>>>>

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Home for a Day!

20170529_142821
Picture perfect driving home from the cabin!


This was yesterday afternoon about 3pm, just across the state line from Virginia into North Carolina. 

I absolutely love coming up over the rise and seeing this stretched before me on my way to Sparta.  And then on to Elkin…finally making my way to I-77 and then to highway 421 and on to I-40 that takes me home.

I don’t enjoy the interstates nearly as much as I love the back roads and two-lane highways.  And the winding ones?  I was laughing as stuff was sliding around in the back of the van which was mostly empty.  Since our move, we’ve left the second row of seats out of the van to haul more “STUFF”.  Let’s just say it was good that I didn’t have watermelons or bowling balls back there because they would have played bumper pool with every curve.

Memorial Day was very low key.  While I kept the reason for the holiday close to heart, I counted my blessings that I am here and able to do every day ordinary chores thanks to the sacrifice so many gave.

As I drove home I was touched by the American flags that flew in front of humble houses along the country roads, and even hit a remnant of what WAS the Memorial Day parade in Sparta. The classic cars and old firetrucks and other vehicles were slowing traffic down to a crawl as I passed businesses in the old down town area festooned with Americana in celebration.

I smiled at an old guy walking his dog – the dog had a patriotic bandana around its neck.  These small country towns in the backwoods of nearly nowhere stand American Proud.

I came home solo – Sadie and The Hubster are staying an extra day to meet up with the electrician for help with the fan wiring.  It’s going to be a big job to get those “haunted” fans switched out.  One look at the box behind the switch plate let us know that things are so confuzzled in there that we don’t want to tackle it on our own.  Some things are just NOT plug & play!

But there were some things we DID take care of ourselves this weekend.  Finishing touches that have been waiting the past couple of months for their turn to be hung:

20170529_115307

Quilts were finally hung behind beds upstairs!

I made this quilt around 2003.  It doesn’t have a name.  It was before I made patterns available to the public.  My blog didn’t start until 2005 and though I had a few scrap quilt patterns available on my website before then, this wasn’t one of them.  Florabunda from the Free Patterns tab is on the bed, along with a beloved gifted Grandmother’s Flower Garden.

20170529_122902

Log cabin Quilt behind this bed!

The log cabin blocks are paper pieced and mini in size.  There is no pattern available for this one either as it is also from the “before publication” phase of my life.  On the bed is Lady of Lake Erie, a pattern I had in Quiltmaker Magazine early early on.  At the foot of the bed is Lozenges from the Free Patterns tab, a previous Leader & Ender challenge.

20170529_115122

Loft rearrange!

The Hubster sometimes works remotely.  Work is never done for either of us, and let’s just say I got tired of having two computer monitors on the dining area table at all times.  We moved furniture around at my suggestion and took the IKEA table/desk from my downstairs studio and put it p here for his work space.  It’s a good trade off!  The only thing is that the ceiling fan up here doesn’t have a light fixture and it’s kind of limited on light up here. 

We found out with the great room ceiling fan that you simply can not add a light fixture if there is no 3rd wire for you to hook it to.  Hence the electrician that is coming by today.  I NEED LIGHT!  I want to have not only the fans changed out in the dining and great room areas, but to install a light fixture to this fan up here if possible.  It depends on what wires are already present.  And it’s not a sheet rock ceiling that would be easy to pull new wires through.  We are talking about pine ceilings with no crawl space.

20170529_114505

I cleaned!

One of the honey-dos was mounting the sound bar beneath the TV, and moving the Singer 15-91 and cabinet from the upstairs now-office-area to where the computer desk/table was.  It’s a good switch.

20170529_114532

Pictures added!

I found these canvases at Walmart and they just embody how I think and feel.  Live your life without regrets. (Which also means making wise choices!) And Life is a Journey, NOT A RACE!

20170529_114512

The rug adds a nice touch of color breaking up the overwhelming pine.

As this is a walk-out basement, the walls are partially underground.  They are also solid pine, making hiding wires a bit of a challenge.  Maybe I’ll hang a quilt beneath the TV to partially hide those wires?  Or just give up and not care?

20170529_215532

Last night’s stitching adventure.

I am down to some pretty tough pending deadlines.  I counted the quilts I have done for the next book down the pipeline and I’m 3 short.  3 nearly bed sized quilts short. Two are in progress, but I need to make FASTER progress!  I sat down to work on these string snowballs, and give a bit of a workout to my 1961 Singer 328k, a machine I don’t sew on often.

20170530_061841

Love the hammered finish!

Her serial # ES313577 gives her a commission date of January 27, 1961 (She was 1 year old when I was born!) and there are 40,000 machines of this model in the same range of serial numbers from this date.  INCREDIBLE amount of machines. Can you imagine 40,000 machines lined up end to end?

I was thinking of re-homing her, but she is SO sweet.  I love that “frog eye” lamp.  The drop-in class 66 bobbins mean she holds a lot of thread and the needle is threaded front to back.  She does zig-zag and fancy stitches via cams. (That I’ve never played with.) I’ve used her for zig-zagging batting scraps together, but because she is a zig-zag machine her feed dogs are a bit wider than I like for patchwork piecing.  But we got along just great last night while making these blocks!

I’ve decided that she is indeed a keeper.

20170530_060952

This morning’s trim up of last night’s piecing.

Today there is a long list of things to get done so I can get to the dentist in the morning and hit the road for Kentucky as soon as I’m done there.

I’ve been asked about Quilt-Cam, but it’s going to have to happen after Kentucky!

I’m also remembering the last time I stayed at Irene’s house and how bad the phone connection was, so be patient with me if posts don’t come – I know I’ve said it before and we’ve been lucky, but since I’m staying with my friend instead of at a hotel, my connection may not be great. 

5_30_2017

Quiltville Quote of the Day!

Today I start here. Vintage nine patch quilt shared by Cathy Boo.

Make it a good Tuesday, everyone!


Follow me on Instagram!

Follow my Quiltville Page on Facebook for more fun!

Join our sister group, Quiltville's Open Studio on Facebook, a place to Sew, Share & Grow!!

16 comments:

  1. Thanks for today's quote, It came at exactly the right time for me. As for the person who dissed you for saying Happy Memorial Day, am adding them to my prayer list. Have a great day!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I wrapped my TV cables with left over binding fastened at each end with a straight pin. We call it a design element.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Fun for Irene to have you come stay while you're in Kentucky. Don't worry about checking in. I'll be stitching on the road. Kitting up more Moth in the Window blocks. Maybe some Posy blocks too.

    ReplyDelete
  4. You get so much done in so little time. I am just amazed. I am retired and can't get project started, completed or my hubby focused to complete "honey-dos". Guess having deadlines has it advantages. Have a good day, good luck at the dentist and enjoy the rest of your week.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I just love your blog. It keeps me on track seeing what you accomplish. Have a safe trip.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I just love your blog. It keeps me on track seeing what you accomplish. Have a safe trip.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm new to your blog : )
    You've quickly become a favorite.
    Thank you so much for blogging,
    as someone who can't write
    I really appreciate it

    ReplyDelete
  8. Bonnie, would you share with us how. You hang your quilts on the wall. THey look so good... no hanger or vlips showing...cabin is taking a homey look on ..
    HUGS
    JulieinTN

    ReplyDelete
  9. Safe travels and happy sewing.

    ReplyDelete
  10. There are rigid, plastic cord covers that create a clean, straight line instead of a wiggly cord dangling behind the tv. It's fun to watch the progression of your new cabin's decor and functionality!

    ReplyDelete
  11. the 328k is a real work horse for sure...a bit slow but solid to the core....i'll be getting one from my mom someday...

    ReplyDelete
  12. safe travels! So glad to see I'm not the only one who rearranges the furniture a couple of times when settling into a new space. What looks great on paper and make sense in your head sometimes just doesn't work in real life.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I, too, have wrapped my tv wires with fabric to try to blend it to the wall color. Maybe if you at least take the center cord over to the side cord on the right and fasten them together so they look like one cord, it would be less distracting.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I am so sorry that the "holiday police" tried to rain on your parade. Those that we celebrate on Memorial Day gave all that they had that we might enjoy whatever we have for as long as we can. Yes, it is a day of reflection on sad times in our lives, but if we make it maudlin then the sacrifice seems less important than the awesome gift they sacrificed for, continued happiness, peace & joy for those left behind. I am so tired of people thinking that they must correct others (just as I am doing now) when those that gave their lives was so that we could all be ourselves, to the best of our abilities, no cookie cutter mold to fit into, just ourselves as we were created to be. Loved seeing all that you got done at the cabin. I am in a tizzy getting packed for a 4 day guild quilt retreat, year 2. I think I am forgetting more than I am taking. lol. Enjoy Kentucky.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Bonnie, Enjoy your time in Kentucky. Laugh and have fun with Irene and other friends old and new. Don't worry about the blog ... we will all be here for you when you return.

    I have broken a few teeth and I have every confidence that your dentist will make it as good as new.

    Thank you for your words of wisdom. They are always just what I need that day!

    ReplyDelete
  16. If you need help making quilt blocks for the new book, put out a call on the blog. I'm sure you would have hundreds within the week. I'd love to be able to help you as repayment for the mystery quilts.

    ReplyDelete

If you are commenting as "anonymous" please leave your name at the end of your comment.

Did you know that ad space on this blog provides for all of the free patterns and free mysteries and challenges at no cost to you? Without ads, this blog would not be possible.

Thank you for understanding the many hours that go into this blog 6 days a week, 52 weeks a year. :)