HALFWAY HOME

I'm back in Ohio which puts me about half way to TN. Beth and I left PA this morning just ahead of even more snow.  It didn't snow Wed. but most of Thursday and Friday there were various degrees of snowfall and wind too.  We were a little worried at one point that we would get snowed in but that didn't happen.

 Here is a sampling of what  we left behind. 
Notice that the pond is totally covered in ice and snow.

As is the porch

 

  

  

  

This is a random house

 

LEAVING TOWN

Heading north for the next week.  If I don’t get snowed in I hope to be back in my sewing room by the first of March. Will be visiting my mom – my sister is going with me.  Have a great week.

THIS ‘N THAT

I got sidetracked after cutting out my five skirts on Suday and didn’t actually start sewing til late this afternoon.  I’ve got three of them finished accept for elastic in the back and the hem.  Here’s a sample

    

It started snowing Sunday before church.  It would stop long enough for most of it to melt and then start again.  It’s been like that until this afternoon – snow --- melt ---- snow ---melt --- you get the idea.  Wonder what tomorrow will bring.

     

Had some fun company yesterday for awhile – sometimes sisters do play nice :)

  

All of this ‘stuff” involved a house (of cards maybe???)

  

Last  Saturday I got the #64 Bernina  presser foot.  It will make a kind of rolled hem to finish the edge of fabric.  It does an awesome job.  No more turn under, then press and turn under again for me.

 

Makes a pretty nice edge don’t you think?

SASSY SKIRTS

I found some corduroy in my stash

and found a cute skirt pattern for the girls. 

The skirt has a yoke and is supposed to be lined but I think the corduroy is heavy enough (even though it’s a pinwale) that I can skip the lining so I’m just going to cut out a second yoke with an extra quarter inch at the bottom and treat it like a facing.  It will cover the seam where the skirt attaches and I think it will work fine.

I’ve cut out all five skirts but didn’t think to cut the second yoke for each one so, I guess  I’ll get that done tomorrow afternoon and then get started on the making.  I’ll get to try out my new presser foot I bought the other day that will finish the raw edge kind of like a rolled hem. 

Last night I went to a class on free motion quilting.  Learned some tips on how to get better at that technique.  Of course the most important thing is to practice, practice practice.  So, I’m adding that to my list of things to do:) 

I visited the Quilting Squares quilt shop today and bought a jelly roll – Moda’s Glace – to add to my stash.  It has 40  2 1/2 inch strips of these fabrics.  They are so pretty and will make a really pretty log cabin quilt I think.

That was my day.  Tomorrow I’m going to see about getting the remote to my garage door checked out.  I hope it just needs a battery but it’s ten years old so who knows.  I may have to start opening the garage door using the button by the kitchen door, backing out, going back inside and closing it and leaving by the front door.  Hopefully not. 

G’night all and Happy Valentine’s day.

HOW TO MAKE A SANDWICH

You need a front,

a back,

and something soft and cozy for the middle.

Another UFO on the way to being finished.  I’m going to a class tonight on free motion quilting. I’m hoping get some ideas I can use to complete this quilt. 

Now it’s time to run to the grocery for some real sandwich food :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY STACEY

I have a pretty awesome DIL and today is her birthday.  First and foremost she is a Christian wife and mother. She stays super busy as a homeschooling stay at home mom and wife.  She takes such good care of my son and their kids.  You can see her love for them in everything she does.  I’m thankful for all those good qualities she has because they will be passed on to her children and also because she completes Billy and as his mom that means a lot to me.  So Stacey, I hope you have a wonderful birthday today and many many more to come.
( ps -- your card is in the mail :))

I’M UPGRADING …. MAYBE

I’ve been wanting to try a machine that just embroiders – not the commercial type though – so I tried out a Bernina Deco 340 and really liked it alot.  It was on sale for a good price so I got it and have been embroidering a bunch the past couple of days.   One reason I did that is because I’ve been wanting to upgrade my machine to the 820 for quilting purposes.  I’d never get an 830 because I don’t embroider enough to make the price worth it plus everytime I do embroider I can’t sew and that is what I really enjoy the most.  When the Bernina guy told me what I could get on a trade in for my 730 and that I could probably get more if I try selling it myself, I decided to go for it.  Either way I will pay a third or less of the cost of the 820.  I’m excited.  I’ve been working on how to list it.  I’m going to try Craig’s list first.  I’d rather not have to ship it somewhere if at all possible.   When I moved I brought a bunch (around 30) of kitchen towels, tea towels and bar mops that I had bought at different times when on sale to use as gifts and such so that is what I’ve been practicing on.  There are  a few differences between the Deco and the 730 when it comes to embroidering but since I already have Bernina’s embroidery software, the differences are not major.

One of the first things I did was add a little valentine love to the pillowcase dresses I made for my nashvegas girls.  Jen found the fabric in my stash and it was just enough I added the embroidery to the hem area. 

Here are a couple more things I’ve tried.   

Don’t know what I’ll do with all these towels and stuff when I’m done.  Maybe I’ll try to sell them on ebay or something.

The last of the snow is about rained away – it’s been raining since noon today.  They say is is supposed to turn to snow by tomorrow or Saturday.  Time will tell.

THEY’RE BACK . . .

Mr. Mrs. Cardinal came back during the snow this weekend and brought some of their friends with them.  One time I saw five of the red birds at one time in the tree but wasn’t quick enough to document it with the camera.  I think each male had a female companion.  Here are some pictures.  I just love red birds.