OPAM Finish for January.......just in time!

Here it is, my first finish for the OPAM Challenge................

The binding is finished and the buttons are all stitched in place! Originally, I planned to do the border in the same fabric as the baskets. Got started with it and realized it did not look good at all! The narrow border in the same fabric as the runner looked much better. This is a Thimbleberries pattern that is no longer available.

And I took a picture of the back, just to show it's really finished and that the binding isn't just pinned in place! I set it on my table and added the candle in hopes that it will encourage spring to arrive early. There's a certain groundhog out in Pennsylvania that will give us his opinion on Tuesday. We shall see what Puxatony Phil has to say and I hope it's that there will be an early spring!

I am excited to think that I might put the finishing touches on a project a month. Wow, I would have 12 items I can use by the end of the year, instead of 12 projects in a pile waiting to be finished!! Now I am going to sign off and choose what project I will finish for February. :-)

Sandi

Chasing away the "winter blues"!!!

To help chase the "winter blues away", my blogging friend Pat (you'll find her here ) suggested we add some variety to our posts by going back 5 years in our files, click on the 5th photo and post it on our blog. I don't have digital photos that go back that far so I decided I would dig into some really old photos.
This one is a favorite family photo that only "surfaced" a few years ago when my cousin, Charlotte, brought it to a family reunion. I love the photo as it is so "us, our family" in the 1950's.

In the last years of my dad's life he talked often of how nothing made him more pleased "than to walk down the street with ma and you girls in new dresses that she had made." I love this picture as it is so full of memories. :-)
I decided to make the photo into a new blog header that I will use more permanently. I began my blog "A Legacy of Stitches" shortly after my dad passed away in April of 2008 and this photo just seemed to gather all the good thoughts into one photo that makes me smile every time I see it. I am so glad that Charlotte brought it to our reunion!
Busy day coming and busy weekend ahead. I'm going to a retreat but won't even be leaving the house. :-) More to share later..........
Sandi

Oops! I need to make a little correction.....I got the date wrong on the photo above. The year is 1957, not 1956. I corrected it in my header. :-)

A visit to the Post Office

I made a visit to the Post Office today. It's the first time I've been out since last Friday when I went out for groceries. Our wintery weather has been........well.......very wintery!!! While we had snow, the wind blew so hard that the driveway was clear of snow and only the end of it had to be shoveled. It was good to get out although kinda cold.
It was good to see Connie, my Postlady and I had lots of packages to mail to winners of the prizes at last Friday night's Quilt-In. I used to go to Quilt-Ins at our guilt group and enjoyed visiting with friends. This was visiting with quilting friends but just not meeting them in person. We still had a lot of fun!!!! So here are the packages that went in the mail........

I had some others to mail, too, so when Connie saw the whole pile she said, "hey, while I do your packages let me show you what I have"..............and she went to the back room and brought out a big old scrapbook and it was filled with Valentines and Christmas cards from her great Aunt Anita. They were lovely. The book is huge - 15 x 15" at least and I think it was an old sample book as it has advertising on the pages. This was a common thing to do back then. Connie said it dates to the 1920's and I was thrilled that she shared it with me.

That big full page valentine has a pull-down section where it says "To My Valentine". It is lovely.

I was just in awe of this treasure............

I have three old Valentines that are from the same era and belonged to my great Aunt Bell, plus some of her Christmas cards with penny stamps on them. This album, though, was just amazing. Interestingly, I have scrapbooks of my kids valentines from the late 1970's to mid "80's. Do you suppose one day someone will go "ga-ga" over those, the way I did over Connie's album today?

On a more serious note, some of you who read my blog are quilters who made a block(s) for the fund-raising quilt for Connie's granddaughter, Emma, who has cancer. Emma had been doing so well in treatment but the tumor has begun to grow again. To read the Caring Bridge post that Emma's mother wrote, you can go here . The quilt that was made, was given to Emma, both the large one and the smaller one. Pulling it all together was hard as I found myself still coping with my dad's passing and my mother's health issues. But making that quilt is what led me to make the blocks for the quilt I am now calling "Grace and a Prayer". That quilt will be in memory of my Dad and also all the men from our town of Lehigh that fought in WW II. I am not sure where the quilt will go when it's finished but just working on it means they are not forgotten.

It's time to call it a day. Goodnight all and have a great day!

Sandi

One World One Heart........2010

Last year I participated in the One World One Heart event. I love meeting people and knew that I wanted to participate again this year. Lisa of A*Whimsical*Bohemian created the event in 2007. You can learn all about it just by checking out her blog, plus you'll find the list of all the other bloggers who are participating.
Last year I made a covered journal (you'll find it here) that was won by Nikki. I made one for me, too, and I use it all the time. :-) This year we are taking a "Magic Carpet Ride" and so I wanted something special, almost magical. I wanted the gift to have meaning. I thought about it a lot and realized that I almost always have needle and thread in hand. Sometimes it's "magical" when I make something and it turns out just as I imagined. :-) Other times, I need a "genie in the bottle" to help me because things aren't going well on a project. I stitch things for people I love and care about. And so I made this.............and I call it "Needle Love" because we all "Needalittlelove". :-) I was inspired by the One World One Heart message. The appliqued circle on the cover represents "One World" and in the middle is "One Heart". :-)

This isn't the usual little needlecase. It measures about 5 x 7" and it has pages!!! And those pages have pockets that are filled with lots of needles! Look below and you'll see that when you open the needlecase there are needles for quilting, basting, applique, chenille (I use these for my penny rugs and wool projects), embroidery, and tapestry.

And that's not all, turn the page ............... and you'll find a pair of sharp little scissors for snipping threads and there's a soft piece of my painted wool to hold those needles once you begin using them. I added a couple curved needles, too, that are often quite useful!

And there's still more........the last pages have fancy metallic needles that I included "just because they are pretty" and fine beading needles because I like to crazy quilt and these are needed for beading embellishments.

There are enough needles to keep you stitching for quite some time! The fabrics that I chose reminded me of the 1950's when my mother taught me to sew. She was always sewing dresses for me and for my sister, clothes for our Barbie dolls, doing embroidery, quilting and more. She still enjoys quilting and loves her fabrics just like I do! When we take fabric and create, it's like "making magic"!!! I enjoyed using a little stitching "magic" in making this little gift (and when I find time, I'll make one for me, too).

So now, the rules for how you can win my "NeedleLove" case.

1. This Giveaway is open to all residents of the blogging world. I will ship anywhere.

2. You must have a blog to participate. In addition, if your e-mail is not included in your blog profile, you must include it in the comment that you post. Comments without contact info will not be entered in the drawing.

3. You must leave a comment by noon Central Standard Time on February 15th and the winner will be announced at 8:00 p.m. that evening. When the winner is drawn, I will post the name on my blog and then e-mail the winner. You will have 48 hours to reply to claim your prize.

I look forward to your comments and getting to know even more bloggers!!

Have a great day!

Sandi

Reminder......you must have an active blog to be entered in my giveaway!

Comments are closed...........winner will be announced this evening..............and the winner is......... Saskia! Click here for her blog. :-)

Short and sweet.......

That's what this post will be as this might be the latest at night, or the earliest in the morning, that I have ever posted. I am just about to turn out the lights after having a great night at a quilt-in and I didn't even leave the house!! The members of my Seasons BOM group joined me for an on-line quilt-in and wow! did we have a fun night chatting. Some folks actually sewed and posted photos! There were prize giveaways, too. I had fabric and some little cookbooks to give away and another member, Barb, also shared some fabric and patterns so there was lots of anticipation for who would win the prizes offered each hour or so. It kept me very busy tallying up the names to put in the drawings. Plus, I had to snack occasionally and I had to let the dog out a couple times. Otherwise, he slept through all the fun. I managed to make a little something and I will use it alot. So, would you like to see what I made at the Quilt-In........

A coaster!! That was all I could get done but as I said "I'll use it alot!" There will be a "mugwrap" to match if my little project works out. If not, it will go in the scrap bag. That bear on my mug is reminding me that I best get to sleep. I'm betting I'll sleep really well tonight! :-)
Sandi

The Great Wall of Wooly Stuff!

I have been very busy for several days and here is the result of my "busyness" .............

It's my "Great Wall of Wooly Stuff". Finally, all of my woolfelt, then wool from quilt shops and then my recycled wool from skirts and jackets, etc. is all organized. I can actually find a color or texture without digging through a pile of fabric! I love it and it makes me smile just to see the order of it all! Along the top of the shelving units (clearance closet shelving found at Menard's that was a perfect fit for the U-shaped end of my sewing room!!) I've displayed pincushion's I've made, collected and received as gifts or in exchanges.

Then there's the "Christmas Corner" where I keep a little bit of "Christmas all year long". All those colorful rolls of wool are the various pieces that I painted last summer when my grandson Jacob came to visit. Everything is neat and orderly so I can see what I am looking for and I promise I will keep it that way!!!

Speaking of promises.......I promised myself that I would finish a few certain projects this next year. I discovered the OPAM challenge and realized it was a great way to get me motivated to finish some projects. And here is the first one I will finish. You may have seen this one before as I did a post about it last fall. I actually planned to finish it last fall and I did finish all the handquilting but there it sat in my pile of "to be finished". All it needs is the binding and buttons in the center of the flowers. This will be my "finish" for January. The pattern is a Thimbleberries tablerunner from long ago. I have another Thimbleberries project, a quilt that I started in about 1998 and that's going to go on the list to finish, too. I have to post my list on my sidebar so I'll be adding that soon.

That's all for tonight.

Sandi

In honor of Rev. Martin Luther King

Today is an official holiday here in the U.S. It's a day to remember Rev. Martin Luther King and the significant changes he made in the civil rights movement in our country. I wanted to add a block to my "Grace and a Prayer" quilt in honor of this man, this day, so I made this block.........

Last night I lay in bed and thought of many designs I might create that would celebrate this man and his mission. I kept thinking of the peace symbol but it just wasn't working for me. Then I thought of the message he spoke of in many of his speeches and writings. I have a small book with some of his favorite quotes and then I googled his work for more ideas. The words above were often repeated. Inspiration hit!! I drew a quick sketch of what I wanted and then chose fabrics from my stash of patriotic prints. I cut three - 4 1/2" squares and then three - 8 1/2" rectangles to make the 12 1/2" block. I drew the shapes and letters, then traced them onto fabric backed with fusible web and ironed them to the block. I will sit down later tonight and blanket stitch around the letters and shapes. As I worked on the block this afternoon, I was watching "A Raisin in the Sun" starring Sidney Poitier. Then I turned to the news coverage of Haiti. I decided this block is done in memory of Rev. King and also in honor of all those in Haiti, many of whom have only "faith, hope and love" at this time. There is much being done to help but there is so much need. I am thinking about a little project that I might be able to do and can donate through a nearby church. There are so many people offering to help. It gives one hope for the future just to see that happening!
The next "Grace and a Prayer" blocks will be in February. I'll be back tomorrow and show you what has been keeping me so busy. :-)
Sandi

Lots of wooly fun!

Okay, when I last posted, I noted that it had been a crazy Sunday. I anticipated the week ahead would go better. However, that wasn't quite the case. Several unexpected things happened this past week so all plans went out the window and I just "went with the flow"............ sometimes that just works the best. My mom had a bit of a health concern again this past week so there was a lot of time spent on the phone with her, other family, etc. but as the week ends, all is well.

In the middle of the week, there were a couple fun things to report.............. I was invited to do a "wooly workshop/program" for the Kindred Quilters group (in nearby LeSueur) for their February meeting. :-) Then I got an e-mail that a recipe I submitted to a certain cookbook was accepted. I'll get a free copy of the recipe book when it's published this summer. I'm not sure if I can say the publisher so I will leave it at that and it will be something to share when it's hot this summer and I can't think because it's too hot out! You know, like when I can't think because it's too cold! :-) And then there was the first "Wooly Wednesday" session at Firefly Quilt Shop this past week. Five lovely ladies joined me and we had a great time chatting about wooly stuff and making the little snowman lapel pins that you see Heidi and Carol holding in this photo.............

I had intended to take a picture of all the gals as they worked on the their projects, but we were so busy and so focused on what we were doing that I forgot to take the picture. Didn't realize it til I started packing up my stuff! Luckily, Heidi and Carole were still shopping and were most kind to let me snap their picture. Thanks, Heidi and Carole!!! Each month at "Wooly Wednesdays", I'll share a pattern for a new lapel pin that's appropriate to the holidays or events in that month. I've also provided a small penny rug pattern so that one can take the snowman design and place it on a penny rug if they don't want to make a pin. At the end of the summer, I'll have the whole series done and it will be available as a pattern. Right now, I'm only offering it at Firefly. I'll post a photo of the little penny rug as soon as I finish it.

On the home front....... my husband is done with the hammering and such in the basement family room so I am looking forward to a quiet day tomorrow. All the laundry is done and I plan to spend the day on wooly projects. I am so excited I may not be able to sleep. :-) I have started putting away my Christmas decorations but it all looks so plain when I start putting things away that I may not take down the trees for another week or more. The twinkle they add at night makes me smile and that's better than a frown anytime.

It was a good day here. Hope it was where you are and that tomorrow might be even better!

Sandi

Just a little more Christmas.......

It's late Sunday night and I am going to turn in soon. The day has been kinda crazy. It started off okay with plans to go visit my daughter and grandson but then the power went out. Don't know why........just poof! and it was gone. Luckily my husband's cell phone was charged because mine was dead so I gave her a call to let her know I'd be running late. Funny how something so simple can change plans. Taught me that I need to keep my phone charged and my husband is thinking he should have checked into a generator. I don't worry about power outages in the summer. They're kinda cool and usually go along with lightning and thunder and I enjoy both of those things. I get out the candles and a good book and I enjoy the quiet of a power outage. That is not the case in the winter!! In the winter, a power outage means - no heat!! And considering it was only about ten degrees outside, that is not good. It only lasted a little over an hour but it sure made me appreciate the electric company!! :-)

Actually, I left the house just before the power came back on. I headed down to see Collette and Jacob and there was no power outage in Mankato. We had a nice lunch at the Food Court in the Mankato Mall. I came bearing one last Christmas gift for Jacob. It was from my sister and came in a box she sent to me. I took a picture of the package because she wrapped it so cool! Those are little foam letters for his name and there are tiny little Christmas trees glued to the ribbon. It was almost to pretty to unwrap but Jacob did a good job of it and got to the toys inside. :-) We did a little shopping/looking in the mall. We found some good clearance deals on sweaters at Penney's and Jacob got a special treat so we had a good afternoon. Then it was off to the grocery store for me and I love to go grocery shopping so I enjoyed that, too! By the time I got back home the power was on and all was back to normal.
Speaking of normal.........the weatherman says that we will have some more normal temperatures in the next few days .... in the 20's ..... and that would be practically be a "heat wave" after all this "deep freeze" weather that we have had lately.
One last little thing......in that box from my sister was the book you see in this photo, along with a few other gifts.
She sent the book with a note that said "I usually treat myself to Christmas fiction book each year and bought this one and thought you might enjoy it because we had an aluminum tree". Well, I certainly did. It was such a good book that I shared a bit about it at Bible Study last week and now it will "make the rounds" of the group. Doris is reading it now and then it will be passed around. The author also wrote "The Christmas Quilt" and I have never read that so will put in a request at the library. Thanks, Judy!! It's just a very charming story so I can definitely recommend it. :-) I also read "Calico Christmas" and "Christmas in Harmony" between Christmas and New Year's and they were also good little books. "The Aluminum Christmas Tree" was my favorite. :-)
Time to turn in.........Another Monday rolls around and another week begins..........Have a good one!
Sandi

Pecan Praline Pumpkin Muffins!

See these muffins.................they were really good!!
You all may remember that a few weeks ago, I won a giveaway over at Barb's blog. I won that towel you see in the photo below and a potholder that she made. It came all the way from Pago Pago and you can read about it here. A little edit here.......her niece sent me the muffin mix so I can't give you the recipe but you can go ThePreparedPantry for more info. Sorry I forgot to mention this in my initial post! I planned to make the muffins on Christmas morning but we got so preoccupied with the big snowstorm that I forgot to make the muffins. :-(
Then I realized that there was a better time to bake them anyway, because my husband doesn't like pumpkin pie so how could he like pumpkin muffins? I served them up for Bible Study this past Tuesday afternoon! Then I asked the gals to let me take their picture so Barb could see how happy they were to be dining on Pecan Praline Pumpkin Muffins. They were all anxious to eat them but patiently allowed me to take their photo!! :-) Thank you so much, Barb, for the lovely gifts! The muffins were delicious!! That's Dorothy, Arline, Carolyn (who will celebrate her 96th birthday on January 10th!), and Doris in the photo on the left and Dianne and Joanie in the photo on the right. I must admit, though, that my muffins didn't look quite as loverly as the ones on the package but looks aren't everything and the taste, especially that crumbled brown sugar pecan topping, was excellent!

We had a lovely visit and a good study from a book on Angels. I told them about the introduction of my Angel blocks and how much fun I have had sharing my designs with so many women all around the world!! We enjoyed the afternoon so much that it was almost 4:30 p.m. before everyone left. As I waved good-bye to everyone, I saw this in the distance.................
I grabbed my camera so you could see it, too. The sunset was just awesome and my photo doesn't do it justice. It was one of the reasons I wanted to move to the country. I wanted cornfields and cows on nearby farms (I wasn't looking to farm, though!) and beautiful sunsets. This is just one of many. :-)
Yesterday, I had some other friends come for lunch and I fixed a really tasty hotdish. It's worth sharing. I would show you a picture but I was too hungry and enjoying our conversation so much that I forgot to get photos! Anyway, here's the scoop......it's a Bisquick recipe so if you can't get Bisquick, you might not be able to make this one. It's a variation of their Cheeseburger pie recipe. :-)

Hotdish for a Cold Day

Spray 9 x 13" pan with cooking spray and set aside.

Set oven to 400 degrees.

You will need:

Two cans of Veg-All or any other brand mixed vegetables

One can Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup (or Cream of Chicken Soup)

One large can chunky chicken (or 1 cup cooked chopped chicken)

Bisquick

Four Eggs

2-1/2 cups milk

2 cups shredded cheese

In large bowl, mix the 2 cans of vegetables, the can of Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup,

1/2 cup milk, the chunky/chopped chicken, and 1 cup of the shredded cheese.

Mix well and pour in 9 x 13" pan.

Next, mix 1-1/2 cups bisquick with the four beaten eggs and 2 cups milk.

Blend well and pour over vegetable mix. Bake for 30 minutes,

then add the remaining one cup of shredded cheese and bake an additional ten minutes.

Remove from oven and let set for a few minutes before slicing.

Makes twelve generous servings.

Tastes great with coleslaw, carrot sticks and crisp, bread and butter pickle slices. :-)

This really did taste good on such a cold, cold day! And especially since our house just can't seem to warm up when it's this cold outside! Guess, we've had too many days of near zero weather and Mother Nature is bringing us a couple more before we finally climb out of the "deep freeze". When we hit 20 degrees next week, it is going to feel like a heat wave!!

I better close it out for tonight. Sleep tight and stay warm!

Sandi

Winners of the "End of the Day Giveaway"!

I wish I could send you all patterns because I enjoyed reading each of your comments. Some of you would really have liked certain patterns. The "Random Number Man" drew the names of the lucky winners and here they are.........


Nadine, Owl Lady (not blogging yet :-) but who knows?) and she wrote......
"My first choice would be Gudrun's Quilt as You Go because that technique is on my list of 'things to learn' for 2010, but I would use any of them in starting my Christmas gift stash for next year."
She was the only one of the winners that made a choice and so Gudrun's pattern will go off to the Owl Lady. I will surprise the rest of you!!

Anna at FreshDewDrops blog and she wrote.....
"Generosity...what a great way to start the New Year. You have inspired me and for that I thank you!" Thanks, Anna. That is really nice!!!!!

The next name drawn was Just Susan at Dragonflies Eat Mosquitos blog - just click here to check it out. She wrote......." I love patterns and you have picked some beauties. Thanks for yet another giveaway. Here's to a wonderful , healthy 2010." Susan, I love the name of your blog!

Then came the name of Colletta Kay and I commented on her blog the other day because her name is similar to my daughter's, Collette, which is not all that common. In fact, I remember that Collette didn't like her name when she was little because you could never find it on barettes, notepads, etc. There were lots of Jennifers, Kimberly's, etc. but now she likes her name. You can check out Colletta's blog and the kitchen sink at ......... CollettasKitchenSink.blogspot.com/ .

The final name drawn was Simone of Nadelstiche blog (and you'll find it here). She wished me a "Happy New Year to you. I'm sure it will be a wonderful creative year. Maybe I have a bit luck this year? Count me in, please. Kindest regards, Simone from Germany". Simone, the year is off to a wonderful creative start as you have had a bit of luck and a pattern will go off to you in the next few days.

So those were the five winners of the patterns I posted in my photo but.............I always have my "Random Number Man" draw a couple extra winners as sometimes there is no way to contact a comment without an e-mail link. In the past, he's drawn names that had no way for me to contact them so I had to use the alternate names drawn. That was not the case this time but I thought since he drew the names that I would send a little something to them, too. So, if Judy C. and Diane H. are reading this, you are winners, too. All I need now are the names and addresses from each of you. You'll find my e-mail link in my profile. Congratulations to the winners!!
Sandi

Dolls and doll quilts!

Going to take you back to December for this post...........It was the week that my mother had surgery so we were in Iowa City staying with my sister. After my mom got out of the hospital, we stayed with her a couple extra days. We enjoyed the time together and my sister made it really enjoyable when she got out some linens and doll clothes that we had all made. That's my sister, Judy, in the photo below and she is holding a baby quilt that our mother, Mary, made for her. My mother really enjoyed doing embroidery and sewing. She is definitely where my sister and I get our creative genes. :-)
Judy brought out doll clothes and stuffed toys that I had made and sent to my niece, Noelle and it was fun to see them. Have you ever made someone something and then forgot that you did?........as in.........remember the cute little mother and baby donkey set that you can see in my sidebar? Well, my sister brought out their twins! That same year that I made them for my son, I had also made a set for my niece! Funny how the mind can forget!

After we returned home to my mother's apartment, she showed me a bunch of doll quilts that she had made. Here she is with one of several that she finished last fall.

Two years ago when my dad was so sick, I cut 3-1/2" squares from lots of 30's prints and solids and gave them to my mom so she could sit and piece while visiting my dad. She didn't have the "heart" to do it right then so she set the blocks aside. My dad passed away a few months later and she forgot all about the blocks. That was until last fall and finally the "heart to quilt" came back and she began piecing the blocks. She decided to make them into doll quilts like these........

And then she gave them away........the yellow one to me because she knows I like yellow. Plus it has chickens on it. She told me my first word was "chicken". To this day, I like chickens and I love yellow, especially a soft, buttery yellow.

The pink one went to Ella, my great niece, my sister's grandaughter, and my mom's great grandaughter.

I wonder if she'll take up sewing, too?
Then there were two quilts for my niece Sue Ellen's dolls. She's my brother's daughter/my mom's grandaughter. Keeping that all straight?Anyway, I bought Sue Ellen the one on the right because it sings "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" like she used to sing when she was little. I bought the other one for her friend, Morgan, because it giggles. The girls love to play together and remind me of my sister and me with our dolls when we were kids. We also had a couple of cats that we dressed up and took for rides in the doll buggy. It was great fun!! I just had to share these quilts today. My mother enjoyed making them, then giving them away. I enjoyed the trip "down Memory Lane". :-)

Have a good day!!

Sandi

Quilts that kept us warm!!!

Oh, what a cold night it is here in Minnesota!! Right now it is -12 degrees outside and that is cold!We were silly enough to run some errands this evening and it was so cold out that almost no one was in the stores!! I've never been to JoAnn Fabrics when it was so quiet.....just the two sales associates, me and one other customer! Ah, but I was on a mission because all sewing notions were 50% off and I needed some needles and a couple other items so it warmed my heart to get those good deals. :-)
Makes me wonder though........just how did the pioneers who settled in Minnesota (and other snowy and cold states here in the U.S.) ever survive? I think of stories from Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House on the Prairie books and I don't think I would like getting up with frost on the windows and perhaps on my nose, too! I guess it took lots of quilts to keep folks warm at night in their farms and cabins. Maybe some like these that are on display at the Sibley County Historical Society this Sunday, January 3rd.......................

I thought this block was really unique and I loved the cheeriness of the gingham that alternated with each block. The block maker certainly used her creative spirit here as the blocks are sometimes "organized" and sometimes quite "scrappy".

Actually this one is just a quilt top so maybe it was used as a "spread" for the bed as my mother-in-law did with some quilt tops that she made and gave to me.

This one below is a thick and comfy star quilt and would have kept one quite warm and cozy........

I loved this Lone Star quilt. The color combination of the red and the burgundy and the white is just beautiful............

And I thought it was so unique to add the star blocks in each corner and then smaller ones within the points.

I would like to make one that looks like this but I am not sure I could master all those diamond shapes and then have the star lay flat like it should. It's a "maybe someday" project. :-)

The pretty little birdie quilt in the photo above made me think of Nancy Page quilt designs. I did some searching but couldn't find just exactly this design so perhaps it's maker drew her own sketch for her quilt. It is one of 100 quilts made by Mabel Krueger who made 100 quilts during her 90 years of living!

My personal favorite in this grouping above is that "square-in-a-square" quilt. It's done in such soft colors and while I'm not sure I could make that Lone Star quilt, I know I could do this one. :-)

You can see on this wool quilt that time has taken it's toll and the black wool is wearing thin. Interestingly, the wooly strip triangles have withstood time very well. This was a heavy quilt and would definitely keep your nose warm if you brought it up over your head and snuggled down under it!

This is the last quilt I'll share although there are more quilts on display at the museum. It's another cheery quilt done in red and white. Again, this one would be fun to make but too, too many triangles for me. ;-)

The house that is home (museum) to the Sibley County Historical Society is large and beautiful (and if you go this*post you can see the house and other places here in Henderson, MN). The rooms are filled with lovely things for you to see so if you live nearby, it's really worth the trip. And since most of you that read my blog don't live nearby........I hope you have enjoyed the visit!!!

Have a lovely Sunday!

Sandi

End of the Day Giveaway!

I said last night that there would be a little giveaway today and here it is...............

There are five patterns in the picture above and there will be five winners. I bought patterns that looked like they would be fun to make......plus I like all the projects that these designers offer. The one by Celine of Perkins Dry Goods makes me think of ice cream. It looks great in the colors she chose but would look good in any colors. That little Tuffet pattern by Carrie of Miss Rosie's is soooooooo cute!! Gudrun's (G.E. Designs) quilt as you go project "Madison Square Runner" is just like Celine's pattern ....... looks great in any fabric! Then there's that scrumptious looking pattern by Anne of Bunny Hill for a grouping of cute little Jelly Bags. The final pattern is by Terry Atkinson of Atkinson Designs. I would love to make either the quilt or the tablerunner in this one. I chose these to giveaway, though, and so............

You have until January 5th at midnight (CST) to leave a comment on this post. Nothing else is needed. It's just been a good day and so it's a good start to a new year and I want to give away some goodness. Wait, something else is needed............you must be sure that the comment that you leave will link back to your profile with an e-mail address or your blog or include your e-mail in your comment. Then I'll have my husband, the random number man, draw the five winners and I'll send the patterns off to the winners. Each one will be in a pretty envelope with a pretty card and maybe a surprise, too. Ya never know. So, leave me a comment and let's see who will be lucky winners. Oh, and if you have a pattern preference, leave that in your comment and if you're name is drawn, that may be the pattern you receive. I say "may" because someone else may get lucky and chose the same pattern. :-) It could happen. :-)

Hope you have all had a Happy New Year Day!

Sandi

The Angel Connection.....

I believe in Angels. I am sure they exist because I have had so many touch my life and that of loved ones, that surely they are there. Today is the start of a new year. It boggles my mind to think that the year is 2010!!! As a kid in grade school, I thought that the year 2000 seemed a million years away. And here we are ten years beyond that!!

Technology has brought us all together in a way that many of us could never have imagined. And while technology is great, there are still good old-fashioned skills that keep us "real". In my case, I'm refering to using pencil and paper. I like to write. I like to draw. Some say, that true Cursive writing will soon be a thing of the past. I certainly hope not as there is nothing quite like receiving a personal hand-written note or letter!! I have several from family and friends that I treasure just because they took the time to write them by hand!! I used to write lots of letters, especially early on in our marriage when we were thousands of miles from home and family. I've "adopted" the typed Christmas letter just so I can stay in touch and keep people posted on what we are up to these days, but I love to write an address on an envelope and send off a personal card. I know that folks who receive those cards also enjoy them.

I've always liked to sketch, too, and for as long as I can remember, I would "doodle". When I was a kid, "Santa/mother and daddy" gave me a Barbie lite box so I could draw designs for my comic book dolls and plan Barbie clothes. I loved that thing as it was kind of like a "dream station". You know, draw a sketch and imagine it as it might be. Sometimes my sketches didn't translate from mind to actual design quite like I thought, but I still enjoyed the process. I've never thought of myself as an artist although I did try my hand at oil painting but I never quite succeeded (had the same issue with crocheting - wanted to do it but I didn't seem to "have the knack for it"). I didn't think anybody paid any attention to things I sketched until one day, I made an announcement to friends in a workshop group. I told them that I was going to just use computer designs and graphics in my patterns from now on. The response was....."but we will miss your cute sketches". Well, I never thought of it that way. I kept that thought and started sketching even more. I found myself with lots of "waiting time" while sitting in doctor's offices with my folks or waiting for my son at school. And while I waited, I sketched or stitched. I seldom wasted a minute. I found that the more I sketched, the more ideas that came to me. I have oodles of sketches now and don't know how I will ever "realize" them all in fabric or embroidery!

So, what's this all leading to? It all goes back to the Angels that I began with in this January 1 post. I thought about the things that mattered to me in my life and the friends who come as Angels that have enriched my time here on earth. And in 2005, I began to sketch a series of Angels. When I first started to draw them, they reminded me of sketches I did for our yearbook when I was in high school. I never thought they were very good, but when I looked back at them, I realized that I had actually captured a bit of the look of the person that I had sketched. I was surprised. It was like finding out that I had more talent than I knew about. I didn't need to learn to paint or crochet because I could sketch. Notice that I say "sketch". I still don't consider myself an artist but I do seem to have some little ability to draw Snowmen that eat watermelon and such. Before the Snowman series, I had drawn the Angels. There's a bit more to the story of the Angels but I'll save that for later. I was planning to sketch Santa's for this coming year but several things happened to make me realize that I needed to post the Angels. And so, finally, here is the first Angel, that's her in the photo above. Her name is Audrey and she'll appear every month on the first day of the month in a variety of themes. From the moment that I sketched her, I knew that she would be in prayer. Wherever you are and whatever your faith, Audrey encourages you to begin your year with prayer.......with kind thoughts.........with good intentions..........with peace........with love.......and much sharing of joy!!!

Happy First Day of the New Year!!

Sandi

Pattern pages for designs in my Angel Connection will be posted to my Yahoo group in PDF format. It's just a click away and you can join. Just click on the Angel button on the sidebar.

:-)