Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving

I saw this photo posted on a friends blog and loved it! The egg baskets remind me of my mother. She and I along with my grandmother, Momma Newt, took a basket weaving class once when I was about 10 or 11 and for about 2 years my mother made lots of egg baskets just like these - same sizes and color which she dyed herself using a mixture of walnuts and sometimes tea to stain them.

For Easter that year she gave all of her nieces and nephews their very own egg basket to use. I wonder if anyone still has theirs?

I however did not get one for Easter that year, as I had made my own in our basket weaving class... but of the few larger egg baskets around the house I knew that one day one of them would be passed down to me. When Momma Newt died, I did get the one that she had made in our class. For it was her first, only and last ever basket to make.... quilts were her specialty. ;)

I know Barry, my oldest brother, has one of the egg baskets that mom and I worked on weaving together - I did the fancy work on the handle and around the main band for her since that part was easier for my smaller hands. It was the prettiest basket that we ever made - lots of details.

I wish I had a photo of it as it really turned out beautiful and Momma was so very proud of it. Now some 20 years later - As a mother myself I can see why... being proud of your child and the sentimental value of something we made together... sorta like a mother's love woven into her child. ;) If she were still around I think I'd pick up the phone and call her and ask her if she still remembers when... and I'm sure she'd say yes.

Just wanted to share a little something with you. When I saw this pic it reminded me of those times. ;) and for good memories I am thankful! Hope you and yours have a very Happy Thanksgiving!


Love from Texas!

My "First" quilt(s)

Susan over at Ape over Quilting recently held a blog-give-away - sorry you missed it, as I missed it too. I just happened to find her blog a day or two too late. However, she had asked what our "first quilt" was... and for a photo and even though the contest is over, it still makes for a great prompt for a blog entry don't cha think? ;)

So it got me to thinking... and thinking... which is considered my first quilt? hummmmm -let's see....

First quilt? Now that is sorta complicated... For me there are several that were my "firsts" :)

The first quilt I ever RECEIVED As a GIFT: was from my grandmother, who I call Momma Newt. When I was born she gave this Dutch Doll Quilt to my mother as a special secret gift to me. She had made it when she was a little girl growing up using flour sacks for the background fabric and feed sacks for the dutch doll dresses. She didn't want any of the other Aunts/cousins to find out about it and feel like they missed out on something so special... but b/c she was already at the age of 69 the year I was born... she was so scared that she'd die before I ever got old enough to remember her, and since I was the youngest of 18 grand kids (the 17th grand kid was a preteen when I was born...)

Or what about the first quilt I ever made by myself... (which was a very large King size when I finished... I didn't know when to stop! LOL - but it made a great gift to my husband at that time my fiancee for his King size water bed.)

Oh, and then there's the first quilt I ever "hand quilted"...

and there's the first quilt I ever made from a class... I used homespuns and while it was a rather plain pattern, I didn't care, I just wanted to learn how to use sashings and keep the blocks straight with each other. :)

Oh, and of course there's the first mystery quilt I ever made... look how young Nora was then :)
and of course, let's not forget the first quilt I ever made for Charity...what a great feeling of acomplishment there is in making a quilt for charity!!!

and there's also the first BOM quilt I ever participated in... still isn't finished yet! Top is waiting the final piano key boarder...I think the last time I posted about it was in May of 2007 before the twins were born...

But the most special of FIRST Quilts... is the first quilt I can remember helping my mother make - that was from start to finish to be made for ME!

I loved helping my mother when she quilted. I sat on a stool on the opposite side of her machine and it was my job to cut apart the segments as she chain pieced.. and getting them paired up and lining them up read for her to run thru again... I learned how to finger press before I could count to 100. :c) She told me stories of how she use to work for "Fruit of the Loom" years before I was born and I pretended that we worked there together... she was the sew'er and I was her cutter and presser. :)

I have no idea just how many quilts we together turned out -as my mom gave all of her quilts away -wedding gifts, birthdays, anniversaries... babies... So this was a very memorable moment b/c from the time we started this quilt - it was for me!!! Talk about exciting!

Actually it was just meant to be a doll quilt that my mom suggested we make to use up some of her scraps and leftover blocks...

I was about 8 or 9 years old and my mom had some left over 4patch blocks... and was only gonna make it about 12" square.

I kept begging her to make it bigger... bigger than a blanket for my Barbie...

so we added some more blocks... and I said I need it bigger... for my Cabbage Patch doll...

so we again, added more blocks...

then after we looked at it once more, I begged her to make it bigger and insisted we go BIGGER... for my "one day, real live baby"

My mom was out of leftovers by this time, and really did not want to make more and suggested it was large enough..... but either I was super cute and polite as I persisted... or she was in a good mood... b/c she did in fact help me double it's current size so that it would be big enough to be a real "baby quilt for one day."

Oh, and I am forever so VERY GRATEFUL that my doll quilt grew and grew a little each time we looked at it.

Mom died of a brain tumor in 1999 just two years after I was married. She never got to meet my children, but I know that she sees them... and smiles like I do remembering the day we made that quilt together.

Love from Texas!

My Stinky Quilt

Earlier this week while visiting Mary's blog and also reading the groups' Yahoo emails I thought of something...I remembered that the Heartstring Quilt Project accepts any quilt donated.... they've also been discussing getting rid of stinky smells from fabric... and with Memorial Day weekend around the corner they are working on a new Red White and Blue project... and it got me to thinking.... and remembering what Daddy and Clara brought to me last summer... or was it two years ago? I don't remember. I am pretty sure it was their 1st trip after their wedding...

Anyway, when they came they brought me lots of gifts - or rater stuff they didn't want at their home anymore. :P Like my wicker basket I had in my room as a girl that I treated as my "cheater" chest... a corner china hutch with my mother's china she bought when she and dad were stationed in Germany, all of my High School albums and other memorabilia and also a box full of fabric that use to be my mother's.

Old Fabric that had been stored in a trunk for some 20 or 30+ years in a damp basement... and I somewhat thumbed thru it last summer when Clara was showing me all that she had found while going thru mom's stuff and I remembered at the time I thought, "ooough yuck! that sure does stink and oh my - what ugly fabrics! I'll never use this stuff... well maybe for foundations for sting quilts... Oh, is that a quilt top in there??? ... oh yuck this stuff stinks!" and then within 2 minuets later piled it all back into the box they brought it and closed it up and have not touched it since.

Well, since Heartstrings accepts any quilt - and they are working on a RWB project....It reminded me of that "stinky top" in that box from last summer and so I emailed Mary offering it to her.

"...I have a very old UFO top that I believe my mother made and considering donating...however it is very ugly and old and smelly...? I guess worst case I could ship it and if you didn't think it was usable "YOU" could throw it away for me since I just can't. LOL"

So late yesterday afternoon David called and said he was bring home Jack-In-The Box for supper and Nora and Paul Thomas and I had been outside swinging on her new swing set with the monitor as Olivia napped... (she is the best napper baby! *sigh*)

I thought to myself - where did I put that box with the stinky quilt??? When Olivia wakes up I will get it and bring it outside to take a photo of and can send Mary a photo of it before I ship it...

So thankfully it was in the first place I looked and I brought it out along with two other pieces of fabrics to take photos of outside before David arrived with supper.

so then today I wrote back to Mary:

Hey Mary – I have good news and not so good news....

Good news is – that yesterday, I remembered exactly where I had stored away "the box" my daddy brought to me of my mom's stuff when he visited last summer… and was able to quickly find it and brought it downstairs with me and was able to get a photo of it to show you. And even better news – I didn't smell anything! :)
The not so good news is – although the sewing isn't great – seam allowances different sizes… that it was MADE by MY MOM ;) and surprisingly not the "ugly" that I had remembered it being at all when I looked at it yesterday. So I am not gonna be able to donate it – I just can't let go of it and I am sure you will understand. Mom's been deceased since 1999 and I only have 3 of her quilts – this will be my 4th after I get it quilted.
....Oh and there was some ugly fabric in the box too – yards and yards. Here is one piece of the prettiest ugly… golden yellow and navy patchwork design. If you know of a blue/yellow heartstring it would work for I will donate as backing. Just let me know if you think you can use it…. There's roughly 4 yards of it.

And yes, Mary did understand :) as I knew she would. She replied with Sue Frank's address for me to mail the navy and golden yellow patchwork fabric to - I am glad that it will be put to good use... and knowing the variety of Heartstring quilts - there is probably and Blue & yellow quilt in the process of being made that this fabric will be perfect for :) I will also send the other large stash pieces that were in the box... and at that time take photos - I promise all of the other stuff is really UGLY!
So now it seams I have discovered a long lost treasure... my mom's Log Cabin. I wonder who she was making it for? (She gave all of her quilts away) I wonder how much larger she had planned to make it. I discovered a few more blocks in the box but not enough to continue the barn rising setting pattern... however the size that it is - is big enough for a picnic table. I wonder how come I didn't remember ever seeing her work on it - as I always helped her when quilting... was she secretly making it for me for one day??? Did she work on it after I was in bed? Questions I will never get to ask her...
And look at this other 4 yard piece that was in the box too... white with red, blue and gold plaid... Was this what she had planned to use as the backing perhaps? Or just another piece she had found on sale and had in her stash? I think even though the top doesn't have any golden yellow, this piece will work just fine as a backing!
See, I'm all about "cheap & easy" LOL

I wish I had thought to measure it yesterday… it's about the size of a picnic table top. Maybe a nice meander with stars would be just what it needs? Nothing fancy, just something..."cheap & easy" :P
Edited to add: I measured it and it is 43.5" x 73.5" (the blocks appear to finish at 7.5" each)
OH how I would SO LOVE to use it to watch fireworks on this year when we take our trip home to Kentucky… (sigh) David's aunt Connie's home is right on the lake and that's THE prime location to view the fireworks each year... not to mention that is where the party is :) and we get to see lots of family and friends!
However I doubt there is anyway I could find a longarmer this close! (sigh again!) I'd have to have it back to me before we left for Kentucky…June 28th... only 5 weeks away!
OH how I wish I had taken a closer observation of it last year when Daddy gave me the box… if I had noticed the quilts potential then I could have had it done by now!
Nevertheless, now I have something I have always wanted - a Log Cabin and Red White and Blue at that!!! And the most special part is that my mother made it! My stinky quilt isn't so ugly after all! Thanks Mom! :c)
Love from Texas! ~bonnie

Wearing Make up to the Farm!

OK not quilt related at all but I have to share......here is a photo of me and the babies taken during Fun Friday Farm Day with Nora's preschool...and I wanted to share with all of you.

Lookie at me, wow, I do still remember how to apply makeup after all! :) LOL I know several of my girlfriends have been wondering lately if they'd ever see me in mascara again! Why I choose to wear makeup to the farm playdate is beyond me...? I don't know... guess I was running early and had the time! LOL

....and I'm pretty sure they have given up on seeing my hair fixed in anything other than a pony tail... at least while Paul Thomas is still at the holding stage. Maybe one of these days I will surprise them and do pigtails! LOL :P

... naaa.... that would defeat the whole purpose...he'd have double the chances of grabbing hold and taking a big ole yank! I'm loosing enough hair as it is without his help.

More and more brown is falling out and brad new shiny wirey GREY ones are goring in! :P I wonder how fast/slow this process will take? My mom was completely WHITE HEADED not grey... WHITE (like cool whip white) all of my life. Which for a kid lost in K-mart it made her pretty easy to spot above the clothes racks. :c)

Although more than a million times we were asked if I was her granddaughter... and her reply "She's a granddaughter, but I'm not the grandma!" which my mom thought was fun b/c it stumped people and left them confused...

She had me at age 38. I will soon be 34 in July and I can't imagine being all white in just a matter of 4 years! YIKES! :P

And if my mother were still living she would die if she knew that since moving to the armpit of America, uham, I mean South East Texas, make up is optional for me... very OPTIONAL! She "put on her face" every day of her life within an hour or so after getting out of bed.

I think I was the only 7th grader in my school who's mom wanted them to wear make up and there's no telling how many times she told me to "go put on more blush b/c I looked too washed out" while my father had just 2 seconds before told me to go wipe some of my make up off before leaving the house... so what did I do? Walk to the hallway, out of site, count to about 50 or 60 then reappear and everyone was happy.... except me.

Love from Texas,

~bonnie

NTS (note to self)..........gotta figure out those fancy smancy signature lines one of these days...

Closer look at my quilting frame

Someone emailed and asked for a closer look at my quilting frame set up. Here is a photo I took of it. See, nothing fancy. Just plain and simple... I describe it as a saw horse design because that is what the two end pieces remind me of.I don't think he has a lot invested in it... under $100 easily and it would be easy to make for anyone who has a handy husband. My dad used pine b/c it is soft and you want that for tacking the ends to the poles. And this time he made me two sets of poles. One for bed size quilts that I think he said are 90" and another set that are for lap or crib size quilts that measure 60" which are stored in the garage right now.

It isn't hard to put together. We spread everything out on my floor in the den and mom and dad use to use a bed in the basement to put the quilt on the polls. Just remember to roll one side over and the other side over so the quilter doesn't have to have their arm over a hump as they hand quilt. ;)

This is the second frame my daddy has made. The first frame like this before I was born some 30+ years ago for my mother and she used it for years and years. When she died in 1999 there had been the same quilt in the frame for almost 10 years!!! YES 10 years!!! See when she stopped smoking, she also stopped quilting. B/C every time she sat down to quilt she craved a cigarette! Plus the fact that the quilt in the frame was only a pretty bed sheet with a quilt looking design on it - I guess it wasn't really worth it to finish up... no big loss right?

Well, it sat there in the laundry room of the basement for several years after she died... with all sorts of stuff piled up on top of it... takin up the room... and it never dawned on me that I would want it until last summer when Daddy and Clara were planning a trip down to TX... and asked if there was anything I wanted... and I spoke up about momma's quilt frame. Only I spoke up too late! They had cleared it out and given it away... quilt and all. (again, no big loss as far as the quilt goes..) but I wanted that frame. Oh well, it was my fault for not asking for it years earlier.

So I was surprised when Daddy brought it on his recent trip here earlier this month!!! I quickly moved around some things in the den so it would have a home behind the sofa. I had to piece together a backing for my Round Robin Texas Treasures while the day we put it in the frame as I wasn't prepared! Lucky for me I had enough scraps to use!

It's ok that I don't have the exact frame Momma used...I have the next best thing - one just like it! However I only wish Momma had kept a journal of her quilt making and often wonder how many quilts she made over the years?!?! She could have taken a Polaroid of each of them and filled a album easily! She gave every one she ever quilted away except for the 3 Grandmother Fan Quilts for my brothers and I. These were the first 3 momma ever made from start to finish all by herself. Barry's corners were black, Brian's were brown and mine were that fabulous 70's gold! :P

Sadly, that very first one she made for my oldest brother Barry, he doesn't have. His EXwife still to this day has it and she has been married 3 more times since Barry and it is on her bed! I have no clue as to the story there... perhaps Barry never asked for it, I don't know... I was just a junior in High School when they divorced... but I saw it on her bed the last time I was visiting my nephew at her newest husband's home just a few years ago.

Currently there are three quilts quilted by my mother still at my parent's home. One is a apple green and red Christmas quilt that my Momma Newt hand pieced and mom quilted... and b/c of it's bold fabrics, my grandmother refused it back b/c she was sick of looking at it! LOL

In November when we were at Dad's last, I noticed Clara had it spread out over the back of the sofa in the den and using it as part of the Christmas decorations. :) It made me feel good to see it out and being used again!

Another quilt is of a cross stitch pattern. Oh how I remember daddy and I having a time separating all of that floss for her!!! Looking back, I am not sure how much I helped, but at the time I sure thought I was..... I don't think Daddy particularly liked the quilt or the colors, but he claimed it b/c he knew how much work went into it and didn't want her to give it away!

and the third quilt still at my parents that my mother hand quilted is A Trip Around the World that my Momma Newt hand pieced for my father as a Birthday gift to him... so naturally he still has it... but I so hope that one day it gets to come home with me! As it is my most favorite of all quilts Momma Newt ever made. I don't know why it is, but it is. I was about 10-11 when it was made and I remember visiting her and her showing me how many "trips" she had made around the world as she made progress... then I clearly remember the quilt being at our home while in my mother's frame and she stitched 1/4" around each and every block. The backing is all white and is sooo beautiful!!!!

Sorry, no photo of that one. Maybe this summer when I am home I will remember to get it out and take a picture of it.....and maybe, just maybe Daddy will say I can take it home! :P

But, about my quilt frame.....The only thing I would change and may have him work on the next time he visits if it is in the next couple months... is SAND the wood on the bottom of the saw horses! It is rough and I can't imagine how bad it would be for one of the twins to craw up on it and get stuck! Perhaps if I can find a hand stapler I can add some batting and scrap fabric to cover?

Well.....hey, lookie here... with all the kids asleep, I actually got to write a long post and share lots of photos! yeahhh!!! ;c) See... I told you I was gonna try and be a better poster. :)

Love from Texas!!! ~Bonnie

A New Year - A New Beginning...

Let’s see…. Where to start???? I can’t believe just how fast the New Year is off and running already! I am happy to report that so far I am off to a great start in my sewing & quilting. After all, my quilting days are numbered with twins on the way this summer. My goal for the first few months of 2007 is to get done what I need to get done!!! Or as Lary the Cable Guy would say.... "Git'er Done!" This past week/weekend I have been very productive and have even remembered to take a few photos to share with you!


Last week I had a fun time going shopping for noodle fabrics for the next few months. I host these swaps each month thru the HGTV.com quilter's board. I bought January’s Red/White, February’s Black/White and also March’s 1930’s. (You will have to wait until next month to see my B/W's) For some of the colors I only found 5 fabrics so I will be looking to buy a few more as I like to swap around 8 sets each month. The best part was they were all on sale too!!! Some $1/yard off and the 1930’s were 40% off!! (Good thing I am not in Stashbuster’s No Buy Group although I don't buy like I use to - everything I buy is for a specific swap I am doing or a legal "B" purchase, binding, boarder, backings, batting and such…)

I wish I had a photo to share with you - but forgot to take one... I ended 2006 in the sprit of “Out with the old to make room for the new!” I spent a week cleaning out and reorganizing my sewing room and its closet– nothing like having family on the way for a visit to get you up and going on something that should have been done a long time ago! LOL I bought clear flip-top boxes at Wal-Mart and put each of my projects in their own box (something I have been wanting to do for a long time) – I still need to pick up a couple more the next time I am at the store… I bought all they had at the time. The closet looks much better!!!

Over the weekend I made blocks for the HGTV January block lottery. Those were so easy to make and in less than 30 minutes later, I had 9 completed and laid out on the floor!! Then looking back at the bed at all the left over pieces already cut, I thought I should make up a few more to use up these or else they will get tossed so after supper I came back upstairs and completed another 9 blocks! I took a photo – better get out your sunglasses b/c they are super bright! And the best part was – the 2.5 strips were already precut!!! I just went to my noodle stash and pulled some brights that we swapped one month last year! I never win the block lottos but they are a lot of fun to make - I don't participate every month but often.

Also Saturday night after Nora went to bed, I worked on finishing the blocks for Ms. Kole. I got 21 of the 24 completed before running out of fabric. I will have to contact her about getting just a few more 3.5” square pieces of the background fabric so I can finish up the last 3 blocks.

They are not perfectly squaring up which makes me frustrated. :P All the fabric was already precut when she gave it to me – which she thought she was doing me a favor but I would have rather done it myself as I have had to do Quarter Square Triangle blocks the old fashioned way using actual triangles – that were not cut the right size….I don’t like doing shotty work to give to someone else… but my friend’s mom will just be happy they are done and that she didn’t have to do them. It is the least I can do for her b/c she is so nice to do alternations for my husbands clothes.


Here is a photo of the first 16 blocks – wish I had remembered to take another photo of the 21 before packing them all up… I had them laid out together on the bed and boy wouldn’t they make a great quilt used all together! - however each of the 6 members of the small group will get 4 of 4 different blocks. I think these would look fantastic all set together in the same quilt don't you?? I almost don't want to give them away! LOL I just keep thinking, these women getting these probably don’t even own sewing machines, so what makes me think they will ever get used in any quilt…? Oh so sad – so sad!


Oh, and Sunday I also got a crib size UFO top pin basted and ready to hand quilt!!! This top was made way back in 1995 shortly after Momma Newt died. It is a really simple 4 patch pattern but it was at the beginning of my quilting career before I even knew what a rotary cutter was and used scissors to cut out each square. Needless to say I also didn’t know the importance of pressing seams either! The seams are going every which way!!! Hey it will never win a show and the workmanship is poor but it was one of the first I made (I think the 2nd) so it will be special to me. I think that is why it took me forever to even think about finishing it b/c of how bad it is… but with twins on the way and having only hand quilted one crib quilt that I finished back in 2004… this one will be another so that each twin can have one their “momma made”.



Here is a photo of the 1st ever hand quilted quilt I made - ugly colors don't ya think? But I couldn't give away my 1st hand quilted quit so I kept it.



Nora got to use the crib quilt that my mom and I made together when I was about 8 or 9 years old - so don’t think she is getting shorted ;c) In my opinion hers is the best of all because I cherish the memories of my mom and I making it together. It all started out as 5 four-patches left over from a project and mom was gonna make a small square quilt for a Barbie…. Then I suggested we make it bigger for my Cabbage Patch doll….. then after adding on to it…. I insisted we make it a little larger to be big enough for a “real” baby for one day. My mom was reluctant but she gave in and boy am I ever so greatful that she did b/c she died before 5 years before I became a mother.

I have visited many of your blogs this past week and should have made more comments but I didn't have the time to do so. I will make it back around to you soon. :c) Happy New Year everyone!!! ~Bonnie