Batik Star Blocks

I finished the batik star blocks for my TOBE (Treadle On Block Exchange).  These took longer than I expected, but then I was trying to make them when I was out of town for 3 weeks in April (taking care of family).  I worked on them a bit between 2 more trips after that, too.  I've been gone 62 days so far this year.  That explains why I haven't gotten much done.

Here are the sets of blocks.

Eight Pointed Star Variation 2

Wisconsin Star

Ohio Star

Rolling Star

I found the patterns on the Quilter's Cache website.  I'm not sure I can use the Rolling Star blocks, since they printed out smaller than 12.5" unfinished.  I didn't know until the blocks were finished.  Grrr!  I printed them the same time I printed the other blocks, so I know that they were all printed at 100%.   Oh well, I can use them for a baby quilt or something.

More Finishes

I've been sewing and sewing.  I have photos of the finishes, but not of all of my sewing.  

The King size quilt was finished in 3 weeks, from start to finishing the binding.  Of course it helped that the Half Square Triangles and 4 Patchs were already made from the Treadle On Block Exchanges (TOBE) that I've participated in for over 10 years.  Ann did a great (and fast) job quilting it for me.  This was my February UFO Challenge project.

the perfect backing fabric

on my bed

Westley wanted to be in the photo

I made 4 sets of TOBE blocks for the Spring Basic exchange (Rail Fence), but forgot to take any photos before I mailed them off.  Oh well.

Last fall, I made some ruffled pants for my granddaughter.  My best friend saw them and wanted some for her granddaughter who loves frilly, girly things.  I stitched up 2 pair in the same fabrics I used for my granddaughters pants. 

I'll get to give these to my best friends granddaughter in person in 2 weeks.  

I also finished a jacket for my best friend.  Years ago, I was supposed to add the strips of fabric to her jacket, but, the jacket got put in the back of my sewing closet.  Well, that closet has been jam packed with stuff and I only found the jacket when I cleaned it out earlier this year.  Today was the day to get this done.

Michele's decorated jacket

I don't have photos of the 'secret' projects that I've been working on.  The Missouri TOGA (Treadle On Gathering and Academy) that I attend every June, is having a sewing kit exchange this year.  I'm not making just one sewing kit (as usual), I'm making 6 sewing kits (some will be gifts in the future).  They are all in different sewing themed fabrics from my stash.  Parts of them are finished, and parts of them I'm still working on.  There is lots of hand work in these sewing kits.

I won't get much sewing done in the next few weeks, since I'll be traveling to the Texarkana TOGA (Treadle On Gathering and Academy).  It will be sew much fun getting together with sewing friends from all over and playing with sewing machines.  I'll be teaching how to paper piece, and there will be lots of other classes and demo's at the TOGA.  This will be my first solo trip since before the pandemic started.  

I'll miss my 'sewing supervisor' while I'm gone.  He works sew hard that he tires himself out.

Westley napping under a sewing machine cabinet

Weekend Fun and Things

 We went out of town for the weekend.  We went to a friends birthday party. 

Our friend and his dad cooked a 180 pound pig in their rotisserie cooker.  They have to wrap the pig in chicken wire so that it doesn't fall apart while cooking.

180 lb pig

It took 4 men about 1 1/2 hours to cut all the meat off the pig.

slicing up the pork

This party would be the first time I would be off my diet since I started it, back the end of January.  I was worried that I wouldn't be able to count calories or find foods that would work with my diet.  Part of why I was worried is that my weight loss has slowed down this past month (expected, but not appreciated).  I found lots that I could eat, and still stay with my diet.

my plate

I could easily count calories with these foods.  I guessed how much pork (2 servings, Yum!), and the other items were easy to calculate.  I was able to stick with my diet all weekend.

Our friends mother is a quilter and a friend of mine.  A few years ago I gave her a Singer 66 to put in her treadle base.  The machine she had was frozen.  During this visit, she gave me the machine that had been in the treadle.  I'll see if I can get it cleaned up and working.  She also sent me home with another machine to clean up and get working for her.  

front machine I'll clean for her, the back machine is now mine

She also sent 3 teapots home with me.  She remembered that I had a couple of vegetable teapots in my kitchen, so she gave me a bell pepper teapot.

She also gave me a pretty pottery teapot.

This copper and brass teapot has a longhorn cow on the spout.  How cute! Perfect for a (misplaced) Texas gal.

I got some sewing done before and after the trip.  I made 2 bumblebee blocks.  These will be made up into mug rugs.

On Monday, I received the Spring Basic TOBE (Treadle On Block Exchange) blocks in the mail.  Here are the blocks I mailed in.

4 sets of 8 blocks

Here are the blocks I got back.

I received 48 blocks from 2 countries (USA & Canada) from 12 participants (not including myself) from 10 states made on 17 different people powered sewing machines (treadles or hand cranks).  I love to participate in Treadle On block exchanges. 

I saw the weight loss doctor yesterday.  35 pounds lost so far.  She pointed out that I have met my 6 month goal in just 4 months.  Woohoo!  I celebrated with (frozen) lasagna, mushrooms, garlic toast and ice cream.  Don't worry, my calorie count for the day was right on track.  

I haven't gotten any sewing done in the past few days, but hopefully, with a 3 day weekend, I'll get lots stitched.  

Block Exchanges and Face Masks

 I participated in two more block exchanges with my Treadle On group.  I only made two sets of blocks for the Fall Basic exchange (Rail Fence blocks).  Here are the blocks I got back.

Fall Basic Rail Fence blocks

For the Spool block exchange, I made 4 sets of blocks (8 blocks per set).  Here are the blocks I got back.

Spool blocks, first 2 sets

Spool blocks, 2nd 2 sets

I also made 21 face masks today.  My son, his wife and my granddaughter all need face masks.  I also made some for Christmas.  The Christmas face masks are all reversible.  They have red snowmen on the other side.  I can use them all winter.

Red Snowmen fabric is on the reverse side of all the Christmas masks

Harry Potter masks

My granddaughter loves Emma from the Wiggles.  I made her some special 'Emma' face masks.  I added yellow polka dot ribbon to the top of each mask (easier for a 2 year old to tell which side goes up) and these masks also have adjusters for the elastic.

Emma from the Wiggles

Now some random Holiday photos.  First, our Thanksgiving meal, then our Christmas tree (which we just decorated).

I have a lot of Christmas decorating left to do.  We haven't done much Christmas decorating the past few years.  It will be fun to have lots of decorations out this year. 

TOBE blocks and Singing

Friday evening, my husband's Barbershop Chorus had a concert, along with an even smaller chorus.  I wasn't going to get to attend, since I was supposed to be setting up my booth of vintage machines at the quilt show, but since the quilt show was cancelled, I got to attend after all.  It was a nice concert.

Sorry for the lousy photos, but the auditorium was dark, and I couldn't use my flash.

There were only about 50 or so people who attended, and everyone was spread out across the auditorium.  As we were leaving, the venue staff was cleaning all the surfaces with wipes. 

I worked on some exchange blocks (TOBE blocks) over the weekend.  I didn't get started on them until late afternoon on Saturday.  I have a couple of different exchanges coming up over the next few months.  There is the Spring Basic TOBE (Treadle On Block Exchange) which is half square triangles.  Those are due in April.  I also have a Monkey Wrench TOBE that is due in June.  I'd already made a set of Monkey Wrench blocks, since I needed them to write up the tutorial for the exchange.  Over the weekend I got 2 more sets of blocks made for each exchange.  All of these blocks have to be made on either a hand crank or a treadle sewing machine (people powered).

Spring Basic made on a Post WWII Japanese Class 15 hand crank

Monkey Wrench made on a Post WWII Japanese Class 15 hand crank

Spring Basic made on 1914 Singer 66k hand crank

Monkey Wrench made on 1914 Singer 66k hand crank

Yesterday, I decided that I needed some laughs, so I watched several Brendon Fraser movies (Encino Man, Blast From the Past, Mrs. Winterbourne & The Mummy). 

I have another machine set up in my sewing room already, to complete another set of blocks for each TOBE.  I'll get started on them after supper.

Hubby is supposed to work from home starting tomorrow, at least thru the end of the week.  I can't work from home, since I'm a caregiver for an elderly blind man. 

Everyone stay safe.  PLEASE take precautions (like wearing gloves when you go grocery shopping, etc).  Take it from me, you can get very sick from germs on grocery carts (like the flu I had in February, and my son getting chicken pox from a grocery cart). 

This Week's Stitching

I'm finally recovering from the flu and pneumonia.  I'm well, but I'm still trying to get some energy. 

I have been stitching.  I finished the binding on the board game quilt.  Sorry for the lousy photos.  I just kept adding layers onto my design wall.

Olde Game, board game quilt

I had some burgundy binding already made, so I used it instead of cutting some black.  I think I have enough of the burgundy to bind the other 5 board game quilts when they are quilted.

I stitched the hanging sleeve on the Hobbit/Lord of the Rings quilt.  I also made labels and stitched them onto all of the quilts for the quilt show, along with all of the pillowcases that the quilts have to be in when we drop them off.  Woohoo!  All the quilts are ready for the quilt show. 

I stitched a set of blocks for one of my Treadle On Block Exchanges.  I kitted up 3 more sets that I'll stitch on some of my vintage machines at the quilt show next weekend.  I also prepped blocks for another block exchange with Treadle On.  These are the blocks I finished.  They are made with 1930's reproduction fabrics, and it's the Monkey Wrench block.

set of 8 Monkey Wrench blocks

signature label attached to the back of each block

Earlier this week I finished another 10 blocks of the striped circle blocks.  I now have 32 blocks finished.  Sorry, but my design wall is full at the moment, so you just get to see the blocks stacked.

10 more blocks finished

Today I stitched the pieces together for another baby quilt.  This is like the one I made in February but in pinks instead of blues. 

baby quilt top

I have 2 more baby quilts to make by early May.  I also have to quilt all 4 baby quilts.  March and April will be busy. 

If you will be in the Western Chicago suburbs next weekend, please come to my guild's quilt show.  I'll have a booth with 14 of my vintage sewing machines at the show.  Pride of the Prairie's quilt show will have over 300 quilts.  We also  have 'Strip Search' (our fabric booth), at least 50 raffle baskets, a raffle quilt, bake sale, magazines, patterns & books and a silent auction.  We'll also have VENDORS.  We'll be at Richland Grade School, 1919 Caton Farm Road, Crest Hill, Illinois.

Grandkids, New Machines and Block Exchange

Happy New Year!  Yea, yea, I know I'm a bit late, but I've been in Alaska, meeting my new grandson and playing with my granddaughter.

Gwendolynn & Korin sliding

Korin

Gwendolynn

The trip was last minute, and poor hubby didn't get to go with me.  The only sewing I got done was on the plane to Alaska.  

 A lady at guild gave my name to someone with a vintage sewing machine she wanted to find a home for.  I'm a good home for vintage machines ;)

The lady had her mother's machine.  Her mother is named Rita, so, meet 'Rita', the 1949 Singer 66.  This machine has Godzilla/Krinkle finish, as was common around the war years.

1949 Singer 66 #AJ157757

accessories with the Singer 66

This machine was made at the Elizabethport Factory in Elizabeth, NJ.

After talking with the lady, she mentioned another machine in a case.  This was Aunt Teresa's machine.  Meet 'Aunt Teresa', a 1955 Singer 99k.

1955 Singer 99k #EK950909

accessories for the 99k

back side of the Darning or Embroidery plate

I've heard of Darning/Embroidery plates before, but this is the first one I've seen.  Hubby liked it too.  He was checking out all of the attachments.  I have a feeling that next time he makes some camping gear, he'll be asking me for some attachments.

This little lady was made at the Kilbowie Factory in Clydebank, Scotland.  It has a grass case.  

My Treadle On group had another block exchange last Fall.  My blocks arrived while I was in Alaska.  I turned in 4 sets of 8 blocks for the exchange. These are the blocks I made.

blocks I made

Usually I get some of my blocks back, and also some matching blocks.  Not this time!  All 32 blocks I got back were different.  The blocks came from 12 different people, 11 different states, and were made on 20 different (people powered) sewing machines (some dating as far back as the 1890's).  Here are the blocks I got back.

2019 Fall Basic 4 patch blocks

2019 Fall Basic 4 patch blocks

If you will be in the western Chicago area March 14-15, 2020, please consider coming to the Pride of the Prairie Quilt Show.  I'll have some of my vintage sewing machines (including Aunt Teresa above) at the show.  Our show always has over 300 quilts, so lots of eye candy!  We also have 'Strip Search' (our fabric booth), raffle baskets, a raffle quilt, bake sale, VENDORS!, Magazines, Patterns & Books for sale, and a Silent Auction. We'll be at Richland Grade School, 1919 Caton Farm Road, Crest Hill, IL.