Thanks to Facebook............

Yes, that's right, thanks to Facebook, I am now the happy caretaker of 296 issues of Quilter's Newsletter magazine that date from February of 1980 to December 2010! And how did Facebook facilitate this awesome collection?

It happened because I have lots of quilty Facebook friends and because I click "like" on a whole lot of quilty things on Facebook. And one of those quilty things that I recently clicked "like" on is the Minnesota Quilter's page. That's where Karen L. posted that someone had quite a collection of Quilter's newsletter magazines they wanted to donate to Minnesota Quilters, but MQ already has all these issues. She posted a "status" on Facebook that if anyone was interested in the magazines, please contact her. I saw her status and contacted her immediately. I was lucky. I was the first one who e-mailed that I was interested in them. We met in the parking lot of the Wal-mart near the Minneapolis International Airport where she removed ten brown grocery bags from the back of her car and we placed them in the back of my car. If anyone was watching that day and reports any suspicious activity involving two gals and bags of stuff changing hands........well, it was us.  Nothing illegal took place. Well, unless it's a crime to collect too much quilty stuff.  I was all smiles to get those magazines.  I brought a little fabric gift for Karen so she went away happy, too. Thanks Facebook for being there as otherwise, I never would have been known about this collection that is now in my care!! And yes, Facebook is doing some changing and I can't decide whether I like it all or not, but right now, I am just glad I was there when Karen posted these magazines needed a new home. And I love it that they are making their home in my sewing room!!!

And speaking of changing............the leaves they are-a-changing..............

This is the big tree that is in my neighbor's backyard, two houses down the street from us. It's a big, beautiful tree and as the sun set the other night, it looked even more beautiful! It's a huge tree! I'm guessing the weeping willow is about 15 feet tall and as you can see, the big tree towers over it. More fall leaf changing pics coming soon.............

Next post is going to be a real yarn........

Have a great day!!

Sandi

What's on the line?

Something old, something blue, ........that's what's on the line today. This old quilt is very worn but it is still exquisite!  Just take a look.............

This is another quilt that my dad bought at a farm auction. It has seen lots of use and yet you can tell that it was cared for over the years. It was so carefully pieced and stitched......and as many of you know this is not an easy pattern to make!!! I love the fabric choices and wonder..........were they scraps or did this quiltmaker purchase her fabric and plan her design? It's a question for this and many other vintage quilts that can never be answered. Take a look at the close-up of the center...........

There are places where the fabric has worn thin and yet this quilt is still..........stunning! The most significant wear is on the outer edges of the quilt. I like this one so much that I think I may put a new, old-looking border on it so that I can display it on a wall somewhere here in our house. I will do it so that it could be removed and would not harm the integrity of the quilt.  This quilt just makes me smile so it would be nice to keep it out so I could pass by it and smile. :-)

I must apologize that this post is a bit late today.  I had some trouble with blogger and kept getting some message about "server issues" and finally gave up trying to do this as a scheduled Monday morning post. But it's here now, so hope you enjoyed it.

Now.........are you a blog reader who lives in southeast Iowa? If so........I shared with my Yahoo group members that I am going to be in the Iowa City area at the end of this week. I plan to meet a couple members at Inspirations*Quilt*Shop in Hills, Iowa, just south of Iowa City this coming Thursday, September 29th. If you live in the area, why not join us?  We are going to .........

"Meet, Greet, Shop and Eat" and will gather at the shop at 10:00 a.m. for a fun morning. We'll take time for coffee or lunch at the bakery that adjoins the shop ..... "Morning Glory Bakery".  This is sort of a "spur of the moment" plan but I just thought it might be fun! If you think you'd like to join us, please let me know. Send an e-mail to me at stitchinglegacy (@) gmail (dot) com.

Lots to do today so I best get to it! Oh, but one last picture.......well, make that two......

This is my friend, Gloria, who shared her talents in an old-fashioned hymn sing at Bender Park yesterday morning as part of Heritage Days in Henderson.  Gloria and I used to attend the same church before I moved and I miss her musical gifts. It was a real treat to hear her play as she is wonderful at the piano!  And the piano is not the only instrument that she is good at.........

She loves to play the accordian and when she does, her husband Jim often accompanies her on the "Spoons". In the photo above, the pastor from Centennial church borrowed Jim's spoons and is tapping out a tune on his knees. If you love music and old hymns, you would have enjoyed yesterday's outdoor service!!! 

Okay, time to get to work........Have a great Monday!

Sandi

Henderson Heritage Days!

It was Heritage Days in Henderson this weekend. It's an annual festival that celebrates the heritage of this little town that I am fortunate to call home! Speaking of homes, this lovely one was once the home of the Poehler family, a fairly well-to-do merchant in the late 1800's. It's now the home of the Sibley County Historical Society.

This fountain is in front of the City Hall building which was once the County Courthouse. In 1915, the county seat was moved west to the community of Gaylord. If you enjoy history, you might enjoy reading the history behind the move......just go here.

On the lawn of the City Hall building there were vendors selling food, quilts, handmade items, kettle corn (yep, I bought some) and demonstrations like this one....a gentleman showing kids how to make cornhusk crafts...........

So I told you that I bought some kettle corn but I didn't open the bag because I decided I needed an ice cream cone. Parked outside Toody's Sweets and Treats was this inviting scene............

I got a two scoop chocolate chip cone that is considered a "Kiddie cone" at Toody's and it was just $2!! I enjoyed it while I wandered back up Main Street where some vintage autos were parked.......

and inside the building with the arched windows, the local Veterans had set up displays of photos and other memorabilia from area servicemen.

Most of the items were from WWII and strangely I did not get a picture of any of the Vets that were hosting the display. There were at least a dozen in the hall when I took these pictures but they were at the back in the hospitality area.

Then it was time to wander my way back to the library because that was my volunteer spot. The Henderson Library is a lovely place that was the former Episcopal Church built in 1872/1873. The original church was the front portion that you see in the photo below. When the church closed, the building was given to the city of Henderson in 1965 and it became the home of the Henderson Library. The rear addition was added in the 1970's (hope I have my dates right). It is a beautiful library and it's my grandson, Jacob's favorite place to visit in Henderson. :-)

My little job was to tell folks about the stained glass windows. The church may have been small but congregants saw to it that it was a beautiful place of worship. Family names are on each pane..........

 Each one is unique.........

and yet one that is similar to this one with the lamb is located in the cathedral in Faribault, MN to the east of Henderson.

This window was placed in memory of a Civil War vet who left behind a widow and several children.........

This window was placed in honor of former Sibley County Judge Kirby by the Masonic Order. You can see the Masonic symbol in the center of the pane.

This last window is the prettiest and has the saddest story in my opinion. It's in memory of Lilly Laufman, a young girl who died of diptheria in the late 1880's. Her parents must have loved her dearly because there is also a window in her memory in the church that is across the street from this building, St. Paul's United Church of Christ.

One of the aspects of Heritage Days is costumed historical guides. This is local talent, Art Straub, who became Bishop Henry Whipple for the day. Bishop Whipple was the first Bishop for the Episcopal Church in Minnesota.

 And this is a photo of the real Bishop Whipple.........

and Art did a wonderful job of engaging the audience in the telling of Bishop Whipple's life and travels. He was known as "Straight Talk" to the areas Native American's because he was a man of his word. You can read more about the very interesting life of Bishop Whipple here.

And when the afternoon events had ended, I drove up to my favorite spot for a peek at what the fall colors are doing. It's still looking pretty green, but little bits of change can be seen in the trees in the east horizon.

I suspect that next week, there will be significant change and by the second week in October, this scene will no longer be so green!!
Today, there is worship in Bender Park with my friend, Gloria Jesperson at the keyboard. She'll have the crowd singing old hymns and it will be wonderful. Then there's a pancake breakfast hosted by the Henderson Baseball Association. It just doesn't get any better than a small town festival!
If you wish you were here, think about coming next year!! :-)
Have a beautiful Sunday!
Sandi

Happy First Day of Fall!

It's a beautiful day here in Minnesota on this first day of fall/autumn. This past Monday, I spruced up my front porch......swept away the cobwebs.......cleaned the railing........got out some fall flowers and some mini pumpkins and it looked so nice. Then we got those winds on Tuesday and Thursday so I had to move it all inside. But it all went back on the porch yesterday, along with more pumpkins from Emma Krumbee's. 

You can see my little chair and footstool now that they are stained. The chair, as I mentioned in a previous post, is an old Sunday School chair. The little stool is somebody's shop class project that I bought at a garage sale. It was made by Ben because each section has "Ben" written in pencil. I sanded the name off the top piece but left it on the other pieces. Whoever "Ben" is, I love your little piece of handiwork.

The two birdhouses were made by my brother several years ago. The one in the picture above is made from a stair spindle that he salvaged from the farmhouse that my grandparents lived in up until the 1970's. The birdhouse below is made from a salvaged spindle from my Aunt Lottie's front porch railing. Makes me smile when I see them. :-)

That wreath on the left is on it's last year. It's one of those from the 70's that is a maple leaf design and the leaves were cut, then stitched and stuffed, then glued to a wire frame. It's one my mom bought at a craft fair many years ago and gave to me last year. It looked really good until I hung it outside, something I probably should not have done. Oh, well..........

Anyway, I love how the front porch looks so inviting and when my neighbor Arlene stopped by yesterday, she said that very thing. I think it says "Welcome, Fall" and to you, too! Hope you are enjoying this fine day wherever you are!
Sandi

Out to lunch with the Scarecrow!

Yesterday, I met my friend, Barb, for lunch at Emma Krumbee's. It's a restaurant and apple orchard in Belle Plaine, MN and is a good halfway point for us to meet and catch up. It's also home to the annual Scarecrow contest. This is Barb with the scarecrow that stands outside the restaurant..........

There wasn't anyone around to take our picture together, so we snapped one of each of us holding hands with this handsome fella.

Barb and I have been friends for a good many years and we try to get together at least once or twice a year. It is such a gift to spend time with a good friend!!  After our long, chatty lunch, Barb headed home but I went over to Emma's General Store as I was in search of some pumpkins..........

First thing I saw when I walked in was lots of fun Halloween stuff...........

 and then straight ahead was this candy selection. Yep, I bought something here........

 and beyond that was all this popcorn and jam...........

 and then these yummy pies and fritter bread..........

but no real pumpkins so I headed outside and I as walked around the corner, I could see down the lane where the scarecrows were set up...........

It was pretty quiet as it was just a Tuesday afternoon but on the weekends, this place is packed with families! It's a very popular family destination. I've actually had the pleasure of being a Scarecrow judge on two occasions for this event. How many of you can say that you have "Scarecrow Judge" on your resume? LOL! Anyway...........I was in search of pumpkins so I continued on, past the old steam tractor and toward that building that says "Apples"............

 and in front of the apple building was the pumpkin hall...........

And so I bought three little pumpkins that will go on my front porch. I would show you what they look like except they are currently residing inside because we have winds gusting up to 30-40 MPH in our area. The gusts have blown over my birdhouses and other cutsey stuff I put on porch on Monday. I gave up and brought it all in and will hope for the wind to quiet down by tomorrow.
Now, remember that I said I bought some candy at the General Store?  It's an Old Dominion Peanut Bar which is one of those candies I ate as a kid and couldn't resist buying one. But, actually, I bought two and thought I'd share. Barb brought me some paperbacks by Earlene Fowler that she had picked up at a book sale. I have read "Sunshine and Shadow" (and it was really good) but not the other two titles...........

She shared with me, so I will share with one of you. I'll send one of you the "Sunshine and Shadow" book and that extra Peanut Bar. Just leave me a comment and tell me your favorite thing about Fall. I'll draw a winning name on Friday, September 23rd, the first day of fall (here in the U.S.). And if you want, I could wrap up the book and the candy bar in some fall fabrics. But only if you want some fabric. :-)
Edit........the winner is Mary Jane. I've sent her an e-mail and await her address. Package will go in the mail on Monday!

There was more to this day but that will have to wait til my next post.......see you then!
Sandi

What's on the line?

Baby quilts are on the line today! These are three little quilts that I found mixed in with some of the larger quilts that my dad bought. They aren't all that old or unique but someone made each one of these for someone special and so...........these baby quilts are special for that very reason! I love this simple patchwork baby quilt. It's a mix of fabrics that I can tell date from the 1950's into the 1970's.

The quiltmaker stitched up her patchwork blocks and then added embroidery around each block. She used different colored floss and stitched around them in feather stitch. The batting in the quilt is an old pink quilted bedspread and the backing...........

well, the backing is that lavendar and blue floral that you see above. You can also see just a bit of the pink quilted bedspread showing through a whole in the back of the quilt. Further up the back of the quilt, the floral fabric is in shreds but at this time, I don't plan to repair it but will keep it just as it is. At some point, I may "stabalize the backing" ...... like on some cold winter night when I need the warmth of a lap-quilt! LOL!

This baby quilt is just exquisitively pieced and hand-quilted. It is just lovely.

Unfortunately, it's got some stains and it is faded and worn but it still has charm!

And even this baby quilt, simple as it is, it also has charm..........

It's not really a quilt because the maker stitched her top and then tied it with yarn, but I love how she chose to use just the two colors and then used purple, lavendar and yellow yarn for the ties. Of the three quilts, this one is in the best condition.

I took these quilt photos on Saturday afternoon because I knew we were to get rain on Sunday. In the photo below, you can see the area where I have strung my clothesline between two trees. The quilt you see there is the one I'll be sharing next Monday.

You can also see that the trees are still quite green but the leaves are beginning to turn yellow up the right side of the tree in the photo above.  We haven't had any rain for almost two weeks here so the rain we got on Sunday was a welcoming soft rain that watered gardens and crops. A soft drizzle was falling when I took this photo below.........

It was taken after church, about the same time as the one I took last Sunday. I thought there might be more change in color but things are still really green.  Off to the right in the photo above is the house you see below...........

and those bushes are turning a beautiful red!  I love the house in the background and it's for sale! I think it would make a great quilt shop. What do you think? 

Today, I'll be getting out my fall decorations. I started doing some decorating last week, but got sidetracked. Kaiser the Wonder Beagle was sick all day Friday so I felt like I was caring for a sick toddler. He was fine by Saturday and then I was tired.......but not sick. I was glad because I didn't want to miss the Henderson Fire Department Pork Chop Dinner. 

I dearly love it when someone else cooks. :-) And it's also nice that someone else cleans up!
Hope this day is a great start to a great week!
Sandi

It's a Christmas Quilt-a-long at Quilting Gallery!

Michele over at QuiltingGallery is hosting her first ever "Quilt-a-long" and it is going to be a fabulous event!! Click the logo above and check out the info. There will special deals and designer profiles and so much more. There will be a total of 36 blocks by 36 designers that you can make!!!  And I am honored to be one of them.

My day is October 18th and I have a Joyful block planned for that day. 

And yes, there's a hint in that word Joyful. :-) 

The Quilt-a-long started on September 13th. I'm a bit late with my notice of the event because I got busy stitching and here's the result.......

Block one was designed by Pat*Sloan and I made it this past Tuesday.........

I am using fabrics that Jacquelynne from The*Noble*Wife sent me. They are from her fabric line Joy*Love*Peace*Noel and they are going to be perfect. I can already tell!!!  The polka dots in the line were just what I wanted for Pat Sloan's block. This was an easy block if one follows the directions. I got so excited to make it that I did not read the instructions carefully. That's right. I made the half-square triangles just like Pat instructs in her pattern but I didn't trim them to 3.5 inches square. And guess what? When you don't trim them, the block does not go together right. I knew I had done something wrong but thought it was my quarter inch seams and that if I just had a new sewing machine, I would have sewn the block right. Wrong! I ripped seams, restitched, trimmed, etc. etc. and finally got the 12-1/2" block I was supposed to get. And then when I was putting away the pattern........I noticed the part about "trim to 3.5 inches". Oh, boy, put me in the corner right now! LOL! I love the little basket which is similar to the one in her pattern Baby*Baskets which I'm going to make during her Quilt-a-long later this month. Thinking plaids for that project..............but back to Christmas blocks...........
and so, yesterday, I made the second block which was designed by Jennifer at All*Things*Belle ..............

I just love the snowflake prints and they were perfect for Jennifer's block design. I fussy-cut the little squares in the four-patch sections and again....perfect for this project! I had a bit of trouble with the paper-piecing but sent an e-mail to Jennifer and got some help. I switched the position of the mittens for my block but otherwise it is made just like her block. 

And, try as I might, I always seem to have a wonky seam here and there. I have it in both blocks. I really do think that if I had a new machine that I could make these blocks so much better. :-)  Soon..........

I have my fabrics ready and am anxious to start the next block. Next up is Melissa, so I'm going to stroll over to her blog at Lilac*Lane and see what she has designed for today........I'm sure I'll be cutting fabrics as you read this. :-)
Back soon.......Christmas blocks go on the back burner for the weekend.......Halloween stuff coming up! Have a great day!

Sandi