Thursday, April 28, 2016

An Exchange, A Win and Some Sewing

Just before I left for Texas, I mailed my two Functional Bags in for the exchange with my Treadle On group. We have several different exchanges that we can participate in each year.  These are the bags I mailed in.
bag with brown zipper was for the exchange, hubby got the bag with the green zipper
grocery bag for exchange
The bags I got from the exchange arrived the day I got home.
from Lisa

from Denise
I'll enjoy using both these bags.

Also, shortly before I left, I won some blocks from Erin.  These blocks were waiting for me when I got home.  I think they will make a great quilt.
32 blocks from Erin
It took several days for me to get organized after my trip.  I needed to get everything put away (lots of goodies and machines).  I'm finally starting to get some stitching done.
string blocks on Betty Sue

strings and string blocks
Bonnie Hunter will be coming to my quilt guild in May.  I was signed up for one class, Tulip Fields, from String Fling, but, I'd also put my name in for another class, Happily Scrappily Irish.  Well, last week, I was told I could take Happily Scrappily Irish, from Adventures with Leaders and Enders, too.  Woohoo!  Oops!  I don't have that book!!!  Well, after calling several local quilt shops, I had to order the book.  Meanwhile, I needed to start cutting fabric for both classes.  Thank goodness, one of the ladies from my guild provided me with the info, so that I could start pulling and cutting fabrics.  I'm almost done (just a few 2" squares left to sub cut).  My book arrived yesterday.  I'm almost all set.   I stitched all my string blogs, and trimmed them, for Tulip Fields.  I've also stitched all my triangles for Tulip Fields.  Bonus, I only bought one fabric for both quilts (sashing for Tulip Fields).  The rest is from my stash.  No, I'm not using 'scraps'.  I'm just not good at using scraps.  I pulled yardage, and, cut both quilts from the same fabrics.  See all those blues, greens and teals above, well, my strings are made from them for Tulip Fields, and, my 2" squares for Happily Scrappily Irish are also cut from them. 

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Bluebonnets

One of the reasons I wanted to go to Texas in the Spring was so that I could see the Bluebonnets.  Growing up, I'd see the Bluebonnets as we drove to my grandparents house, in East Texas.  I've always loved the Bluebonnets and the Indian Paintbrush.  My favorite picture of my oldest son, was taken when he was 1 year old, sitting in the Bluebonnets.
Christopher in the Bluebonnets
Parts of Texas has wonderful Bluebonnets this year, and parts were pretty thin.  I didn't see very many Bluebonnets in East Texas, near the TOGA areas, unfortunately.  In years past, I've seen fields and fields of Bluebonnets across East Texas.  Not this time. 
small patch of Bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrush in Bristol, TX

My mother decided that we needed to spend a few days at my brother's lake house, in the hill country, while I was visiting.  We headed out to Inks Lake.  As we neared Mason, Texas, the bluebonnets appeared. 



 I'd had some Bluebonnet trail brochures sent from the Mason Chamber of Commerce.  We only drove one of the 3 trails.  It was lovely!  We didn't stop very often to get out and take pictures (you should be glad, as I have tons of pictures).


TX FR 2816



Bluebonnets near the cactus

More and more Bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrush.




more Bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrush with the cactus

There aren't many places to pull over, and get all the way off the highway.  We didn't want to stop unless it was totally safe.  We did stop at the entrance to someone's ranch.  I love the wooden Texas flag mixed in with the cactus and wildflowers.
Wooden Texas flag by the cactus







On the way back to San Angelo (my home town), we stopped in Mason, at a cute store.  Outside, they had more Bluebonnets.  We took a picture of some burgundy colored Bluebonnets.  They were past full color, and were faded to a pale pink by the time we got to see them.  I would have loved to see them in full color. 
faded burgundy Bluebonnets
The shop we stopped at sold yard art and had lots of antiques.  I came home with a Bluebonnet for my yard.
3 ft tall metal Bluebonnet


Thursday, April 21, 2016

Trip Goodies!

Being gone for 18 days, you have plenty of time to collect some great goodies along the route.  I was limited, since my car was full from the start (lots of stuff for the TOGA, and for friends/family).

When I travel alone, I stop at antique stores, instead of restaurants (I can eat jerky while I drive).  Much more fun to walk around antique stores, than to sit (again) and just eat. 

While gone, I stopped at 2 quilt stores, a Hancock Fabrics (going out of business) and purchased fabrics at the TOGA.  Here is what I bought.  I thought I was pretty conservative.
all the fabric I came home with
I also got some patterns and quilt books.
patterns

quilt books
I have one of the jacket patterns above, but, I'm not sure where it is.  I really need to finish some jackets that I started several years ago.  I did make 2 jackets (one for a friend, and a matching one for me) several years ago.

I stopped in Tulsa (both ways) and gave the 2nd Leg Lamp quilt to Betty.  She claimed it, back last summer, when she saw the first one.  I told her she couldn't have it until after my guilds quilt show in March.
Betty and her Leg Lamp quilt
Betty gave me a few crocheted wash cloths she had made.  I also collected a few others on the trip.
Betty made the green and the yellow & orange cloths
I stopped at a few thrift stores in Tulsa, too.  I picked up 2 mini quilts, for 99 cents each.  I just can't pass them up when they are priced so low.  The 2nd mini quilt is hand quilted, too.
mini quilt

2nd mini quilt
At the TOGA, in the middle of the fabric and notions, from the ladies stash, I spotted something RED.  Of course, RED is my favorite color.  I had to check it out.  It was priced at $3, since it needs to be repaired in a few places.
Grandmother's Flower garden quilt top
I'll work on repairing it, and, who knows, I might even quilt it one day.

My aunt was going thru some of her mother's things.  She gave me these things.  I remember her mother well.  She'd have us over for Sunday lunch, with all of her family (a very large group).  She and her husband lived next door to my aunt and uncle. 
lovely lace tablecloth

teapot and some pretties
I spotted some other lovely lacy items on my trip, too.
another lace table cloth

two lace table runners

embroidered and crocheted items
I choose a bag from the TOGA table, and found 2 zippered bags in Texas themes, later in the trip.
a few bags
I also picked up a few miscellaneous sewing notions, too.
sewing notions
Of course, I also found another teapot.  My mother collects elephants, so, I'm always on the lookout for elephants.  She isn't getting this one (I'd already picked up an elephant for her, earlier in the trip).
elephant teapot
Of course, a couple of sewing machines followed me home (DUH!)  The two littlest ones are from Lisa.  Thanks Lisa!
musical treadle, mini treadle, and sewing machine salt cellar
Yes, some larger machines also followed me home.  3 of these are junkers.  A local friend wants to trade me her treadle head (keeping the treadle base) for a junker, so that she can turn the junker into a sewing machine tractor for her husband.  I was given 3 different junkers (all the same model, Singer 127).  I may use one to see if I can repaint it, since it's already a junker. 
junker #1

junker #2

junker #3 (this one was made in Singer's Russian plant)
I also purchased 2 other machines.  The first one is from the TOGA, the 2nd one, my uncle found for me.
1920 Singer 66 #G8150064

1912 Singer 15 #G2449799
I've been sewing on a Singer 15, with the same decal set.  I also have a collection of Singer 66's with Red Eye decals (my favorite, since it has red in it).  They should both clean up nicely.

Of course, I'd purchased a Bradbury Family VS hand crank last August, from a lady in Florida (I already have another machine that she had owned, previously).  Lisa picked up my Bradbury, while she was traveling cross country, to pick up some other vintage machines.  Lisa delivered it to me at the TOGA. Thanks Lisa!
Bradbury Family VS #D22822 (1906-1915, most likely)

back of Bradbury Family VS
Yes, I took 2 machines on the trip, and came home with 8 machines, total.  I could have come home with LOTS more, if I'd just had the room.