March 2015 – Chopin – A Passionate Quilter From Texas

Greetings from La Vernia, Texas where the weather is great. Not too hot, Not cold, but just right. We had 3 inches of rain last week and the trees are blooming (mostly Oak) and the grass is growing and the Bluebonnets are going to be abundant this year. Life is moving along. Clay’s surgery is scheduled for the 3rd of April, so there will be a few weeks of working on my hand quilting projects – and I have plenty of applique and embroidery UFOs hanging around begging to be finished. I am praying for a successful surgery and fast recoup time. He will do well.

Here is a picture of Happy Scrappy. Thank you Rosemary Youngs for starting this BOM last year with your Center Medallion. I did not have a lot of UFO Blocks to make a quilt, so I used an old Moda fabric line that I liked – I still have enough left to make 4 more quilts – LOL – We quilters are something else when it comes to purchasing fabric and adding to our stash. We tend to forget it must grow overnight (as Jaydee told me it does!)

Happy Scrappy 1 — Happy Scrappy 2014 – Medallion by Rosemary Young and the remainder of the quilt designed by Nanette Chopin-Cook – First time to design a quilt!

Here is a picture of my old/new Singer 301 sewing machine. it is a Grand Introduction Model introduced in October 1952. This machine has the original Badge Center and has the “paperclip” design. I am going to really enjoy sewing many fun projects on this machine.

And finally I received Bonnie Brown, the old/new 401A. This machine is absolutely perfect! The 301 and 401 have the same base, so I only had to order 1 insert for my Koala Table and one Sew Steady Table. It sews like a dream. I am hoping that by May I will be able to really put them to the test. I have ordered a table for “Sam” – The bottom portion is made from the old Singer Treadle Machine cabinet with an Oak top. I should receive it in the next week or so.

I have completed 8 of the Dear Jane blocks, but began thinking about the work that is going into the small blocks. I have decided that I would like to enter this one in a Quilt Show if and when it is completed and to do something different, I am going to use batiks. I realize that it will not be a “copy of the reproduction”, but I love to do things differently.

I know I will enjoy my new toys, but it will be awhile before that happens. I will just be glad to see May 1 of 2015! Hospital time this Good Friday – guess we will be spending Easter there. I will be so happy when things are over with and our life can get back to some normalcy.

Have a blessed day and keep on sewing!

Greetings from a Sunny mild South Texas Day! FINALLY! What a winter we have had and those in the North East have really suffered. Maybe stable Spring weather will arrive by April and stay with us for awhile. Of course Spring time brings out the “let’s get with the Spring Cleaning Program”…… OK – done enough of that! Darryl is still with us and on Good Friday – 3 April – Hubby Clay will have surgery to fuse 2 herniated discs that are pressing on his spinal cord in his neck. He will be fine. ME? I am back up and running at 100% (well maybe a little pain every now and then) but I am walking my 2 miles each day plus more and cleaning the house – so I consider my Radio Frequency treatments, new braces, and correcting the 1/2” difference between my right and left leg a resounding success! Nurse Nanny will be up and running for the recovery time for Clay.

Then we have wonderful Daylight Savings Time (DST) – something that I have deep negative feelings for. I am trying to adjust, but it still takes me about a week or so before I do. I wish Texas would opt out of it. I have a friend who loves it but then she still teaches so I do not blame her for not wanting to come home in the dark! I just want to stay on Mother Nature’s time-table. When we go to Sierra Vista AZ for the winter, we stay on Texas time so the body clock doesn’t become confused. It is a hoot because we go by 2 clocks since Arizona does not do DST. If we arrive in October – we go to bed at 8PM and get up at 4AM – according to our body clocks and Clay can talk to his Ham Radio guys – Texas Time! Then in November we are only 1 hour ahead of Arizona and we get to go to bed at 9PM and get up at 5AM AZ time. Funny Funny Funny – what nuts we are sometimes.

OK – here we go on quilting projects. I have moved things around in the main room of my Studio to make room for a 1950’s Singer 401a sewing machine – yup – figured if Uncle Sam needs some money, I wanted to spend some. I have been monitoring the Vintage machines for sale on Ebay, but yesterday I stumbled on to Etsy and found a great Pristine Singer 401a machine and after 6 hours of debating I bit the bullet and purchased it. I blame this acquisition on Bonnie Hunter. I began following her Blog for the last month and one day she showed an extension table for my Singer Featherweight. That started me on this journey. I purchased the Sew Steady Table from Furniss Sewing (www.sew4ever.com). It is an 18″ x 18″ made to fit perfectly with the Featherweight 221. I spoke with Mitch about the Singer 301a and the 401a. He told me that the 401a was a workhorse and one of the great Singers. So based on this discussion and the information obtained from the Internet – I was sold! Here is a picture of the machine – I am going to call her Bonnie Brown….

Bonnie Brown - 1950 Singer 401a — Bonnie Brown – Singer 1950’s 401a Slant Stitch with Decorative Stitches

I also have a 2003 Husqvarna Viking Designer 1 and have been using it for the last 2 years. Today I decided that I had ignored my Husqvarna Sapphire long enough and give the Designer a rest. Of the two, I really love my Designer 1. The Sapphire is a little more noisy than the D1 but still a very good machine with built-in stitches.

Of course, I cannot forget my 1952 221 Featherweight. This one has been in the closet for 3 years and when I set it up this morning it is purring like a kitty cat (it will be the only purring around here since our ex-cat gave me cat scratch fever in 2013 and I almost died – on a pet diet – NONE)

1952 Singer Featherweight — My 221 Featherweight with the new 18 x 18 table extension

OK – enough of this. I have been able to work on my projects since the last posting. Here are some blocks that I have ready for my Happy Scrappy. I made some 6 inch blocks and will put them together (maybe) and make 12″ blocks for the 12 x 56 inch side borders I need to have to finish the quilt (not going for a large one this time), or I may spread them out as 6 inch blocks.

HS 12 inch Block 2 — More of the Same for Happy Scrappy

Card Block for HS — My Favorite – Card Deck Blocks

HS 12 inch Block — More 6 inch Blocks for Happy Scrappy

Here is another block I am working on for my Happy Scrappy. I started making 6 inch blocks from Jane Austin and ended up putting the block on point and I think that they will be the 12″ blocks in the outer block border.

6 Inch HS block — 6 Inch Block for Happy Scrappy

12 Inch HS Block — 12 Inch Block for Happy Scrappy

I finally have finished my last 2 blocks for Threads of Memory. I am not sure that I like the green one – but if it looks good after I decide on my setting it may still be around – otherwise I will re-do it!

Threads of Memory Block 11 — Block 11. St Charles Star for Louisa Alexander

Threads of Memory Block 12 — Block 12 – Rochester Star for Amy Post and Harriet Jacobs

I have also started another project in the evenings and when I could not “motivate”. The blocks are from a pattern called, “Stars over Texas”. The Designer is Diana Pelton from Wisteria Quilting Designs 2005. There are 12 Blocks all embroidery depicting landmarks in Texas. After 3 years of this project sitting and ready to be worked on, I have finished 2 blocks. The Texas Block needs the “X’s” to make it look like barbed wire! This is an easy and fun project. I used Moda Primitive background fabric and Presensia Embroidery Variegated Brown, Gold, Beige thread. I really like how it is turning out. I will design a different setting than the pattern. But I still give the Designer all the credit for the pattern!

Stars Across Texas Block 1 — Block 1 – Texas

Stars Across Texas Blk 2 — The Alamo – San Antonio, Texas

Oh – you ask about my Dear Jane project? I will be starting this month’s blocks this week-end. Dear Jane is my challenge project and we know how challenges go… Have great week and enjoy quilting.