Category Archive: quilts
2015
05/04
Category:
food
gluten-free cookng
Knitting
Life
machine embroidery
quilts
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A birthday!
Yes, I added another year to my age. It is terrific that I am still active and can add another year. Daughter, Jennifer sent this pretty fruit basket. Another daughter called to tell me, there is a picture book coming. Many friends from whom I rarely hear wished me a happy birthday (for your part, thank you Facebook). It was a very good day which I will end with knitting.
My friend, Mary, came over and we spent an enjoyable day in the studio embroidering these little ants for a coming quilt. Naturally, there was also much conversation and laughter.
For lunch, I made my favorite cream of Broccoli soup from the 5 Loaves cookbook I started by putting an onion and half a red pepper in the blender with a cup of water. I added 1 teas of garlic powder, l teas of savory, and 1 Tbsp of chicken-like seasoning. I brought these to a boil and simmered 10 minutes. Meanwhile I took some frozen broccoli from Costco, microwaved it 1 minute and cut into small pieces. Then I put it in with the onion and added 2 more cups of water, brought it to a boil and let it cook, maybe 10 minutes – until the broccoli was still green but nearly done. While the broccoli was cooking I put 3/4 cup raw cashews in the blender with 1/4 potato starch and 2 cups water and blended well. I poured this into the broccoli, mixed well and served. I usually make double or triple this much as it freezes so well and I love having it for those days I don’t want to cook.
I did not get the lambs we’ve been expecting for a week. But then I guess the ewe’s bodies know best.
tomato plant shopping
Another quilt is cut and bagged. I started to cut another quilt, but then found that part of the fabric was not washed and since it is a red and white quilt, that is important.
Meanwhile we had a young man here helping us get control of the overgrowth between the planting boxes. Next time he comes, he will help put plastic down. Those areas are steep!
Then since the box in the greenhouse is mostly finished (I have to get the dirt all raked flat), we went over to the greenhouses and purchased several tomato and other plant starts. Most of the tomatoes, I had never heard of. Joy grows 100 different varieties of tomato starts.
shopping and sheep
Our first iris of the season.
I went shopping late yesterday and now have the fabrics to make this quilt. It set my numbers back by 3 yards, but I can live with that. I needed one yard for the front and maybe 2 for the back of this quilt.
I really thought that with us gone most of the day, this ewe would do more than just eat grass. She has been this way for a week now. Apparently she is no hurry, though she should be as there is a runner up waiting her turn. Now it’s a gamble on who goes first. Any bets? I’m pretty sure the last one will be the end of May as that was observed.
Clean table
The cutting table is once again usable. That was a huge job, which took me parts of 3 days.
When I cut all the squares earlier, I saved anything that would be a strip. I trimmed them so they have straight sides and are ready to use. Then I put them by colors into two boxes. This one has all the full width pieces and the other box has all the other strips.
This 13″ box holds the pieces that are a bit larger and I might want to use for applique or ??
I thought for sure we were going to see Grace’s baby today, so I confined her. As soon as the grain was gone she was having none of that, so she spent the day with her friends. Maybe it will be a May Day gift.
Several finishes including a quilt
Several things are now finished. It seems for so long, one isn’t accomplishing anything, and then all at once several things cross the finish line. Though still beautiful these are the last of the tulips and are nearly ended.
Another finish is that the fellow who occasionally is able to help me, had about 4 hours today, so he was able to finish up the garden box in the hoop house. Now this week, I will get the dirt smoothed out and get the fertilizers on ready for the tomato plants.
He also put up a different fencing on the driveway side here. We put a low fence up originally because we didn’t want it to look bad. That didn’t work as the dogs walked right over it. So now a field fence and maybe if I can keep the chickens away long enough, some sweet peas and other plants to grow up on it. I like the chickens and they do a lot of bug work, but they are really hard on plant starts.
The lawn mowers are working out well. So far, the mowing tractor has not come out of the garage this season. That gives me a two for one. No mowing and no hay buying as long as the grasses are good.
This quilt is finished at 48″ square. I gave the blue one like this to a little boy today who is just 18 months old. I wanted a photo, but he insisted on burying himself in it. See if you can find him.
He appears to be enjoying it.
I’m looking at the weather forecast and thinking that there may not be much sewing in this week – more gardening.
Upward and onward with yellow stripe
Thank you so much for all the emails with hugs and prayers. Daughter is now home, with no memory of how she fell. So it is time for us to resume life.
I needed something fairly simple to do this afternoon and these stripes were cut, so I assembled them and this top can now go into the pile to be quilted. I still have a table full of strips that need to be sorted and put away. These are easy and pretty enough, that I may make another one or two for people who need them before cleaning off the cutting table.
Globetrotting quilt on frame and an Izzy bag
This is now all set up to quilt. It is not started because I was blessed with a young woman who is interested in apprenticing with animal care and yard work. We spent quite awhile together looking around at what we do here etc. It is pure pleasure to find someone else who enjoys and wants to learn about the things that you are interested in. I may just adopt her (lol)
And though I cannot show you the photos as they aren’t copy and paste, some of you may really enjoy these sites about Izzy MEIMassb. She is a fantastic designer and teacher. She goes into such detail that you can make the same beautiful items she shows. I absolutely must make the bag soon.
Her about: http://www.izzymeimsaab.com/about/4583430510
Instructions on how to put a zipper into any bag. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dnvM41V-3E
Green stripes bound
This feels so good to have finished two quilts this week. This quilt is 42 x 49″
However, look at the mess. Does your cutting table look like this at times? It will take a good day to decide what to do with all this mess. It all belongs in scrap quilts, but that won’t happen right away, so I need to decide how to store them until they end up in a quilt.
Slugs and a finish
We seem to live an interesting life here on this little farm. Today, it was the gate that wouldn’t work electronically. We called the repairman who promptly came out (prompt means the day you call). A little slug had managed to get up into the box and electrocute himself as well as knock out the power. And when the repairman called in to order a new mechanism, they said he was the third call today. Must be slug season, though with the chickens and ducks, we haven’t noticed them like we normally do. Friday, we will have a working gate again and this time the tiny hole will be sealed.
I took the morning off and spun hair from these Pyrenees. It is so relaxing and right now he is producing a good quantity.
This afternoon I did finish this lap quilt. It is 41″ square, and made from scraps, except the back and binding. It felt so good to actually finish something!