Portable Perfection

 

This little beauty is the latest addition to the sewing room. I'm not keeping track of the number of machines I have stashed in there but admit I do have a few...none as pretty as this one, though! I'm super excited about my new-to-me beautiful featherweight. It runs SO smoothly and is incredibly quiet. I find the noise of machines so distracting that I have never actually brought one along to group quilting. I've been OK with slow hand sewing and great conversations but now, I can speed along with some chain piecing while chatting....and can't wait to test it out in a group setting!

Piece.

Heather

 

In My Life

IN MY LIFE

It's been far too long since I've posted...I hope to be sewing, piecing and getting my groove back soon.

Some of my fondest memories as a child involve music. Dad introduced me to the Beatles, Neil Diamond, Heart, ABBA, James Taylor and Simon & Garfunkel. 

We jammed out to Black Dog with his hot pink 8 track Led Zeppelin album and sang Stairway to Heaven in his basement workshop----because men didn't have man caves in the '70s, they had 'workshops' where they tinkered and introduced their daughters to tools and other mechanical stuff...a land of motor oil, WD-40 and wood glue. Just being invited into the mess was an honor. 

Of course, I had to earn my keep by holding a flashlight or finding the right size socket wrench attachment and had to know the difference between a flat blade screwdriver and a Phillips...but those were the moments when I saw him in his element, the king of his castle passing on vital knowledge to the next generation and I wouldn't trade those memories for anything.

We talked at great length about the finer things in life: classical, jazz and the blues, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Muddy Waters, Cab Calloway, Bach, Mozart, Beethoven and more. Sometimes we discussed current events, more often the inner workings of our family unit. He encouraged me to have a voice (a decision he possibly regretted by my late teens), to have a strong work ethic and to take on every challenge with gusto.

In My Life was a song with special meaning to my dad, the song we danced to at my wedding. I'd like to take this moment to say I love you more, Dad. 

We'll be on a break for a while

as we focus on family.

Thank you.

Heather

Heritage Tomatoes & more.

  Cherokee Purple                          

     Green Zebras {a family favorite!}

 Maybe Big Yellow 

 

 Zapotecs or Scillians possibly?  

Amazing heirlooms from the regular grocery store. Normally, we have to wait for the farmer's market mid-summer to enjoy these heritage seasonal goodies. Fresh pico de gallo & guacamole really hit the spot!

Now we're crossing our fingers, waiting & hoping the store continues to stock them. As I was chopping, someone thought the tomatoes smelled too good to resist. When laying in my lap didn't pan out, he climbed behind me and watched over my shoulder...hoping to be there just in case I dropped some (or all) of it. Since the tomatoes weren't labeled with the specifics, any help identifying would be greatly appreciated. I recognize some from the organic CSA but not all of them. Also, I'm looking to add some Amish Paste to the garden this year and possibly a few others. Any suggestions? 

All my best,

Heather

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day! I'll be playing in the garden all day long.

Heather

Butterfly Days

             

Our youngest spent a little time with the camera today, snapping photos of a very patient butterfly & the Siberian Iris. The mild spring continues as we take in the warm sunshine and cool breezes. I've been to the garden center several times this week and am anxious to get digging....Mother's Day weekend is our traditional planting time since chances of frost after that are pretty slim here.

Happy Gardening! Heather

Strawberry Fields FOREVER

                                                

 

The strawberries are coming in full blast, so full in fact, they're dropping to the sidewalk before turning. The ants are feasting on the berries as they begin to change color. But I'd rather give a few up to mother nature than treat my kids to pesticide flavored berries in the midst of researching organic methods of control and will probably have a few laughs along the way. 

Our first introduction to natural means research was cardboard slathered in sugar & syrup and dipped in yeast {which requires reapplication throughout the patch after every rain and at least once a week}....I'm not sure how natural that process really is. 

There must be a simpler solution. After all, I'm just happy the strawberries are growing. 

We planted them on a whim for the kids. They've learned a lot along the way and shared the process with their friends. Everything else is a bonus, a cherry on top, if you will. 

Happy Sunshine, Heather

One Vase at a Time

Siberian irises are in bloom.

The daffodils are still blooming, too...seeing both together is a little strange but nice, very nice. I'm looking forward to gathering an armful of irises this week as I begin to bring the outside in one vase at a time. 

piece. 

Heather

Shipping Deal----INTERNATIONAL, too!!

Erica's does it again. 

The anniversary sale is going on...no coupons required.

This is the quilt shop's 38th year in business.

FREE US SHIPPING

&

HALF PRICE INTERNATIONAL!!

You'll want to check out the site to get the full details

before you shop 'til you drop.

Many of the 30s reproductions in the collection comes from Erica's. 

I also purchase YLI silk thread, great gadgets & books here, too. 

They have an amazing amount of inventory and a fantastic staff. 

Though I call it a 'local shop', South Bend is about an hour and half drive from here. 

I rarely get to make the trip but when I do it's a real treat! 

Erica's has also shipped an order or two to the house. 

For those of you on the hunt for some fabric {and really, who isn't??} 

or supplies, check it out before May 15th.

Happy Shopping,

Heather

We're Playing Outside!

Spring is in full swing at the Fab home.  We're playing ball, drawing with chalk all over the driveway &

 running barefoot in the grass....and loving every second of it! If you'll notice the toes at the base of the hosta on the right, they should provide a bit of perspective on how big this one's getting these days. 

*violets!*

{I just transplanted a few more....shhh! My Dear Mr. Fabulous does not quite share the same level of enthusiasm for these little beauties}

I hope you've enjoyed the little tour...coming soon: the strawberry patch!

Enjoy a day in the sun as the count down to summer break is on.

Heather

Traditional Block: English Ivy Revisited

English Ivy antique quilts in museum collections date back to 1830...though I'm still on the hunt for even older versions.In my research, I came across the same pattern entitled Clover Blossom. RSVP quilt block: English Ivy With this information, I was able to track down free instructions:Clover Blossom on the Quilter's Casche FREE 12" finished pattern. Here's to hoping you enjoy the block as much as I have.

Happy Piecing,

Heather

FWQAL Blocks

Last night the blocks were arranged for a group photo...

not necessarily in the final setting, just to see where things are.

40 blocks complete.

Happy Piecing, 

Heather

Redo.

This is what happens 

when mindless piecing 

and skipping the iron

sound like a great way to piece.

The left and right middle pieces 

were accidentally solid because I was 'in the zone'.

SO, my friendly seam ripper made the situation

right but because I finger pressed my seams

and skipped a proper pressing, the whole middle is off.

It looks like a redo and I'm laughing because this

should have been such an easy block.

Tomorrow is another day.

=)

Rosebud

Farmer's Wife Block #75: There's a lot going on this week, some of it unplanned. As I take care of some family stuff, please bear with the shortened, irregular posts. All my best, Heather

FWQAL: Windows

Windows for the Farmer's Wife Quilt Along came together quickly. I'm looking forward to some more piecing later in the week. Piece, Heather

Periwinkle

Farmer's Wife block 'Periwinkle' is also known as Snowball, Arkansas Snowflake and Arkansas Star variation.

Happy Piecing,

Heather

Traditional Block: English Ivy

I first saw this pattern at the International Quilt Show at Rosemont 

where a beautiful antique quilt called 'tobacco leaf' stole my heart. 

The majority of blocks I've found with tobacco in the title consist of curved pieces.

It took quite a while to track the original pattern down... 

I finally found it and whipped up a quick block 

for the RSVP fundraiser quilt. The English Ivy Vintage Pattern dates back to the early 1900s, appearing in the Kansas City Star in 1931.

Can't you just see a whole quilt of these beauties?

Happy Piecing, 

Heather

The Farmer's Daughter

Another FWQAL block for the stack.

Polka dots + Kaffe=perfect combination for a

rainy day.

Happy Piecing,

H

FWQAL quickie

Streak of Lightning (#92 in the Farmer's Wife Series) came together quickly this morning. I'm off to add it to the Flickr group and make some fabric selections for the next one. Happy Piecing, Heather

 

Fall Themed Blocks

RSVP has requested some 'Fall Themed' Blocks

{12.5 inch unfinished} for their annual fundraiser quilt.

Anyone interested in creating pieced or applique blocks 

for the quilt is welcome to join in the fun. 

You can read more about RSVP here.

Please feel free to email for any questions/comments

at heatherL02 (zero two) at yahoo dot com

Some of the blocks RF readers 

donated in previous years include:

Kaleidoscope Variation

Indian Trail

Hidden Well

Album

Peace & Plenty

Carrie Nation

Contrary Wife

Shoofly Geese

Wild Goose Chase part 1 & 2

Bear's Paw Variation

Lady of the Lake

Weathervane

A search of RSVP on the blog will bring up 

additional posts, if you'd like to learn more.

All my best,

Heather

Seeing Stars: FWQAL

One new addition to the Farmer's Wife Stack and it's a FUN one!

{#87 in the series}

piece.

Heather

Baby Gifts & garden update

Baby Eddie has arrived!

His parents appreciated the Eric Carle themed gift box

and we hope he loves his blankie as much as

 our munchkin does.

If you have ever worked with minky, 

you know that the end result is a perfect 

weight, super soft favorite of tactile toddlers. 

Getting to the finish isn't always a dream 

come true, but well worth the extra effort

{including lots and lots of pinning}.

The books included are two of my kids' favorites

so I couldn't help but add them to his budding 

library.

{Remember the board book days? AW.}

Last night we had a freeze warning and 

temps dipped down into the low 20s.

Now, that's normal for this time of year, 

but the plants seem to think it's late May/early June.

To keep the strawberries going, 

Mr. Fabulous was kind enough to cover 

the strawberry patch and some of the landscape with sheets.

So far, it looks like just a few hostas were slightly damaged.

I'm getting temp and weather warning updates 

regularly from my middle guy...

he has an app for that,

(actually two). 

Seriously.

Have a Wonderful Weekend,

Heather