Weekend Happenings

 This past weekend, I drove to Omaha to spend the weekend with my cousin and help her at a big craft show.  Brenda, with the help of her husband Jeff has a business (JB Metal) making porch signs and other items.  She's had a full schedule of craft shows this fall, and did a 4 day show in a big hockey arena as well as a one day show at a high school on Saturday.  

There were 5 areas.  The above photo was of the main ice arena (mats were covering the floor, but it was cold).  We were on the ice in the practice arena.  There were tons of booths there.  I took photos of some things that interested me....................

I loved the sentiment in the above photo.  I just didn't know where I'd hang this metal sign.  

And this guy caught my eye, not that I would buy it, but it was interesting.  And the booth next to us had t-shirts...........

I thought this one was fun, but was a little worried about where Santa's hands would land on my chest, so I refrained from purchasing.

This was the JB Metal booth........

And some classic Christmas movies were highlighted on the signs.............

Brenda's younger daughter MacKenzie showed up at the end of the day Saturday.  We went out looking at the other booths and I learned what a Shacket was.  (I wondered why it wasn't called a Jirt.)  For those who are like me and are really clueless about current fashion, a Shacket is a cross between a shirt and a jacket, usually made from flannel or light weight corduroy.  MacKenzie has one on in the photo.  There were several booths with them at the event.

We had supper with my aunt and uncle and my cousin Brian.  He lives in Minnesota and is an artist.  He was down for a visit and I got to ask him all about the new children's book he had just illustrated.  It's a Christmas book called Sorta Claus.  Sorta is the brother of Santa and he gets to answer all the kids questions about Santa.  I had seen the promo for it on his website brianbarber.com and it looks adorable.  I've placed my order for a couple of copies.  I got to bring home another book he had illustrated.........

I think the illustrations are adorable in this one.

I love his photo on the back cover.  I remember this school photo!

I was asking if he was keeping copies of all the kid's books he has illustrated to give to any future grandkids, and he said not really.  His kids don't seem that impressed with his art.  Brenda said the same thing about her 2 girls and the cool stuff she does.  I have to say the same thing for Sarah.  She still says she's taking a match to all the quilts and fabric when I'm gone.  

Speaking of my darling daughter, I have started working on this quilt for her..............for Christmas..........of 2023!  I'm thinking she won't destroy cats in space.

 

I have made 2 cats and 3 of the little stars.  The blocks aren't totally finished yet, but so far each cat has 75 pieces in it.

So cute and so much fun to make.  I even have ideas on how to quilt it already.

It was really fun to catch up with a couple of cousins........and I did a little shopping too!

Christi

Catching up on the quilting!

Before we start catching up on the quilting, let me reassure everyone who was concerned about the missing numbered pin..........

Number 5 was found later that same day, but weeks later...........

Number 3 was discovered when I caught Cici playing with it when she thought I wasn't looking.  And now I know the hiding place!  She can hide pins in the crease at the back of the steps!  

In October the next issue of Quiltmaker Magazine released and it contained the last installment of the Ruby Jubilee quilt.  Basically showing how to set the blocks and add the pieced borders.  I was totally disappointed.  I had enjoyed making all the different blocks in all the sizes from my red and neutral scraps, and it was like there had never been a plan for these blocks.  I went to work on it anyway with my trusty helper inspecting each panel to see that I had followed the horrible design.

You will see my finished flimsy later in the post.  It called for a pieced border of red and neutral half square triangles, and then a red scrap piano key border.  I definitely wasn't doing that when I didn't like the design, so I changed it up some and came out with something that is okay, I guess.  Anyway, it's a flimsy waiting to be quilted.

I used some scraps to make this little quilt for Sarah's kitten.  It just fits in the seat of the recliner.  (yes, I should have rotated the photo, but I didn't get that done before importing to the blog............ just lean your head to the right).

And it has a scrap of flannel on the back.

I did some quilting for a friend.  I did a quilt for her and then she had 7 of these little mug rugs.  I just cross hatched the mug rugs, but I thought they were pretty cute.

And I did this table runner for her.  I tried out some different designs in the triangles.

I needed a backing for another quilt, so planned a quick trip to quilt shop in Chillicothe and to meet my parents for lunch.........but then, saw a Facebook post about the shop in Cameron closing and there being a SALE!  So we met in Cameron instead.  If you finished a bolt, it was 50% off, and I figured that a backing would finish a bolt.  I needed 9 yards, and finally found a bolt that still had 8.75 yards on it, so I'm hoping it will work.  I really liked the fabric.  

Mom and I walked all around the shop and took pictures of the things we liked........

The guild had the fall retreat the last weekend in October.  I worked on several projects, most of which I don't have pictures of.  But, someone was making this table runner, so I brought some scraps in and joined in the table runner fun on Saturday.  I like the design, but can't say I'm totally thrilled with my colors.  Of course, pressing and quilting may help it.

Another member is moving so was unloading some fat quarters for a quarter and free books, so I did a little shopping.  

Like I really needed any more pattern ideas or fabric........I spent so much time in October cutting down scraps just to get the lids to close on my scrap containers.  I guess it was worth it since I had room to toss in some of these beauties.  I have a nice bag full of them to share with my mom when she stops by tomorrow.

And here were the big flimsy finishes for October.  First let me say that these photos were taken in the front of the house yesterday as my clothesline wasn't tall enough.  And the hubster was working on the roof over the front porch, so had 4 ladders out and I thought it was obviously an opportune time for him to hold up some quilt tops..............if only he could stretch his arms a little to really hold them out nicely!  The breeze didn't help, but you can get the idea.

And the whole time he was working, I kept thinking about those 4 ladders..............quadruple the opportunity for him to fall off a ladder again.

This is my Pixel Chain top that I started as a sew along with Sew Sweet Quilt Shop.  It measures 99x99, queen size, for my bed.  This is the one I bought the backing for in Cameron.

And here is Ruby Jubilee.  You can see what I mean about it looking like a hodge podge of blocks just thrown together.  

I'm hoping it will get better with quilting.

Christi
 

Halloween ..... Late!

We carved pumpkins with a couple of teens before Halloween.  I am a mentor to a high school youth through a church program and we try to get together once a month to do something, even if it's just to visit over ice cream at DQ.  She brought her best friend, another church youth, out to the house and we carved pumpkins.  

Hers is the one below.  She did Cookie Monster and Elmo in the same pumpkin...........

 It was really fun.  

I can't believe how October got away from me.  This may be a long post just to catch everything up.

Harvest got finished perhaps the earliest ever.  Willow very much enjoyed one of the antlers they unearthed in the field.  

She proudly carried it around, almost poking out an eye a time or two.  They found some other antlers, but the truck drivers made sure to get them into the backs of their pickups before Willow could find them.

Sarah came to visit the weekend of the craft festival and quilt show in Arrow Rock.  Of course, she brought her kitten with her.

We enjoyed some mother/daughter time at the quilt show and she accompanied me to a big sale at a quilt shop where we purchased 4 rolls of batting and several spools of thread.  Sarah was proud to say she hauled in those big rolls of batting.

And the kitties tried to learn to get along together.  You can see that Lara, Sarah's kitten, would really like to play with Esme.

About the time the weekend was over, Esme had warmed up to the kitten.

Later that week, I helped make apple cider at a friend's house.

Their press is nice because it has 2 baskets and a motor on the chopper.

I can't remember for sure, but I think we made about 12 gallon that morning.  That weekend, David and I loaded up the back of the car with apples and headed to Bethany to make more cider.

We had a LOT of apples..........

And it was all done by hand.........

 

One thing my friends didn't have was a tractor with a loader bucket to haul away the scraps.

My sister and brother-in-law from Iowa came to help.  We questioned my dad as to why we had never done this in year's past when all of his grandchildren might have been around to help.

A lot of empty buckets............

And the LAST apple........

A big bucket full of scraps...........

 And 25 gallons of cider........

Sarah and her boyfriend, Aaron, would have driven up from St. Louis to help, but they had a wedding to attend.  So, at least we got some photos........

My sister, David, my mom, and I went to the Amish store in the afternoon.  We traveled some dirt roads and found a place selling pumpkins.  I managed to score 4 big pumpkins for $3 each.  This is what we used for pumpkin carving.  I had told David that the car wouldn't be nearly as full on the trip home since we wouldn't have apples, but with the big pumpkins, empty buckets, cider, and a stop to grocery shop at Hy-Vee on the way home, I think we actually had more stuff.

And, we added the name BARBER to the tail fin of the windmill while we were there.  It's still going strong.

And that's how the wind blew us through October.  Some sewing was completed, but I don't have pictures yet.  Stay tuned............

Christi