Jerry's Dad Passes Away

Jerry's Dad is 95 years old. This is a picture of him 2 years ago when he came from Rockford, Illinois to visit Jerry at the shop. Jerry was so proud to show his business to his dad. Jerry started out in his dad's car alignment shop sweeping floors when he was a young kid . His dad retired in the 1950's and handed over the shop to Jerry and his brother, Carl. Then Jerry went on to bigger equipment and bigger vehicles.
Jerry's mom died about 5 years ago. Last Thursday Vern couldn't get out of bed and the paramedics were called. It was assumed he had been having small strokes. I spoke to him on Friday and he sounded chipper but his words were slurred. Finally he kept getting worse and passed away Sunday evening.

Another Block for the Civil War Quilt Done

I have finished another block. I like to do this while watching TV. It keeps me from picking at my fingers. But I also feel more productive like I'm getting something accomplished instead of just sitting while watching TV. The colors look happy. I like the pick flowers. There are a lot of geen leaves in this quilt.

A digitized dandelion made with fringe

This months digitizing lesson was making fringe for a dandelion flower. The leaves went very well for me even though there are a lot of points and narrow areas. But the fringe on the flower was a challenge. I had to stitch out the flowers multiple times. The density was a problem and then the bobbin thread which pulled the yellow thread was not even. I finally found a workable density although I think the fringe should be thicker. I ran my machine slowing so there were no hitches there and the underside looked a little better. Here are some pictures of the sew out:

This is the stitch out of the leaves.

Here is the stitch out of the first and second flower.

Here is cutting the bobbin thread on the back side so the yellow thread can be released to make the fringe.

On the front the yellow thread has to be pulled out to make the fringe.

And finally the end result, two fringed dandelion flowers. Not too bad I say so myself. Whew, it done.

A Visit with My Sister from Florida

Its been 5 years since I saw my sister but this week she was here in Arizona. We spent two days together. She and her husband, Jim, drove their RV from Mt. Dora (near Orlando) Florida clear across the United States. Their first stop was in Bisbee. This is where we grew up. I am 8 years older than her so she lived there longer than me since I left home and went to ASU and then to teach in California.

She loves Mexican food. There is no good Mexican food in Florida. So the first night we went out to eat. My brother lives here and Vicki was here last when my brother's wife died in 2005. Vicki and Jim brought their two little dogs Kathy and Allie. You should have seen them with my dogs. There was alot of barking but finally they all got use to each other and there was quiet. We spent alot of time reminiscing about growing up and things that happened in Bisbee. Boy does time pass by quickly. It seems just like yesterday when we all made a trip to Bisbee. My father was still alive and we went to visit the home we grew up in. The present owners let us inside the house and we had so much fun remembering the things we did in that house. We left the house laughing and giggling and got in our car and drove off. Then all of a sudden we remembered we left Dad out in the street by the house. He was waving his cane in the air. Boy, was that a fun day. Growing up in a small mining town in the 50's was really good.

An Auction with Sewing Machines

Cactus Patches, the quilt group I belong to, got an email that Sierra Auction had sewing machines to auction off on May 9th. Since I am not too happy with the tension for free motion quilting on my big expensive sewing machine :( I decided to see just what was being auctioned off. Another friend from Cactus Patchers went with. We were both two brave souls to try this. We went down to the auction place on Grand Ave. to preview the sewing machines. There were new and old machines there plus sewing cabinets and sewing frames. Ingrid, my friend, wanted the brand new Zuki which does free motion sewing and the type of machine that Sharon Schamber started out using to win on her beautiful quilts. But I wanted the same machine and there was only one. After much turmoil, I gave in and said she could bid on that machine and I would bid on the new Pfaff Grand Quilter which does the same thing for free motion. These machines only sew a straight stitch and free motion but go very fast.
Well the day of actual bidding came on Saturday. We listened to a caller before the sewing machines were being sold and I couldn't understand him at all. Thank goodness the caller we had could be understood and worked with everyone very well. We got help from Ray at 3 Dudes Quilting shop on how to bid. He said get the retail price, half it in half, subtract the tax and buyers fee and that should be the price to aim for and not get carried away in all the excitement. Wow the embroidery machines were going for $2400.00 to $2700. The 18" Pfaff Quilter went for $2700 and then a frame had to bought to use it. The machine I wanted came up for bid and before I knew it I had bought it. No going back after that. AND I got it at the price Ray said to aim for. Ingrid got her machine the same way. We were both very happy and relieved it was over.

Red Delicious Is Finished

Red Delicious is finally finished after a year and a half. It was started at the beginning of 2009 as a mystery block of the month. I made one month each month and this year put it together and just finished quilting it. What a relief to get done. It turned out not too badly. The quilting was a project all of its own. I'm not real pleased with the tension of the quilting but it will have to do. I did free motion quilting of feathers mainly in all the blocks but in the black sashing strips I did a little spiral that does not show up in the pictures. The fabric pieces of each block were fused and then stitched over the raw edges with a method Patsy Thomas uses and calls EKG quilting. It was a different approach to finishing off the edges.
So here are the pictures.

Chance to get the new EQ7

I had a few EQ6 classes taught by my friend Mary Hartman. Now a new version (EQ7) is coming out with alot of new things. I would love to have it. Mary won a free copy from EQ7 and a copy to give away. I am so excited for her and hopeful that I can win her extra copy. You can check out the information on her blog http://mequilter.blogspot.com/. Cross your fingers and toes that I win.