A Few Projects and a new Featherweight

My folks came for a visit for the twins birthday and we had alot of fun.  Mom and I went shopping downtown Mckinney and visited two quilt shops....and bought a few things.

 I got a few fat quarters to start my Swoon Quilt if I ever finish my 'Aster' project.  Daddy changed out my lite fixture on the patio and it looks awesome. 

 While they were here - moma started her jelly roll race quilt.  Here's the unfolded roll - really pretty colors.

 Moma and I took turns sewing and chaining the roll together.  Here's all the strips before we clipped them to one long continuous strip....abt 1600" long!

 More and more sewing.....finally she finished and Jojo took a little siesta upon the quilt top.

 Here it is all finished - beautiful!!!

Daddy even helped out to show it off!  Love it!

Here's my newest possession....I've been looking at these for a while now, I found one in Ripley, but felt it was out of my price range....so I decided to look locally and checked Craigslist.  Lo and behold, a professional quilter had one for sale.  It was $125 cheaper than the one in Ripley and not only as nice, but also had all its original feet, bobbins, accessories, etc.  The case was in pretty good shape, with just a few spots on the handles.  The best part was that she was located just a about a mile up the road.  I walked in and she said - come into my Sewing Room - it was huge - she had a Gammell long arm quilt machine, where she quilts professionally for a living.  Loved it - and lots of fabric and machines and displays of her quilts around the room.  I knew right away this little FW was coming from a happy home.  I took this little Featherweight Home...AH series from 1947 and figured out how to wind the bobbin and thread the machine...then she took off like a little choo choo train.  I worked on my own JellyRoll quilt and had so much fun on this machine - that I sewed the whole thing in one night while catching up on Downton Abbey.  But more about my quilt top next time....

Quilt Shops - my newest Obsession!

I remember when I had just learned to crochet back in 2002, I was OBSESSED with yarn and going to yarn stores, and buying yarn online.  Now 11 years later, I don't have a linen closet, I have a yarn closet....I also have 2 big bins in my sewing room full of yarn!  Love yarn.

Now that i'm learning to quilt, my new obsession is fabric.  But unlike with crochet, i'm actually using the fabric to make quilts!  I have 4 started....

• Tumbler (Moda Winter Elegance) - top finished - working on binding
• Apple Core (Riley Blake Sweetest Thing) - 2 charm packs cut out - waiting on more fabric
• Fussy Cut Bird Quilt - trying to make sure I really know what i'm doing!
• Friendship Braid - One jelly roll cut out (laundry basket) - 2nd roll just arrived!

I bought fat quarters to make the adorable Swoon Quilt - but I'm not starting until I finish at least one of the above....quilted et al.

I was in Oklahoma February 1st and on the way, I stopped in Whitesboro, TX at the Kaleidoscope QuiltShop.  This shop is adorable..its owned by two sisters.  They have a great bin in the back that has lots of sale items.  I like to shop for fat quarters in their sale bin - they are only $1.49 each!  Here's my haul...(the bobbins are for my bias tape i've been making...and from the Antique store a few doors down)

 

Whitesboro is a quaint little town just south of the Oklahoma border.  Adorable downtown with great little antique shops and yummy restaurants. 

Moma and I decided to go have breakfast Saturday morning at the cafe where JoHannah works, so we could see how cute she is waiting on everyone.  After breakfast, mom and I headed to Nancy's Trunk Quilt Shop in Ripley, OK.  What's great about her quilt shop - is all her quilts hanging from rafters - and she really does have trunks full of quilts to pull out and show.  Nancy is so friendly and helpful.  She and her husband run the quilt store, he works on antique sewing machines and they offer them to sell there, along with fabrics, patterns, kits, etc.  I'm saving for a featherweight as we speak!  I managed to score a Christmas jelly roll for our jellyroll race coming up next weekend.  Nancy showed us her race quilts and she added large appliques to hers...and i'm so gonna steal that idea!  

Moma looked so pretty too!  She had her Valentine's outfit on.  I snapped a pic of her in the car.

After shopping at Nancy's we went to Perkins to Sasser & Co and I found a few jars for my sewing room....love that place too!

Great blue jar (from the Liberty Church thrift shop for my crochet hooks) and the Ball jar filled with antique embroidery threads from Sasser & Co.  The rolling pin is so unique, its cut in half with slots for recipe cards or old photos.  Can't wait to hang it in my kitchen.

I started my love of quilting, after I bought my Singer 160th Anniv edition.  I started looking at You-tube quilt tutorials and discovered...the tutorials of The Missouri Star Quilt Co.... I was hooked.  I started watching the videos, shopping online.  They have great prices, awesome daily deals, reasonable shipping and best of all - great tutorials!  This month there is a quilters magazine totally devoted to the MSQC, their family and their followers.  I probably order from them a few times a month....and with every order there's a short personalized thank you!

I knew I loved the MSQC since my first package arrived from Hamilton, MO...but guess what - I just found out - they love me back! Ahhh!!

January 28th and 73 degrees on the Patio

Hard to believe its the end of January and most of the east coast is bathed in the white stuff.  Meanwhile back at the ranch, were a comy 73 degrees.  This morning was the first time in weeks, that I was able to drink my coffee on the patio this morning and actually hear a few birds chirpin.  Sitting out here now, while Lola and Jojo stare at me through the window.  Not sure if they are jealous, i'm out here without them, or maybe they're juding my tall glass of wine i'm having.  Puzzled...they can't believe i'm not inside watching Castle...my Monday night ritual...love that show!

This last weekend was very productive, as I've been getting a little back into my crochet phase...and decided to update this little milk stool I bought for $6.00 at MTDs last year.  It was weathered and worn from the Texas summer heat, so I decided bring inside for a spot in my sewing room.

Before.....you get the idea....

Time to weave in all those ends....yuck.

 

The Blocking Process - only left it on one day...

And here's the after....luv.


totally in luv with this little stool.  A little Ole English and some minwax , helped to transform this stool into a little piece of artwork in my sewing room.