Organization??

 What earthly idea got into my brain when I decided to move my bookcase of fabrics from one room to the other.  I have a cutting table in one room, along with bins of fabrics--mostly small sections or fat quarters--the larger lengths have been wrapped around card board folders.  When I was cutting for one block, I was going back and forth from room to room to pick out fabric—sometimes I’d forget what I went in the other room for!  I did pass through a door and you know what they say about forgetting!  For some reason, I thought why not bring it all in one location--so, I unloaded all the fabric from the bookcase in the weaving studio and moved it to the cutting room. 

Luckily, my hubby is willing to assist with the heavy lifting--helping me

clear out all the fabric boards, carry the bookcase to the other room, and 

leave--saying his job was done!

I had boards of fabric on the floor, in bins, in bathroom sink, anywhere I could

find to place them and then real chore happen--I decided to place them in semi color

range.  That took longer than I thought it would--

what to do you do with the stripes?  The prints? The plaids?

And the novelty fabrics?  Where do they belong? Separate section by themselves?

Well, it took some time--my brain was happy all the fabric was in one location but

it sure did mess up my cutting routine!

There we have the finished product!  Hope it remains as neat as this when I began pulling fabrics out for the next project--just wish my bins of scraps were as neat. 

Cuppa!

 We like to watch British TV shows and have Britbox and Acorn subscriptions so we can watch wherever we are in the world--not that we have been doing any traveling lately--that's another reason we enjoy these shows and movies--it's like the old commercial from Calgon 

These shows takes us away to foreign lands without leaving our viewing area!  

We've noticed in most of the shows if someone is upset or something terrible has happen--one of the characters immediately says "I'll put the kettle on" or "how about a cuppa?"  Cuppa could mean tea or coffee--

Now, in our household, if one of us has a problem, the other will say--"Want a Cuppa?"  of course, we don't run to the kitchen--just something we say to each other to make us feel better!

Here are some reasons to have a cuppa:

• Feeling sad? Cup of tea will sort that!
• Friends round? Get the kettle on!!
• Feeling cold? ohh a nice cuppa will warm you up!
• Got a bit of a headache? That will be the caffeine withdrawal…its been at least an hour since your last cup of tea….!

So, where did "Cuppa" originate?    first citation from Ngaio Marsh’s A Man Lay Dead (1934): “Taking a strong cuppa at six-thirty in their shirt sleeves.” 

If you are feeling down, then just say 

and all will be right with the world!

Distraction!!

 I’ve been looking for a certain pair of earrings for weeks—they remain aloof to me!  I’ve looked high & low—in nooks & crannies—everywhere I can think to look.  Then I remembered a tv mystery show where the main detective couldn’t put the clues together to solve the murder—so he had everyone do something totally different-- like clean!  Well, needles to say I wasn’t going to clean to be distracted!!

Okay- I’ll sew or knit or weave. My brain kept thinking of where I hadn’t looked!  Maybe, just maybe, if I walk away and try not to think about those pesky hidden earrings, they would come out of hiding! 

So, what should I do?  I could read one of my many books waiting to be cracked open--like these two: 

Stories about quilts always takes you away to different times, places and events.

I could listen to Craftlit on my app--reading Jane Austin's first written but last released novel:  "Northanger Abbey"--so many historic books to listen to!

Of course, I always have The Bible Recap at the ready as I read along with Tara Lee. 

Sometimes, I'll cut out the pattern pieces for several blocks at one time as I listen--

SO, I was distracted for a little while and just like that detective, while he was cleaning, thought of the solution to the murder--I thought of one more place to look for those misplaced earrings--AND

Holy Moly --there they were!

Why is it always the one place you never think of looking you'll find the missing object???

58

 Today marks our anniversary—58 years!

Sometimes it feels like ages—sometimes it seems like yesterday!  We’ve been thru many a sorrow, millions of happy times—ups and downs—

It’s for sure when we remember those old days, we have lot to talk about—“remember when!”  And one of us would say—“no, not really!” “Let me refresh your mind!”

Oh, the joys and disappointments—

We’re growing old together! Wouldn’t have it any other way! 

Christmas Comes Early!

 Holly Jolly Time of the year is now IF you decide to participate in this weekly sew along with Jessica Dayon

This event began May 14 with the first block in the series.  I'm liking this cheerful Christmas quilt--and if you work each block for each week--you'll have a quilt top finished by December! 

Notice I didn't say what year--because I'm guessing, I won't finish this anytime in 2021!  But,

it's fun to plan and collect the Free block patterns!

Holly Jolly Block of the Week

Information Post & Fabric Requirements

Week 1- May 14- Snickerdoodle

Week 2- May 21- Peanut Butter Blossom

Week 3- May 28- Gingerbread

Week 4- June 4- Chocolate Chip

Week 5- June 11- Jam Thumbprint

Week 6- June 18- Peppermint Bark

Week 7- June 25- Pink & Red Spritz

Week 8- July 2- Macaroon

Week 9- July 9- Shortbread

Week 10- July 16- Snowballs

Week 11- July 23- Biscotti

Week 12- July 30- Meringue

Week 13- August 6- Toffee

Week 14- August 13- Molasses

Week 15- August 20- Butter

Week 16- August 27- Black & Green Spritz

Week 17- September 3- Rugelach

Week 18- September 10-Gingerbread

Week 19- September 17- Black & White

Week 20- September 24- Pineapple Squares

Week 21- October 1- Chocolate Cherry

Week 22- October 8- Fudge

Week 23- October 15- Cinnamon Sugar

Week 24- October 22- Blondie

Week 25- October 29- Brownie

Week 26- November 5- Assembly

Here is what you need to make the Holly Jolly Block of the Month-

Holly Jolly Block of the Month: Materials Needed

9 red fat quarters

6 pink fat quarters

8 green fat quarters (a mix of light and dark greens)

6 black fat quarters

5 yards white background

1 yard red print for border

2/3 yard binding fabric

5 1/8 yards backing fabric (43/44" width)

Mercy Quilts = Quilts of Love

 Does your heart direct you to help someone who is in Hospice?  Here is another way to give of your heart and hands.  Check out Needle and Foot and Sew Preeti Quilts for further information.

Merciful Positivity Quilt Along!!!

What is a Mercyful Quilt?
The Palliative Care Unit in the Mercy Hospital gives quilts to their terminally ill patients to bring some measure of comfort to the person and their family as they go through the difficult process of dying. The family then keeps the quilt in the memory of the person who passed away. The need for such quilts is never ending. With a raging pandemic and limited family visits, these quilts have become even more meaningful for a sense of home and peace.

• Suggested size - 60" by 80"

• Suggested Colors - Gender Neutral colors (avoid/limit pink)

• Quilting - Avoid dense quilting

• Fabrics - 100% Cotton (avoid/limit juvenile fabrics) 

What is the purpose of the QAL?
To make Merciful Quilts because the need is ongoing. If you have wanted to make a Mercyful Quilt but life got in the way, here is an opportunity to participate and stitch some love, along with others. 

What does it cost?
There is no cost to participate. The simple block pattern and layout options are provided free of charge. 

How much fabric do I need? 
For a simple Plus Quilt, you will need 16 strips (2.5" by WOF) of focus fabric and about 4 yards of background fabric (I used low volume scraps). 

What is the QAL schedule?
The QAL will begin on Sunday, May 30, 2021 (Memorial Day Weekend) and will end on Sunday, September 5, 2021 (Labor Day Weekend). 

Questions?
Ask away and I will respond in the comments.

In the next couple of weeks, I will be working on the block instructions, layout options and other logistics for the QAL. Bernie and I are also organizing some prizes for the QAL. 

Santa Fe Trail

Have you ever driven the Santa Fe Trail?  Here is some info about this trail used by many a pioneer and us modern day folks today.

The Santa Fe Trail was a 19th-century route through central North America that connected Franklin, Missouri with Santa Fe, New Mexico.^[1][2][3][4] Pioneered in 1821 by William Becknell, who departed from the Boonslick region along the Missouri River, the trail served as a vital commercial highway until 1880, when the railroad arrived in Santa Fe. Santa Fe was near the end of the El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, which carried trade from Mexico City. 

The route skirted the northern edge and crossed the north-western corner of Comancheria, the territory of the Comanche. Realizing the value, they demanded compensation for granting passage to the trail. American traders envisioned them as another market. Comanche raiding farther south in Mexico isolated New Mexico, making it more dependent on the American trade. They raided to gain a steady supply of horses to sell. By the 1840s, trail traffic through the Arkansas Valley was so numerous that bison herds were cut off from important seasonal grazing land. This habitat disruption, on top of overhunting, contributed to the collapse of the species. Comanche power declined in the region when they lost their most important game.^[5]

The American army used the trail route in 1846 to invade New Mexico during the Mexican–American War.^[6]

After the U.S. acquisition of the Southwest that ended the war, the trail was integral to the U.S. opening the region to economic development and settlement. It played a vital role in the westward expansion of the US into these new lands. The road route is commemorated today by the National Park Service as the Santa Fe National Historic Trail. A highway route that roughly follows the trail's path, through the entire length of Kansas, the southeast corner of Colorado and northern New Mexico, has been designated as the Santa Fe Trail National Scenic Byway.

Melva Loves Scraps blog is hosting a quilt along featuring stories from pioneer women along the route.  This QAL began April 1, but there is time to catch up--much like I did--