tipped over in the car at some time and the bobbin winder got bent making it inoperable. But I didn’t know that. I just now sewed some strips with it and it’s working like a charm.
Today I’m working on Bonnie Hunter’s Bitcoin again.

Meet Jessa, my new right hand tech expert! She’s a sophomore at Garner and is very knowledgeable at the computer which means she can help me load patterns into the online store and field questions from any of you. Like I told her, I can do many things but I can’t do this. She needs to make some cash for a trip to Europe next July with 500 other Iowa musical high school students. It’s a win/win for both of us and now I can Be Still.

I told her she needs to read the blog so she knows what I’m working on so please welcome Jessa to our blog family!
What a pretty young lady!
Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
I hope you get a kick out of some of our comments…
Best wishes as you prepare for that wonderful trip!
Welcome ,Jessa! It is so nice of you to Help with the website.Speaking as a 66 year old-we need all the help we can get with tech issues.I wish we had grown up with this technology so we wouldn’t feel so frustrated when we don’t know how to do something! Again, Welcome-Mary has a great sense of humor,and knowledge of all things quilting.🍁
That Juki looks phenomenal. Welcome Jessa. Most of us need a teen like her. Teeny bit of snow here in St Louis, MO, too. Love your posts.
Yeah for Jessa!!!!!!!!! So great for you to take on the task of freeing Mary up some to make more beautiful quilts!!!! Jessa – hope you will enjoy your new work!!!!! Happy Thanksgiving to all!
That’s great Jess’s can help you. I could use someone like that here too!
Welcome Jessa!!! Mary I’m glad you have an assistant.
Welcome, Jessa!!!
Some snow here in central Ohio, not a ground cover yet. “Tis the season!
Welcome, Jessie. Now Mary can breathe easier.
Hi Jessa! Thank you for helping Mary with the tech side of things so she can keep doing what she does best!!
It’s 15 here in Colorado but no snow on the Front Range just yet—plenty in the mountains! I’ve baked and cleaned and am now thinking about what I want to create this afternoon. I have a quilt in the works, so that’s a strong possibility!
Hope you all have a great weekend!!
Welcome Jessie, you’ll love working with Mary!
Welcome Jessica your knowledge I am sure will be a great help to Mary. SNOW not sure I am ready but it always makes the world look calm but I on the side of the goats!
Welcome. Thanks for helping.
Cathy— SE Alabama
Snow – yes! N.E. Ohio has it today! Welcome Jessica – do you travel to N.E. Ohio? Just kidding but I could use your skills!
Hahahaha! I wish I would travel more! You could always text or call me for help when you need it! Thanks for the welcome
Welcome Jessa! How wonderful that you will be able to earn money for the band trip, while helping Mary and her wonderful blog. Thanks for doing your part to keep this blog going.
I’m so happy that you found Jessa! Welcome Jessa!! Such a pretty smile. I’ve always dreamed of going to Europe, that is so exciting for you! Oh wow, snow. It’s 70 degrees here in Massachusetts right now – I can’t get used to this crazy weather! Jan in MA
Welcome Jessa. Sounds like Mary is lucky to have your help. Have a wonderful trip when the time comes.
We could all use a Jessa!
Hi Jessa, we are so glad to have you. And an upcoming trip sounds great. You go, girl, and thanks for helping our Mary!
Welcome!!! And so glad you have help with the issues if running a blog! None of this is easy for us older people becywe didn’t grow up with it!
Welcome, Jessa! I am delighted that you are sharing your talents with Mary and all of her blog readers!
What a wonderful band trip you have to look forward. What instrument do you play?
The sun is shining in Seattle today after a touch of frost this morning!🌞
Welcome Jessa! I could use a Jessa of my own around here, I’m known as techno-blonde!
Mary, with the weather turning, I’m worried about your hands since I suffer the same way you do with my skin. So, I’m here to remind you to wear your gloves whenever you step out of the house and faithfully use your Working Hands Cream. Our daytime temps have been in the 30s and 40s and our nights have been in the teens. Brrr! Fall wasn’t long enough!
Colleen-How sweet you are worried about Mary’s hands.
Welcome Jessa! Prayers for safe travels. Thanks for helping Mary and all of us.
I have so many different creams and lotions and I’m going to try to stay ahead of the problem this winter. I wear gloves to bed often now that it’s cooler and that really helps. Thanks for the reminder!
Welcome Jessa, so glad you will be a helper to Mary. And maybe you will become a quilter too.
Hi Jessa! We need you!! Welcome.
Welcome to Jessa!!! Thanks for helping Mary!
We all need a Jessa in our lives! Welcome Jessa!
Hi Jessa! So glad you will be helping Mary with any blog technical problems. A trip to Europe sounds wonderful. I’m so glad I have my IT son and grandkids to help me with my computer and phone problems. Maybe you would like to learn to quilt.
Hi Jessa, nice to meet you. LOVE your hair!
Welcome. Jessa! I know Mary will be so happy to have your help! Seems every time I turn around something technical happens!! I am so thankful for my brother, who helps me out of troubles!! These old brains just weren’t trained to think as you do! Hope you learn to quilt also…it is a life long hobby, you will have an awesome coach and teacher!
We had a little snow here in Southern MN. A Light cover on the car. I guess it is very light so will brush right off!! The beginning of the week may bring some real snow! I’m ready for it but not!
Welcome Jessa! You’re a pretty gal and I love your curls! I’m thankful for my grandchildren’s help with the computer and cell phone.
Our temperatures have been in the 70’s and I am ready for cooler weather. It was nice not to be freezing when I did some outside Christmas decorating. Doing it early this year as granddaughter Ashley will be home from N.Z. on Dec. 6th and getting married Dec. 17th! We are so looking forward to seeing her, her fiance, and meeting his family. We haven’t seen her since 2019 because of the pandemic.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Welcome to the world of quilting. You will learn a lot plus helping Mary. Thank you for being there for us. I so enjoy the blog. Quilting and farm life. What lucky animals to live there.
Wonda
Social circle, Georgia
Welcome, Jessa!!! We are all happy to have you here.
Welcome Jessa….so happy that Mary has you for her tech help! Love your Iowa shirt!
Linda – Texas
What a beautiful, intelligent and helpful friend you have! A blessing, for sure!!!! 🙂
Yea for Jessa! Enjoy working with one of the best quilters! Looking forward to seeing more online patterns again!
We had a small dusting of snow in southern MN it can stay away a couple more weeks.
Welcome Jessa to Mary’s blog!
Welcome to Jesse….. and for keeping Mary & the blog functioning! We oldsters need talented young people like you!
Welcome Jessa
Glad your there to help Mary.
Welcome, Jessa! It’s great you and Mary connected. Mary and all the blog readers will appreciate all you do.
We have been having snow showers in SW Ohio this am. It is sticking to the grass, but not to the roads or sidewalks. I’m going to miss the 70 degree days, but this is not unexpected for this time of year.
welcome Jessa. No snow here but last evening we had some weather from Natalie. Carolyn b Shenandoah Valley Va.
Mary, I have that same Juki. It’s a workhorse, and never a problem for 12 years. Jessa, welcome! I need a Jessa too! Light snow here also in NE Iowa this morning.
Hi & welcome, Jessa! I wish you could clone yourself to help me with my IT stuff!
Welcome Jessa! So happy you’re helping Mary! I just returned from a quilting retreat about a week ago in Holmes County, OH. This is our 20th yr for this. We were there for their Shop Hop! Last year & also this year I bought doubles on the kits, plus the finishing kit. I’m still working on last year’s quilt which is a Christmas Quilt. This year’s will follow it. Mary, I also have a Juki TL 98Q. I used it on a frame to quilt. Unfortunately I don’t have the room to set the frame up since I moved! But will be using it to free motion quilt with. We have about 1″ of snow on the ground in SW Ohio.
Alice in SW Ohio – what is the difference between my Juki 98E and your Juki TL98Q? I don’t know so I’m asking.
Welcome Jessa! What a great win/win! I hope you have a great trip.
Hi Jessa , I am happy you are able to help Mary with the blog. I love your hair😺 it is just like my grand daughter’s, but hers is brown. A little snow in Central Ohio, too.
Welcome Jessa! I sure could use one of you at my house. Thought of snow makes me shiver. Got a lot of yard work done this morning since it looks like the last mild day for the near future.
I saw the overnight lows are in the teens when I head to Indiana next weekend. Brrr!
Hi Jessa – congratulations on your new job! If you just happen to have an interest in patchwork, you are really in luck working for Mary!
Jessa, You are going to be SO VERY busy. Good luck.
Welcome Jessa and we all need your help. I have my live in son for that and don’t know how I would manage otherwise. Thanks for helping Mary with the blog and other things.
500 of you are going to Europe next summer ??? That will be the trip of a lifetime.
I didn’t go until I had worked a few years and it was in 1969 that I did Europe on $5 a day with my friend.
Hi, Jessa,
You’re working with a lovely person who works tirelessly all day, and then works tirelessly to tell us all about it! Enjoy hearing from all of us quilters who come from far and wide.
You’ll be a great asset to Mary, so to us as well, indirectly!
Hi Mary, I’d like to clone Jessa too! I had to get the boy next door to put a number in my phone contacts list, I am totally computer illiterate! Off to sewing charity quilts today and pass on some bags of fabric, the stash is slowly diminishing. Take care everyone, best wishes from Sandy
Welcome Jessa. A big thank .you for stepping on board and helping Mary with the internet. Wish I could find someone like you to help me on the internet. I know very little. Love your smile and so happy for you to be able to take this trip to Europe. I have been to Germany and loved it there. Good luck I am from Camanche Iowa
Mary I’m so happy you and Jessa found each other. Win/win for sure. Thank you Jessa. Love the colors in your Bitcoin Mary. We are having nice warm temps for Nov. here in NH. Cooler weather coming next week.
Welcome Jessa!
Mary what a great find to help you with computer issues. Welcome Jessa to a wonderful blog of quilters and great ladies(gents that read along).
Hi Jessica
So happy for both you and Mary. Welcome!
Welcome Jessa! You are so pretty! Love your shirt! What a great opportunity to go to Europe 💞 Looking forward to hearing all about your adventures there and your adventures with Mary 😊
Mary I have a Baby Lock Jane model sewing machine it is probably 10 years old or more. And it is a industrial machine too. Like you said straight stitch and that’s all. That baby can fly! I love it♥️ I have that one and a old Brother that is 40 years old which I truly love and it works like a charm.
Snowing here as I write. It was 64 yesterday and has snowed all day today. Michigan weather!
Pretty girl! Welcome!
Sunny but cold here in Idaho. I love your machine and it’s a bummer when things break, glad it’s fixed. Welcome Jessa!
Welcome to our blog family Jessa. You have such a pretty smile and great hair!
We all can’t thank you enough for stepping up to help Mary keep this blog safe as we all count on connecting many days of the week. I know to a young person it might seem odd but you know to us older folks who for years have shared much with each other through this blog, it brightens our days to hear from each other. Mary is lost without us just as we are lost without her if something breaks down for her. So think of how you are keeping all of us in this country and world connected by your work. Thank you so much. Oh and no snow here yet but it probably will be blowing in from Ohio soon!!!
Welcome Jessa! I always have a list of tech questions every time I get to see them. I always am greeted with “really grandma”. Love them bunches.
Welcome Jessa!
We all surely appreciate your help, specially Mary…
Welcome Jessa, we older quilters always need help with tech, I am from Buffalo Center.
Welcome,Jesse!
Jessa is a cutie and I love her hair! Welcome Jessa!
Hi Jessa!!! Welcome!
Hi Jessa! Thank you so much for your help with the blog. You are joining a wonderful caring bunch of people. I had my nephew to help me but then he went to college and got a job away from home. My husband threw away the directions for the new basic cell phone before I could even get the contacts entered. I got a new Kindle and Facebook won’t download. I could sure use your help! I’m curious as to what instrument you play, too. I played the trumpet. The longest trip we took was to the state fair, but I have wonderful memories with the band adventures. Hope you will, too.
Marsha – I should have said that Jessa sings – no instrument, just her voice.
Welcome Jedda, and thanks for helping Mary out!
Welcome, Jessa!
Welcome to Jessica! Every old person needs a young person who can help them out with technology! Technology for us is like learning another language and it’s really hard for us. We didn’t start learning it when we were little kids and our brains were young and fresh, not overcrowded with gobbledygook like they are now. Seems like a win/win situation to me Mary.
Jessa, so happy you are there to help Mary keep her blog running smoothly! Your IT work will be appreciated by so many folks around the country and beyond. Please let us know more about your trip. Not meaning to be nosy, but I love it when students can take advantage of opportunities like that.
Mary, I can identify with the goats today. LOL. We came in from grocery shopping and the house felt so nice and toasty warm! I’m glad I don’t have to go out for the rest of the day. We had just enough snow here in SC WI for it to stick to the grass and the roof. DH said he saw a big V of geese heading south. He says they looked happy to leaving!
Welcome Jessa! I’m happy you and Mary are working together.
Mary, I have a Juki 2010, I love it too. I barely use my Bernina.
Debby from Wisconsin 🐝
Welcome Jessa! We love reading Mary’s blog and you’ll both benefit from joining the group!
Welcome to the Country Threads family Jessa. You are a beautiful young lady. You’ll love your new job with Mary – she’s easy to work with.
Mary – your Juki looks like a workhouse. Thankfully you were able to get it repaired. Happy snow day!
Welcome Jessa .We appreciate you helping Mary so we can all stay connected through the blog.
Cold and a dusting of snow overnight in SE Minnesota. Windy and every time we get the leaves raked up they appear and more. We are done— good enough for this year.
Busy finishing projects to take at Thanksgiving/ Christmas get together with family.
Sorry, I mean to spell JESSA! Yes indeed, your hair is really beautiful. I always say that in my next life I’m coming back as a redhead with naturally curly hair!
B. J. In VA
Welcome, Jessa, from Oskaloosa, Iowa, the opposite corner of the state from you. You are a beautiful girl, and when I first saw your picture, I said to myself that I love your hair, as others have also commented. I am so happy Mary has found you to help her with the technical issues. I would need help, too. Your trip will be a trip of your lifetime. Thanks for helping Mary. We all love her blog. No snow here, just a few flurries this morning, but nothing stuck.
Welcome Jessa! We’re a fun group, we will enjoy having you as a support person! Sounds like a win-win. When a shop owner I know needed help, I suggested out local community college and she was so pleased. They helped her learn how to do numerous things and she felt much more confident. One of my friends went to Europe with her niece, as a chaperone for the choir, loved every moment of it. Makes it so much more fun when you have worked hard for your way to go . Good job!
Hello Jessa. Welcome! More time for Mary to do what she loves and does best. We applaud you!
A warm WELCOME TO JESSICA! What gorgeous curly hair to go with her nice smile 😊!
Was 7o outside with the same 20” of old snow up here in Idaho! Believe our high will hit 25o! 🥶
Have Michigan vs Nebraska football game on now; sort of one sided score.
Launa in Idaho
Welcome Jessa! How exciting to be traveling to Europe.
Mary, on Thursday it was 76 degrees here and today it is in the 30’s with on-and-off lake-effect snow. The snow is sticking here and there with wet pavement . . . not sure how it will look in the morning. though. Your Juki looks exactly like mine, except mine has some fancy stickers on the front. It is a TL-2200qvp mini. The Juki TL-2000 series named machines replaced yours. I wish I had your foot pedal arrangement. They have since combined the two pedals/functions into one pedal, and yes you have to relearn how to place your foot on the pedal to run the machine versus activating the cutter. The manual Juki sewing machines are just great. Janice in Traverse City area.
Hi Janice! I have a Juki TL-2010Q and love it. The foot pedal drove me crazy though – always cutting the thread every time I quit sewing – until I bought a “brake pad” for it from the dealer. It’s wonderful!
Tina, I have a brake pad as well made of rubber, but I can still inadvertently active the cutter at the wrong time. Maybe your brake pad fits better. I have to hold it in place when I set the pedal unit on the floor. It doesn’t stay in place by itself.
Mary, woke up this morning to our first true snowfall of the season. Winter is here. We get a lot of lake-effect snow . . . so hurry up Lake Michigan and freeze over. And, did I mention we get a lot of overcast and dreary days during the winter.
Welcome to the family Jessa! So glad you’re able to help Mary.
Welcome Jessa!
I sold mittens at a craft sale today and the cold and snow were in my favor! Puts people in the mood. But gosh, it felt SO cold out. We were biking in short sleeves on Wednesday. Hard to keep up.
Welcome, Jessa. Hope that will be a relief for you, Mary.
Welcome Jessa!
Jane in Ok
Welcome. It so easy for these kids and hard for us . Good idea Mary
Welcome, Jessa! So grateful for your help to Mary and wishing you a wonderful trip!
HI jessa,
THANKS so much for helping Mary with the blog…..we all enjoy it !!
Welcome Jessa to Country Threads!! Chicken Scratch is one of the first blogs I read daily. Mary is sooo generous to share her life with us 💗
Hello to Jessa! I went to a prayer bead workshop today…very interesting!
Welcome Jessa, so glad you are going to help Mary, it will be less stress for her & I bet you are great at it! No snow here yet, lots of rain last night. Usually when you get snow, it is not to far off for us!
Welcome Jessa!! So happy you are around to help out!!
Welcome, Jessa! Thank you for helping Mary with her blog! I look so forward to reading it and am glad you can help her with the technology.
Welcome Jessa. a pretty Iowa girl. Glad you will be able to help with the tech part of the blog and no doubt, you will be appreciated.
A Juki with a knee lift! In my former life, I did some commercial sewing. But the machine I used wasn’t as pretty as yours. Thanks for bringing back some great memories. And, of course, a warm welcome for Jessa.
Hi Jessica,
You have a beautiful smile! Thanks for helping Mary.
We love All that she does for us with inspiration and ideas.
A trip like that is wonderful!
Welcome Jessica!!
Hi Jessica,
Have fun!
A big welcome to you, Jessa! 😃
Welcome Jessica! Glad you’re here. 😊
Hi Jessa!
Welcome to the blog. Thanks for helping Mary!
Welcome Jessa, you’ll be stitching soon 😉
Hi Jessa! Welcome to the group — most of us aren’t any more techy than Mary (and I’m less!). We all love our quilting, giving to others, and sharing our gifts and lives with others. Thank you for helping Mary to help US — we all appreciate it!
Welcome Jessa! I’m sure you will prove to be invaluable to Mary. I admire anyone who is tech savvy because I am not!
Welcome Jessa! You’ll be a quilter in no time!
Welcome! We appreciate all you can do to keep us all in touch!!
You are so lucky to have such a lovely right hand helper,welcome Jessa.
Welcome, Jessa! Anyone who helps Mary keep her blog going is a friend to us all! If you are having any of those digital fund raisers, please ask Mary to include a link in her blog. We all will help you get to Europe if we can! Hint, hint, Mary!
Hi Jessa! Welcome!
I don’t blame the goat, it’s too cold!
She is beautiful as well as smart. You are lucky to have found her.
Welcome Jessa. Thanks for helping Mary with the blog. We all look forward to reading it.
No snow yet. It was 68° here today.
Hi Jessa, welcome to the blog…. You will love your work!
Hello Jessa, so glad to met you. Welcome to our world.
Welcome to Mary’s world, Jessa … I’m sure you’ll have fun here … we all do! Mary, I have a Brother 1500 that looks exactly like your Juki (except for the thread cutter on the foot), and I love it! I use it for all my piecing and quilting!
Welcome Jesse! We had snow in the air but only accumulated in the sidewalk cracks. I sewed most of the day on my granddaughters big girl quilt and it’s dreadfully slow. It’s 20” star blocks with a wonky log cabin in the center…I’m not used to sewing purposefully wonky….on block seven out of 12 so I’m getting closer!!
Welcome Jesse! So glad you will be able to take some of the load off Mary. We all love this blog and are happy to have you.
Sandy
Welcome Jessa!!
Welcome Jessa to our wonderful world of quilting!! Love your smile and such beautiful hair!!
Welcome Jessa. Makes me happy to know Mary has such a sweet helper.
Welcome Jesse! Thank you for helping Mary!!
Glad you could help Mary out.
Welcome, Jessa! Hope you have a great time working on the blog with Mary!! Good luck!!
Hi Jessa and Welcome. We were gone yesterday and then came home to a power outage, so I did not find Marys’s post until this morning. I think it is wonderful that you are helping her and ultimately all of us old nontechy ladies. Thank You.
Mary…So glad you got your Juki going again.
Welcome to Jessa, so nice to have you on board and helping with the computer stuff. I did not know that a machine could have a thread cutter on the floor, what a great idea. I hope the snow holds off for a few more weeks for those that live in Iowa, give those farmers time to button up the fields and get equipment put away.
Welcome Jessa! We all need help from teens to keep up with technology. What a gift you are to Mary.
Welcome Jessa. Thank you for helping out and welcome to a really great blog.
Polly from Illinois
Welcome Jessica! Just a trace of snow here in duluth but it’s cold. The deer in my yard look healthy so they must have had a great summer. I’m not ready for winter just yet. Mary, how many machines do you have? I wanna see the goats!!! Let’s see that machine go! Everyone enjoy the day
Robin
Minnesota
Robin – I have 3 Bernina 1230’s, one Bernina 740, 2 Featherweights, two ancient Singers, and a treadle- and a Juki that still doesn’t work and I’m upset and driving an hour to the repairman two different times. Ugh. The only machines I use are two of the 1230’s – one in the sewing room and one in the shop – I plan to move the third one to the sunroom this winter. Oh, I forgot the APS longarm! Haha!!!
Welcome Jessa! You’re going to love working with Mary!!
Hi Jessa! Thank you for helping Mary … we could probably all use a Jessa in our lives!
Welcome Jessa. I’ld love to have a local high school student help out. Some of us are very tech challenged.
You’ll love helping with the quilt patterns and photos.
Nancy in California
Welcome Jessa! I hope Mary gets you as excited in fabrics and quilting as you are in
computers!! You will great. Enjoy your trip!!
Welcome Jessa! So glad Mary has you to help.
Hello Jessa thank you for helping with this technology that so outpaces what some of our brains can envision. Way to go Mary in getting your needs met and helping Jessa meet hers. Have a great day.
Welcome Jessa! How great that Mary has you as a new friend and helper. So great to have you aboard!
Hi Jessica! When you’ve finished over there for the day can you come to my house and help me with some downloads and a printer that says error? Thanks much. LOL
Welcome Jessa! Mary has sooooo much to do – what a welcome person you are to help her out with the tech stuff! Woo Hoo!
Welcome, Jessa! Thank you for giving Mary a hand with her online store. Hope you make a bundle for your trip!
Welcome Jessa to Mary’s blog!! You will love working with her! Do you sew? If not, you just might learn how by the time your Europe tour comes around! One of the best hobbies you could ever have throughout life! Thanks for assisting Mary with your skills!
Jesse
You are a cutie…Mary really needs help