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.  

Traveling & Goodies!

I've been traveling since the first of the year.  My youngest son and his wife, flew from Anchorage, Alaska, to our hometown of San Angelo, Texas.  My mother & stepfather, inlaws, brother & sister in law, and best friend of almost 40 years all still live in San Angelo.  What a great excuse to drive 1200 miles, and visit everyone!

Sorry, there aren't any pictures of family and friends, since my cell phone was giving me fits from shortly after I left Illinois.  What a pain!  Each time I'd try to take a picture, the phone wouldn't take it, or would shut down.  I was also having a tough time making phone calls, a lot of the time.  It's a 4 year old phone, but, it doesn't seem to like it when I travel.  My camera was never near me, when I wanted to take pictures.  Oh well. 

I was gone a total of 18 days, and went thru 4 states (Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma & Texas).  On the way home, I stopped in St. Louis, and got to have dinner with Kevin the Quilter.  Kevin came and spoke at my little quilt guild two years ago.  There were 3 blog posts about his visit.  Post #1, Post #2 & Post #3.  Kevin also collects vintage machines (he only has a few so far.

Kevin & I at Jackman's Fabrics

Kevin gave me a cute little chicken pin cushion and some fresh eggs, from his chickens. 

Of course, I found a few things at Jackman's Fabrics.

goodies from Jackman's Fabrics

Of course, I stopped at a few quilt shops and antique malls along the way.  I stopped at one quilt shop twice (coming and going),  The Stitching Depot.com in Burkburnett, Texas.  They are having a BOM, and will mail the blocks to you.  I decided to sign up on the way home.

BOM info (on the website above)

goodies from StitchingDepot.com

Of course, I chose the wildflowers version.  We provide our own background material, and they ship you the rest.  While at Jackman's in St Louis, I found the perfect background material to go with the wildflower fabrics.  Doesn't the barb wire fabric go great?!?!?

some of the fabrics for the wildflower BOM

*Yes, I know they are sending me the fabrics, but, I just couldn't pass up 'extra' fabrics, in case I want to make something else with them.

I also found some cute fabric at an antique mall in Illinois, on the way home.  This will make a cute baby quilt.

I 'collected' some other goodies on the trip, too.  I love Teapots! (check out the title of my blog).  I got 2 teapots on this trip.  One is a gift from my BFF, and the other one, we found together, at an antique shop.

teapot from Michele is the one on the left

Here are the two pin cushions I came home with.  The bear is from Alaska, and the chicken is from Kevin.

pin cushions

I also found some cute little things, too.  I had to get the purple cow, since my favorite poem from 2nd grade has a purple cow.

I never saw a Purple Cow,
I never hope to see one,
But I can tell you, anyhow,
I’d rather see than be one!

Gelett Burgess

 

The head vase reminds me of another blogger buddy of mine, Sue. Sue collects head vases.  This one has lots of chips, but, is so cute!  I got my purple featherweight from Sue.

The elephant salt & pepper shakers will go to my mother, who collects elephants (shhhh, don't tell her.....).

Of course, I couldn't come home without a sewing machine.  I started with a lovely Frister & Rossmann hand crank.

Frister & Rossmann Model E #1654855

lid is decorated on both sides

attachments that came with it

'E' showing Model E

decorated on the base

This was supposed to be the only machine I came home with, but.... Michele and I stopped at a 2nd antique mall, and found this toy machine.  It has a Centennial Badge on it.

1950's Singer Sew Handy model 20

 

 

When I was nearly home, I stopped one last time.  I saw a cute machine, but, was going to pass it up.  The lady offered to sell it to me for less, and I told her I really didn't need another machine, since I have so many, and that I'd have to replace the electric cords.  She asked what I'd be willing to spend, and, I told her half of her price, since I figured there was no way she'd accept, but..... she said SOLD!  Oh no, another machine!

1950's Japanese 3/4 size class 15

badge on class 15

I do love 3/4 size machines!

Hopefully I'll get some stitching done soon.  I will be a part of a blog hop the end of the month, and, I just downloaded the book.  Now I get to pick a project and fabric.  

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.