April 6, 2013

  • April Sewing Circle

    April Sewing Circle



    There was an extra amount of children at sewing.   Then we realized that this is Spring Break week and most of the kids are off from school.

    Children are the future Sewing Circle and we do welcome them.
    Grandma Delores showing Laci the finer points of her machine.

    Sorry this picture is out of focus but I thought it was so sweet seeing Jessica just a quilting away with her little one on her lap.

    Delores often had a child or two watching what she was doing.  Future seamstresses!

     

    Elizabeth and her adult child.

    Going through the lunch line with a little one in tow.

    How about this?  Momma has both hands free!

     

    Yum, Yum.  Mother and son.

    For Show and Tell  Queena brought the quilt that she had pieced out of her daughter Candace’s childhood dresses.  I was tickled that Candace was there as well as her little Lucy.

     

    Eileen got up during show and tell and said I have something to show you.
    A brand new grandson!

    We showed the quilt that Grandma Schultz and I made for her great-grandson.


     
    It was good to finally get this one out of the quilting frame.  Thanks to all you at sewing who helped put your beautiful stitches in this one.

    Notice the children standing around watching what Allison is doing.


     
    Here is a close up.   She brought this project along that she has been doing at home.   She pieced the doll blanket and is now hand quilting it.   What did I say about our future sewing circle?    Yay!!!

      Children stringing beads.

    Till next time…..happy sewing!

March 31, 2013

  • Fancy Tea with my “Princesses”

    Tea with my “Princesses”

    Last week while my three granddaughters were here I thought it sweet that they had packed a separate suitcase with their fancy dresses in.   They wanted a tea party while at Grandma Polly’s.

    ~ Summer Breeze ~

     

    ~ Amber Sky ~

    ~ Autumn Brook ~

    This summer I found these tea cups that are shown above, for a couple bucks at a thrift store.   It is the same pattern of their great-great grandmother’s China.    Great-grandma Alene’s mother Alma.
    Mom these pictures are for you!

    Israel called me later asking me if I could guess what the girls enjoyed most about being at Grandma’s.  He said I’d never guess.    It was the afternoon I let them play outside and they pretended they were planting flowers and were playing in the ashes of the fire pit (getting really dirty)!   I told Israel, “yes but they also like getting really clean and dressing up!

    I’ve been in need of a new hand sewing project.   This summer we’re planning on an extended trip out West and I want a project I can work on that won’t take a bunch of thinking. 
    Been playing with velvet and hexies and I think it’s gonna be just what I want to take along.


March 26, 2013

  • The Three Musketeers

    The Three Musketeers

     

    Three little girls.
    Three little rocking chairs.
    Three little puppies.

    On Sunday Mark and I drove to Baltimore to pick up three of our granddaughters.   Israel and Jessica were in for a seminar and we were tickled to have Summer, Amber and Autumn here for a couple days.

    On Monday we got to visit Grandma Alene!  They love their great-grandma and don’t get to see her very often.

    My little helpers, Amber and Autumn.  Two peas in a pod working together.

    The girls brought their dollies along.
    Summer Breeze playing with them using the cradle my father made when he was only 14 and the little velvet blanket that Summer’s great-great grandmother Vera made when she was close to 100 years old.

    Last evening we had “Girls Night Out”!  Timmy found other things to do like playing in the snow!

    What’s going on here? 

       

    Grandpa Mark Skypeing with Dorie and James in Malaysia showing them what Springtime looks like here in Delaware!   Since their temp. has been running in the high 80′s he thought they might enjoy seeing Mr. Frosty!

     

    Back to our “Girls Night Out”!   Holly came up with the supper idea of a “top your own Mac-n-Cheese dish”.   

    We had all different kinds of topping to add to our macaroni.  After baking them what  personal little treats they were!

     

    After supper and foot treatments we watch a sweet movie “Ramona and Beezus”.

    It will soon be time to say goodbye to these grands.   Do wish they lived a little closer!

March 20, 2013

  • The Butterfly quilts are done.

    Holly and Alicia both did a great job.  It was a delight seeing these two work together and seeing the quilts take shape.   Both were made as baby gifts.  Alicia for her sister and Holly’s for a friend she use to work with.

    I love the details and serpentine quilting that was done on the seams.

    Going back into my pictures I see I never posted about a visit from Alicia’s mother.   Judy spent a couple days with Chris and Alicia a week ago.  We were blessed having her come join us for Sunday lunch.

    Mom Yoder and her sister Aunt Freda joined us as well.  They sure are two sweet ladies.  Love um!

    I guess my post on the “Tentmakers of Cairo” will have to wait again.

March 15, 2013

  • Lancaster Quilt Show

    What a delightful time I have had these last two days.  Holly and I attended the AQS Lancaster Quilt Show.   I wish I could post the winning quilts but we were limited on the pictures we could take.

     

    Just a few pictures on some upclose details.

     

    This one just kept drawing Holly and I into it.  It’s fun to get close and see details that you miss from standing back.

    We enjoyed walking through all the vender booths soaking up ideas and buying a few things.    Loved the Bernina booth.  They had a clear housing over a running machine.   It really drew people into their booth.
    Now I know what the inside of my new Bernina looks like!
    I’m still wondering why it cost so much.


     
    My sister Julia had a quilt in the show.   It looked so good hanging there beside the striking zebra.   Hers is the one on the right. 

    “Ezekiel Saw the Wheel”

    Holly and I didn’t take any classes but we did sign up for three lectures.   The highlight of my time was the evening lecture by Kaffe Fassett “Dreaming in Color.   I love his eye for color and what he does with designing fabrics and making quilts.  Such an inspiration to me.

    Another lecture we took was by Pam Holland.  Here Holly is with Pam.
    Such a colorful lady!

    Pam is a master story teller sharing with us her adventures as a traveling quilt teacher.  Here is a link to her blog.

    This is one of Pam’s quilts that is wimsical and draws you in.

    The saying quilted in the middle is one I have loved in the past few years.
    “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, People will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”


     
    Some more of her quilts…

     
     

    All of her quilts have stories and are made from the heart.
    My next post will be on the “Tentmakers of Cairo” exhibit.  

    On the way home we stopped at a gas station and picked up a couple little guys!

    Jeremy and Cheryl are spending the week-end in Harrisburg and it worked out great to meet them and bring the boys home with us.



    I had to take a few minutes and hold sweet little Ariel.  She wasn’t to happy.  Looking forward to Sunday afternoon when they will come get the boys and I’ll get to hold her more.

     

    Timmy’s happy with his helpers.

March 6, 2013

  • March Sewing Circle

    ~ March Sewing Circle ~

    I really wondered how many would venture out for our monthly sewing circle on such a windy, rainy blustery day.

    Our group was smaller then usual but I think I counted over 20 were there bringing their laughter, warm hearts and busy hands.

    Darlene finishing up the binding on this comfort top.

    It took team work to reach the middle of this one.

    Well worth the reach to get the last knots on this beautiful comfort.

    For lunch these hot soups tasted so yummy!

    ~ Sew-and-Tell ~
    Marg sharing with us another cute baby quilt she made.

        

    Grandma Schultz with another quilt she pieced for her great-granddaughter Erica.

    Then Ilva brought an old quilt that was her mother’s.

    The women were so drawn to it.  It was signed by their mother’s, grandmother‘s and other family members.

    Grace with her mother’s block.

    Delorus with her Grandma Hulda’s block.

    Connie with her mother’s block.

    Pearly with her mother-in-law’s block.

    Ilva with her Aunt Lucy’s block.

    Marg with her mother-in-law’s block.

    Then there was this block!

    That’s Grandma B. for Bender.
    My husband Mark’s Great Grandma’s block.

    Thank you Ilva for sharing this quilt with us and thanks to all you brave Greenwood women who ventured out on this windy, rainy, blustery day.


March 4, 2013

  • Happy Birthday Alicia!

    Happy Birthday Alicia!

    Sunday evening Christopher surprised Alicia with a Birthday supper here.    We are so thankful for the beautiful gift she is to our family.   Alicia I love the way you have allowed God to work in and through you making you His precious child.

    We enjoyed soup and cake and a great game of “Ticket to Ride“.
    Sorry Tim and Di couldn’t join us.  They spent the week-end at Ocean City.

February 27, 2013

  • Finishing up projects.

    In the last few weeks I have been trying to finish up on some of my sewing projects.

    This is a string quilt that Grandma Schultz and I have been working on for her great grandson.   Love the way the two narrow blues add so much.   All that needs to be done now is machine quilt it.

    This afternoon I wanted to go to Irene’s and see a puzzle she put together.   It is a 1000 piece doozie!



    Here Irene is working on another 1000 piecer.



    Queena K went along with me.   She showed us a quilt she just finished  for her daughter using up scraps from her childhood dresses.

    The backing was so special!  What better fabric for a mother to use for the backing of her daughter’s quilt.


     
    Queena brought along some redwork she is embroidering.

    I worked on the binding of my “Father’s Shirts Quilt”.

    Loved the stippling I put in the center light gray star so I decided to run that around the boarder of the quilt as well.

    Another day and it should be finished!  Yay!

February 20, 2013

  • The Heatwole Sisters Record

    This is Polly’s son, Christopher Yoder.  When Mom was at sewing retreat, she received a copy of a record they cut years and years ago.  I asked to borrow it so that I could upload it to the internet so that it would be saved for future generations.  If you would like to listen to it, you can below:

February 18, 2013

  • At my table today.

    At my table today….

    Both Holly and Alicia graced my table today.

    I can’t wait to show you what they are up to with this lovely lineup of fabrics.

    Opps!  The seam rippers had to come out at one point.
    We were tickled when Diana joined us as well.

    I told my gals I’d love to do this every month or oftener.