Quilts of Valor presentation

Last night I got to attend a meeting of Marine parents with the leader of our local Quilts of Valor group.  She was expecting to get to present a quilt to one of the local Marine recruiters.  Well...  there were 4 local Marine recruiters that showed up at the meeting, and none of them had even heard of Quilts of Valor, much less received a quilt for their deployments.  The recruiters deployments ranged from 1 deployment to 5 deployments.

Rita presenting a quilt.  This man has been on 5 deployments

Rita presenting a quilt

Marine recruiters with their quilts

wrapping up in their quilts

Me, Rita and the 4 Marine recruiters with their Quilts of Valor

I've only been at 2 other presentations before.  This was a special presentation.  After the presentation, I received hugs from each of the Marines.  The Marine parents that were there for the parents support group were all excited that their Marines would receive a quilt when they return from their deployments. 

We also signed up some of the mothers/ family members to help make quilts for other returning and injured soldiers. 

What a great evening!   There is more info on this group on the link above.

PS:  Yes, I had permission from all of the Marines pictured to show them on my blog. 

Holding a machine, and a few finds

I am holding a sewing machine for another lady.  I'm in the Chicago area, she is in North Carolina.  Anyone going that way?  This machine needs a lift.

cabinet for White Rotary

electric cord and attachment drawer

Good Housekeeping seal of approval on drawer lid, nice large drawer

attachments in drawer, all in really nice condition

White Rotary machine, needs some cleaning

cool knee lever for electric machine

Pat, the owner, told me that I could try out this machine, but, the cords are really old (wrapped in fabric) and I'm a bit worried about plugging it in.  Maybe later, when I get a chance to unwrap the cord and really check it out.  I love this cabinet.  The machine is pretty, with set-in flowers and such in the cast iron metal. 

I've been to a few garage sales this week.  I hit the jackpot at one garage sale.  I've been wanting to get a small table to hold one of my machines when I demo, or, to have at the guilds sew-in.  I really wanted more than one, and I've just held off on buying one.  Well...

plastic table

still has the packaging paper on the table

I scored 4, yes 4 of these great tables for only $20.  Both my sons have already laid claim to a table each, with out even seeing it.  I kinda knew that would happen.  That leaves 2 tables for ME!  Whoopie! 

I also scored a few other items.  I found a great wall hanging that was hand quilted.

hand quilted wall hanging

A great tin box, complete with a key lock.  I'm going to store some sewing notions in this.

locking tin box

I also scored 3 quilting books.

this one has some projects that look neat

Lots of great pictures of vintage quilts

Edyta Sitar book

I couldn't resist the Edyta Sitar book, especially since she was at my LQS in June (I missed her).  Since Edyta is so popular, this book just might have to go for a giveaway I'm planning soon.  What do you think?  Would you be interested in this book?

So far, empty nest is fine. We woke up early and went for a walk at a forest preserve.  The trail is flat enough that my legs could take it. 

Have a great weekend!

Empty Nest and Fun Finds

Well, I dropped my youngest off at college last week. 

messy dorm room

youngest son in new dorm room

We unloaded him on the 12th floor.  Only 2 of the 4 elevators were working when we arrived.  The forecast for the day was 106 degrees with high humidity.  We got there a few minutes after 8am, to try to beat the heat.  Using my rolling carts that I use for my treadles and other sewing machines, and lots of that wonderful industrial plastic wrap that businesses use to keep their products on pallets, we made it in 3 trips.  It only took 3 hours to get everything in his room.  Gee, and he thought mom was crazy for bringing the carts and plastic wrap, at least until we arrived, that is. 

I got to meet his new roommate and the roomie's parents.  All really nice people.  Youngest son has already been invited to spend some weekends at their home.  They are only 90 minutes away, while we are 735 miles away. 

Youngest son took the Kenmore sewing machine with him, and has already been asked by another young man in the dorm to help him mend some items when he has a chance.  He is also going to hem some curtains for his dorm window.  Over the summer, he worked on making a shirt as a Renaissance Fair costume.  He's made this shirt all by hand stitching, and without a pattern.  He just used a friends shirt as his 'pattern'. 

almost finished Renaissance Fair shirt

hand sewn French seams

hand stitched embroidery hem

I am one proud mama!  I still don't know how to sew clothes, and he has taught himself.  Cool!

I took 2 days to drive back home after I dropped him off.  With my feet and legs, I have to stop more often, so, I figured I'd stop at several antique malls that I've been passing for several years.  I was a good girl.  I didn't spend much on this trip.  I found lots of great things, but, I wasn't in a spending mood, thank goodness.  I did find several doilies at different locations.  I also found a Singer buttonholer in a 'Jetson's' case. 

Singer buttonholer in a 'Jetson' case

Now I have one of these in the green case.  I already had one in the pink case.  The pink case is for a slant shank machine (I don't own a slant shank machine, yet) and the green case is for a short shank machine (I have several of these machines).  I also found this great bag that the buttonholer is sitting on.  It is reproduction material with things on it from WWII.  Not sure what I'll do with it, but, for $1, I just couldn't pass it up.

The best thing I found was a box full of doilies and pieces of doilies.  There were patterns, cut from the newspaper, for several different doily tablecloths.

Box of doilies, patterns and extra's

patterns and extra yarn and wool

This whole box was only $7.50.  How could I go wrong?  There are several small doilies that I can use on my spool pins.  There is antique laces and bits and parts of pieces that I can use in a crazy quilt one day.  The lady's name and home town are written on the box top.  The patterns don't have a date on them, but, one of the doilies had a tiny piece of paper folded in it that has the date of 1941.  The newspaper clippings have a place you can send either $0.15 or $0.20 to get a pattern for each of these.  There are several of the doilies made to match several of these patterns. 

Oldest son is home this week.  He has one week between summer sessions and the fall session.  Oldest will be a senior in college this year.  He leaves on Friday, then we will be empty nesters officially. 

Oldest son and I stopped at a thrift store while out shopping for him, earlier this week.  Boy did I score!  I got this brand new Pfaff bag to carry my Janome table and my rulers and stuff.

Pfaff bag

inside of Pfaff bag, holding my Janome sewing table

I've been struggling with that table and my ruler bag and such for a long time.  I have a sew-in every Thursday, and it takes a balancing act to get everything inside the classroom.  Now that I have this bag, it should make it much easier to carry everything.  It even came with a carrying strap and handles.  There is a place on the back of the bag that will slip over the handle of my sewing machine rolling case. 

I also found a Greist zig zagger at the thrift store.  It even has the instructions with it.  Now I have 2 of these. 

A Win! and finally some sewing!

I Won!  I won the monthly box for July, from Chris over at We Love Quilting!  Go to her site and enter her monthly giveaway!  I've won twice now.

Lots of fabric!  Aren't these cute!

2 bags, pens, key ring and mirror

folding Omnigrid cutting/ironing mat, thimble, nail file, lotions, seam ripper and cutie scissors

postcard pattern & Clover heart shaped yo-yo maker

cute spider on a stick for one of my plants

My son already has the cute little clear mesh bag to hold his sewing notions for college.  He is taking my vintage Kenmore sewing machine to college this week.  I've had it serviced (first time since the early '90's, bad me) and Michelle sent me a manual for it, so he'll know all the ins and out of the machine.

Kenmore 158.13200 from 1973-74

I gave him a lesson on all the knobs and stitches and how to wind/load the bobbin earlier today.  He is wanting to make Renaissance Fair costumes.  He made his only quilt on this same machine when he was 12.  This machine was my mother's until she gave it to me after I got married (mom HATES sewing).  My father used this machine to make seat covers for the VW bug we turned into a truck for my grandfather in 1974.  Lots of family history in this machine.  3 generations have used this machine so far.

After not getting to sew in July, I finally got some stitching done Sunday night during the Olympics (can't miss the Olympics).


http://theelvengarden.blogspot.com.au/p/how-far-will-you-go-qal.html

Jess is having a Quilt A Long, and, I decided to quilt along with her (like I don't have enough UFO's already).  She just started this on July 27th, so, she is only on block 2 now.  I am making 2 full sized quilts with her QAL.  At least one of these quilts will go to Quilts of Valor.

4 versions of block 1

sewn on my 1959 Singer Spartan hand crank

 I made 4 blocks, 2 each in 2 different colorways.  The background fabrics are different for each quilt, but, the other fabrics will be the same.  These were fun and quick.  Sewing 4 blocks didn't take much longer than sewing 1 block.  Check out Jess' QAL, which shows the finished quilt.  (sorry my colors show up washed out looking).  Now if I can just figure out how to load these pictures on Jess' flicker page for the QAL.

Also, I entered my oldest son's dorm quilt in the Quilting Gallery's latest contest.

 

Christopher's quilt

  You can read about this quilt (and the other one I'm making for youngest son) at this blog post.  No, I haven't finished the 2nd quilt top yet.  Youngest son gave me 6 more months to get it finished, thank goodness!  I'll get back to work on it AFTER I drop him off at college this weekend.  Gotta check out a few antique stores on the way home, since my SUV will be empty by that time.  

A squishie and some fun finds!

I won over at Teresa's 'A Quilt and A Prayer' blog.  Here is what I won.

winnings from Teresa's blog

Sorry I'm so late in posting this.  I'm moving much slower than normal this summer.  I'm having problems with my feet and legs, and, it's getting me down.  I had lots of plans to get stuff accomplished, but, that just isn't happening so far.  Now I'm waiting on the insurance company to approve vein surgery on both of my legs.  Till then, I'm just moving in slow motion.

I told you in the last post that I purchased a few goodies at the quilt show.  Well, here they are.

toy hand crank sewing machine

tiny teapot pin cushion & saucer

doll quilt on a stand

doll quilt, laid out flat, hand quilted

I saw these items all at one booth.  I've purchased vintage items from this same lady at the last quilt show.  The doll quilt is hand quilted, and the backing is RED!  I love red!

As usual, I've stopped at thrift stores in the past week.  I found two sewing related items.  The thread spool topped with a thimble is a Avon bottle.  The thimble reminds me of Amy, at A Quilting Sheep.  Amy loves sheep, and the sheep are painted all around this thimble.  If she sends me her address, I just might have to mail it to her. 

Sheep thimble and Avon bottle

 I've been busy traveling, and will be again next week.  I drove to Wisconsin to pick up youngest son so that he could be a camp counselor with his youth group at Camp Barnabas, a special needs camp.  I drove him back to his summer job (camp counselor at a Boy Scout camp) on Monday morning.  In a little over a week, I'll drive his stuff to college.  Not sure if I'm ready for empty nesting or not.  Both boys have been gone this summer, but, we've gotten to see them enough to not have time to miss them that much, yet. 

Not much is getting sewed around here.  I've been too busy getting stuff for the youngest for college, mom's wedding, my leg/feet appts, and traveling to get much done.  Sometimes life just gets in the way.  Olympics are also getting in the way.  It is hard to watch and get much done at the same time without missing the events.  I can always sew, the Olympics only happen once every 4 years.