Farm Update ~spring 2016

Recently I heard a song, Fall Away,  which made an impression on me.  These are some of the words: "...when you're happy the years fall away, but when you're blue, days go by 'a draggin..."  I must be terribly happy; this year is rapidly falling away!

Our winter was not so cold this year and we both made it through with not so much as a cold.  I had dreaded my "new" job,

thinking I would have to stand out in the snow and ice when I waited at the gate while the farmer put out hay for the cows.  But I had a heated side-by-side to sit in while I waited, and we had no snow anyway.

Now we're a month into spring; the early garden seeds have been planted, irises, foxglove, daisies, and columbine are in bloom;  the third flock of chickens for the new year have been started.  We've sent calves to market and vaccinated cows and small calves.

There was a rash of cattle rustling in our county during the winter, which made all the farmers around us watchful and uneasy.   The farmer decided to use branding on the cattle as a means of identification.   (I hate having to be a part of this.)

There are a lot of new baby calves.

I try to spend an hour or two in the afternoons to work on the quilting project, until I hear the farmer's footsteps coming down the hallway, and he asks me if I'd "like" to do this or that. lol  I'm on the 9th row of twelve rows.

 

"When you're happy, the years just fall away."

Remember these blocks?

These, with many more blocks, are what they have become:

a big, colorful quilt top.  The scrap pile seems no smaller ~ sigh ~  Most points matched up perfectly which made me happy.  What do you think about using black in a quilt?  I think it makes the colors pop!  Now on to another project....

Charlotte

Flying Geese Quilt Top

I believe this year is following in the footsteps of last year, for here it is the middle of January already!  How can we slow it down?  And how we wish for some days with sunshine after a month of dreary, damp weather.  Do we never stop complaining about the weather?

I feel like I've made good use of my time so far; remember the flying geese blocks I was piecing, hoping to use up some scraps?  The top is finished ~

and as soon as I feel like working with a big lining fabric I'll put it on the frames to quilt, after I've checked to make sure all the papers are removed; sure don't want any surprises when I'm quilting! It turned out to be a BIG top.  During really cold days my sewing room is too cool to work in comfortably, so I have other projects to work on (another post :)  Remember those triangles left over from these blocks that I just couldn't throw away?  Here they are, paired up with white triangles, trimmed to size and boxed up, waiting for another time.

Waste not, want not~

Charlotte

My effort to empty a few boxes of scraps continues.  The piecing on this project

came to a halt whenever all the black fabric had been used.   I have 190 blocks pieced and will need several more.  So I ordered more black fabric and while waiting for it, I drafted a pattern for a 6" x 9" Flying Geese unit, printed the pattern onto paper, pulled out the scraps again, and began paper piecing these:

I try to piece five units each day; there are 75 finished ones.  One usually thinks there is a lot of waste when paper piecing because she cuts the pieces a little over sized, but not this time:

As I trim a unit I flick the trimmings off onto the floor rather than take the time to hit the waste basket; I have a broom and dust pan in the sewing room and sweep up the mess as I finish for the day.  This is the layout for the finished blocks, minus a connecting strip between rows:

Did this make a dent in the scraps?  Hardly!  And look what's left when the units are trimmed; a large stack of pretty triangles!

 Sew these to white triangles, trim to 2 1/2 inch squares, and you have the makings for another quilt!

Why not throw them away, you ask?  All I can say is, when you're raised by parents who lived through the depression and made-do with what they had, and every penny was pinched until it screamed, that frugal characteristic lives on.

Charlotte

April Hope Chest Addition

The hope chest addition for April is a quilted, patchwork table runner.

Just right for a country kitchen.

Charlotte

It Was Like Christmas in July

A couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine brought several pieces of fabric that she didn't think she would ever use.  It was like having a Christmas gift in July!

  

I pressed them and sorted them into stacks of solids and prints.  Most were at least one yard in length, one even being five yards long, and as you can tell, several still had the paper wrapped around them.

My thoughts were whizzing!  Aprons?

Backings for baby quilts?

No gift could have pleased me more, so I gave one of my full aprons to her.

Isn't it nice when people share!

Charlotte

More Kitchen Quilts

Another set of kitchen quilts: Little Aster (upper left) and Bow Tie (lower right) made from orphaned quilt blocks, one paper pieced crazy patch, and one courthouse steps pattern.  Two of these have a product called Insul-Bright and a layer of cotton batting inside, making them suitable for use as a potholder.  The Insul-Bright is a needled insulated lining recommended for hot pads, oven mitts, tea cozies, etc.  These are a cute addition to a country table.

 

Charlotte

29 Days Between Posts

What a thrill to know I've been missed!  Some have asked if I'm o.k.; I am ~ just a little weary and wondering if I should continue blogging.   My daughter started this blog site and asked if I would like to contribute a story now and then and show some of my quilts.

 

It was fun and exciting to read comments about my work and soon, every stitch I made was examined and carefully done so I could write about the quilt.  That was the way it was for all the years I entered quilts in the county fair: what will the judges think of this or that, and soon it almost became a chore, rather than an enjoyment, trying to be perfect.  Now I almost feel burned out with quilting, because the last one I put up stayed on the frames for about six months, just sitting there, covered up to keep it from fading.  Yesterday I took it off the frames, folded it up with its batting and lining, and put it in the cupboard.

 

Does this make me a failure?  I don't think so; I feel relief that it's out of sight, and now my frames are open for baby quilts and doll quilts, and I can still piece tops when I want to. 

 

Many hours were put into paper piecing the top.  I just didn't feel up to trying to hand quilt through all those seams and didn't want to take a chance of ruining it by machine quilting it, because it is a pretty top.

 

The pattern is a Marcia Hohn design from the Spring 2003 edition of the Quilt magazine, called Flowers of Friendship. 

 

Now of course, this set-back in my creative spirit isn't the reason I haven't blogged.  I'll try to find time to post that story tomorrow.  I have tried to find time each day to read your words and look at the beautiful pictures you post. So, let me thank each of you who looked for my words and wondered about me; makes me feel special...

 

Charlotte

Maybe you can help me

decide what to do with this quilted piece:

 

Are you familiar with whole cloth quilting?

 

Whole cloth quilts are created from one single piece of fabric; unlike patchwork, a whole cloth quilt is not pieced at all.  The design across the surface is made entirely from quilting stitches.

 

 

They were traditionally made by women who had money enough to purchase wide pieces of fabric.

 

From Day Style Designs, "This really is an amazing quilting style that deserves a try at least once in your quilting journey."

 

O.k.  Now I don't know what to do with it since it is only about a fourth of a quilt top.  It makes me think of a recipe: I've tried it; don't care for it; won't do it again.

 

But, it was too much work to throw out; any suggestions as to a use for it?

 

Charlotte 

 

 

Preparing a Quilt Lining

This week I brought this quilt top out of the cupboard to put on the frames, after being stored away for a few years. It was made from a design by Becky Goldsmith and Linda Jenkins, collectively known as Piece O' Cake Designs. The centers of the star blocks are made from four, small, paper pieced string blocks and they are set together with a beige on beige print. I had already purchased enough of the beige print for a lining. Now this is a large top and when I laid out the lining fabric for measurement, it came up a few inches short. What to do? No way could I find more like it. I had seen pieced linings on quilting blogs, and thought, "why not?" And then I found an article in a quilting magazine about artistic additions on the backs of quilts, resulting in "backstage" productions, simply by piecing different fabrics or inserting extra blocks from the quilt top for a surprise on the back.

The borders of the quilt are made from one inch pieced strips, so I decided to piece together strips to go across the lining to lengthen it:

The pieced strip will be inserted into the lining fabric, making it long enough for the top. Problem solved? I sure hope so; if not I'll simply piece another row of strips and insert it. I think it will be as entertaining as the main performance!

Charlotte

Shall We Call It "Charlotte's Web"?

This is my next quilting project, a string spider web, now known as Charlotte's web. The top has been pieced for a long time and since I'm trying to get caught up on works in progress I thought it would be a good thing to work on this winter. I'm in no hurry to get it done; will just take it as it comes. However, the chickens will go out next week, and most growers are being out longer now, so I may get a lot done (if my shoulders can hold out for the few days left working in the chickens; after all, the shoulders are on an old woman and the work is beginning to drag me down somewhat, as bad as I hate to admit it).

Getting a quilt top in the frames is no quick fix; I've worked on the lining all afternoon and hope tonight I can finish putting the batting and the top onto the frames. The batting is cotton; I'm sure I haven't used cotton batting in at least 49 years when I made quilts for my first little baby girl. It feels like a soft warm blanket, so with the top and lining it should be a nice quilt.

There is still a certain doll that needs to be finished and dressed too; she just keeps getting pushed aside. Remember the one with the black eyes?

Charlotte

Orange and Green

Two lovely fall colors, orange and green; a little mixture of what's left of warm weather and the coming of cold weather. Today I'm freezing turnip greens for the winter meals; picking, washing, cutting them up and cooking,

what started out as a big bowl full, and hoping for at least two boxes to put into the freezer.

And the old maple tree throws in her version of green and orange once again. Pictures don't capture the true beauty.

In between other chores, I work on my own version of orange and green, finishing the edges of the "white ribbon quilt".

Charlotte

This One Surprised Me !!

This little quilt surprised me; when it was just a top it didn't impress me much, but the more I quilted on it, the more I grew to like it. It seems to be just what a quilt represents to me: a pieced block, quilted by the piece, set together with strips, pretty enough for a bed, or sturdy enough to be played on. And I didn't feel pressured to make every stitch the same length or every seam a perfect quarter inch; I just enjoyed it.

The backing came from my stash; I've always liked the print but had never found a use for it until I saw how well it matched the red border. The binding, from the same print, and which always is just like "the frosting on the cake" hugs it all together.

So, that's another WIP out of the cupboard; on to another!

Enjoy, Charlotte

Fabric Stash

Garden of Daisies has asked quilters to show their fabric stash; do we dare open our creating space for the world to view? Why not?

This is where I piece quilts and my quilting frame sits behind the chair. My husband built the cabinet for me from oak wood, harvested from our farm.

This side holds mostly older fabrics; notice the boxes covered with wallpaper? These were made by my mother-in-law, and very pretty to keep fabric in.

The right side of the cabinet with two boxes of plaid pieces, a box of neutrals, containers of thread, bias tape, and elastic, and a box of smaller pieces of various colors. The basket is holding a WIP, scrappy pineapple, and a few pieces for backings.

These containers, in the lower section of the cabinet, hold fat quarters and 1/2 yard pieces. The baskets catch scraps for string tops.

The papered boxes are filled with some new pieces, bought for aprons and backings for baby quilts, and older fabrics for doll clothes. The rolling container holds some new pieces, selvages, and more WIPs (???) and the basket is filled with solid pieces. It stays inside the closet (off limits to viewers ;).
One drawer with more things started (???) and a container filled with mostly green fabrics.

Wow!! do I have that much? Then why is it, when I start a new top, I need something?

Garden of Daisies is a lovely place to visit; she has a variety of interesting subjects. Why not give her a visit at www.patchofzinnias.blogspot.com .

Now, I need to get busy! Charlotte

Making Something Useful

If you quilt, what do you do with all those little scraps of batting that are left? Of course if the pieces are large enough they can be whipped together and used for the purpose intended. But I'm talking about strips about six to seven inches wide, and maybe the full length of the quilt. Since I have wood floors, I've found a very good use for them: dust bunny catchers!! Dust bunnies underneath the bed just jump on these scraps of batting and then you can simply toss the whole fuzzy mess into the trash. Of course I don't recommend going out and buying a package of batting to cut up into dust catchers, but if you have scraps, try it. Oh, they are also good for taking down cobwebs from around the ceiling; just be sure to do that first.

Haste Makes Waste ??

Stitching is coming along pretty fast on the string quilt; I think there are two full rows and one wonky house left to do. In my haste to put it up, this is what I missed:

I had forgotten to take the paper off the backs of two houses!! No big deal however; they were on the last portion of the quilt to be stitched, so I just took the pins out, folded the top back, lifted the papers off, and pinned it again. Whew!! at least they weren't on the first row! If you paper piece, have you ever forgotten to take off the paper? We've always heard, "Haste makes waste"; in this case, only a waste of a little time.

We continue to get rain showers, so far around 1 3/4 inches, with bad lightning and window-rattling thunder; the grass seems to be holding up their little blade cups to catch it all. The air is much cooler too, so now I must start my walks again! There seems to be a change in the season, but we could be fooled.

Charlotte

Another Finish

This is the second of the two quilt tops I finished last week. This one is larger and, with its darker colors, would make a good companion quilt for a toddler or preschool child while watching TV or enjoying his favorite book. The star points (hst's) were made from pieces leftover from a larger top and when I found a picture of this quilt online, I sized the blocks, then added the strips as shown to make a pattern like the original. So, here's another top, stacked, waiting for cooler weather.

Today wouldn't have been the day; it was 107* shortly after noon, then rain circled us (actually we only got enough to show tracks in the dust) and cooled the air, for which we were grateful! It is just so sad to see the pastures brown and the grass gnawed to the ground. The heifers here at the barn have not had much grass to eat since May, only hay, and this morning Popa fed a bale to a larger herd. That makes every bale we put up valued.

"It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness." Lam. 3:22,23

Charlotte