tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48627670564654857912024-02-21T04:42:29.732-05:00The Fairy Gardener QuiltsGailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003204378492456488noreply@blogger.comBlogger153125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4862767056465485791.post-64179870472350296172019-02-05T13:11:00.000-05:002019-02-05T13:11:04.193-05:00<h2 style="text-align: center;">
2019 APQ UFO Challenge UPDATE!</h2>
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Even though I'm posting this a few days late, I am going to give myself an encouraging pat on the back for at least sticking with the January 2019 UFO Challenge. As I mentioned in my last post, I'm not strictly sticking to quilt projects this year. I'm also including some Knit and Crochet WIPS that have either stalled or languished.<br />
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In January the UFO List # chosen was Number 3. That was the crocheted cotton throw that I started for Daughter #2 last summer. It should have been done then, but between a virus and the hot weather, it lost it's project "mojo". When I picked it back up in January, the status was pretty much complete, only to add the border and to make some crocheted pom poms that I saw on Pinterest. Most of my time working on it has been trying to make those crocheted spheres/pom poms involving watching tutorials and trying written patterns. Not sure, if it's just a bad combo of the yarn I want to use and hook size but I just haven't been able to make any that look the way I want them to, so I think I'm going to go with tassels. <br />
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APQ UFO Challenge - January</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0oQ48PJN1jHdgM1r3-LuP-T4YMypTg6fcRa-k2HUY11IYtDkuAoWmClesiRFXaLgwUgYX7s772YiKPp4Nou01UGhuOqYPGBRVy40TDkvPYOGWyxs-h6TteQb6aanEIc1NvIcvLv9b4dfZ/s1600/DSC03866.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; clear: left; color: #0066cc; float: left; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 18.73px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><div>
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</a> #3 - Crocheted Neutral Blanket</h4>
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Status Before - Need to add to length and finish border/edging</h4>
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Status After - Border finished - need to make tassels & sew in ends.</h4>
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APQ UFO Challenge - February</h2>
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#6 - Granny Square Pillow</h4>
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Status Before: Squares Complete, Need to Assemble and Crochet Pillow Back</h4>
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 18.06px;">My 2019 Sewing, Quilting and Crocheting UFO List</span></b></div>
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Star Wars PJ bottoms </div>
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Very Hungry Caterpillar Pillowcase</div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow;">Crochet Neutral Throw -January </span></div>
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Pieces of the Heart Quilt</div>
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Vintage Memories Quilt</div>
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Crochet Granny Square Pillow</span></div>
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Love Letters Quilt</div>
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"Patchabilities" wallhanging #1</div>
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"Patchabilities" wallhanging #2</div>
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Project Bag</div>
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KimberBell Halloween Quilt</div>
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Christmas Moose PJ bottoms</div>
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Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003204378492456488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4862767056465485791.post-42130733097819230892019-01-17T13:59:00.000-05:002019-01-17T13:59:20.957-05:00APQ UFO CHALLENGE 2019<div>
Back in December 2016, A blog I followed posted a UFO challenge. I found that list recently and though I was really enthusiastic when I started, I didn't get very far and most of projects on that list are still UFO's. The All People Quilt (APQ) website has a 2019 UFO challenge. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdCyeDKuN3PmU_1gA8xOaf3jafF45U8iMac-n45s8H9HvHipnU5RKG7wj-ghpVRyowd2mFKTUbvfLW07sZSZtT3YNhOv5blKAAxHZ47EHonqQAZpHBug6Z6RzRqb7h1rp0ojwPHhDC0B_t/s1600/join.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="348" data-original-width="348" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdCyeDKuN3PmU_1gA8xOaf3jafF45U8iMac-n45s8H9HvHipnU5RKG7wj-ghpVRyowd2mFKTUbvfLW07sZSZtT3YNhOv5blKAAxHZ47EHonqQAZpHBug6Z6RzRqb7h1rp0ojwPHhDC0B_t/s200/join.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Directions are on their website <a href="http://www.allpeoplequilt.com/how-to-quilt/finishing/2019-ufo-challenge">here</a> but basically, you print the form, list your unfinished projects and their current status. On the first of each month APQ draws a number and whichever project on your list corresponds to that number is what you work on for that month.. At the end of the month, you list the "after" status. You can post pictures of your list or completed projects on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/apqresolution/">APQResolution</a>. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0hjeT3BarqFcQqpwmeq2H0jXoCVGHQ6TJaIAAnjM0YDMLg9ehdeAg4GoOz39gYh3EY840kUtjTo4Prixi6RqVZG9wAqcTNUgbFKg74ldmF_uYW4Fzd4QelxDJE1Q02KJ_quMXBQgapmXn/s1600/UFO+List+for+2019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; clear: left; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0hjeT3BarqFcQqpwmeq2H0jXoCVGHQ6TJaIAAnjM0YDMLg9ehdeAg4GoOz39gYh3EY840kUtjTo4Prixi6RqVZG9wAqcTNUgbFKg74ldmF_uYW4Fzd4QelxDJE1Q02KJ_quMXBQgapmXn/s200/UFO+List+for+2019.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2019 APQ UFO Challenge</td></tr>
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I'm joining in again this year. I sorted through my craft projects that have been languishing. . Not all of them are quilt or even sewing projects but that's OK. I'm giving myself a pass to focus on any project that has stalled for more than a couple of months.<br />
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I'm counting on you to hold me accountable, by visiting my blog and my Instagram posts. Better yet, join me in this challenge too.<br />
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No. 3 was the number drawn for January -- on my list that's a neutral striped crochet throw that I started last August. It's made of Hobby Lobby's YarnBee Sugarwheel cotton and done in rows of half-double crochet. I've been struggling with designing a border and that's all I have left to do. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKNPzFL0Byi1eAnZRuZ0EpHVJ2COV2lMQs1XQ4EyuhVGioctYdzfuCgf2q-AbWFNBNpiTJ3kT_y3Ypvkm53-4NCdAZDC35prm_HvC8cy7nbU1EtWG5Tip1zQrdBxvfK3jmTM5R6wke1ZZ/s1600/Neutral+Throw+012019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKNPzFL0Byi1eAnZRuZ0EpHVJ2COV2lMQs1XQ4EyuhVGioctYdzfuCgf2q-AbWFNBNpiTJ3kT_y3Ypvkm53-4NCdAZDC35prm_HvC8cy7nbU1EtWG5Tip1zQrdBxvfK3jmTM5R6wke1ZZ/s320/Neutral+Throw+012019.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">YarnBee Cotton SugarWheel</td></tr>
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What's creating "buzz" on Instagram and other crafting SM is the "Make Nine in 2019" If you don't know what that is you can search Instagram or Google but, in a nutshell, you select nine (9) projects that you want to make in 2019 and post the pictures of those items. There's no accountability to start or complete them--it's basically a "wish list" </div>
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[BTW I am now on Instagram too. You can find me at #northerngail] Thanks for visiting me. I'm going to try to keep these blog posts as brief as I can and the content concise and relevant going forward! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0hjeT3BarqFcQqpwmeq2H0jXoCVGHQ6TJaIAAnjM0YDMLg9ehdeAg4GoOz39gYh3EY840kUtjTo4Prixi6RqVZG9wAqcTNUgbFKg74ldmF_uYW4Fzd4QelxDJE1Q02KJ_quMXBQgapmXn/s1600/UFO+List+for+2019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><i>F.Y.I. I did finish the #1 item on that 2016 list THIS past Christmas. It was the granny square afghan which I started in 2007! I finished it in the early hours of December 23rd. I hang my head in shame for taking so long but as John Lennon famously said, "Life is what happens, when you're making other plans". </i> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnkC4mDQ4yy_cxrpUxEEOPaZIxs4zCCpisF3CA97Wb4jtQjFEyxUoUvI4TD5y4akmUgS15oCXQJI_AoKXjw5j2x916a0nN-oPDNi9hBe_4O_hjMqscLu_jFuZVpZWnMRcIoy5r21kGiPEb/s1600/DSC03784.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnkC4mDQ4yy_cxrpUxEEOPaZIxs4zCCpisF3CA97Wb4jtQjFEyxUoUvI4TD5y4akmUgS15oCXQJI_AoKXjw5j2x916a0nN-oPDNi9hBe_4O_hjMqscLu_jFuZVpZWnMRcIoy5r21kGiPEb/s320/DSC03784.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigOIecnchSvznm2rKBTVotZCD0fwFRwpYRD3idWEcEMd8wm14wOwb4mMVWEVA4HY7UkHt9mLgeE9e8gJaZeTLnWmN45U1VgIpMDV89T0wrYn9dhoMStIZR2ex7i7W6LNPqHFhkoHppIbbd/s1600/DSC03772.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 16px; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigOIecnchSvznm2rKBTVotZCD0fwFRwpYRD3idWEcEMd8wm14wOwb4mMVWEVA4HY7UkHt9mLgeE9e8gJaZeTLnWmN45U1VgIpMDV89T0wrYn9dhoMStIZR2ex7i7W6LNPqHFhkoHppIbbd/s1600/DSC03772.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigOIecnchSvznm2rKBTVotZCD0fwFRwpYRD3idWEcEMd8wm14wOwb4mMVWEVA4HY7UkHt9mLgeE9e8gJaZeTLnWmN45U1VgIpMDV89T0wrYn9dhoMStIZR2ex7i7W6LNPqHFhkoHppIbbd/s200/DSC03772.JPG" width="200" /></a><b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></b><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></i><u style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></u><sub style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></sub><sup style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></sup><strike style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: line-through; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></strike><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">My 2019 Sewing, Quilting and Crocheting UFO List</span></b></div>
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<ol>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
Star Wars PJ bottoms </div>
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<li><div style="text-align: left;">
Very Hungry Caterpillar Pillowcase</div>
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<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: yellow;">Crochet Neutral Throw -January </span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
Pieces of the Heart Quilt</div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
Vintage Memories Quilt</div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
Crochet Granny Square Pillow</div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
Love Letters Quilt</div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
"Patchabilities" wallhanging #1</div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
"Patchabilities" wallhanging #2</div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
Project Bag</div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
KimberBell Halloween Quilt</div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
Christmas Moose PJ bottoms</div>
</li>
</ol>
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Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003204378492456488noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4862767056465485791.post-84700222579487652742019-01-01T14:10:00.002-05:002019-01-01T14:10:36.657-05:00<h2>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Happy New Year!</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
I hope you all had a very merry Christmas and are looking forward to a wonderful 2019. I am hoping that it will be a better year than the last couple were. I won't go into details, but there was illness and sad news and no love lost on my part for the past year, only optimism that this year will be better for all of us. <br />
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I decided to kick off 2019 off by buying a "paper" planner and also by re-reading Sarah Van Breathnach's book "Simple Abundance". <br />
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I do hope to do more blogging than I've done in the last few years but this year my blogging will start to take a different direction because I have added knitting and crocheting to my list of hobbies. That doesn't mean that I won't be talking about gardening and sewing but I don't think I'll be doing many, if any quilting projects. Quilting has "cooled" off for me for the most part because of the time it takes up and all of the space that quilting paraphernalia (fabric) takes up [insert cough here]. I have sold some fabric and given some away. Scraps were the worst--I had so many scraps stored in boxes and bins and bags. I am glad I found a couple of charity groups that were happy to take them. After a few years, fabric trends and styles change and it just gets old and dated and I started to feel that way about my stash.<br />
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I do still plan on finishing all of the WIP's I have. In fact, I recently cleaned up and organized my sewing room and found all of the WIP's which had hidden themselves in different nooks and behind closed cupboard doors and they are now out in the open and organized so I can tick them off the list as I finish them. I bought a new planner this year and it has a monthly section for "Goals". I'm using it to list WIP's that I want to complete in that month. I'm probably being too optimistic but I'm hoping to get two done a month and I will post my efforts here to keep myself honest.<br />
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Well that's it for now. Keeping it short and sweet. I am glad to be back posting. Going to give myself another goal of posting once a week. <br />
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I really do wish you all a healthy, peaceful and contented new year! <br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Gail </span><br />
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<br />Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003204378492456488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4862767056465485791.post-6683774597271260032016-03-03T20:55:00.000-05:002016-03-03T20:55:10.811-05:00February Finish All People Quilt UFO ChallengeThe project number chosen for March is #3 and I'm so relieved that it is not my other BOM project! I'm burnt out from complicated piecing and need a "breather" by way of a simple project to work on. <br />
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My No. 3 this month is a Thanksgiving table runner that I started in 2011. It was a project in the October/November 2011 issue of <i>The Quilter</i> magazine. I was really drawn to the design because it used batik fabrics and I like the dimension that they added to the pumpkins and leaves. They remind me of the Cinderella pumpkins and turban squash.<br />
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I was wondering if any of you subscribe to one or more quilt magazines each month? I have to confess that while I don't subscribe to ANY magazines, I will occasionally look through them when I'm in the magazine aisle, but I rarely purchase one unless there's several unique projects that I really, really like. <br />
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I have taken many classes and practiced but I am not skilled at FMQ, so MY machine quilting is done with a regular presser foot. I then follow lines or designs that I've marked on the quilt top. <br />
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The piecing and applique are done, so I hope to get the machine embroidery and quilting completed as well as the self-binding.<br />
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For my February project I had chosen the Vintage Memories quilt and I now have all of the blocks finished. I only had Block #8 and 9 left and now that those are complete, I will be able to piece the quilt top in between projects. I'm really committed to finishing this quilt THIS YEAR!<br />
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It's been a very hectic month and I don't see it letting up soon, I'm just grateful that February came and went a lot easier than it did in 2015. My sister and I are trying to prep my dad's house for sale this spring and that means every weekend we are there purging, cleaning and making runs to Savers and the Salvation Army with drop offs. I also started a full-time job this week so my project time is seriously diminished, which is another reason that I'm glad this month's UFO challenge project is an easy one.<br />
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<br />Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003204378492456488noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4862767056465485791.post-2490934332912476552016-02-21T09:03:00.001-05:002016-02-21T09:03:38.928-05:00UFO ChallengeJust wondering if any of you are doing the allpeoplequilt.com UFO challenge <a href="http://www.allpeoplequilt.com/how-to-quilt/finishing/2016-ufo-challenge">here</a> ? I saw this referenced on another blog and decided to look into it. According to the website, you identify twelve UFO's that you want to finish over the next year and number them from 1-12 on a downloadable form along with their current status. <br />
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At the beginning of each month, a random number is selected. Whichever project on your list corresponds to the number drawn, is what you work on for that month. I'm getting into this a month and a half late, so I cheated a little. This month's project # is 5, so I'm working on my Vintage Memories quilt which I put in the #5 slot. I have seven of the nine blocks completed, so I'm hoping to finish all of the blocks and maybe even get some of the borders cut.<br />
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I had to go through the cabinets and shelves in my very messy craft room to locate the UFO's that I wanted to add to my list and found a lot more than twelve! Yikes! I had to use the back of the form.<br />
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Have any of you been shocked when you've realized how many UFO's you have or the money that's tied up in them? I know we all start out with good intentions and a generous heart, wanting to feed our creative spirit and make beautiful gifts, but while I was ferreting out kits and patterns from shelves and cabinets, I started calculating the cost and it adds up to a staggering amount. <br />
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I have two BOM quilts that I purchased and each kit was about $20.00 a month, plus the finishing kits which ran about another $40. So I'm estimating each was around $200.00 to $250.00 not including any extra FQ's or yardage that I purchased because I loved it at the time. <br />
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I also have a tote bag kit that I bought to make for a friend that was $50.00; (4) four Patchabilities "monthly mini" kits that I purchased for about $20.00 each; another Halloween BOM quilt kit (I bought one pattern but three separate fabric kits to make three of these) at a cost of $35. each plus the pattern $15.00; two charm packs, yardage and pattern and an a machine embroidery alphabet and design to make a Christmas stocking for my grandson at a cost $40.00.<br />
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This doesn't include the stashes of fabric, pre-cuts or partially complete projects that are over 20 years old and non-sewing projects like the afghan for my sister I've been working on for 7 years!<br />
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When do you cut your losses and let go of projects you know you don't want to finish and what do you do with them? Do you sell them online, donate them, swap with other crafting friends? I'd love to know in the comments section. Please share? <br />
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I'm also thinking of having an online "yard sale' in the next few weeks so stay tuned. I'll be listing some fabrics and patterns and there will also be a give-away! <br />
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I'm still looking for a pattern I bought back in 2011 or 2012 for a purse made with strips of batting wrapped with batik fabrics. I went to the Sewing Diva yesterday which is where I originally bought the pattern. She no longer carries it but told me the name and because I didn't write it down, I forgot it before I got home. It begins with "Auntie" something or other so if anyone knows what the rest is, please leave it in the comments below.<br />
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Well, I'm off to work on #5 for a few hours and then, since it's a beautiful day outside for a long walk!<br />
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Enjoy! <br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Gail</span><br />
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<br />Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003204378492456488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4862767056465485791.post-63031330668385276712016-01-28T09:39:00.002-05:002016-01-28T12:03:47.902-05:00One Year LaterI never intended to go this long between posting on my blog but as John Lennon said "Life is what happens when you're making other plans." And, sometimes when you're making those other plans and life is happening around you, you change focus on what is important.<br />
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My sister and I noticed a change in my dad's behavior after my mother passed away in 2013. We were beginning to suspect that it was some sort of dementia and did some searches on the internet. We would get middle of the night phone calls with bizarre stories of visitors knocking on the door, or else asking us where our mother had gone. Sometimes they were irate calls filled with anger towards us for not understanding and sometimes we could hear the fear and confusion in his voice.<br />
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During this time, there were also several "incidents" and ER visits where the VNA and elder services got involved. He flooded the basement, and set the oven on fire but he was at the time still very resistant to any kind of help or outside services that were offered and when I signed him up for meals on wheels, he called and cancelled the program. We were told that it was no longer safe for him to live alone, so when I had a job offer nearby that allowed me to move in it seemed like a good solution. For a while it worked and the middle-of-the-night calls stopped.<br />
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Then in mid-December 2014 when neither of us were there, my father's dementia required another ER visit and this time he was transferred from the ER to a geriatric hospital that specialized in dementia. There the diagnosis was confirmed and over the course of several weeks they tried him on medications and dosages until they felt he was stabilized enough to be released home with 24-hour supervision and day care. <br />
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That never worked out. Shortly before his release, he acquired an acute viral infection that nearly killed him and left him weak and unable to walk without assistance. I won't go into all the details but after he recovered, he spent time in nine different institutions and I watched my dad decline steadily with each move.<br />
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Dad passed away last September alone in a nursing home. My sister got the call from the nursing home that morning but she got there just minutes too late to hold his hand and say goodbye. I was away on my first real vacation in ten years. And even now, my heart breaks when I think of him alone without me. Though in my heart I know that it would have been what he wanted.<br />
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My father was not a very sentimental man. I know he mourned the deaths of close friends and the three brothers who preceded him but he would also admonish my mother, sister and I when we were overly sentimental. Maybe that came from growing up Irish and poor during the depression, or maybe because he was a Boston policeman or soldier in the Korean war whatever the reason, he was pragmatic about death and violence and saw more of it than most.<br />
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I do not think I really knew him well, the private man or his hopes and dreams. I wish that was different and I wish now that I'd spent more time with him; knew his friends and talked with him more than I did, but my sister and I were our mother's girls and my father always seemed happy that we chose her to spend our visits with. We relied on my father for his technical expertise--he was the most amazing handyman and mechanic and a reliable worker. Self-taught, he could do anything from plumbing to carpentry. One thing I have learned since from his many neighbors, was that he was also generous with his skills and time. <br />
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I am grateful for those six months that I had with him during the summer of 2014. I made dinner for us both on a broken stove while he shared stories about his family, youthful adventures and lost loves. We watched television and sometimes went out to eat at the "99" which he loved. We took a few walks at a park he loved and admired his beautiful lawn while sitting outside one summer evening. Looking back, I think he knew he would lose some of those memories and wanted to share them before he did. <br />
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Good-bye Dad. Thank you for being my dad. I love you.<br />
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John Crowley</div>
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8/4/29 to 9/27/15</div>
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<br />Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003204378492456488noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4862767056465485791.post-90925200948207510312014-11-29T14:52:00.001-05:002014-11-29T14:55:09.448-05:00Saturday, November 29th<p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">Tomorrow is the last day of the month. There are only 25 days, nine hours and 15 minutes till Christmas as I write this! I’m sure you wanted to know that, lol :)</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with much to be thankful for. Our thanksgiving was a little cold and cloudy but at least three of us got to spend thanksgiving together even if it was a restaurant dinner and not home-cooked. Not surprisingly, my dad did not come with us, making excuses at the last minute. He does not enjoy eating out anymore and prefers to stay close to home. Change in routine upsets him-these are all aspects of dementia. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">In NH it was a different story, the same pre-Thanksgiving storm that gave the south shore of Boston rain and slush, dumped 10 inches of heavy, wet snow on the southern part of the state and created a widespread power outage, Thursday. I guess it was lucky that I wasn’t hosting a large crowd like last Thanksgiving. What do you do with a partially cooked 18 lb turkey when there’s no power? </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">I was scheduled to work Friday but after calling to confirm that my house was part of the outage and that power wasn’t expected to be restored till Monday, I decided to come home Friday morning, it was a good thing I did too, because I had accidentally turned the furnace off the previous weekend . The good news is that we got our power on last night ahead of schedule. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">One casualty of the storm was my beloved Sargeant’s crabapple that was split in two by the ice laden snow. It survived many storms including the ice storm of 2008.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">Monograms really seem to be a big decorating trend this year and I’ve seen several Christmas wreaths on Pinterest that I liked. I decided that I would revamp my berry wreath that I’ve had for eons. I purchased a 7 1/2” letter “G” at Michaels and a can of red spray paint. Applied several coats and then brushed on a coat of Mod Podge and sprinkled it with red micro-glitter. Changed the bow from red-velvet to red & white check ribbon and I love how it looks. Decided to hang it on the porch wall adjacent to the door because live greens would dry out too quickly on the closed in porch.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">This berry wreath has served me well. Some of the paper-mache berries crack, but it’s a quick touch up with nail polish. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">Well, I’m off to the attic to pull down some more decorations. Have a good weekend!</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">Gail :)</font></p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Ez0v_kmLaOA/VHoj9q5KsII/AAAAAAAACEA/ee7TyybMSVE/s1600-h/DSC03071%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSC03071" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-right: 0px" border="0" alt="DSC03071" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-iaQWtL84Guc-lumlaQ0VE1sBOU96eG899toIPUdjbF9EOacMD9eIZdovGXdEevUQ6gFr96wZ2hXrByDJ4vOntjToeirhohopQ5Um9zYOuDi5C5j04aevN8OUvdGQ2vtS0dA0X3P9MCIu/?imgmax=800" width="244" align="left" height="184"></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Ojmx7erzeYE/VHoj-gva7TI/AAAAAAAACEM/A5swGwsFB48/s1600-h/DSC03073%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSC03073" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="DSC03073" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-h9Cx--Ejh5Q/VHoj_JcRUnI/AAAAAAAACEU/AIh7EPuldQE/DSC03073_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184"></a></p> Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003204378492456488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4862767056465485791.post-54753605073785502322014-11-23T15:06:00.001-05:002014-11-23T15:06:48.722-05:00Quick Catch Up<p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">Just catching up here. Haven’t posted since July. As I drink my second cup of coffee this morning, I look outside and there is frost on the deck, the BBQ grill and the lawn. We’ve already had a dusting of snow and that’s gone now but next weeks is Thanksgiving and then it’s a short four weeks till Christmas. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">My family is scattered this year so I won’t be hosting Thanksgiving Dinner. Instead four of us will be going to a restaurant and most likely it will end up being three of us (my father, who suffers from dementia has a habit of cancelling at the last minute).</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">Living back home and caring for my father hasn’t been everything I thought it would be. My father puts up obstacles to anyone helping him. He fights to stay in control but is losing the battle with memory loss and rationality and this makes him fight harder. I wish that he would recognize that he can accept help and still keep his dignity and most of his independence. Being a former police officer, marine and athlete, he is very much a “macho man” even at 85. It would make all of our lives much easier--if he would accept some help and social services and stop pretending that he is as capable as he was. We are trying to make it possible for him to stay in his home environment as long as possible but neither my sister nor I can be there 24/7. The state is suspending his license in mid-December because of three minor accidents where he was at fault. He refuses to give it up voluntarily, insisting that he is a “good driver”. We have tried rationalizing with him about his decreased reaction time and the amount of traffic where he lives to no avail. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">I have found it’s hard to reconnect or make new friends in a new place at this “age”. Everyone is pre-occupied with their own lives, family, work, etc. It seems like people no longer make conversation. They are self-absorbed by their phones, email, text messages and e-readers. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">I dressed up for Halloween and handed out the candy at my father’s house. My dad did not participate. It was nice meeting his neighbors & their children and grandchildren. I heard so many “nice” stories of favors and kindnesses that my mother and father did for many of them. My mother especially was much loved and remembered. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">On a funny note, when my father saw my costume he didn’t get that it WAS a costume and thought I was dressing up to go out.<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_uS-226hISo/VHI-SuaxLPI/AAAAAAAACC4/63bOdRj1LT0/s1600-h/IMG_05393.jpg"><img title="IMG_0539" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; margin-left: auto; display: block; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="IMG_0539" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-g8rQ3AsTW_w/VHI-TDN-rfI/AAAAAAAACC8/HP3VMqIAeZ0/IMG_0539_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244"></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-aSNRyyJt3BQ/VHI-ToJ2TAI/AAAAAAAACDE/d3k0fg24JSw/s1600-h/IMG_05463.jpg"><img title="IMG_0546" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; margin-left: auto; display: block; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="IMG_0546" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-6PYQO7YNCs0/VHI-UMLClgI/AAAAAAAACDM/KBWTf39PLdI/IMG_0546_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="183" height="244"></a> </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">I decorated my house for Halloween and Ernie put on a seasonal bow tie!</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-k1PajEj0kcs/VHI-UlNCJNI/AAAAAAAACDY/roI71rfNUWI/s1600-h/IMG_05143.jpg"><img title="IMG_0514" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_0514" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-eJZvHYfuyJA/VHI-VP9mhqI/AAAAAAAACDc/Oy1l-KcO63Q/IMG_0514_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="183" align="left" height="244"></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-E6LJk7AiiLI/VHI-VV4BAtI/AAAAAAAACDo/9UBfKrcDA8Q/s1600-h/IMG_05253.jpg"><img title="IMG_0525" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_0525" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLQonjmjmVAT_8wMKStpo-NNJ-Qzs1wzo0Woc-y-JP_foiHosjYpx6BZC5ViSVvSx9MISI6UMNhokBG46Uz8lpAS_65L8ClPj_rhFom0B9JS2RAblcd8u_jkQj9cky1g4wtXSq_lRAQQWA/?imgmax=800" width="244" align="right" height="183"></a> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"> </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">I’m going to my daughter’s next weekend so I can bring Calvin’s advent calendar that I made from a panel last winter. We won’t see each other for Thanksgiving because there is a family wedding on her father’s side that weekend. I’ve finished purchasing all the “advent gifts” to go in the pockets. Because I didn’t want to candy in all of the pockets, it ended up being quite expensive, even at the dollar store. <font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">Some of the gifts were too large and will be wrapped up. I’ll put a card in that days pocket with a corresponding number on the gift. </font></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">In hindsight, I wish I’d made an advent calendar that had ornaments to hang on buttons for each day. Oh well, lesson learned. I do think it’s a good tool for learning to count though.</font></p> <p> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">Well that’s it for this post. Thanks for stopping by.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">Gail </font></p> Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003204378492456488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4862767056465485791.post-7895942730601083192014-07-06T10:58:00.001-04:002014-07-06T10:58:07.660-04:00Consider the bees<p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS">Haven’t been posting for a few weeks. During that time, much has happened. I got to spend a few wonderful weeks with my DD#2. We spent most of our time visiting places in New England that were on both of our bucket lists before she left for a new life and career in Spain. I also started a new job—closer to my dad’s so that I can stay with him during the week. Unfortunately, I don’t have access to the internet at his house.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS">That’s partly been a good thing as I tend to be distracted by it. Not having the internet has forced me to turn to other activities like long walks after work and restoring some of the gardens at my dad’s house that are overgrown. I also do most of the cooking and spend more time in conversation with my dad. I’m catching up on books I’ve wanted to read and learning how to download books from the library onto the kindle my daughter gave me.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS">The weather has been wonderful. My walking has taken me through neighborhoods where I grew up and I’ve rediscovered the pleasure and convenience of living in suburbia—a walk to the corner store for milk and a newspaper, a short drive to reach a major store, rubbish pick-up and mail delivery—all things I don’t have here. Ernie, my cat travels back and forth with me and is adjusting well to living in two places.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS">As I mentioned above the gardens that once were a showplace of 100 year old peonies and roses have become overgrown. The rich loamy soil that was once like wet coffee grinds is now dry and powdery and full of shallow tree roots, due to my father letting trees grow everywhere. He has several 2nd generation Norway maples that are the offspring of a larger tree in a neighbor’s yard. He thought the trees would meant less mowing for him but the trees have sapped all of the nutrients out of the soil and the grass now has to be heavily fertilized and watered in order to maintain the “golf-course” look that my dad wants.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS">My dad isn’t alone, all of the neighbors on his street seem to be in competition for the greenest and thickest turf and most mornings when I leave for work, I see at least one landscaping company trucks parked at a neighbor’s. The problem with this is that across the street from my dad’s house, the Plymouth River flows. All of that nitrogen-rich fertilizer and pesticide is leaching through the soil into the river. </font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS">Years ago a beautiful lawn was lush and green and full of white clover. White clover is a legume, it pulls nitrogen from the air and fixes it to its roots. The grass that grows in with the clover is dark green, healthy and lush. </font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS">White clover is no longer added to grass seed mixtures. I had a difficult time finding it and when I did the salesman told me that it was considered a “weed”. Some of the other reasons are that it dies down in winter and creates temporary bare patches, which, btw, quickly fill in by the more desirable perennial grass rhizomes. Clover also attracts honey and bumble bees which are docile and non-aggressive but sometimes get confused with wasps and hornets which are aggressive. Clover also attracts wildlife like deer and rabbits because it is rich in nutrients and lastly there are the little white flowers which some lawn purists find objectionable. They can be minimized by frequent mowing. Clover also smells amazing when it is cut, even better than grass, and recovers very quickly from mowing or foot traffic. Clover will quickly shade out weed seeds like crab grass and chickweed.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS">Lastly, all of us have in some part contributed to CCD (Colony Collapse Disorder) that is affecting the honey bee population. Most experts agree that one of the main contributors to CCD is the use of pesticides that are used in the lawn industry. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen honeybees buzzing about in my garden or lawn and this year, I’ve seen less and less solitary bees. I’m getting worried. We need to make it right again and not be swayed into thinking that a weed-free/insect-free lawn is the only alternative and only possible by using chemicals (there are organic alternatives available). Water, ph levels and choosing the correct species of grass for the area are equally as important. </font></p> <h4><strong>Benefits of Clover</strong> <font size="2">(excerpted from </font><a href="http://www.almanac.com/content/clover-comeback"><font size="2">www.almanac.com/content/clover-comeback</font></a><font size="2">)</font></h4> <ul> <li>White clover (<em>Trifolium repens</em>) is a rapid spreader that crowds out broadleaf weeds while it grows harmoniously with grass. It will thrive in areas that are poorly drained or too shady for a conventional lawn. <li>Being a legume, clover has the ability to convert nitrogen into fertilizer using bacteria in it's root system, practically eliminating the need for additional fertilization. <li>It is an extremely drought-resistant plant and will keep its cool-green color even during the hottest and driest parts of summer. <li>Left uncut, white clover grows 4-8 inches tall and produces small white flowers that are often tinged with pink. The flowers not only create a beautiful visual effect, but also bring in bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects that prey on garden pests. <li>Honeybees rarely sting when they are away from their hive, but if they make you uncomfortable or you are allergic to bee stings, simply have the lawn mowed more often when clover is in bloom.</li></ul> Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003204378492456488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4862767056465485791.post-67294852680715824072014-05-26T10:31:00.001-04:002014-05-26T10:31:04.738-04:00Happy Memorial Day - 2014!<p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-gWmh8uq6eBw/U4NQG41DAjI/AAAAAAAACBA/Bc6f-hHlYA8/s1600-h/memorial%252520day_52614%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="memorial day_52614" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-right: 0px" border="0" alt="memorial day_52614" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioZUtSCeX0D_-M2OxYjQQegRcRA2KX4lLm_7oXlGxROa12u0ZwSSHwV_Duz958CDJ_PjJB3HpJeodj3HwKx6MNhfMZe9mMMCsz4EuL65JH6nEYTh9rTHqPH7FelSR_MP7Vn3ag8GWxR0EY/?imgmax=800" width="240" align="left" height="165"></a> Today is a day for parades, flags, barbecues and decorating the graves of loved ones. I am always reminded of red geraniums on Memorial Day. They were the flowers that my mother and grandmother placed at our family’s gravesites because of their patriotic red color, draught tolerance and because they bloom continuously till frost. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">These days, Geraniums seem to be underappreciated in home gardens, but if you have difficulty keeping up with watering, they work well for containers and window boxes, and now there are so many more hybrid colors and forms available besides the traditional “fire engine red”. They also combine well with other popular annuals. I planted some pale salmon bi-color geraniums and white Bacopa <em>(Sutera)</em> in my father’s window boxes this spring because I know that they will look good, even if he forgets to water them between my visits. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">Memorial Day is also the day for remembering our fallen heroes. I saw this poem by Carl Sandburg on a paving stone in a public garden. It made me think of Memorial Day. </font></p> <p> </p> <p align="center"><em><font size="3"><font color="#0000ff"><b>Grass</b><br>By Carl Sandburg</font></font></em></p> <p align="center"><em><font color="#0000ff" size="3">Pile the bodies high at Austerlitz and Waterloo.<br>Shovel them under and let me work—<br>I am the grass; I cover all.</font></em></p> <p align="center"><em><font color="#0000ff" size="3">And pile them high at Gettysburg<br>And pile them high at Ypres and Verdun.<br>Shovel them under and let me work.<br>Two years, ten years, and passengers ask the conductor:<br>What place is this?<br>Where are we now?</font></em></p> <p align="center"><em><font color="#0000ff" size="3">I am the grass.<br>Let me work.</font></em></p> <p align="center"><em><font color="#ff0000" size="5"></font></em> </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-EOkVn0UvtoU/U4NQH8okowI/AAAAAAAACBQ/4GDCykfhWNY/s1600-h/IMG_0195%25255B16%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0195" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_0195" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Ag64xwLnxyI/U4NQIeyRdjI/AAAAAAAACBY/NZmhSl99dig/IMG_0195_thumb%25255B12%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" align="left" height="183"></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-W0mMP8lQHY4/U4NQJQFV2lI/AAAAAAAACBg/9SR3q1R7eOw/s1600-h/memorial%252520day%252520grass%2525202014%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="memorial day grass 2014" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-right: 0px" border="0" alt="memorial day grass 2014" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-RQua8OGXqt0/U4NQJ6gtXSI/AAAAAAAACBo/QhV9ef_-ES0/memorial%252520day%252520grass%2525202014_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" align="right" height="164"></a></p> Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003204378492456488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4862767056465485791.post-89460773325361948232014-05-19T12:46:00.001-04:002014-05-19T12:46:24.488-04:00Weekend in DC<p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS">This past weekend, my daughter received her MBA from Georgetown University. My sister, BIL, older daughter and and Carolyn’s dad and step mom were with us which gave the weekend a real vacation feel. We were very fortunate that the weather was on the cool and dry side. In fact, with the exception of down pours on Thursday night and a few sprinkles on Friday night, the weather was wonderful.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-6y822GRyWYQ/U3o1K6k9jkI/AAAAAAAAB-s/vkyGsRNnLHQ/s1600-h/DSC02914%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"><img title="DSC02914" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSC02914" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-s9uojhe7On7jBAzgIwIv68meLExv2Gb-fK7LQFkBHG1JBIyfu5SXIJTTlcKcQevj8QmmmckvF-Kr0p6cwvzsn6odcEASyWt11Z0Zht2j1R6Rk61jZuigC7NuvMZzIos9H8Be-_czMBMC/?imgmax=800" width="244" height="139"></font></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-JNGptLM6Oxg/U3o1M8R_GBI/AAAAAAAAB-8/7KsMtJ3Mgmo/s1600-h/DSC02923%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"><img title="DSC02923" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSC02923" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-YquGCynHAFM/U3o1OFnAKhI/AAAAAAAAB_A/jRy3my1eC4w/DSC02923_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="139"></font></a><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"> </font><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-pGZZp11qR74/U3o1Oyyx-cI/AAAAAAAAB_M/VJVQ-yk14N8/s1600-h/DSC02939%252520%2525282%252529%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"><img title="DSC02939 (2)" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSC02939 (2)" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-FzxU6o-qmA4/U3o1QFi8eaI/AAAAAAAAB_U/kM4UqWJqO7w/DSC02939%252520%2525282%252529_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244"></font></a><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"> </font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> <font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS">The Graduation was held indoors and followed by a reception for grads and families at the university. It was great to meet some of my daughter’s friends. Later our family group had a fabulous dinner at La Chaumiere Restaurant in Georgetown, where most of us ordered the soft-shelled crab special. After dinner we had drinks at small boutique hotel’s rooftop bar that had some pretty neat views of Georgetown and DC. We also made it to the rooftop bar at the W Hotel, just down the street from the white house. This bar has amazing views of the Washington Monument. </font><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3OhIGa29qGOUzKcZ4tPlavwlBUgcIa0cVCRricf3_PJ5IDtwTt74uWHckChNpHir55l65TbEegooeiYR8SqPkdOh5-0fJ3si5LGKFiVX9AnrC6zCRsQ_pWkkQ0udP-en3CttH4EXX-KO8/s1600-h/DSC02960%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"><img title="DSC02960" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" border="0" alt="DSC02960" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-zntqQMBjLA0/U3o1R57u4kI/AAAAAAAAB_k/9xBoSrvrBS8/DSC02960_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" align="left" height="139"></font></a><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"> </font><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-yfmpTYvqbdo/U3o1SpUYvZI/AAAAAAAAB_s/Hjca_9ALip0/s1600-h/DSC02968%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"><img title="DSC02968" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; margin-left: auto; display: block; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="DSC02968" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYQFRSxSSGMUSp0gXLXKk3nb-xpLXh_Q4z4OiuWZDEPgvPDDXLQbKyRpspm__4ngUnlveu_z2AM3vpHcoaQUhhwTix_p7io1JGOQT1vMDIUlS5e4pnVMh0Dp6VFHreAo-_NX07d8e3magh/?imgmax=800" width="244" height="139"></font></a><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"> </font><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-tqps-zi2NUs/U3o1UcRXs_I/AAAAAAAAB_8/jSbvsfwwgyQ/s1600-h/IMG_0250%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"><img title="IMG_0250" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_0250" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-A9l_AY4Q54I/U3o1U1bF2xI/AAAAAAAACAE/qQeyDIEk688/IMG_0250_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="183" align="right" height="244"></font></a><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"> </font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS">Saturday morning we had our long-awaited white house tour which, aside from seeing my sweet girl receive her degree, was the highlight of the weekend. After waiting four months for the tickets to come through, I just wanted to linger and take everything in. Unfortunately, picture taking is not allowed inside but my sister and I both wished there was a garden tour because what we could see of the gardens through the windows was enchanting. There are small seating areas and planting that you never see in pictures. Each of the rooms we toured had a beautiful flower arrangement that complimented the room’s color scheme and decor. We were told that the white house employs 35 florists that create these amazing arrangements based on the seasons . The arrangements we saw contained many different rose colors and varieties, as well as peonies, ranunculus, foliage and some exotic lily species, but there was also some spirea and hydrangea blossoms that probably came right from the white house shrubbery. Several tall vases in the dining room were covered with English ivy leaves just overlapped in a spiral fashion. <img title="IMG_0266" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_0266" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-3tyih52kQNY/U3o1VWg53VI/AAAAAAAACAM/w8KrOZdQrZQ/IMG_0266_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" align="left" height="183"> </font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS">After the white house tour on Saturday morning, we walked all of the major monuments until we couldn’t walk anymore then it was a cab ride to BSF in Foggy Bottom for delicious burgers, shakes and sweet potato fries, and a trip to the National Cathedral which was cut short when my sister realized that she had left her iPhone in the cab we’d taken earlier. Fortunately, we did get the phone back later that night thanks to a very kind cab driver. </font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> <font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS">Sunday morning we were up early to get tickets for the newly re-opened Washington Monument. The views from the top give you a true perspective of the scale of Washington DC and how the city is laid out. We spotted a few things from up there that we missed on the ground but the best view was of the white house and Capital. On the elevator ride down the lights are turned off so that you can see the construction details of the tower and the dedication plaques on the inside walls. Eventually the stairwell will be opened in the 755 ft. obelisk for guided walking tours. The monument had been closed for repairs since 2009 or 2010, after an earthquake caused structural damage. It’s only been reopened since April of this year. </font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ccIvM7yFo_Q/U3o1WH3oKLI/AAAAAAAACAU/0uQha7Li7Bc/s1600-h/IMG_0297%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"><img title="IMG_0297" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_0297" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-l7du2BdnJKc/U3o1WrqOaaI/AAAAAAAACAY/CTygeBBar10/IMG_0297_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="183" align="left" height="244"></font></a><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"> </font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"></font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Lv54hw92ZJU/U3o1XE5UztI/AAAAAAAACAk/UOo3qOV__AQ/s1600-h/DSC02971%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"><img title="DSC02971" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" border="0" alt="DSC02971" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-e7uiesCppQI/U3o1Xk-yjqI/AAAAAAAACAs/EfXu6qegoZk/DSC02971_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="337" align="right" height="191"></font></a><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"> </font></p> Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003204378492456488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4862767056465485791.post-24709602778824727762014-05-14T06:26:00.000-04:002014-05-14T10:26:20.231-04:00Hummingbirds<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: small;">Do you put up a hummingbird feeder? Do you put it up on a certain date or do you just wait till you see them in your area?. I’ve always sort of timed putting mine up with the flowering of my Sargeants crabapple tree which is just outside my kitchen window, but this year it seems that a lot of the flowering shrubs and trees are behind schedule so I checked the </span><a href="http://www.hummingbirds.net/map.html"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: small;">hummingbird migration map</span></a><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: small;"> and they are already active in my area. This map also covers the eastern provinces of Canada. You can check out the species of hummingbirds that have been seen in your state on this website too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: small;">In the northeast we have only one species of hummingbird that visits feeders regularly and that is the Ruby-throated Hummingbird. However, that being said, a few sightings of Rufous and Calliope hummingbirds have been made in New Hampshire in the last couple of years. This could possibly be due to global warming expanding their ranges, or the little guys just got bored and decided to take a road trip.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: small;">My feeder attaches to my kitchen window with suction cups and has a perch. I like it because I can get a good view of the birds from my breakfast counter and at the sink. They don’t seem to mind me standing close by while they are feeding. <img alt="DSC02896" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-f9p1RYfkkY8/U3KcTZhm_-I/AAAAAAAAB98/iYHCew7AaTg/DSC02896_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="180" style="border: 0px currentColor; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DSC02896" width="316" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: small;">Hang your feeder about 4 ft off the ground so that it is away from predators (like kitties). Hummingbirds for their size are very territorial and will not tolerate attitude from other hummers or small birds. I once saw one chase off a larger goldfinch that was too close to a feeder! The suggested spacing for feeders is to place them out of sight of each other to prevent one bird from monopolizing all of them. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: small;">You don’t have to purchase the “nectar” that’s sold in the stores. They get most of their protein and nutrients from eating small flies and spiders, so they really don’t need any of the “extra” ingredients. I make up my own sugar solution of 1/4 cup granulated white sugar to 2 cups of boiled well water. This is not as sweet as some recipes that call for more sugar, but it is still attractive to the birds without attracting bees. I don’t add red food dye either, since the red feeder will attract their attention. I store any extra food in the fridge but get rid of it after a week if I haven’t used it. If you have chlorinated water, you might want to use bottled water instead. </span><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-RBYbmEmUmZs/U3KcUELTBLI/AAAAAAAAB-E/mf7vIIFfqCU/s1600-h/DSC02895%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: small;"><img align="left" alt="DSC02895" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-LY7an9xJ5Ps/U3KcV2yaczI/AAAAAAAAB-M/n5tR49DdPz8/DSC02895_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="173" style="border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="DSC02895" width="305" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: small;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoiq43Q9pahHFcJxdgEVzvWGabZgm-p7GquO4RtOW_-6oFDVwhy85-6xQimwzrVebd7TD7_-nrkE2U9h54Mimo3d4qfYtxGNu-yS0zRrrsgryXzUBz1BWCBnQooYV2Kq2UNlGDwOMskNNW/s1600-h/DSC02898%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: small;"><img align="right" alt="DSC02898" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-D9jaLlL6vi4/U3KcYlNXsFI/AAAAAAAAB-c/PVijH5JtTag/DSC02898_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="170" style="border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="DSC02898" width="300" /></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: small;">My feeder was purchased from Wild Bird’s unlimited. It has a lifetime warrantee. There are many different models. though that hang on feeder poles or even hanging baskets and window boxes. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: small;">I know some people are concerned about ants and bees. My feeder has a well in the center that you fill with water to discourage ants and I can buy tiny bee cages that fit into the openings on the feeder and prevent bees and hornets from getting to the nectar. I’m also very careful when filling and replacing it. I don’t overfill my feeder and I use a wet paper towel to wipe up any drips right away.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: small;">In my experience, the heaviest feeding times are between late June and August, after that it dwindles off. Most of the birds start their migration south in mid-August. The older ones leave first, followed by the current year’s nestlings. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: small;">I’ve given hummingbird feeders as gifts to family and friends who tell me later how much enjoyment they get out of watching the little birds. I like to hear that because the more we enjoy something, the more vested we are in preserving it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: French Script MT;">Gail </span><br />
<a href="http://www.hummingbirds.net/map.html" title="http://www.hummingbirds.net/map.html"></a><br />Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003204378492456488noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4862767056465485791.post-15896379303546478812014-05-13T10:56:00.001-04:002014-05-13T10:56:33.230-04:00Gardening Chores<p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">Yesterday I set up my summer porch. Now for me, summer is officially here—well sort of. I love sitting out here in the late afternoon and early evening. It’s my favorite part of this house and a great place to read, put your feet up or just listen to the grass grow, lol. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">Just the deck left to set up. Today, I have an appointment, afterwards I’ll stop and get my potting supplies and work on the deck planters. I’m still bringing in my annuals at night. The temps have dropped precariously low a couple of times this past week and we are not officially frost-free till Memorial Day.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"> </font></p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUAXlfeJXWvzEyP2oQzOiFGLM5MbKvEZjGSmLht0MjRtWbkxY7Ty0rSZfWCXR-4pFHgDzQOq7cGqgIoN-4HI0DdVjBN2LZ-eCHi-Vnzg524tTCaO0tjrY3UKC6uQxkp7sglIJcE115YVN-/s1600-h/DSC028655.jpg"><font color="#000000" size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"><img title="DSC02865" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; margin-left: auto; display: block; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="DSC02865" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-dlZNVFE8nvQ/U3IyiDqeyQI/AAAAAAAAB88/FKcu4NsSG8M/DSC02865_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" width="416" height="236"></font></a><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"> </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">Another chore I did yesterday was to inspect my garden hoses and hook them up. I store my garden hoses in the garage for the winter after they are completely drained of any water. When I buy garden hoses, I buy the best quality that I can afford. My first choice is natural rubber but I know that is getting harder to find. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">One thing that annoys me when I’m watering is leaking (usually down the front of my pants or on my feet) and the easiest way to prevent that is to replace the washers in the connection fittings every year. Below is a picture of a new washer (on the left) and the washer that I replaced (on the right). In only a year, the washer shrunk and the rubber dried out, because of water conditions (minerals, chlorine, etc). The washers are a very inexpensive fix. You can buy a bag of them for less than $2.00. Garden hoses come in two diameter sizes—1/2 and 5/8 inches but the connections and washers are a standard size and fit both. You can buy different kinds of washers, some are plastic, I think the rubber ones below are the best.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"> </font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-duE1adx0Zps/U3IyjEgLrsI/AAAAAAAAB9E/hSezA-Cuio0/s1600-h/DSC0289010.jpg"><font color="#000000" size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"><img title="DSC02890" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; margin-left: auto; display: block; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="DSC02890" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-idwxG8hCr7o/U3IykHK8YiI/AAAAAAAAB9M/pSXV3XGZy0o/DSC02890_thumb8.jpg?imgmax=800" width="314" height="178"></font></a><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"> </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">If I can’t remove the old washer with my finger, I will carefully pry it out with a flat head screw driver. You may find that the new replacement washer is a bit too large, just use your finger to push it down as far as it will go, so that it sits tight in the bottom of the coupling. You’ll know if it isn’t seated correctly if you can’t thread the coupling onto the outdoor faucet. </font></p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoiADU4Uw4mAUGk8oRfJQd7sl4wWDeEXex7r1xXGdL3seM7NOiAJLEwlmCONCaoXlyuICCK0mPaylW8Q9oFReMU8bMdVaeRc2VGUAkg_oGD3EXkXBRI3Y-fOY7NMNw3ce7EFhL9gkjdv9B/s1600-h/DSC028884.jpg"><font color="#000000" size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"><img title="Old Washer" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Old Washer" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-PsHDgtvjYZ4/U3IymOU4ieI/AAAAAAAAB9c/YcFEU2zLUbI/DSC02888_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" align="left" height="139"></font></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7IORY2tNWxSK5d3X91g2ctUPhjlFy1t3xNDKOHa0q_1rDFXQAwjeGB8yBvh3uMWwg2YuxzxHEZGoj6UUW1lPHp11qJTKehT-hEpHTggHQmKvbaAW7Yu9nz1pJ2amw60jjy7BN9Wa2Y6S0/s1600-h/DSC028915.jpg"><font color="#000000" size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"><img title="New washer installed" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; margin-left: auto; display: block; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="New washer installed" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-6JjG9gWI-gE/U3Iyn2SHHiI/AAAAAAAAB9s/64m021P1tZw/DSC02891_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="139"></font></a></p> <p> </p> <p><font size="7" face="French Script MT">Gail :)</font></p> Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003204378492456488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4862767056465485791.post-63605988800833165722014-05-09T17:04:00.001-04:002014-05-09T17:04:56.953-04:00A Special Day to Remember<p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">Today would have been my mom’s 88th birthday. Below is one of my favorite pictures of her taken in Ogunquit, Maine when she was 79. It used to be an annual day trip for us every summer to walk the Marginal Way followed by lunch at the Oar House Restaurant and followed later by an ice cream on the drive home. We had stops along the way that we looked forward to. One was Stone Wall Kitchens where we sampled their jams and condiments. This picture was taken on our last walk there together. After that, she told me that the walking was just getting too much for her. We did continue to go to Ogunquit for a few more summers after that, but we never walked the Marginal Way together again. </font></p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWSO5YrpV_-qWJ-gbl2MxGrYOS8p7tF0jbLAAXph6ZL_rG2DJ_-khmfrhUeQT8FXT2vghWptH2shodEo7EDMI9ji2f2jjTybrBM-fWbIcDwrAxxZJwuF6Vd_TPXwv_1QsBv84wYusODitr/s1600-h/Ogunquit_200513.jpg"><font color="#000000" size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"><img title="Ogunquit_2005" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; margin-left: auto; display: block; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Ogunquit_2005" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-l7zU3qJmEH8/U21C7qRa_wI/AAAAAAAAB8I/jZf0V3VQy-4/Ogunquit_2005_thumb13.jpg?imgmax=800" width="206" height="262"></font></a><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"> </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">Yesterday, my sister and I gathered at my dad’s house to spend the day with him. We visited the newly restored Fogg Library in South Weymouth. This was the closest library when I lived at home and it was a mile away. My mom didn’t drive till after I graduated from high school so a friend and I would walk to this library every week during summer breaks to read magazines in the cool interior and check out books. My favorite books back then were historical novels about the kings and queens of Europe and mysteries by Daphne DuMaurier. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">Olden’s Drug Store was across the square and where most of the high school kids hung out, so if it was a hot afternoon we’d sometimes sit at the soda fountain and have a coke before the walk home. Olden’s is still there, but the soda fountain is long gone. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">The library was closed for ten years while the renovations were made. I do miss the huge old card files that were located right behind the librarian’s desk. They’ve been replaced with shelves for DVD’s. The librarian told me that they had been gone for a long time, even before the restoration began. I guess that makes sense because, most libraries are computerized today. The librarian looked bored though, with no books to stamp or cards to file. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">After the visit, we all noticed that something seemed to be missing from the library we remembered and then realized it was the smell of the old books and oiled wood but in time, I think it will come back. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"><img title="DSC02856 (2)" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="DSC02856 (2)" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqFZfR5pfBKzEF5yI4S-YghJ6IANkqFll5m9wo9jMng-bCkKYXYM5OKyGqEfgGWiliDJAB0Lejiqd7dUHIyCXrDM4_I2A5S9MWMpBN_ch8XsF2Nk6oo72Leqa8H_z0sHOD6tTAC5UnMQrU/?imgmax=800" width="139" height="244"><img title="DSC02850 (2)" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="DSC02850 (2)" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-PXcYivFChJs/U21C9FGWwtI/AAAAAAAAB8Y/X3VLB3Mqtpc/DSC02850%252520%2525282%252529_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="139" height="244"><img title="DSC02851 (2)" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="DSC02851 (2)" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-0q05IFYHlrk/U21C9qKtWUI/AAAAAAAAB8g/jS0VLaG1JRI/DSC02851%252520%2525282%252529_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="139" height="244"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">After going to the library, my dad treated us to lunch and then we went to the cemetery to plant flowers and do some clean up at mom’s gravesite. We weeded, edged, mulched and planted together as a team. It was our birthday and mother’s day gift to her this year. I think she would be happy.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">I hope you all have a wonderful mother’s day. Build wonderful memories for the future.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"><font size="7" face="French Script MT">Gail </font> </font></p> Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003204378492456488noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4862767056465485791.post-51061975755783449832014-05-07T13:29:00.001-04:002014-05-07T13:29:16.699-04:00Tangled<p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">This is a picture of the designated “junk” drawer in my kitchen. Look familiar? I bet you have one too.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Ai-llLVSMcg/U2ptXet9POI/AAAAAAAAB7I/zWGL2EKj69s/s1600-h/DSC02844%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><font color="#000000" size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"><img title="DSC02844" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="DSC02844" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-eigkA88QwcQ/U2ptYswq55I/AAAAAAAAB7Q/WoENac5IazQ/DSC02844_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="297" height="168"></font></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-yjnD_WUDdJY/U2ptZNom8_I/AAAAAAAAB7Y/eFp5-s0SES4/s1600-h/DSC02847%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><font color="#000000" size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font></a> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">Every few months, it gets to me when I can’t find something that I KNOW is in there and I stop whatever else I’m doing at the moment and tear this drawer apart. I spend a lot of time organizing it all over again so that everything has a place and fits nicely. Well, that lasts for a few months and then it goes back to being a tangled mess. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">Today was one of those days when I was looking for the USB cord for my Passport external hard drive. Its been about a month and a half since I got the new laptop and I wanted to back up some files. I keep all of the USB cords in the junk drawer, trouble is, they are all different and it takes time to figure out which one is the right USB cord because I still have all the USB cords for two cameras, an external DVD/R, my old GPS, a speaker for my iPhone and a few more gadgets that are all stored conveniently nearby in the junk drawer.<img title="DSC02847" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="DSC02847" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Radx_ZBsQcw/U2ptZpxFYkI/AAAAAAAAB7g/j7QjnKfkKPg/DSC02847_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="311" height="177"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">Today I solved this problem with the help of my Dymo Letratag hand-held label maker. I bought my label maker last fall on sale. It was kind of an impulse purchase but I have been labeling everything that sits still, since. I love it for labeling leftovers and frozen food. I have used it to organize my spices, storage boxes for Xmas decorations, tools, garden supplies and even my my sewing supplies. It really came in handy this past tax season when I reorganized all of my personal files. I was able to down-size from a beat-up and rusted two drawer file cabinet to <u>one</u> small file box. And my label maker is so much faster and economical than printing a whole sheet of labels when you only need one (you can print out multiple labels on the Dymo too). My label maker came with a paper label cassette and I purchased an additional plastic one that I used to label my USB cords. The paper labels work best for file folders, cardboard boxes, books, etc. Even though the Dymo uses 4 AA batteries, they last quite a long time. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">There are many different models and makes of hand-held label makers like the Dymo to choose with various options. Mine has options that allow me to print labels with both upper and lower case fonts in different sizes along with symbols, multiple lines, dates and numbers. I have even given label makers as gifts and everyone is usually surprised at how many uses they can find for them. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">My USB cords are all labeled now and I won’t have to empty out the junk drawer next time to find the right one. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"> </font><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-DP1AG5bi2zU/U2ptaI-AK1I/AAAAAAAAB7o/qoOzHAgQzH8/s1600-h/DSC02846%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><font color="#000000" size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"><img title="DSC02846" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-right: 0px" border="0" alt="DSC02846" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-YoTr-S0g-jo/U2pta6iyX5I/AAAAAAAAB7s/2K9rCBSr2fs/DSC02846_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="270" align="left" height="154"></font></a><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"> </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">So that’s my contribution to today’s enlightenment.</font></p> <p><font size="7" face="French Script MT">Gail </font></p> Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003204378492456488noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4862767056465485791.post-11419714233014382152014-05-04T12:23:00.001-04:002014-05-04T12:23:56.450-04:00Looking Back at Early Projects…Part 2<p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">I apologize for the quality of the photos in these two posts. These were taken before the days of digital. You remember, don’t you? When we bought rolls of film, loaded the camera, took way too many pictures, then sent them off to be developed and hoped that they all came out good. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">In 1987, I took a class at the Brass Thimble Quilt Shop in Manchester, NH. That shop closed several years later and the owner moved back to her hometown in northern Maine. I cannot remember her name but she was a talented teacher. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">I took a crazy-patch appliqué class which resulted in the flimsy below. The colors in this are so ‘80’s—remember “dusty rose” and “dusty blue”? This top is entirely hand-pieced and appliquéd. The crazy border was still unfinished in 2009 when I got laid off and I finished piecing it then but it remains unfinished because I want to appliqué a partial floral border on the edges and I’m undecided whether I will hand or machine quilt it. What would you do? </font></p> <p> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu_B0NjcWR6nU2lCu_PJQoHvRl2aKyum-2FAaMQNJz8dmVBBVqZlpe7q3TSlCzMbgkDhZjSHiix0HKf0jijSnLTkiaz5EMyhjkj5KBSEaNFGKTYEN6iO2J1CE2Sz10mDIhgNqXg1FxYb4z/s1600-h/DSC02830%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSC02830" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="DSC02830" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-AMox3Lh94ac/U2ZpZFLycKI/AAAAAAAAB4w/HkqCwrVie6E/DSC02830_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="364"></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDfWVgRx8W241rC3WT21Am16qtdxZrlTT9wbMaxA6S7kMHF3CbJhUFosMTBhonb9_VZGXQUCz3wZ_GYTsCGBo0w1xSNDjPPNngIIhcHpM6OAl2jRB3p5FkkuSnK4UK9nZKNaLBLD7r-hja/s1600-h/DSC02832%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSC02832" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="DSC02832" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-yakRAz5rNkc/U2Zpc6x-aLI/AAAAAAAAB48/MlmZaUcbbts/DSC02832_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="274" height="484"></a> </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">In 1990 I made this Debbie Mumm design called “An Apple A Day” I loved her whimsical country style. My kitchen, back then, had red countertops and harvest gold appliances (1970’s) so I made this quilt to hang on the wall. The picture shows it after being basted but it did get quilted on a transatlantic passage by car carrier to Germany and Sweden! (there wasn’t very much to do on that cruise). I still have this quilt but now I only display it at Christmas along with my other red and green quilts. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"> </font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-RjGXIFdgukY/U2ZpdRBNKlI/AAAAAAAAB5I/x9i7MVt0w9g/s1600-h/AppleADayQuilt_DMumm2.jpg"><font color="#000000" size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-RjGXIFdgukY/U2ZpdRBNKlI/AAAAAAAAB5M/YecGWLcBRDY/s1600-h/Apple%252520A%252520Day%252520Quilt_DMumm%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img title="Apple A Day Quilt_DMumm" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Apple A Day Quilt_DMumm" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-S4uIXZeLlzM/U2ZpesFqtpI/AAAAAAAAB5U/4hTl5a95qoY/Apple%252520A%252520Day%252520Quilt_DMumm_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="272" height="275"></a></font></a><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"> </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"> </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">According to what I wrote on the back of the picture below, I purchased this as a quilt kit in 1991 from Keepsake Quilting. It was made for my friend, Diane who lived in an adorable log cabin and collected Snowmen. This kit came with all of the fabrics, batting and pattern. I satin stitched his “twiggy” arms which I think looked a lot better than sewing real twigs to the fabric !</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"> </font><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-48PpWhCYi6U/U2ZpfNxsFtI/AAAAAAAAB5c/Jc2LkVhYtNY/s1600-h/Dianessnowman3.jpg"><font color="#000000" size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH6P9FE8O6JCOVR5XvwiooZ4eADgmYZEKTUMH6rd2azz9fcX51nhc4BPYGSUWbgEglB_eEcxcAwYXBfcAIt3GGq5eO_7jYWcU4D79UUYnNAPmxkvVYzVf8BWbMK0Lde5WtersAmjAk_-vr/s1600-h/Diane%252527s%252520snowman%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="Diane's snowman" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Diane's snowman" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-rNuyA4WJ6_c/U2ZpgSjQuQI/AAAAAAAAB5o/xahLL7RuP14/Diane%252527s%252520snowman_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="276" height="209"></a></font></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">The next photo is of the small wall-hanging I did for a guild challenge. Just like the Xmas raffle quilts, we were given packets of material and instructions to make a wall-hanging. We had to use all of the fabrics in the pack but could add two or three additional fabrics of our choice. It’s been so long I’m only guessing when I say that I added the pinks and light green fabrics. Thankfully, I can still remember the names of the two sweet little models. All of the challenge quilts were displayed at the guild’s quilt show that year after which, it went to my aunt who lived in Florida who loved it.</font></p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf8S95VBKzNBKZvuEczwJ_SkcjmXs5KsgYDr31aSo8LOwZGyD8TS0CkOyFgLyWyGaiONAovIvKv_8BJGMSV8_YVVVkgdw9xm00-hLUUKSfePb7WDRAcfc3PNP-tuvPTv3IItnDbLx6s_Zy/s1600-h/Carolyn%252520and%252520friend%252520Truffles%25255B1%25255D.jpg"><font color="#000000" size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-W_zuSUKOKRc/U2ZpgoQQQkI/AAAAAAAAB58/D95j3HboXlE/s1600-h/Carolyn%252520and%252520friend%252520Truffles%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="Carolyn and friend Truffles" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Carolyn and friend Truffles" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-TpM7e5rL5Mg/U2Zpifh3CtI/AAAAAAAAB6E/qMO7moyMpH0/Carolyn%252520and%252520friend%252520Truffles_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="198"></a></font></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">The Dresden plate quilt below was made from a Quilt In A Day book by Wendy Gilbert. I finished the top in 1992 but it stayed a “flimsy” till 2009 when I had it machine quilted. I originally intended to hand-quilt this but I never really liked hand quilting so it was easy to put this quilt aside. Several times, I was tempted to donate/purge this top. I am so happy now that I didn’t. It is filled with wonderful scraps from my daughters’ clothing, my sewing projects and from swaps with friends. (<em>side note—I did (accidentally) sell the original binding and backing fabric for this quilt at a yard sale [sigh]</em>)<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/--Q4bqglK9yk/U2ZpjLgsvoI/AAAAAAAAB6M/08sIBX5KF8c/s1600-h/Dresden%252520Plate_1992%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><font color="#000000" size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></a></font></a></font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/--Q4bqglK9yk/U2ZpjLgsvoI/AAAAAAAAB6M/08sIBX5KF8c/s1600-h/Dresden%252520Plate_1992%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><font color="#000000" size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/--Q4bqglK9yk/U2ZpjLgsvoI/AAAAAAAAB6U/l_Hmq3WQDo0/s1600-h/Dresden%252520Plate_1992%25255B16%25255D.jpg"><img title="Dresden Plate_1992" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Dresden Plate_1992" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ai1H00ZuSZg/U2ZpkfeqUXI/AAAAAAAAB6c/WRHbx7uxn8o/Dresden%252520Plate_1992_thumb%25255B14%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="240" align="left" height="244"></a></font><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/--Q4bqglK9yk/U2ZpjLgsvoI/AAAAAAAAB6U/l_Hmq3WQDo0/s1600-h/Dresden%252520Plate_1992%25255B16%25255D.jpg"><font color="#000000" size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></a></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/--Q4bqglK9yk/U2ZpjLgsvoI/AAAAAAAAB6U/l_Hmq3WQDo0/s1600-h/Dresden%252520Plate_1992%25255B16%25255D.jpg"><font color="#000000" size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></a></font></font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-tJ6iMnipy2w/U2Zpk9vJqtI/AAAAAAAAB6k/v9xFcDKKOHI/s1600-h/DSC02826%25255B13%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSC02826" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="DSC02826" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-wNnsARftCnM/U2ZploQ9h1I/AAAAAAAAB6s/xxHTidkJjWo/DSC02826_thumb%25255B11%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="364"></a><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-tJ6iMnipy2w/U2Zpk9vJqtI/AAAAAAAAB60/ZBx_rG64E1A/s1600-h/DSC02826%25255B3%25255D.jpg"></a></font><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">This has been a short history of some of my projects, there are many more but I didn’t always take pictures and some were blocks or quilts that I did as a member of a guild committee or round-robin groups. I am trying to do a better job of documenting all of my future projects which I posted about in March 2013. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">Having written this post and viewing these pictures again, I can see my transformation from a very inexperienced quilt maker to a “competent” quilt maker. I can also see the many ways that I want to improve. </font><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">Henry David Thoreau said that you should never look back unless you are planning to go that way</font><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">. I think for most of us, looking back and seeing where you came from is a good way to know the direction you want to go. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">Have a wonderful Sunday!</font></p> <p><font size="7" face="French Script MT">Gail </font></p> Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003204378492456488noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4862767056465485791.post-85322101710048792122014-05-02T22:57:00.001-04:002014-05-03T08:13:23.749-04:00Looking Back at First Projects – Part One<p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS">I was going through some pictures this week and came across some of my first quilt projects. I thought I would share these photos because I <strike>think</strike> hope they show an improvement in my quilting and sewing skills. I’ve been sewing for over 50 years but in the beginning most of my sewing was garment sewing. </font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS">I can’t pinpoint the exact year I started quilting. I knew very little about quilting or sewing and I wasn’t raised by people who did either. My grandmother crocheted and knitted but I don’t remember her ever using the treadle sewing machine kept in her back room. My mother only did hand sewing to mend or hem things. When I went to a public high school, that offered Home Ec classes, I signed up for sewing. I worked on a strawberry farm the summer I turned 15 and earned enough money (with a little added by my parents) to buy a Singer Stylist Model 237. There was a fabric store about a mile from our house. My friend and I would sometimes walk there (because neither of us were old enough to drive) and buy a Simplicity Pattern for $1.25 and a yard of material to make a skirt.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS">By the time I was in my 20’s and 30’s I’d made some “tied” comforters and decorative pillows with thick batting for gifts. I don’t have any pictures of those to show because film costing so much to develop, taking pictures of sewing projects was sort of a waste. </font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS">My very, very first “quilt” was made for my high school friend, Marie and her husband, Bob who were expecting their first baby in 1974,. I made a patchwork quilt of multi-color gingham squares with a double eyelet ruffle around the edge. I used the ultra loft batting and tied it with ribbon bows. The predominant color was a soft orange because ultrasound wasn’t routinely used, so the sex of most babies remained a mystery until birth. I thought I was playing it safe with the orange.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-R3pF_w3BCAk/U2RbAMRVo5I/AAAAAAAAB2g/Smls7ZSWHgE/s1600-h/Primary%252520Hearts_1982%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"><img title="Primary Hearts_1982" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; margin-left: auto; display: block; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Primary Hearts_1982" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-a7Ej9GqXkQ4/U2RbAiv9GNI/AAAAAAAAB2k/ncMD2SPL-bc/Primary%252520Hearts_1982_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="253" height="349"></font></a><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"> The quilt above brings tears to my eyes because this picture is all I have left of it. Not knowing the first thing about quilting, I made this in 1982 for my then, baby daughter. I drew the heart shape freehand and it came out perfect w/out redrawing (I don’t think I’ve ever been that lucky again). I appliquéd each heart to a square of background fabric. The back is also made up of individual squares (I think I was reading Georgia Bonesteel’s book about lap quilting when I started this). I “typed’ the quilt label on my portable typewriter. I don’t think the white fabric was 100% cotton, it may have been a blend. I named this quilt “Primary Hearts”. Sadly, very sadly now--I let this quilt be donated when my daughter redecorated her room, in her late teens. If anyone happened to buy this at a Goodwill or charity shop, I would love to know that it is safe and in a good home.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS">1976 was the American Bicentennial and every town and village in the US was making a commemorative quilt. Our little NH town was no different and blocks were being made to represent each of the historical buildings, volunteer organizations, groups and businesses in town. Nel, the postmistress of our tiny little post office (the other half of the building was the locksmith’s shop)asked me if I would make a block to represent their building. I knew nothing about appliqué at the time which is pretty evident from this block which turned out to be about 2 inches smaller than it was supposed to be. It’s also the only block that has a person’s name on it. You can’t see it in this photo, but I embroidered my name in the lower left corner and found out later that I wasn’t supposed to do that. The quilt still hangs in the Historical Society.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-n149OWA23kM/U2RbBQK_MTI/AAAAAAAAB2w/gj2LIcoqZHo/s1600-h/PO%252520Bicentennial%252520Block_1976%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"><img title="PO Bicentennial Block_1976" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" border="0" alt="PO Bicentennial Block_1976" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-9P1DR9hVx5E/U2RbB-BryOI/AAAAAAAAB20/dOBOLVtQPPA/PO%252520Bicentennial%252520Block_1976_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" align="left" height="201"></font></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-NOxR6APChPw/U2RbCQTNzzI/AAAAAAAAB3A/FSTrxiqBPFE/s1600-h/Town%252520Bicentennial%252520Quilt%25255B1%25255D.jpg"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"><img title="Town Bicentennial Quilt" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Town Bicentennial Quilt" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-GNUp95ZRyl4/U2RbC0Ok_DI/AAAAAAAAB3I/Mh5HNQ235HA/Town%252520Bicentennial%252520Quilt_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="185" align="right" height="244"></font></a><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"> </font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS">Fast forward to 1986 and I attended my first quilt show! Wow, I was hooked and immediately joined MVQG (Merrimack Valley Quilter’s Guild). I was so inspired by the amazing quilts that I saw displayed and so excited that there existed a group of people who met regularly to talk about and make quilts! I loved attending the monthly meetings, there were lectures and workshops by well-known quilters as well as supplies and notions available to purchase. Each fall, the MVQ Executive Board selected fabrics and passed block kits out to members who volunteered to make blocks that were assembled into quilts and raffled off at the Christmas Party. The first year I joined I was a little late to get my block done, but the second year I made a mariner’s compass, pieced completely by hand. I thought the background fabric looked like ice crystals. My block made it into one of the four quilts that were raffled off —but I didn’t win any of them :(</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"> </font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-2xvlu3c1vIs/U2RbDda8vAI/AAAAAAAAB3M/bCeOJWJMSbc/s1600-h/Xmas%252520Block%252520MVQ%2525201989%25255B53%25255D.jpg"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"><img title="Xmas Block MVQ 1989" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Xmas Block MVQ 1989" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-m6Gad3jjeyI/U2RbDwhNJ4I/AAAAAAAAB3Y/UsCRROvL33k/Xmas%252520Block%252520MVQ%2525201989_thumb%25255B37%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="240" align="left" height="165"></font></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb4rmghyphenhyphenek8zDXdH_gluQA5lzuTta7j_bq3jcsG5-rTJoUlWRrvsyDVknkpW1mLvpO8LWIo7TQB-o6XhOtxQkbapnDWxMlzQM-cEU4VK5_O4pBRnD3ZudCKXrSevxXmVOBV793e-0eKjDw/s1600-h/RaffleQuilt_MVQ13.jpg"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"><img title="Raffle Quilt_MVQ" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; margin-left: auto; display: block; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Raffle Quilt_MVQ" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN-5z7kNdaQdEiCFOMQZtra2X6NCIeDIoTRi6ZW5-F5wcQVp_lkw9DKWAUIf8fT2ATwJ4m15-l5n3q3RNDzMwYzH81IYWWCUk2X6uP4sDSAuyO0ewpJV_EFODWIkAdEtibjfNlOr3tBpRL/?imgmax=800" width="270" height="195"></font></a></p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS">In 1990 our library was trying to raise funds for a badly-needed addition. An appropriation to repair, remodel and expand the library had been turned down by voters at the town meeting so the Friends of the Library decided to try to raise funds for some immediate repairs. I donated a quilt for the Friends’ auction The room was packed and I was so proud of my quilt that I designed and made until another quilt that was so much better than mine came up for auction. There was furious bidding for that quilt and deservedly so. It was beautiful and I wanted to bid on it myself. At that moment I realized how poor my fabric choices were for the quilt I had made. Looking at the picture now, I know that it was too monotone. There needed to be contrast between the baskets and the flowers and background. And even though it was hand quilted, it did not raise as much money for the library as I had hoped. </font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia_cCLoTyEKUD4aamZynDTXz8KFKjINiTkwAReAsXHWzw3gZPVDjGeFP7lgY3H-Puj3lsF4c103jVGCJQFFufM1dpV2m22JbKNn6-x-1RUPYHE0lhk1neTSJOF5tD_5zWz6pL7JGiBvDjj/s1600-h/Library%252520Raffle%252520Quilt_1990%25255B1%25255D.jpg"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"><img title="Library Raffle Quilt_1990" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; margin-left: auto; display: block; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Library Raffle Quilt_1990" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-AyHRUNsU_Bg/U2RbF1m-zOI/AAAAAAAAB34/rfa2kU1ynW0/Library%252520Raffle%252520Quilt_1990_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="161"></font></a><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"> </font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS">To be continued…..Part II</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-t6n9nnqXbRk/U2TdX-2OKUI/AAAAAAAAB4Y/tvquw8VIsd8/s1600-h/RaffleQuilt_MVQ9.jpg"><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS"></font></a></p> Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003204378492456488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4862767056465485791.post-2309337273115093172014-04-29T22:11:00.001-04:002014-04-29T22:19:49.845-04:00Art in Bloom<p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">Every year MOFA, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, hosts an exhibit called “Art in Bloom”. Various groups, garden clubs and floral designers create floral arrangements based on a piece of art that is on display in the museum. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">My sister and I made a last minute decision to go yesterday and literally met up on the same speeding subway car. I took the commuter rail to Boston, texting my sister when I got to the subway, so she was able to leave her office within minutes of my train departing the station and meet up with me several stops later. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">We were both excited to go to this event because it coincides with another exhibit at MOFA called “Quilts and Color” showcasing quilts from the Pilgrim and Roy Collection. This turned out to be so much more than we expected. We’ve all seen antique and vintage quilts on display but seeing them at MOFA elevated the quilts from beautiful examples of needlework to fine art! They looked as much at home hanging on the museums walls as the museum’s other art collection. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">Some of these quilts looked like they were illuminated from within. My sister compared it to looking through a stained glass window. This is not all of the quilts from the exhibit. I started off taking pictures with my iPhone but it switched to video mode and I couldn’t get it switched back. </font></p> <div id="scid:66721397-FF69-4ca6-AEC4-17E6B3208830:7390c93b-c6e6-4a63-9fa8-42b4a1e64beb" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 400px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><a style="border:0px" href="https://onedrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=1132d0d4aa1f1c53&page=browse&resid=1132D0D4AA1F1C53!1430&parid=1132D0D4AA1F1C53!103&type=5"><img style="border:0px" alt="View mofa" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-gh7-vBA4bi0/U2Bb6KVAFvI/AAAAAAAAB2E/0bxnDU_ZsKs/InlineRepresentationbc6a5901-d64b-4e00-9a68-06c97f76ded8%25255B11%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" /></a><div style="width:400px;text-align:right;" ><a href="https://onedrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=1132d0d4aa1f1c53&page=browse&resid=1132D0D4AA1F1C53!1430&parid=1132D0D4AA1F1C53!103&type=5">View Full Album</a></div></div> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">We ran out of time before we could see all of the flower arrangements but what we did see was wonderful. These are not your average florist bouquets. These really did match the artwork they represented. From the quality and scale of the flowers that I saw, I’m sure the arrangements put a considerable dent in some budgets. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">So even though the “Blooms” part of the exhibit ended yesterday you can still see the quilts which will be on display through July 27th. I hope my pictures will entice you to want to see the rest! </font><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">Here is the </font><a href="http://www.mfa.org/quilts"><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">link</font></a><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"> to the museum’s website, if you’d like to learn more. </font></p> <p><font size="6" face="French Script MT">Gail :)</font></p> Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003204378492456488noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4862767056465485791.post-90491287865706651362014-04-22T12:43:00.000-04:002014-04-22T13:00:06.154-04:00Ducklings<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hope you all had a nice Easter. I did. This year, we also celebrated my little sister's 53rd birthday which fell during the week. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was great to have my dad with us. As I've mentioned before he usually makes excuses about holidays but this year he was eager to go when I picked him up and he really enjoyed himself. My dad was very complimentary of my sister's wonderful cooking as we all were. Of course, we overdid the dessert table but that's always been the case in our family.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">God forbid we should run out</span>!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My sister makes wonderful popovers for every holiday! She always sets a beautiful table and "the ducklings" were a big hit as they marched around the center. My brother-in-law colors </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">eggs for each of us every year so that we can do the the traditional Polish "egg" cracking war-- the last egg left without a crack is the winner and brings luck to the owner. After dinner, Calvin had fun hunting for eggs around their yard. At almost four, he didn't need very much help finding them this year.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYq_XR9kt5LWbefAWtBo3I1quL8KFsFO1_pJpRJ201WFiYru2iUn0SL2PTBUl80DMjFIMXUj17kqYoQFo9y_EaGbxctlW_PzNkPIEE0lLmuJTdqAkU0UyeKF1sBZbjCA_ozt_cL-kEHxcF/s1600/DSC02699.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYq_XR9kt5LWbefAWtBo3I1quL8KFsFO1_pJpRJ201WFiYru2iUn0SL2PTBUl80DMjFIMXUj17kqYoQFo9y_EaGbxctlW_PzNkPIEE0lLmuJTdqAkU0UyeKF1sBZbjCA_ozt_cL-kEHxcF/s1600/DSC02699.JPG" height="180" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5IjfAFlxAxrEALuuafPd_f6L2K40YBkj7cEZZEsFhMGwiiMv_rcEN2utK4YHxg4CAb59zH8mWV6G-Kc6JitafkzauUi1GDQq2AHCgJ9s2PCI7FWaI70EYsAsc3CyNpJeZkfEj43BwDbRP/s1600/DSC02694.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5IjfAFlxAxrEALuuafPd_f6L2K40YBkj7cEZZEsFhMGwiiMv_rcEN2utK4YHxg4CAb59zH8mWV6G-Kc6JitafkzauUi1GDQq2AHCgJ9s2PCI7FWaI70EYsAsc3CyNpJeZkfEj43BwDbRP/s1600/DSC02694.JPG" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've posted the instructions for the ducklings, if you'd like to get a start on next Easter, lol. They would also be cute added to a spring wreath or for baby shower favors. I know of several baby showers coming up this summer. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I also created a "prim" version too. My prim version was actually a happy mistake that I filled it with catnip and is now in Ernie's "toy box". </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7xf18iiA05Vuhoz7P1UpDAXxXDw1bQF_doKuCd-0Rywiy8TzW70GTtKj3uiG7jOH-CCfIfV2G8_cgK9hCreTB9jMkphYbeglHeRmxOZsabrYBMgEBsQmBr9hlKHX7X0ICJ8UEzPuvWNN3/s1600/DSC02718.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7xf18iiA05Vuhoz7P1UpDAXxXDw1bQF_doKuCd-0Rywiy8TzW70GTtKj3uiG7jOH-CCfIfV2G8_cgK9hCreTB9jMkphYbeglHeRmxOZsabrYBMgEBsQmBr9hlKHX7X0ICJ8UEzPuvWNN3/s1600/DSC02718.JPG" height="180" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, that's it for today. I'm off to start some seeds and paint some flower pots! Have a wonderful day!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gail</span>
<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-seDdZYdKohY%2FU1aVBXfKOKI%2FAAAAAAAAB1U%2Fnmm-viOVcy8%2Fs1600%2FDSC02699.JPG&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYq_XR9kt5LWbefAWtBo3I1quL8KFsFO1_pJpRJ201WFiYru2iUn0SL2PTBUl80DMjFIMXUj17kqYoQFo9y_EaGbxctlW_PzNkPIEE0lLmuJTdqAkU0UyeKF1sBZbjCA_ozt_cL-kEHxcF/s1600/DSC02699.JPG" -->Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003204378492456488noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4862767056465485791.post-29874879627175104422014-04-20T09:12:00.001-04:002014-05-04T13:06:33.498-04:00Are your ducklings in a row?<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: medium;">It’s a bit chill here this Easter morning but should warm up enough for us to have an egg hunt for Calvin later this afternoon. Hope the Easter Bunny is very polite this year when he drops off your basket and doesn’t nibble your tulips!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: medium;">I feel like I have all my ducks or should I say “ducklings” in a row—well maybe there’s one non-conformist in the group, but sometimes things don’t turn out the way you plan and sometimes they turn out even better. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: medium;">Last year I saw these little Prim chicks and thought I could duplicate them. I used to do a lot of soft-sculpture Prim dolls and these little chicks looked pretty simple. So I bought the materials I thought I needed to make them for Easter 2013.</span><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-uQMciRxliMk/U1PHkLj088I/AAAAAAAABzE/nec77SNkBLY/s1600-h/IMG_0113%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_0113" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-gDEV7arOTso/U1PHmKRSTzI/AAAAAAAABzM/DaFsu_fgYd4/IMG_0113_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="210" style="border-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="IMG_0113" width="158" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: medium;">I’ve been staring at the supplies in my sewing room for the past 12 months and several times nearly discarded them because I don’t do a lot of these little craft projects. Luckily, (maybe it was the influence of the spring equinox and the full moon) I got the inspiration and urge I needed to work on these and what do you know--chicks became ducklings! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: medium;"></span><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-KfjfHMXO-Pw/U1PHnmF071I/AAAAAAAABzU/U3VMaZd33fI/s1600-h/DSC02678%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="DSC02678" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-L5N0jKDjOKo/U1PHpBjqTSI/AAAAAAAABzc/lqEq7OU_VgY/DSC02678_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="198" style="border: 0px currentColor; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DSC02678" width="349" /></a> <br />
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: medium;">Aren’t they cute! They sort of developed their own personality just like real baby ducks. My sister and I raised six baby Peking ducks when we were children and each of them had a unique personality. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: medium;">These little ducklings will be marching in line across our Easter dinner table, but they’d be cute for baby shower favors too! Each measures about 2 1/2 inches by 3 inches. If you’d like the pattern and directions, click on the "Duckling Instructions" on the left side bar.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: medium;">In the meantime, Happy Easter and I hope you have all of your ducklings in a row!</span><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-5WZkH2afrYo/U1PHqGH5jDI/AAAAAAAABzk/0vaUEj95MlM/s1600-h/DSC02681%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img alt="DSC02681" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi35lDbcIL6vLuhSANC_4Va0wjMBUIfNpcd1C4TytcgBlfkh118NQ-WJO0jcCLWUJCpahrY-MvD31O5cqgRaeaHSS7mDq8ErSHSHOe2IJ3fzD_92yrUBHOtCElYhYIVGb10Bgy3gMugeRCp/?imgmax=800" height="270" style="border: 0px currentColor; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DSC02681" width="476" /></a> <br />
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<span style="font-family: French Script MT;">Gail :)</span>Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003204378492456488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4862767056465485791.post-10662515666647419552014-03-24T21:31:00.001-04:002014-03-24T21:31:45.142-04:00Keeping Busy<p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">Since being out of work, I have been using my free time to go through this house and do some sorting and de-cluttering. I need to make room in case my dad should be moving in. I took two lots of clothing to a consignment shop after going through each bedroom closet and I put a cardboard box in the garage for donation items that I find while I’m doing household chores. Having the donation box in the garage and out of sight prevents me from having second thoughts after I’ve made the decision to let something go, but if I really have separation anxiety after a day or two or if I can re-home items with someone I know, I can still retrieve them. My decisions are based on the “the one-year rule” . If I didn’t wear it or use in in the last twelve months and have no known use for it in the next twelve months, then it needs to go. Sometimes I make exceptions to this rule for gifts I’ve received from family members and close friends. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">Next, I decided to confront my basement sewing room and the UFO’s and stash fabric that lurks there in the dark where no one is the wiser but me. (insert scary music here). I eliminated five boxes of scraps which were really just fabric “crumbs” and I merged two boxes of strings into one mixed box of neutrals and colors and kept only strings that were at least 1” wide by 6” long. From now on I only plan to keep fabric scraps that have at least three square inches of usable area. Don’t worry, even with these new restrictions I still have plenty of scraps left!</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">After that I listed all of my UFO’s and made a calendar item for my iPhone and laptop so I get a daily reminder about the next project on the list till it’s completed. So far I’ve completed nine of my UFO Projects in the last month and a half. The only problem is that I have twenty-five more to go!</font> </p> <p> </p> <p></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-c6rpuoJgTNI/UzDcbdD561I/AAAAAAAABx4/W3-Z6zI6xWs/s1600-h/DSC02598%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Baby Quilt for My Neice" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; margin-left: auto; display: block; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Baby Quilt for My Neice" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-0RcmYjhS8OM/UzDccNPPxqI/AAAAAAAAByA/7WPESU-FdQk/DSC02598_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="367" height="208"></a></p> <p align="center">Baby Quilt for my neice’s baby shower—now it’s a 1st birthday quilt!</p> <p align="center">(my first attempt at a scalloped border too)</p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center">Flannel Self-binding receiving blankets<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-8iRLlJogGac/UzDcctRP4RI/AAAAAAAAByI/NnxGm8T-LnY/s1600-h/DSC02617%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSC02617" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; margin-left: auto; display: block; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="DSC02617" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_iNiQS1wFuM/UzDcdUHgqGI/AAAAAAAAByQ/skY566LF06s/DSC02617_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="360" height="204"></a>for friend’s new grandson. </p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center">New micro-fleece kitty cushions for Ernie.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ppi-cQ83_JM/UzDceF90PLI/AAAAAAAAByY/Miug2AnKe_k/s1600-h/DSC02611%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSC02611" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSC02611" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-cwCojzB5qmA/UzDcejiczdI/AAAAAAAAByg/_pbgvcO9VI8/DSC02611_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="365" height="207"></a> </p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center">Patchabilities Kit (Monthly Mini #7, Set 3) purchased in 2010</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Qz36FTDqrrU/UzDcfGET19I/AAAAAAAAByo/Q-aCzQs2mww/s1600-h/DSC02628%252520%2525282%252529%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSC02628 (2)" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSC02628 (2)" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-qS2Ou4Gzxj0/UzDcf-aR1tI/AAAAAAAAByw/2Xi-BtOaCwc/DSC02628%252520%2525282%252529_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="158" height="278"></a> </p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="left"><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">More pics to come—the other projects were on the previous laptop.</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">So that’s what I’ve been up to lately—how about you ? </font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">Gail </font></p> Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003204378492456488noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4862767056465485791.post-28612707711768151972014-03-23T10:55:00.001-04:002014-03-24T20:25:52.469-04:00Phew!<p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">My new laptop came with Windows 8.1 and it has been a bit of a technology culture shock. Even though I own a “smart phone”, it just seems crazy to have a touch screen on a computer. I feel like I have walked into an unfamiliar room. I was extremely happy with Windows 7 but I guess Microsoft has to make more money and in order to do that the tech buyers have to be kept interested.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">One thing about 8.1 is that it does not come with Windows Live Writer. It has to be downloaded separately. I panicked a little when I did not see it in the preloaded “apps” (programs are no longer called programs?) but after some web searching, I did find it and was able to download it as a separate “app”. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">I now feel just a teeny bit more comfortable with this new set up. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">Change is good, it stretches our limits and challenges our resources, but sometimes you just need to find a familiar space.</font></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><font size="6" face="Bradley Hand ITC">Gail :)</font></p> Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003204378492456488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4862767056465485791.post-57928813389229781412014-03-23T08:41:00.001-04:002014-03-23T08:41:57.000-04:00Positive Thinking<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">It's been two weeks now since the disappearance of MA flight # 370. Two hundred and thirty nine souls were on board but there are five times as many anguished parents, relatives and friends on the ground waiting and hoping for news.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">I have been praying each day since the flight went missing for a miracle--that some group will come forward claiming responsibility for hi-jacking Flight 370 and are now demanding ransom for the safe return of the passengers and crew.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">As time goes on that scenario seems less and less likely but it is still possible. I believe in miracles. We see them everyday and often don't even realize it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">I know the power of positive thinking--in my own life I have seen it work--just imagine what our combined powers are if we all send out positive thoughts into the universe that this flight is found and that there are survivors and even if the outcome is not what we hope, finding this missing plane and knowing it's fate will bring some solace and closure to those left behind.</span> <br />
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Life is miraculous!<br />
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Gail :)Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003204378492456488noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4862767056465485791.post-88128339644291799392014-03-22T17:17:00.002-04:002014-03-22T17:17:38.924-04:00Lessons LearnedI haven't posted this month but a lot has been going on. I have been searching for a job and have gotten some good feedback and interested queries about my resume. It seems to me that the job market is much better than even a year ago, though I know there are still many who are out of work. I'm still keeping my fingers crossed though that I can find something close to my dad's house, which would make it possible for me to stay there during the week. . <br />
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Since my last post, he has had two trips to the ER. The first was after a middle of the night call that his BP was very high. I raced down to take him and we sat around for 5 hours waiting to be seen. Turns out he has not been taking the new meds that were prescribed for him because he read the enclosed contraindication statement--didn't like what it said and threw out the pills!<br />
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The second trip to the ER I was there. He had taken the barrels to the curb for rubbish pick up day and slipped on ice and fell. Luckily there were no breaks, but he managed to debrade the skin off of his left hand and needed stitches. <br />
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Because of these two ER visits and on the recommendation of the Visiting Nurses, my sister and I have been told that he must see a neuro-psychologist for an evaluation or he can be removed from the home as "a senior at risk". Well we have the appointment, now comes the task at hand of telling my dad and getting him to keep it. We have learned that it's best to wait till the last minute. So far he has cancelled all of the social services we have tried to arrange for him--meals on wheels, visiting nurses, home aid!<br />
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So what other new things have I learned lately--well, most of you probably have the good sense to know this, but living on the edge as I tend to, I learned a very costly lesson this week about drinking hot tea in close proximity to an electronic device! [Sigh]. As a result, I'm writing this post from the replacement device sans any beverages!<br />
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But in spite of everything that has been going on, I have still managed to complete a few projects which I'll share pics of soon. I'm also planning a virtual yard sale HERE on my blog! I've gone through my stash of fabrics and patterns and have a pile of items that I need to rehome. <br />
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More soon--once I get the hang of Windows 8.<br />
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Gail :)<br />
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Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003204378492456488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4862767056465485791.post-31943212695925807152014-02-08T14:14:00.001-05:002014-02-08T14:14:59.190-05:00“Throwing Good money after bad”<p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">My grandmother used that expression every time some one in our family wasted money buying something that didn’t work. I’m one of those people, I guess, because of all the money I’ve spent on needle threaders.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">I’m sure it’s not as much as I imagine but I have bought and tried a LOT of them. Age has made my arms shorter and my eyesight fuzzier and I’m positive that needle manufacturers are cutting corners and making needles with smaller eyes than they used to. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">In my search for a decent needle threader, I even bought one from a shady a street vendor who was hawking them on a city corner at Christmastime. Of course his worked perfectly for every demo that he did—mine fell apart when I got it home, lol.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">The ones I’ve relied on the most were the little cheapo wire threaders that used to be included FREE when you bought a package of assorted sewing needles, and now are sold separately in packs of 2 for $3.18! They work fine for a while but wear out quickly and usually break at the worst time like when your flight’s been delayed or the doctor is running late for your appt. Sound familiar?</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-zdJadEzsJUE/UvaCIs3vG6I/AAAAAAAABwc/1klDi1XEavg/s1600-h/dritz2%25255B5%25255D.png"><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"><img title="dritz2" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: 0px" border="0" alt="dritz2" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-x7bRrDTviBA/UvaCJH3FczI/AAAAAAAABwk/teZgT5Xi9WA/dritz2_thumb%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="145" align="right" height="154"></font></a></p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2BRLatCFdhWyrTSDzY59U4IIS-oL2LQzekSroyjAkDRZkXLmsFt979tE22R6jUNTWG1PChbWOEKywDwmjzNCN71EYjQ3yDcySYxMHf0aLlyU0vk9i9gJ9P9-N2pNHRB4bVy9TeahHLZHi/s1600-h/singer%252520needle%252520threader%25255B4%25255D.png"><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-_ZuL_4PHTnA/UvaCJZa_ERI/AAAAAAAABww/eLXF1XNrZwE/s1600-h/singer%252520needle%252520threader%25255B5%25255D.png"><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"><img title="singer needle threader" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="singer needle threader" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-zM_7H8Nn_3E/UvaCKEgLvaI/AAAAAAAABw4/5QAB70fAty8/singer%252520needle%252520threader_thumb%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="107" align="left" height="201"></font></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">I’ve also bought some of the prettier versions of the wire threaders because I thought they would last with all that prettiness but I also thought they were a little difficult to use because of that plastic “thing” and they broke too. </font><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ST0GPLvfQmw/UvaCKv4mIaI/AAAAAAAABw8/qlur2uV63rA/s1600-h/pretty%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"><img title="pretty" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="pretty" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd-xrHyNpfFu8EMYKnlErYNHRvh2Tgy-vRzWqMN-aySxsE6K1P4XrHjdEcEvM4mR2uzDs6CeGCbybd80C2lUM-tY3ve5yYxhYpHdfFEt2i4KSkyAHj14flImcjZlxLf4j80lQTGodJnEh0/?imgmax=800" width="182" height="186"></font></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">Then there’s the type that reminds me of a Chinese puzzle. This also wasn’t inexpensive costing around $5.95. They are made a little better but it took me a couple of hours of reading the directions before I understood how to take it apart and thread the needle! Eventually though, even this broke.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-P-eU2lNC5ME/UvaCLY3ufqI/AAAAAAAABxQ/nPY-6a22iRU/s1600-h/clover%2525201%25255B3%25255D.png"><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"><img title="clover 1" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="clover 1" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-dlMGiHST1qk/UvaCL1fwGqI/AAAAAAAABxU/uX3Vmh242rU/clover%2525201_thumb%25255B1%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="225" height="225"></font></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">Then I saw this Clover needle threader demonstrated on the Missouri Star Quilt Channel but I balked at the price-- $14.00 for a needle threader! Come on? It even reminded me a little of the street vendor’s version. Eventually though, I gave in because $14.00 is not a lot to pay when you are exasperated and because I’ve already spent $20.00, or more, on the other versions. <img title="Clover Needle Threader 002" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Clover Needle Threader 002" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx4850Q3ALoFp4EuHT-G8AsHhKwv0-X6plD6wC2DT-mGs2aHhi0B0hyphenhyphenrOmVU8lHZOVLMMzBd2-IPOP7o_9B_C4w8aw0qcZauiy7fa8ftvsFzGV0h2877APei9euweXy1YqtFRf_WpM7G4p/?imgmax=800" width="279" height="163"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">I’m happy to say, that this Clover needle threader works on most of the needles I’ve tried. Really long needles and heavy needles like tapestry and darning needles won’t fit in the needle slot but it works great on tiny quilting betweens and John James sharps which have the smallest eyes. I’ve used it with “Thread Heaven” thread conditioner on different weights and fibers of threads. It seems pretty sturdy too. I dropped mine and it still works. </font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">To use it you have to insert the needle upside down and lay the thread loosely across the thread slot—loosely is the key word here. If the thread is too short it won’t work. You then push the lever on the right side of the device and that threads the needle with a nice little loop that you can pull through the needled. Sort of reminds me of the auto threader on my sewing machine. It also has a thread cutter, which is handy.</font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS"></font></p> <p><font size="4" face="Comic Sans MS">By the way…I’m not affiliated with Clover, Dritz, Singer, DMC, Colonial or any other company that manufactures or sells sewing notions. I’m just a consumer who has used these products and shares her experiences with them.</font></p> <p><font color="#0000ff" size="7" face="Brush Script MT">Gail </font></p> Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003204378492456488noreply@blogger.com1