Friday, March 23, 2007

Sorry ladies

for the double post. One day I can't get in and the next a double post. The joys of a senior mind.Sorry no fish Marion. I love trout and I will always remember one we caught when we lived in Taupo. We took a frypan and onions and tomatoes and fresh bread and cooked it on the banks of the river , can't get fresher than that. Mind you the sandflies were big enough to carry the fish away. Bee.

TerTer

TerTer, where are you going to be in Vermont? I'd love to see you. I'm waaaay up north, but maybe we could get together in May. Let me know!

Jean in VT, who's at i sell carpets, and the server is yahoo.

Bee...

I might have guessed that Auckland had quilting supplies before us, that's just the way of things isn't it ?!? I think we caught up fairly quickly though. Plenty to choose from now..

Sadly, no trout for dinner tonight. DH had a great day and saw lots of fish, but they were not biting today !!

Made some progress with my quilt today. There's an awful lot of work in this one, wish I had remembered that before I decided to make it ! My sister will appreciate it, even if my nephew and his wife don't !!

I've never been to Ireland. Maybe next time we are over in the UK we could take a trip over there. It all seems possible when we are here, planning things, but when we actually get over there we seem to spend all of our time with relatives.

Another sunny day forecast for tomorrow. We have friends coming over for lunch, hopefully we will be able to eat outside. Haven't done much of that this summer..

Enjoy your w/end..
Marion.

Marion

We started quilting about 25 years ago and if you had been living in the BEST city in NZ you would have been able to buy fabric at Patches Of Ponsonby. I got my first quilt quilted in Christchurch years ago but if you ever want a quilt done I can give you the name of a fantastic woman in Tauranga. She is the only person I would trust with one of mine. I usually quilt by hand on big qiults and am now trying machining on little ones, not enough years left to hand quilt them all. Lovely weather here, 24c today and too hot to garden , remind me I said this when I am complaining about the wet . We are having such fun with Jelly and she is proving a real pet except in the mornings, she is shut in the bathroom at night or we spend all night wondering what "that " crash was. Her little mind goes into overdrive about 5am and does she yell. Of course Gus hears her and starts moving and scratching and snorting. When we are in the car and forget to open his window he snorts until we open it and does the same in the morning . He has a big mouth and you can't miss his comments. Must away and make tea for our neighbour , he doesn't have Sky for their live rugby and league matches and always arrives in time for the premier match. Catch up soon , Bee.

Marion

We started quilting about 25 years ago and if you had been living in the BEST city in NZ you would have been able to buy fabric at Patches Of Ponsonby. I got my first quilt quilted in Christchurch years ago but if you ever want a quilt done I can give you the name of a fantastic woman in Tauranga. She is the only person I would trust with one of mine. I usually quilt by hand on big qiults and am now trying machining on little ones, not enough years left to hand quilt them all. Lovely weather here, 24c today and too hot to garden , remind me I said this when I am complaining about the wet . We are having such fun with Jelly and she is proving a real pet except in the mornings, she is shut in the bathroom at night or we spend all night wondering what "that " crash was. Her little mind goes into overdrive about 5am and does she yell. Of course Gus hears her and starts moving and scratching and snorting. When we are in the car and forget to open his window he snorts until we open it and does the same in the morning . He has a big mouth and you can't miss his comments. Must away and make tea for our neighbour , he doesn't have Sky for their live rugby and league matches and always arrives in time for the premier match. Catch up soon , Bee.

Thursday, March 22, 2007

IRELAND

Doris, where will you be in Ireland? If you're not playing golf go out on your own. Just walk the streets and drive the roads (outside the cities). Despite the copious rich desserts and quantities of potatoes no one there is fat. If you look around on the weekends multiple generation families are out walking. It's the national pass time. In May there is a walking festival in Dingle town. I kid you not. Most of those families have dogs in tow as well. Lots of Springer spaniels and terriers. The Irish are great dog lovers. Just admire the dog and you make a friend. I tend to approach dogs that appeal to me and did the same in Ireland. Every time it lead to a lovely friendly chat with the owner. Take your rain coat with you.

Jane

Congratulations Lavinia!

LAVINIA - Congrats on the Second Place ribbon for your quilt! It is beautiful and if it tied Second, I have to wonder what First looked like. There must have been some stiff competition because your quilt is beautiful.

POLLEN is abundant around here. I filled my car up and sprung for the automatic car wash; my car is filthy from pollen and even the gas pump was covered in it. The flowering trees are all in full bloom: Yoshino Cherries, Bradford Pears, Cherry, Redbuds, and who knows what else. Dogwoods and crabtrees are next. It's beautiful but I have to stay indoors or it will give me a sinus infection.

I hit the treadmill today. Major concession, as I do not like the treadmill. But I must get into shape for our trip in mid-May to Ireland. I need to be ready to walk golf courses with the DH. He suggested we walk outdoors at night, under cover of darkness so nobody can see the surgical mask I have to wear to keep the pollen out of these sinuses of mine. Hhhmmm . . . might do it.

Our Alex got his first dose of Frontline for the season today. With weather this warm (highs in the upper 70s and up to 80 this weekend) I know the fleas and ticks aren't far behind.

Welp, so much for my whining. I'll have some cheese with it . . . LOL . . . but no chocolate until I give those 4 pounds of Jean's to someone else. Mother always encouraged us to share! LOL
Hugs to everyone,
Doris W. in TN

Ooops

That GMF was given me by my not so DMIL. I promise you, I proof read and edited.

Jane

WELL, RATS

I rather enjoyed getting credit for that beautiful quilt. How dare you, Lavinia, for taking credit for your own creation.

Been cutting for the mystery quilt and still have sub cutting to do. Then I'll be caught up to February. Will do some piecing then and by April meeting might even be caught up. The steps are simple and fairly quick. The gal who is teaching it this year is an outstanding, albeit a bit unconventional teacher, who announced at the outset that she believes mystery quilts should be simple enough for a beginner. I agree. I was lost and messed up with a bunch of triangles and bias edges on my first mystery and the darned thing has been in the UFO collection for about ten years now. I will salvage what fabric I can and pitch the rest. The mystery last year was complex and drove even the experienced quilters up the wall. I tried another and had a terrible time although I had a fare amount of quilting experience. The teacher (at a retreat) acknowledged that the class was a failure and that she'd never teach that one again. She had us cut up far more than $200 of fabric in a myriad small pieces and at the end of 2.5 days only two or three people had completed a single block. Last year the guild sponsored one and it was a serious challenge to very experienced quilters. I'd learned to shy away from mysteries by then. This year, with a change in teacher and philosophy I was inclined to participate. She gave the size and fabric requirement for many different finished products and I'm doing a 52" square wall hanging. If I love it I'll graduate to a bed quilt.

I am the only quilter I know who does not have a bed in the house sporting a quilt except an antique GFG MIL gave me in the guest room. As that room has no sun protection and gets a lot of morning sun I keep back side up. She made sure that I knew what a tremendous sacrifice she made to pay $100 for it. Ha ha, the laugh's on her. I had it appraised for $525. I wish she were alive to know that. No I don't, forget I said that! It wouldn't be worth the satisfaction. I'd have a whole lot of other gifts around here with prominent strings attached that wouldn't be nearly as neat as that one. You can tell how dear she was to me. If you want lessons how to be a nasty MIL just ask.

Jane

Jean. I like your theory !!

Just the incentive I need ... Doris may have picked up last weeks loss, but I'm sure that this weeks loss is sitting on my hips.. Now you've got me worried, all those spare pounds , floating around the world, looking for a home... .... I will go and weigh myself immediately and set myself a realistic goal.. (it's a least a year since I stood on the scales !!) I would be happy with a loss of 14lbs, that doesn't sound too hard does it ? No more buttered hot-cross buns or chocolate Easter eggs for a start....

Marge , so we are old friends !! I wonder what the pattern was that you sent to me . When I first started quilting (23yrs ago) there were no quilting shops in NZ. I used to buy the American Quilter's Newsletter Magazine. They had a page of photos of quilts made by quilters along with letters about them. One quilt caught my eye and I wrote to the lady who had made it, asking how I could get the pattern for it. She kindly photo-copied her pattern and sent it to me. That was my very first quilt (Double-bed sized ofcourse !!) Such kindness and support was (and is) appreciated. We have lots of quilting shops here now and ofcourse, with the Internet, just about anything world-wide is available to us . Interestingly, the pattern for the quilt I am working on at the moment , Bears n'Boats, was sourced and sent to me by BB members very recently. And so the exchange and friendships continue. That's what makes this a special place..

Lavinia thanks you for the warning. I think it's unlikely that I will ever send a quilt out to be machine quilted , but I will check out the quilters work very carefully , if I do.

DH has gone off fly-fishing today. It looks as if it will be a great day for it. Trout for dinner tonight ! Yum !!

Marion (forever optimistic !!)

Machine Quilting

Hi Lavina, Sorry I got the name wrong. Call it halfshimers or whatever. Yes, I know what it is to be on a fixed income. many of us are. I send my large quilts out to be macine quilted as I can not do them on my machine. To heavy and too hard to manage. If the quilt is smaller than 50 x 50" I do my own. I took some practice for me to get it right and not have wrinkles on the back. Today I am working on a wallhanging. Most of my days are spent sewing in some form or other. Addiction I think is what they call it. lol I read this page daily but have a terrible time trying to sign in. Don't understand what I do wrong. But eventually I do make it here. Marge in Pa.

Thanks. Doris!

I have this theory that I have held for years. I believe that the weight of the Earth is fixed and unchanging, so every time something gets lighter, something else gets heavier. It seems that Doris found the 4 pounds I have lost so far! LOL The Spring diet is going well -- I am now 1/5th of the way to the goal of 20 pounds. I can do this! ("I think I can, I think I can...") My apologies to whoever is going to pick up the next 16 pounds. LOL

Further to my Fixed Weight Universe Theorem, I suspect if we in North America got busy and dealt with the epidemic of obesity we are suffering here, starvation in the third world could be all but eliminated. And look at all the savings in food, fabric for out-sized clothes, wear and tear on vehicles, furniture and so on, and saved medical resources -- the list is endless! Look at all the resources that would be available for redistribution to the rest of the world. (Please do not stone me, nor explain the realities of global economics to me -- it is my theory and I like it!)

On a quilty note, I am starting today (for completion by Sunday! ) a quilt for my turning-three grandson. It uses the "Cars" panel and a couple of the coordinating fabrics, and it will be very quick and simple. The question I posed over on the about.com forum was about the quilting of the panel -- I would love to know what other people have done with that. Has anyone here done or seen one?

Jean at Mill Bay, off to press the Cars fabric...

Machine Quilters

Marion, there are machine quilters -- and then there are machine quilters. Permit me to advise you not to send anything to one unless you have seen her work. I had a real disaster here when we moved here. A company with 3 machines and a waiting list did a quilt for me. I didn't think to open it up and look at it while there. Got home and apparently their needle had a burr on it, there were pulls all over the back. Next one I tried here was apparently totally inexperienced -- it was quilted, but that was it. After viewing some local shows, I found my present machine quilter, who is a marvelously creative, lovely person who does a fantastic job.

Marge PA, it was me that got the 2nd place and hoped to sell the quilt to begin with. First I went three years with no sewing machine, then used a very old slant needle Singer. My husband thought I could do my own quilting, since it is so expensive to get done, and got me a Janome 6600, which was financed. The finance rate is 23%, so needless to say I am trying to get it paid down rapidly, since we are on fixed income here (Social Security). So far I am not talented enough to do machine quilting very well with it, thus having it done by a longarm quilter. Yes there is a money prize with the ribbon, made enough for what the quilting cost.
Lavinia-TN

and that's another thing....

Thank you for that encouragement Lavinia ! I certainly plan to keep on quiltin' that's for sure..

Just to reveal even more of my lack of knowledge and experience let me tell you that the references to sending quilts off somewhere to be machine quilted is also a new concept to me. I see in the NZ quilting magazine that there are indeed, people out there, offering such a service, but I have never heard of anybody actually using them ! I hand- quilt my quilts. I'm not happy behind my machine. I did try to machine quilt once. I even went to a class !! It's not for me I'm afraid . Having to hand quilt things at least slows me down and keeps the lid on my fabric addiction !! If I knew of a friendly and inexpensive machine quilter can you imagine how many tops I could produce in a year ?

Time for bed now . I've been happily doing applique all evening.

Sweet dreams to fellow DUGS and the rest of you, enjoy your day !
Marion

Quilting in my world

Hi, Everyone, Marion in NZ I was reading your post and you need to keep on quilting. I do not enter my quilts in the bigger shows. I am not that much of a perfectionist. Have been quilting for many years and enjoy the process. All my quilts are given away to friends and family. Although a few have been sold. I don't know is you remember but a few yrs back you ask for a pattern and I sent it to you. Then you in turn mailed me some fat qtrs from you part of the world. I made a purse out of the fabric you sent. So keep on quilting.
And Jane, how nice that you won second prize. You mentioned that you wanted themoney to pay for you macine. Did they offer money for second place? Sure would be nice if it were enough to pay for you machine. They (machines) get more expensive every day amd as qiuilters we always want the newest and best. You all have a quilty day. Marge in Pa.

MARION

Marion, first and foremost you ARE a quilter and that is your passion and that is what counts. I do not enter competitions. The reason my quilt was taken to Pigeon Forge was in hopes of selling it so I could pay for my sewing machine, which has high interest on the payments. The fact that it won a ribbon was an extra for me and a real plus for the young woman who did the machine quilting, since it got her work more into the public domain, if you will. So keep on quiltin', your award will be the thanks and admiration of those for whom you are doing it, and that means more than a ribbon in my book (speaking as one who doesn't get thanked by some of my family and whose drag-around quilts have been lost immediately by them as well).

Guess today I'll either call or better yet, write the Office of Special Events and see if they can have the guild manufacture another ribbon. Thanks for the input, Jane.

Lavinia-Tn

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Hummmmmm...

It has taken awhile for me to get here today, wonder why that is ...

Lovely to hear about your changing environment Jane. I was sorry that you had forgotten to take your camera with you on your recent trip ! Spring is beautiful . Here in NZ we are enjoying a glorious autumn ! The leaves are changing colour and the days are sunny and still, each season is my "favourite" ! I even enjoy winter (remind me that I said that, cum July and August !!) Love those cold wet days, when you have no need to go out , and can sit by the fire quilting (or reading !!)

I'm having doubts about my eligibility to be a BB member as I hear (and see ) more evidence of the standard of work done by other quilters !! I am very much a hobbyist and have only made quilts and wall hangings for myself or as gifts for other family members. I've never entered any competitions or exhibited anywhere (I'm sure the local library doesn't count !!) So , congratulations to all of you who do achieve in these areas . I love seeing the work and can only marvel at the skill level exhibited..

Beagle puppy Holly, had a friend to stay for two nights this week. Another Beagle puppy ! It was fun to watch them playing together. They exhausted each other . Maybe we should have two ?!? I think not ! The visiting puppy lives a few miles away and they have Holly to stay when we are away . A very good arrangement for both households..

Time to get dinner... it comes around with alarming regularity doesn't it ?

Happy days..
Marion in NZ.

LAVINIA

Don't be shy. Faint heart ne'er won fair maid and all that. Ask them for a second place ribbon. The worst they can do is say no. Be sure to save the letter so your grandchildren won't think you are lying.

My walk with Shadow revealed additional signs of the season. I saw two of my favorite wild flowers, spring beauties and hepatica. Both are small and close to the ground with very delicate white blooms. Spring beauty has little pink streaks on the white. In some locations I've seen them almost entirely pink. Hepatica is white with some lavender shading at the edges of the petals. I think they are sometimes almost entirely lavender. They are named for their liver shaped foliage which is sort of liver color. This is the best time of year in my opinion and I've been almost high with it this week. Haven't seen any trillium foliage yet but when it appears it does so in a rush.

Can't wait til DD#1 arrives with the three grands on Easter day. They still enjoy coming to see Granny.

Jane in God's Country
Jane

Pigeon Forge Quilt Show

Well I just received a letter from the City of Pigeon Forge. My quilt did not get 3rd place after all. It tied for 2nd place!! Hooray!! Lavinia-TN
oh p.s. should I call and ask for a 2nd place ribbon -- they gave me a 3rd place ribbon (maybe they only made enough for one?) or should I just be happy and forget about it LOLOL.

Test

Test

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Jane in NC - Singer machine

Jane - I found the three pounds you lost!!! Aaaaacccckkk! Actually I gained four -- two for each of my recent trips to Atlanta. re: your Singer . . . There is a Yahoo Group called "Vintage Singers" and they can help you with your machine. Web addy is: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vintagesingers/?yguid=252675358
and there are lots of nice, knowledgeable folks there.

We had a nice time in Hot-lanta but the pollen was already heavy there and my allergies suffered. The traffic is much worse than it is here. I got to visit the IKEA!!! Wow, what a store. I think I spent less than $10 there on purchases (LOL). I ate lunch in their restaurant and was very impressed with the food and the price.

I also wandered through the two upscale shopping malls a short walk from our hotel and fondled designer jackets that cost $2,000 to $3,000. I get lots of good ideas from this "educational field trip" through the designer sections. I'm not a true "shopper" so I got tired very quickly. What is wrong with me???

Spring is blooming here in Tennessee. I did some heavy-duty pruning of shrubs yesterday and can barely move. So much for yard work. Eeek.

I'm off to the sewing room to put it in order and start some spring clothes. I need to get them done so I can work on a quilt this summer. Hugs to everyone! Doris W. in TN

Hi from the Mt.
Life has been hetic here. Got most of the hay in and left one paddock uncut which we are feeding out. the weather turned wet and cold and windy- really miserable. The horse had her winter cover put on quick. We went from summer to winter overnight. We have been sloshing around in water puddles since.

DBD1 turns 3 this week. We had her birthday party early with some little friends in town. Balloons and tooter whistles and streamers. She was running inside to the bathroom when she said, "I'm having FUN mum!" So lovely to see the simple joyfulness. Then we went out for a nice dinner as DMIL had her birthday.

Dramas continue. DSD wrote off her car driving home after a work night waitressing, and dropping off a friend, She won't tell us just how late she was out, but did admit to fiddling with the CD player. Fortunately she was unharmed.

Work is a solace and refuge from the farms challenges. Sadly though we learned a colleague was diagnosed with inoperable and untreatable pancreatic and liver cancer tonight, and his wife works with us too.

DH is still waiting for a fitting for his first artifical limb! Still hobbling about on crutches but coping with the medication regieme better.
Thinking of you all and hugs to all who need em. I have some time off coming up soon, and hope to catch up on all the news. Unfortunately my second job is the farm, and being DHs other pair of hands, and time is scarce. Life is bit too much at times. Cheers Thea

Labels:

Monday, March 19, 2007

Out of town a bit

Loved the socks!
This past weekend we went to Crystal River--across the state on the back roads. The drive was wonderful, cows, open land, lots of farms. It was cold and windy on my first time fishing. We had a boat of 4 with a guide, and fished the "flats". The wind was so bad, I had on a hooded sweat shirt and a heavy jacket with hood. My hands were freezing. Tried, had a few hits, but didn't catch anything. The other people on the boat got a few red snappers, a catfish, and some sort of odd fish, but everything was too small to keep.
After 2 hours we packed it in.
Tomorrow I'm driving to West Palm Beach to see my Mom and brother. Dear brother was sick and in the VA hospital for 2 nights, and Mom was alone. At 89 this just isn't right. He could have at least called me. I think she had a mini-stroke one morning, as was slurred speach and couldn't figure how to make the coffee. After a frantic day of calling neighbors and friends there, got someone to look in on her. We will have to make some plans to have her cared for.
Sigh- - - -life is sometimes tough.
I did purchase a "clean" version of "My Cousin Vinnie" to show her . They now have a DVD player, so at least she can watch a movie.
Will check in next week.
Sara in sunny Fla.

Fun with dyeing


For most folks, buying socks is easy, just go to the store and pick out some from a huge selection. I have rather large feet, so that's not a good option for me. Women's cotton socks for large feet only seem to come in black or white. So, I ordered a dozen pairs of ready-to-dye socks in men's size from Dharma Trading Co. (NAYYY) and got out the dye that I had purchased a couple of years ago at Paducah at the quilt show and never used. I followed the directions in Helen Dieghan's book, "Magic Dyeing Made Easy". Three pairs of the socks, I folded up and put rubber bands around to hold them in place while in the dye, and I love the way they turned out. All the socks were done with yellow, fuschia, turquoise, and black (only 3 pairs have black in them). What a fun way to spend some time! I used the leftover dye to color two pieces of fabric, pics on the other board.
Pat in Rockport, TX

Singer

Thanks, Pat, I'll ask one of the quilters coming in this week to bring their digital. Jock is learning also how to put a photo on the computer so by the end of the week, I should have something. Then, if Celia's okay with posting it, I'll send it on down to her. I thought you might be able to identify it.

Rosey

Sunday, March 18, 2007

Rosey's treadle

Singer didn't keep the records for the machines made in Canada, which all started with J(X )serial numbers, so I can't tell you when it was made or what model it is. If you could post a picture of it, I could probably tell you what model it is. Would love to see a pic.

Pat in Rockport, TX

It is Sunday

First may I say that your daffodils sound wonderful, Jane and I'm envious as we swing between snow and snowmelt ice these days in southern Ontario, Canada.

My day began with a trip to the Toronto area to pick up a Singer treadle machine that my cousin-in-law, Heather, arranged for me to have. As I don't know anything about treadle machines, other than some people are very proud to own one, I have no way of identifying it other than taking the number off the top of the base of the machine. It is JA367797. Does this mean anything? The cabinet is veneer and has to be stripped off, then I'll have a proper wooden top made for it; repaint the decorative wrought iron black base and the cabinet, my everpresent, Para New Cameo White. Meanwhile, the machine is sitting beneath the diningroom table, the cabinet in the back of my car and I'm admirous of the decorative work on a very heavy black sewing machine. Now that I think of it....where is the treadle? Guess that didn't get saved over the years.

This afternoon, friend Virginia called and suggested a movie. What movie you might ask? We went to a late afternoon showing of Wild Hogs. I am not of an age or interest in motorcyclists and no great fan of John Travolta, who looks like he's on steroids, given his build, but it was a funny, noisy diversion of a movie. I don't think, for me, I'd have seen it had I not been in the mood for something completely distracting . And this provided it. But by the same token, not my cup of tea. Still, I came out with a smile on my face.

Rosey

HERE I AM

I weighed in this morning and was pleased with a three pound drop. However, I have learned the painful way that is still within the margin of error. I waffle up and down quite regularly. But it beats being up three pounds as last Sunday was the peak of my lifetime. I am hopeful to be back in my large collection of size 16 jeans in a few weeks. I remember how mortified I was when I had to buy the 16s. I was a 10 or 12 once upon a time. I'd be delirious with a 14. Some brands are larger/smaller than others particularly when I get my favorite elastic waist pull up pants at K Mart which are 18s. The 18s from LL Bean are too big but the 16s are uncomfortably tight. The smaller ones are in storage in a plastic bin in the garage.

I've been struggling with two machines today but think I'm up and running now. XM satellite radio has had three days of Radio Ireland broadcast of Irish music in honor of St. Paddy so I've enjoyed that while I cursed the two difficult machines. A few hours of it does satisfy one for a while however.

Yum, I'm thawing out some swordfish for supper tonight. Gotta get those Omega 3 fatty acids. I love swordfish and salmon. Unfortunately here in the mountains most of that available has been frozen and the salmon is farm raised and fed food with red food dye in it so the fish looks "natural". Sheeeesh. I guess the traditional fishing areas are fished out. I have no problem with the idea of fish farming but food dye? Who needs it.

Gorgeous but a bit chilly here. The daffodils are in full bloom, the weeping willow trees, always the first to leaf out, are doing just that and the red maples are in flower. The Bradford Pears which are an ornamental tree that don't bear fruit are flowering. The flowers are very delicate pretty white typical fruit tree flowers. The foliage is a dramatic dark burgundy red in the fall.

Jane in NC

Where is everybody?

I haven't seen a new post on this board for quite a while, is everyone bent over their sewing machines, running full speed?

I weighed this morning and weighed the same as last Sunday, but my rings are a bit snug today, so I think I've retained some water overnight. I'll weigh again tomorrow morning, if the rings are loose again, just to double-check. I had the very great pleasure of being able to buy two pairs of size 16 jeans at the thrift store yesterday--I can't even remember the last time I was able to get into a size 16. I know that may not seem like much to those of you in single-digit sizes, but I'm really tickled about it.

Pat in Rockport, TX, where it's sunny and in the 70s again today.