Fun Stuff

March 8, 2013

Desiderata for Quilters

(The term "desiderata" is Latin for "things desired") 

 

Go placidly amid the patterns and fabrics, and remember what peace there may be in quilting.  As far as possible without surrender, be on good terms with your fellow quilters.

 

Sew your seams quietly and clearly, and as straight as possible. 



Each new quilting project will unfold into its own story.

 

Avoid fabrics you find loud and aggressive, for the quilt should not be a vexation to your spirit.  If you compare your quilting with others, you may become frustrated and miss a stitch;  For always there will be greater and lesser quilters.  Enjoy all your achievements as well as your quilts.

 

Keep interested in your own quilt talents, however humble;

It is a real possession in the changing popularity of quilt techniques.

Exercise excitement in your quilt affairs, for the world is full of fabric and quilt possibilities.

 

Be your own quilter.  Especially do not fein that there may be no more quilt techniques to learn.  In the face of all those UFO's and stashes of patterns, thread and fabric, there will be more time and more techniques to learn.

 

Take kindly the counsel of fellow quilters, gracefully surrendering those projects that just didn't work.  Nuture strength of spirit to shield you from tension problems.  But do not destress your self into believing your machine is at fault.  Many tension issues are born of fatigue and late hour quilting.  Beyond a wholesome sense of humor, be gentle with your quilts and to yourself.

 

As a child of the quilting universe, no less than a quarter-inch seam shall you stitch.  And whether or not it is clear to you at the time, the world will be a better place for each quilt you create.

 

Therefore, be at peace with God, and whatever your labors and aspirations, and in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace with your sewing/quilting machine.

 

With all it's broken threads, crooked seams and empty bobins, quiting is still a beautiful world.  Be cheerful.  Finish your quilt.

 

Adapted with appologies from Desiderata by Max Ehrmann (1872-1945)

Adaptions by Susan Favoro/ www.SewMuchSmarter.com

January 27.2013

THINGS MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME

About

Anticipation........

"Just wait 'til your Father gets home!" 

       About Appreciating a job well done.........

"If you're going to kill  each other, do it outside.  

I just finished cleaning."

        Behavior modification .......

"Stop acting like your Father"

   Circle of life.........

"I brought you into this world and I can take you out!"

ESP......

"Put your sweater on.  Don't you think I know when you're cold?"

Humor......

"When the lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come runing to me."

Hipocrisy.........

"If I've told you once, I've told you a million times....don't exagerate."

Logic.......

"If you fall off that swing and break your neck,

you can't go to the store with me.

More Logic......

"Because I said so.  That's why."

To meet a Challenge........

"What were you  thinking?  Answer me when I talk to you. 

Don't talk back to me!"

Religion........

"You'd better pray that will come out of the carpet."

Science of Osmosis.....

"Shut your mouth and eat your supper"

Weather.......

"It looks like a tornado went through your room."

Wisdom of Age.......

"When you  get to be my age, you'll understand."

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January 26, 2013

There was a time this winter when, due to a health situation, I did not leave the house for 3 + months and eventually got caught up on all pending quilting.   I became SOOOOOOOOOO bored!  I dug out all my "orphan " blocks.   ( what I call "orphan" blocks are those which may have been extras from a previous quilt,  a B.O.M. , or just an experiment. ) I refashioned them by adding borders, combining some, tilting others, cutting or trimming.  Then I sized each one to all measure the same.   The whole time, I was thinking " Man, this is going to be a real mess.  A real eye sore! "   But when it was all finished and quilted, I kinda liked it.

Peggy's first quilt.  I had to raid Paula's stash drawer to find enough mauve fabric to make the strips.    I used a Triple Heart Fan Panto for the quilting.

 



Haleigh's First Quilt... I embroidered the little animals.  She arranged the blocks and pieced them together.  I quilted it and added a label.  I think it's and excellent job of a first project!  Give her a big HAND! 

 



January 23, 2013

A POEM BY AN OLD TIMER



 

A COMPUTER  was something on TV

from a Science Fiction show of note.

A WINDOW was something you hated to clean,

and RAM was the cousin of a goat!

 

MEG was the name of my girlfriend and GIG was a job for the nights.

Now they all mean different things and that really MEGA BYTES!

 

An APPLICATION was for employment

and a PROGRAM was a TV show.

A CURSOR used profanity and a KEYBOARD was a piano.

 

MEMORY was something you lost with age and a CD was a bank account.

And if you had a 3 " FLOPPY, you hoped nobody found out.

 

COMPRESS was something you did with the garbage,

not something you did to a FILE!

And if you UNZIPPED  anything in public, you'd be in jail for awhile!

 

LOG ON was adding wood to the fire.

HARD DRIVE was a long trip on the road.

A  MOUSE PAD was where a mouse lived.

And a  BACKUP happened to your commode.

 

CUT, you did with a pocket knife, PASTE you did with glue.

WEB was a spider's home and a VIRUS was the flu.

 

I guess I'll stick to my pen and paper and the MEMORY in my head.

I hear no body's been killed in a COMPUTER CRASH, 

but when it happens they wish they were dead!



 Author Unknown

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WHEN I'M AN OLD LADY 

 



When I'm an old lady, I'll live with each kid,

And bring so much happiness just as they did.

I want to pay back all the joy they've provided, returning each deed! 
Oh, They'll be so excited!
(When I'm and old lady and live with my kids.)

 

I'll write on the wall with red, whites and blues

And I'll bounce on the furniture.wearing my shoes.

I'll drink form the carton and then leave it out.

I'll stuff all the toilets, and Oh, how they'll shout! 

(When I'm an old lady and live with my kids)

 

When they're on the phone and just out of reach,

I'll get into things like sugar and bleach.

Oh, they'll snap their fingers and then shake their head,

And when that is done, I'll hide under the bed!

(When I'm an old lady and live with my kids)

 

When they cook dinner and call me to eat,

I'll not eat my green beans or salad or meat.

I'll gag on my okra, spill milk on the table,

And when they get angry I'll run!  (if I'm able!)

(When I'm an old lady and live with my kids)

 

I'll sit close to the TV, through the channels I'll click.

I'll cross both eyes just to see if they stick.

I'll take off my socks and throw one away,

And play in them mud 'til the end of the day.

(When I'm an old lady and live with my kids)

 

Later in bed, I'll lay back and sigh, Ill thank God in prayer.

And then close my eyes.

My kids will look down with a smile slowly creeping,

And say with a groan, " She's so sweet when she's sleeping."

 Author Unknown



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QUILTERS TEN COMMANDMENTS 

 

Thou shalt not do buttons.

Thou shalt sew 1/4 in seams.

Thou shalt leave no bolt unturned.

Thou shalt not rip ---only un-sew!

Thou shalt not envy thy neighbors stitches.

Thou shalt never pass up a quilt shop!

Thou shalt cook and clean but once a week.

Thou shalt never quilt tomorrow what you can quilt today.

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's stash.

Thou shalt not reveal funds spent on quilting supplies.! 

 

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 GAMES

 

QUILT TRIVIA CHALLENGE

 

1. Name three quilt blocks that are inspired by nature.
2. Name three quilt blocks that are inspired by buildings or structures.

3. Name five quilt blocks with a geographic place and "star" in the name.

4. Where did Trapunto, the whole cloth quilting technique, originate?

5. What kind of quilt started with the nineteenth century fad of inscribing fabric with poems, Bible verses or personal notes?

 

NO CHEATING! 



.....................................

 

WORD JUMBLE

Unscramble these quilt related words

 

1. pqpliaeu

2. aprep ceginpi

3. wapkthcor

4. tibgatn

5. lgipstpin

6. cigriafnnte

7. asitkb

8. heblimstemlen

9. mas wanelolac

10 roebrimyde solfs

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 Norma's "Split Log Cabin Quilt"

by Marie

 Almost every woman some years ago

Was taught early on how to sew.

Of the lessons quilting was an important part.

And most were made with love from the heart.

 

Quilting for many women now is a lost art,

But you and others seem to be doing your part

To keep old traditions from dying  away.

Hooray for you and your friends, keep it this way!

 

The quilt you created, much work we are sure,

And crafted with love, the purest of pure.

We can see a good job you have done. 

Guess it is now time to start the next one! 

 

 

This is the quilt referred to in the poem.  It hung in the foyer of the local art gallery.  The poem was written by my sister-in-law after I sent her the article from the local newspaper.
 

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 GRANDMA'S APRON

 

Today's kids don't know what an apron really is. :(

 

The principle use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, but it also served many more purposes.

 

It served as a "holder" to remove hot pots and pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was used for cleaning dirty ears. 

 

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

 

When company came, those aprons were ideal for hiding places for shy kids.

When the weather was cold, Grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big ol' aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.   And wood chips and kindling logs were brought into the kitchen in that same apron.

 

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables.  After peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.  In the Fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

 

When unsuspected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

 

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come from the fields to dinner.

 

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace the "old-time apron" that served so many purposes.

 Received as an e-mail years ago

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 ABC's of FRIENDSHIP

 

A is for All the nice things  you do for me.



B is for Being there for me.

C is for Coming to my rescue.

D is for never Deserting me.

E is for your Eagerness to please

F is for being quick to Forgive.

G is for your Generosity.

H is for extending a Helping Hand

I is for your Interest in me.

J is for not Judging my every move.

K is for your Kindness.

L is for the Love you have shown me.

M is for the Many laughs we share.

N is for Never gossiping about me.

O is for your Openness.

P is for Playing fair.

Q is for the Quiet times we share.

R is for the Respect we have for each other.

S is for the Smiles you bring.

T is because you have Touched my life.

U is for how you Understand me.

V is because you are a Vital part of my life.

W is for knowing When to speak and When not to.

X is for all the EXtra nice things you do.

Y is for giving Yourself.

Z is for the Zip you add to my life.