Harvest

   The harvest goes on.  For a machine that is used basically 2 months of the year, the combine is sure expensive!  They can do both soybeans and corn by switching the "head".  These pictures show the bean head.  Wayne had just finished combining all the beans that they could get.  They'll have to go back and try and get the flooded areas later.  When I took him his supper Saturday night, our grandson Bryce's girlfriend  (Irene) was riding with him.  He enjoys having company.  I sometimes wonder if it gets boring going back and forth in the field, and then I think about the repetition of sewing. Maybe it's the goal that keeps us going. 
  Sunday was a relaxing day for me - Sunday school and church, dinner (thank you freezer!), nap, a walk, some hand work and a good book!  If you haven't read any of Karen Kingsbury books, I highly recommend them.  She is by far my favorite author.   Jolyn

Bright Quilts - Des Moines

   These 3 quilts caught my eye at the Des Moines show.  My favorite fabrics to work with are Civil War, 30's and never thought I would say it -- Batiks!!  Maybe I'm growing up.  But every once in a while, I like to work with something way out of my box - like brights.  
  The first one looks like all polka dots.  Bet that took a while to collect!  Course part of the fun is the collecting. (That's fabric shopping to those who are now confused.)
  The second one is a pattern that looks like a fun one to make - challenging -but fun.  Would like to find a paper-piecing pattern for it.  I would have never thought of using that cheddar gold for the background, but it is sharp!  
  The third one is a paper-pieced circle and partial circles. I like how some of the colors look like they were water color paints. 

 All quilt shows inspire me and I just want to go home and sew something!   

  I think we all like to be creative - whether it's in decorating our homes, gardening, painting, cooking, quilting  or whatever -- it's an expression of our God given gift!
Jolyn

Saturday on the Farm

 Just a couple of quilts around the house.  Can't remember the designer for the top one, but I think I made 3 of these.  Have taught the Feathered Star a number of times using Marti Michell's templates.  Accuracy in cutting is the first requirement.  For the half square triangles, I cut them about 1/4" bigger and then square them up.  Makes it work! 


   The second one is made sewing two strips together - in this case a parchment and a 30's print.  I then cut them with an equilateral triangle ruler.  This was actually leftovers from another baby quilt which is in hiding.  I can't find it, but then maybe I gave it away.  
  Today the weather is to reach into the 90's.  This is Minnesota - this doesn't happen. We (and the bugs) are enjoying it!  The guys finished in the beans, or at least as much as they could get out.  The last field had lots of water and mud holes from the rains.  Hopefully they can get it out later.  Now on to manure hauling for a while.  Liquid gold!    Jolyn

Grandkids

   Grandkids are such a joy to us.  We have 11 with 9 of them being boys.  Football, soccor, cross country, baseball, track, basketball, music - it is really fun to see them participate. The top picture is Tyler and Wayne before an Augsburg game.  I did learn the difference between college level and grade school level football.  The college boys don't cry when they get hurt.  
  The second picture is Taylor and myself. (Notice we have a Tyler, Taylor and also a Tanner)  When did these grandkids get taller than us?  Seems like over night.  He is quarterback for the Blue Earth Area JV. 
  The bottom picture of myself and Brandon  from last night's 7th grade game at Mapleton.  He made 2 touchdowns in the previous two games.
  On the way home from the game I told our daughter-in-law, Suzanne that tomorrow I get to stay home all day!  What a treat!  By 8 this morning I was on my home from Kiester having picked up filters for the guys.  Finished my breakfast and Wayne had me run to Blue Earth which ended up in 4 different stops.  (You know--"as long as you're in town you might as well get....")  I'm glad I can help in this way as I don't work in the field any more.
  Thankfully before I hit the road I stuck some chicken breasts in the crock pot and they're calling to me.  We'll have hot chicken on a bun, then chicken salad sandwiches and the rest will be frozen for future use.
Jolyn

AQS Show

 Here are a few of the 100+ pictures I took at the quilt show.  There is no rhyme or reason as to why I took some of the pictures, mostly I just like to look at them when I get home.  Even though I took an extra, charged up battery, they both ran low and it took longer to take each picture and by then my hand was sometimes shakey.  Excuses..  This first picture was really striking with the sharp contrasts and paper pieced shapes.  It really has a lot of dimension and movement to it.  Some people are afraid to use black in a quilt, but it can  really make the quilt! 
  The second quilt is again partially paper pieced, but used real subtle colors.  Had a softer look to it and was just as appealing to me as the red/white/ and black one.  It doesn't photograph as well because of the lighter colors. Some of the tan backgrounds distracted from the overall look. Again - just my opinion - not a rule.  It might have been just what the quilter was looking for.  I would hate to be a judge - I don't know if I could keep my personal preferences from tainting my choices.

 The third one is a "Christmas Pickle" - the pattern I made and showed a couple of blogs back. The colors were very different, but lacked some pizzaz.  (It's always easy to critique someone else's quilt by my taste. There really is nothing wrong with this one and she did a beautiful job of piecing.)

 This was a real modern looking one that I liked.  Sometimes the art quilts don't make sense to me - I'm more a traditional quilter who randomly breaks out of the box - but always with a pattern.  This one, to me, paints a picture of sunlight in the forest.

 This was such a fun one.  I've always loved the bug jars - but this one adds interest with the tipped jars and butterflies and frogs that have escaped. 

My picture doesn't capture the beauty of this one.  It is very heavily HAND quilted and is just outstanding.  The judges agreed with my assessment! (not that they were interested in my opinions!)

Will sort through some more of the pictures and add them another time.   Jolyn

Joy

This is our precious little great-granddaughter!  What a joy!  Next week I might get to see her again - until then I pull out her pictures and enjoy her that way.  Wonder if she remembers me.

  Yesterday Tracy and I went to Des Moines to the AQS quilt show!  Eye candy!  Don't know which I enjoy the most - the quilt displays or the vendors.  I do know the vendors enjoy me!  Last year we did the show in two days, but decided to do it in one long day, so we met shortly after 6:30a.m. and got home around 8:45.m..  I haven't downloaded the pictures yet or unpacked my bags of goodies, but will share some pictures next blog. 
  The harvest goes slow.  Lots of breakdowns, but thankfully, the weather has been great.  Makes for some very tired guys!    Jolyn

Flood Leftovers

  After I took dinner over to Wayne, I snapped pictures of fields on the way home. (Dinner is our noon meal . --- on the farm it's breakfast, lunch, dinner, lunch, supper, snack.  Used to run lunches to the fields too, but now I just take dinner and supper and throw something in for the lunches.)  These pictures show the leftovers of our torrential rains.  Many bean fields that have been harvested have patches the farmer had to leave because it was too wet.  Still some standing water making farming a challenge.    I don't know if those beans that look black will be able to be harvested or not.  In the top picture it's hard to see, but there are deep ruts from the farmer trying to work his way through.   Jolyn