The Quilters

It seems like each quilter's meeting that the number of people coming increases!  Makes for more show and tell.  Our last meeting was no exception.  If you look closely in the corners...Ruth added some embroidered blocks. (her newest toy is an embroidery machine!)

She also added them in the "blank" blocks.  Nice touch!

So...I didn't get her name...but she is from Elmore...does that count?  The denim rag quilts are great ways to use up old jeans...plus they make a pretty indestructible quilt.  Cutting the seams to make the fabric fray is the hardest!

Here was the "find" of the month!  Monica found this Grandmother's Flower Garden top in wonderful condition...all hand pieced!  Luckyyyy!!

A simple...but fun way to use up a set of Minnesota-theme fabrics.

Arlene wore her show and tell!

A cute little bag that Irene made.

It doesn't show in the picture...but the material that Irene used for the snowman just made this quilt! It was some kind of furry..fleecey..fabric. 
 There's more....Jolyn

TheThanksgiving that was

My newest woolie to decorate for fall...just in time for Thanksgiving.  And speaking of Thanksgiving...we had a great time.  Our table was full...with food and family.  After eating...we shared things we were thankful for.  Seemed everyone was thankful for someone in the family.  Everyone brought food and it sure didn't seem like much work for me.  Clean up is so much easier with a dishwasher and I made sure I ran it earlier in the morning so it would be empty.  But there are always a few things...pots and pans that need to be washed.  So my sister-in-law was doing the honors when the hot water faucet broke off and began spewing water all over...up to the light above the sink....all over the counter...all over my sister-in-law....not just water but HOT and BLACK.  We tried to keep a towel over it to kind of control it, but it would get too hot and we'd have to let go.  Tried just throwing the towel over it...but it quickly blew that away.  So thankful this happened when Wayne was in the house and could run down and shut off the water.  If I had been home alone when it happened....but...this will make history in the Olson family as "remember the Thanksgiving the water blew!"    Jolyn
After everyone left...there was my dishwasher full of dirty dishes and no water to the kitchen.  So I had to wash and dry :( all those dishes.  That was accomlished by hauling water from the mud room to the kitchen.  Made me even more thankful for my dishwasher!

Eagle Scout

Yesterday we had the privilege of attending the Eagle Scout award ceremony for Micah...in the middle.  He's flanked by his dad and his brother.  Quite an accomplishment! 

Woke up this morning and God had been busy!  Even the dead looking branches turned into pieces of beauty.

Course...for me...this is enough white to last me all winter!

But I have the feeling...more is to come.  God didn't have to do this today...but I'm sure glad he did!
Jolyn

More Than Quilting

Quilting retreats are actually more than just quilting.  Oh yes, a little gambling...I doubled my investment and didn't even know what I was doing!  We were betting fat quarters...a 18" x 21" piece of fabric.

A couple of games...moving a cookie from your forehead without using your hands...interesting faces!!!  The other game involved tying a banana around your waist...letting it hang to the floor and using your "hip action" to propel a tennis ball across the floor to a hula hoop laying on the floor.  You really need to try these...they provided lots of laughs!  It was just a shame my back was crabby and wouldn't let me do it. (or maybe I should say  "thankful"  it wouldn't let me do it!)

Don't forget the massage!  It really helps to get those kinks out of the muscles.

Demonstrations. Here Tracy is doing an impromptu demo on making a tote.  She was whipping them up left and right!

And lots of inspiration.  Kim was showing a block from the Pineapple Nine Patch quilt.  Soooo....now I'm working on one of these...same colors.  Only thing...mine will be a double/queen where Kim's is a lap quilt for the shop. Again...there are kits in the blues and browns and red and I think brown!  It is NOT hard.  The hardest part for me is trying to find my tri-rec templates.  They are missing in action!
Jolyn

More Show and Tell

One of the inspiring things at a retreat is seeing the things that others have made.  Tracy is always a hit with her woolies!  This "Merry Christmas" ended up finding a new home at the Calico Hutch.  Be sure to go there and check it out!

One of the patterns I designed....Banana Split.

Now this took a little cutting....and sewing!

Mary made the mystery!  No triangles!  You can still get a kit at...you know where!

Loved this one!  Look at all those nine-patches!



Katy found this pattern in a magazine.



A gal from Iowa made this.  I had seen it in a magazine...McCalls Quilting...but was not impressed until I saw it in person.

  One of the things that happened to me that wasn't captured by camera...for obvious reasons...was when I was leaving.  I use a cart and load as much stuff on it as possible.  After I left the shelter of the door...the wind caught me and tipped over a bag.  Under the bag were paper products that I had carefully and laboriously cut and would glue after I got home.  The wind took them and before I could react...they were gone.  I didn't dare to chase them as I needed to get the rest of the things on the cart safely in the van before the wind took them.  When I got back to retrieve them...they were out of sight and my chair cushion was about 1/2 block away.  I had to laugh...even if it was at my expense...somewhere someone found some of those pretty papers and must have wondered where they came from.  Guess it's too late to say...meeeee!!!
Jolyn

Advance

I go on retreats for a variety of reasons.  Tired from harvest, don't want to cook, to be inspired, to talk "quilt", to spend time with like minded people!!  Last weekend I attended one that I really enjoyed...good quilting time, good beds, good food,  good partner (as always!), and close to home.  Been having back problems and didn't know if I could take sewing all day for three days.  I'm pretty careful to pace myself....sew a little...press a little...shop a little...eat a little (or a lot!).  One thing I discovered is that sitting in my comfy recliner at night is NOT good on my back.  When I left for this retreat I told Wayne that this is my last retreat...but I have to rethink that. 
In this picture Diane is demonstrating a fun way to make folded pinwheels.

Tracy spent most of her time working on wool projects.

A couple of the gals attended both retreats so were there from Friday-Wednesday!  They got lots done!

Kim was finishing up a project started in a class by Darlene Zimmerman at the Calico Hutch.  Think she just had her border left to put on.



This was a great scrappy quilt that Sue made.



Here's Kim and daughter Katy...our sewing mates,  deciding what meal to order.  More to come.
Jolyn

The Hunters

Sorry if this grosses you out.  Tyler shot his first deer and then there is the process of butchering.  When I stopped by I was hoping to get a picture of him with his trophy, but arrived too late.  He was able to take home some nice meat.  Wayne switched to bow and arrow this year and can hunt into December.  With our beautiful weather it's more fun to be out there and so peaceful. 
Jolyn

Veteran's Day

We are so blessed to live in this wonderful country!  And that is due to God's blessing on it plus the soldiers who have fought to keep us free.  We may not agree with everything that is going on with our country...but in my mind it is still the best place to live.  So today if you know a soldier be sure to thank them for their service!  I like being free!!
Jolyn

A New Thing!!

When Jill and the boys were last home, she spent time working on mittens that she sells.  She takes wool sweaters and transforms them into beautiful (and very warm) wool mittens.  Here are a bunch in the process.  We started brainstorming about how there are kids in the school she works at that don't have warm winter clothing and decided that I could make fleece mittens for them.  Quite a new thing for my sewing machine!  Jill was up at 4am and myself at 5...our brains were already in gear.

Here's the beginning!

The first bunch for little girls.

And some of the second bunch for boys!   They are so much fun and will hopefully be a fun surprise to the kids getting them.  Sunday I and Tracy leave on a quilting retreat and I have two bags of mittens cut out...plus at least 5 other projects.  Some will probably just go along for the ride...but I was at one retreat where I ran out of projects and I make sure it never happens again!  Be a shame if I had to go shopping in the middle of the retreat!
Jolyn

Halloween??

No, this was not his Halloween outfit (but it would have made a good one!).  It's his hunting gear.  No, that is not a hunting dog in front of him.  Trooper doesn't mind when guns are shot around the yard, but let the neighbors shoot a gun a half mile away and he turns into a wimp.  He is better now that he is loosing his hearing.  It's not good to have a large outside dog trying to crawl under the ironing board when he gets scared. 
So how was Halloweening at your house.  This year I learned...no candy.  All other years I faithfully buy bags of candy and each year....faithfully no one shows up....and faithfully I eat the candy.  I do miss that tradition.  My scale doesn't.   I do remember as a kid growing up in Iowa, it was such a big deal to go out trick and treating.  One year I came home with a potato in my bag amonst the treats.  That was disappointing...but I bet the person got a good laugh out of it. 
Weather is still holding and another beautiful day!  Wayne's chisel plowing and Shawn gets to haul liquid gold.
Jolyn