Sadie, Snow and an All Day Sew!

This little one is NOT so sure she likes this white stuff.

Actually, I think it’s pretty safe to say she DOES NOT like the snow at all!

Getting her to go outside when the snow is up to her belly ---she’s just not having any of it!

I don’t blame her.

It’s pretty from inside, but I haven’t ventured out in it either.  Snow on the groud outside pretty much guarantees that I will stay in and be a slug.  Long gone are the 2 1/2 miles hikes we used to take every morning.

Not to fear, it doesn’t last long and in a few more days I’ll be back in Texas where temps are supposed to be in the 70s.  Stitchin’ Heaven Quilt Shop, here I come!  And even more fun – the workshops I’ll be teaching will be held at their bunk house retreat facility out in the country.  This is going to be fun!

My sunrise view this morning!

The skies are cloudless and clear.  The sun shining on the blue ridge parkway (tallest ridge in the distance) brought a smile to my face –the mountains have been hidden in clouds for days and I have missed them.

Today’s chore!

Oh, Shamu!  She needs to be dug out.  While major roads are plowed, the road that goes in front of the cabin has not been as it is a secondary road.  The plan is to get the van part way down the mountain either today or tomorrow and park it there.  I want to stay until Tuesday afternoon, and friends Rick & Mona have offered their chauffeur service and will take me down to the van when I am ready to go.

The highway and the road to Wilkesboro and on to home are FINE…it’s just up here on my road that it is bad.

Needless to say I’ve had plenty going on!  I even took photos to do a re-cap of my sticky seam guide for those who are new and have been asking.  I needed to put one on the 500a Rocketeer so took a few photos as I went.

Take an old hotel room key, membership card, gift card, or expired credit card. Use an old rotary cutter blade to score the card at 3/4" wide.

Snap the card strip off along the scored line. I use scotch removable double sided poster tape on the underside of the room key strip to stick it to my machine bed.

If you are on a modern machine, do not cover the feed dogs. The seam guide needs to go in front of the feed dogs. If your machine has a drop front bobbin, do not make the seam guide longer than your bobbin cover. It should stay on top of your bobbin cover only so that you can easily change your bobbin when it runs out.

On this machine I have cut the seam guide in two pieces so that I can slide the bobbin cover plate out to replace the bobbin, and push it back into place. I can have my seam guide go alongside the presser foot on this machine due to the narrow feed dogs. The guide does not cover them, or interfere with the foot.

Seam Guide Rulers!

These are the seam guide rulers I offer in the Quiltville Store.  There are holes for 1/4’’, 3/8’’, 1/2’’. 5/8’’ and 3/4’’.  Put the needle in the 1/4’’ hole.  Put the presser foot down to hold the guide in place.  Make sure it is straight, and then place the sticky guide up along side the ruler.  Remove ruler to sew.

Here I am using it on my Singer 66 Red Eye.

I use these with every machine I sit at so that i can match my seam allowance from machine to machine to machine.

I generally find myself putting the right edge of the hole up against the needle for a scant 1/4'' seam.

Remember that your cutting, fabric thickness, and different threads can give you varying results, so I always do a seam test on some scrap squares, pressing and measuring across the pair of squares which lets me know if my seam is where I want it to be.

These are available as singles, 3 pack or even a 6 pack so you can share with your friends.  Believe me, they will LOVE you for it.

Yesterday afternoon was full of food and family and friends as we celebrated my brithday with burgers cooked on the porch, but definitely eaten inside!

10 of us in this little cabin if you include baby Carmen, Rick & Mona’s first granddaughter!

So sweet!

She is 2 months old now, so alert and smiley!  Sadie is keeping a close watch.  Quilt made by Mona!

By the time the gang dispersed, and kids were well on their way back to South Carolina, I tucked myself in for a long late afternoon birthday nap.  I needed it!

Mona and I STILL haven’t gotten started on our Scrappy Mountain Majesties blocks, but that should get a start today.  And if I’m staying until Tuesday there is a good chance for a good start still to happen.

in the mean time, I’m all kitted up with block parts for my “It All Adds Up” Challenge in the American Patchwork & Quilting Quilt Along!  Are you joining in?

Bagged and ready to travel!

Even sashings are sewn in sets, sub-cut and ready!

I’m prepped for several nights of Hotel Sewing during my time in Texas and Alabama coming up. I sewed all of the strip sets and cross cut them with the Accuquilt Studio. This makes working on the road so easy. It’s tempting to start assembling some blocks, but I’ll wait! 

Oops!

There was some of this!

Somehow I don't think this is what APQ meant when they said "it all adds up!"

You can find out more about the APQ Quilt-Along in my post HERE.

Quiltville Quote of the Day!

Oh how I admire Eleanor Roosevelt! Wiser words were never spoken. If you find yourself on the gossip train, get off quickly! That train is going nowhere.

Change the subject, find something positive, and when all else fails - go pet the fabric!

Vintage double wedding ring quilt shared by a student during my recent workshop in South Carolina.

Have a beautiful Sunday, everyone!  I’m off to the sewing nook to cut squares from recycled shirts!


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