In the Pink

This week I'm happy I could have sewing machine therapy!

One of my quilting goals this year is to use up more of my fabric. That's nothing new but this year I have a plan and I hope I can stick to it. 

I've decided to make one quilt top a month to donate to my quilt guild's charity committee. The color of fabric I use each month will be set by the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. If you click on the RSC21 button at the top right, it will take you to a link which explains what it is.

 

January's color was pink so I dug out any fabric I called pink and neutrals I could use with them. I have a serious lack of neutrals in my fabric stash but I found enough to make the above baby quilt top. I'd still like to add a border but not sure what yet.

 

These were the fabrics I initially pulled but I see several in the photo I didn't use. I made another search through my tubs and found others to replace the fabrics I said "not this time" to.

 

I'm also learning how to stitch with a new Janome Accufeed Flex Foot. I've been piecing and quilting with my walking foot and this new foot has taken some getting used to. I'm not sure I like it.

 I actually made two tops this month. This is the second baby quilt top partially pieced.

 

I should go finish piecing that quilt top but instead I think I'll sort through my quilt books. I have a stack of quilt books from the last time I sorted which I don't know what to do with. Donate? Sell? Put them in a box and ignore? I haven't purchased many recently but my weakness is quilt books, patterns, and magazines. Out of all these books, only a few are consulted now and then.

 If I am able to clear out at least one shelf of books, I'd like to fold some quilts to display there. Even though I rotate hanging some of my quilts, I have too many stored away. Time to enjoy them even if they're folded in a cabinet!

Until next time, Mayleen

From Christmas to New Year's Day

 I'm such a sucker for star quilts!

I found this quilt in an antique mall on sale for less than $50. It needs repair and even though I've never attempted to repair a vintage / antique quilt, I decided to take it on. Some of the fabric in the lower stars have disintegrated and will need total replacement. Also, the lower border has been cut off so I will need to add a border and hand quilt it. I will not be using this has a bed quilt, it will be for display only. For now, I'm just admiring the stars and contemplating how to go about the repair.

 

Besides quilting, I love to bake and this was one of my Christmas presents! Some of the recipes sound delicious and I plan to try a few this year. When I was growing up, one of the things I was responsible for was baking a cake or pie every Saturday. I still like to bake cakes and pies!

 

Someone else got everything (maybe) he wanted for Christmas!

 

One of the fun things I do for our Christmas family get together is fold napkins in a fun holiday design. This year I tucked a few pieces of candy into napkins I'd folded into elf booties. With grandchildren ranging from 2 to 7 years old, the table and menu is casual. Someone usually spills their drink, accidentally drops their food on the floor, or refuses to eat. This year there weren't any mishaps! Instead of a traditional meal, we served waffles with vanilla sauce or other toppings, breakfast casserole, bacon, and fruit. Since it went so well, we may do it again next Christmas!

 

Besides the traditional peppernuts from my Mennonite background, I also made cream cookies which is a recipe I'd been wanting to perfect for a long time. When that went well, I thought of New Year's Cookies which are also known as portzelky, similar to the Dutch oliebollen. They are kind of like a fried raisin fritter and are usually only made on New Year's Eve or Day. The one on the right is the traditional raisin and is rolled in sugar and the one on the left has chocolate chips and is glazed. Being fried, they are definitely not healthy.

 

Also, my Thanksgiving Cactus has finally decided to bloom! I think if you look closely you can see a few red blossoms.

In the early hours of New Year's Day, it began to snow and didn't stop until we had received almost 5"! It has been several years since we've received that much snow at one time. The snow was wet and has already started to melt. So grateful for any moisture because most of Kansas is already in some degree of drought.

After I finished the Grandmama Llama quilt before Christmas, I took my sewing machine to be cleaned and checked over. I know it must have really needed it because it had been several years since its last check up. I'd been doing the routine cleaning but I hope no one gasped when they opened the machine and gazed into its inner workings!

Anyway, my sewing machine is once again home and I look forward to my next sewing project!

Until next time, Mayleen

Grandmama Llama

 It's finished and delivered!

 

I made and gifted this throw quilt to my sister as a surprise present. The purple minky on the back is so soft. The pattern is Lloyd & Lola by Elizabeth Hartman with one major change. The pattern makes two large llamas but I made the llama on the left 3/4 size to celebrate my sister's first grandchild who will be arriving in a few months.

My sewing machine is now at the sewing machine shop in line for a cleaning and check up. I'm kind of lost without a quilting project right now but I remembered an embroidery project which needs to be finished. I guess there's always housework which could be done too. Note the lack of enthusiasm.

 

The one traditional Christmas cookie I've been trying to master is my grandmother's Cream Cookie recipe. She did not cook or bake with measuring cups or spoons. We do have a base recipe to use but ingredient measurements are still a guess. After several tries this month, I think I've almost got it! They are a light, soft cookie with a delicate flavor. Tomorrow, I'll bake a batch for Christmas when our family is, hopefully, here. Unless someone gets sick or is exposed to Covid in the next few days, we are going to try to get together.

 

My Amaryllis shot up another stalk with four more beautiful blooms! Our cat, who is definitely not supposed to be on the table, loves the Amaryllis and has been scolded a few times already. Actually, what he is most interested in is the tie holding the stalk to the support and maybe even more importantly, he likes to sleep on the quilt!

Merry Christmas and my wishes for a happy and healthy New Year!

Mayleen

Christmas Projects

 I love flowers and while I do have some houseplants, none of them bloom in winter. I hadn't had an Amaryllis for years but when I saw them for sale at Lowe's, I purchased one. 

 

I was surprised it bloomed so early but three out of the four blossoms are open. I am also forcing some Paperwhites. Again its been years since I grew any. I'm hoping my Thanksgiving Cactus plants will bloom for Christmas. I need flowers!

 

I can't reveal what I'm working on because its a gift but you might be able to get an idea from the designer's name, Elizabeth Hartman. This is the first time I've made any of her patterns and my advice if you're thinking of trying one, label every piece and be as organized as possible.

Just a stack of quilts which need my attention.

 

Instead of stitching binding or doing whatever quilting task needed, I'm baking. This weekend, I made two new to me peppernut recipes. These are photos of Salted Peanut Peppernuts and I also made Molasses Peppernuts. More baking to come.

 

If I'm not careful, its going to be "Once over the lips, forever on the hips." I look forward to all the traditional goodies and treats but I'm always relieved to get back to simple foods in January.

 

Recently, a friend posted on Facebook asking about first Christmas trees. Photo is not our first Christmas tree, lol! However, today we were doing some decorating and we found the box of red yarn which we tied onto a houseplant the first Christmas we were married. We lived 6 hours from family and were going to be able to go home to see them so we didn't buy a tree for our apartment. Today I decided to decorate my ficus tree just for fun as a memory of 40 years ago!

 

We don't put up a Christmas tree anymore. Instead we put up what we call our memory wreath. Its all the ornaments which bring back memories of our children or events recent or years ago. The wreath hangs over our fireplace for the Christmas season. Every year, we have to repair a few ornaments, some break beyond repair, and, some are no longer hung but we always remember.

Until next time, Mayleen

Christmas and Quilts

 I set a goal to finish piecing two projects before the end of the month and, surprise, they've been delivered to the machine quilter before Thanksgiving!

 

If Kaffe Fassett fabric could make a Christmas quilt, this would be one! The pattern is "Scarlet & Emerald" by Lori Q. Allison. I'm hoping I'll get the quilt back from the quilter in time to bind it and display it before Christmas. Unfortunately, this photo doesn't do the colors justice. (That's my ironing board at the bottom.)

I forgot to take a photo of my other finish, the "I Spy" quilt. I added borders to it this week and its also at the machine quilter.

 

Its also time to start baking which I love to do. These are Molasses Ginger peppernuts which was a new to me recipe. Since I didn't know what they'd taste like, I only made a half batch and they are already gone. More baking coming soon!

 My Christmas cactus in the background is really a Thanksgiving Cactus but isn't showing any sign of blooming soon. No buds which makes me sad. I've been fertilizing it and trying to make sure it gets the darkness and light it needs. Maybe it will bloom later this year.

Last week, I was the speaker at our virtual Prairie Quilt Guild meeting. Here's a link to photos of my trunk show if you'd like to see more of my quilts.

 https://www.facebook.com/mayleen.vinson

Stay well and treasure each day!

Mayleen

I Spy a Bison

 

Saturday, November 7, is National Bison Day so I'm sharing my thread painted "Bison Beauty" wall hanging made in 2018. Inspired by a photo: Original American Bison Cow photograph, copyright David J. Drew. Used with permission. The photo was taken at Maxwell Wildlife Refuge near Canton, KS.

 "Bison Beauty" won several ribbons for me and hung in the 2018 International Quilt Festival in Houston.

 This week I finally got all 130 "I Spy" blocks pieced together! Next week, I'll add the inner and outer borders.

Emerald & Scarlet

Sometimes I read instructions, sometimes I just look at the pattern photos to put a project together. This time I read the instructions but didn't check the pattern photos. I thought I knew what I was doing but wrong! I now have 32 blocks to take apart because the Kaffe Fassett Zig Zag and Jupiter stripes are running in the wrong direction. Easy work, just annoying because I didn't pay attention.

Until next time, Mayleen

I Spy!

I have two current projects, never a loss for something to work on especially since I recently found several UFO's packed away and will have to add them to my list. I have finished 51 snowball blocks for my grandson's "I Spy" quilt and need a total of 130. My goal is to make 20 each morning and then move on to my other project which I've only just begun. 

I can't remember when I've made something from a kit but this new project is just that. It was easier than trying to figure out how much fabric I needed to order in addition to what I have in my fabric stash. Since we're having an early wintry mix of snow and ice for a few days, I hope to accomplish quite a bit of piecing and have a photo for next time!

Stay warm, Mayleen