H4H fabric

Vicky of Cat in the Batt saw my post about the Habitat for Humanity quilt and came up with this clever fabric for some of the green areas (or maybe the border).
She found it at Big Horn Quilts. I ordered a couple of yards immediately. I checked the site again today and could not find it again. Perhaps I bought the last of it. It will be perfect.

Thanks, Vicky.

Hole in the Barn Door

Hole in the Barn Door is the name of a classic quilt pattern.

We didn’t really have a hole in the barn door, but we did have a hole in our front door, which is worse.
Casey, our old friend, came by this week to help us batten down the house for the winter. Casey did our kitchen remodel in 2003.

Our front door has been leaking for about 10 years. We’ve tried all sorts of solutions – new thresholds, more caulking, new weather stripping, new under-door sweeps. Nothing has worked. Several contractors have told us we needed a new door (they recommended steel). I just love our wooden door, which I bought on sale 25 years ago when the house was being built.

Casey started taking the whole frame apart and pulling up the threshold. He was preparing to put on a new under-door sweep when he found a soft spot in the wood. Robert probed the spot and found wood-rot. They pulled out the soft, splintery wood and there was a big hole.

I figured we would have to buy a new steel door. Casey thought perhaps the rotten spot could be cut out and filled in with a patch of new wood. I said, “Why not cut off the whole bottom of the door and replace it with a new board?”

The guys thought that was a good idea. Robert got the wood and dowels for the replacement while Casey cut off the door bottom.
Casey put the whole thing together, repainted the bottom of the door, added more weather stripping, put on a new sweep, and hung it back up. Rain is predicted for tomorrow. ...

Quilting again

Remember the old blocks from the Habitat for Humanity quilt?

I found some gray fabric for roads in the “development” and pulled the blocks out again. I did a quilt layout with streets, and now I’m ready to pull out some green fabric and start cutting triangles. I hope to have this put together so it can be given away or auctioned off before Christmas.
Thanks for all the encouragement you gave me to pull out of my quilting slump.

Sarah Palin should have gone to Wal-Mart

A great marketing opportunity was missed by Wal-Mart, which is promoting its Designer Fashions now. The RNC would have saved a bundle if they had checked out the store.
I explored Wal-Mart’s website and copied and pasted a few items to put together this collage (click to enlarge). Just what any “dress for success” person might need.

Wal-Mart has caught on to designer collaborations. Norma Kamali’s collection includes women’s wear, children’s clothing, accessories, and footwear with Wal-Mart.

"My life dream has been to promote self-esteem for women and wellness for the entire family," Kamali said. "Now I have the opportunity with Wal-Mart to create products that combine my design experiences with great value and innovative ideas to fulfill this dream. Through the Wal-Mart stores and Web site I can reach more people and affect more lives than in any other venue," said Kamali.

Bread

Thanks, Robert.
I found the dollar picture on Del’s blog. That’s what we are all feeling today.

Good thought for today. I saw this pillow at my cousin’s house. Thanks, Judy.

Muslin confusion

Making a Muslin




This man thinks muslin is bad.



We quilters know better. We like muslin, both bleached and unbleached.

Inspiration needed

I am in a quilting slump. Give me an idea for a simple project.

I have lots of UFOs, but I don’t want to tackle them. My sewing room is all clean and ready to go.
I need something really simple.

Hey, Joe Wurzelbacher

Neither Obama nor McCain has ever owned a small business. They don’t know what they are talking about.

The only thing more overrated than natural childbirth is the joy of owning your own small business.

You, Joe the Plumber, say you will to be paying for your business for many years to come and at the same time your profit (income) will be more than $250,000. Your gross income may be 250K, but I doubt that your net income will be this high. Your payments on your business loans are deductible. After all your business deductions -- employee salaries, rent, trucks and gas, machinery, parts and supplies, upkeep, utilities, and other costs of running the business you may have a profit. On the amount above 250K that is pure profit, you will pay 39% instead of 36% in tax.

You might want to tack up the little sign on wall in your shop, Joe.

Ask me how I know.
Mother of two and
small business owner

Poverty -- Blog Action Day

I don’t like to think about poverty. I’d rather go along with my comfortable life and ignore the fact that people are hungry, have no shelter, and are suffering from preventable diseases.

I can’t imagine not having shelter. What would it be like to be homeless? I’ve never been hungry.

Terry Grant has a wonderful suggestion on her blog. She contributes to Heifer International. She has given people chickens. I am going to do that right now. I am going to give someone a sheep.

Who ARE these people?

That was my question at my 50th high school reunion last Friday. Some of them looked vaguely familiar. There were about 200 very nice looking older folks milling around. I ran into a couple of old boy friends (really friends, not “boyfriends”). One fellow and I reminisced about how we went places together when we couldn’t find other dates. He said, “There wasn’t any chemistry between us.” I agreed.

I’ve know some of these people since the 2nd grade.

Gradually, more familiar faces emerged.
My good friend and cousin Judy (I married her cousin Robert) with Kelo and Ken.

The day before the reunion dinner we attended a ladies luncheon at Barbara Jensen’s beautiful house in Lafayette. Almost 40 women were there and that gave us a chance to get reacquainted. I had some very good conversations with Becky (now Rebecca), Joan, Elizabeth, Ann, and Mary. Judy (now Judith) Henderson brought her mother, Jean. Mrs. Henderson was my dramatic coach in many local productions. She is still spry at 96. My classmates have all led such interesting lives.
Remember my quilt fabric idea? It turned into a beautiful skirt, just as I had hoped.

Consolation prize

This isn’t quilted, but it is patchwork.
I went shopping yesterday for a black bra, but could not find one without wires. Wires are so uncomfortable. I hate shopping. To console myself I grabbed this purse by Young Attitude, Lucky Brand. It is made of all different leather patches, some suede and some cowhide.

Maybe this counts as a quilt related post?

Business cards

I printed some business cards to hand out at my class reuion next Friday.
I've heard of Moo Cards, but I didn't have time to send away for them. Maybe I'll try that later.

Robbing Peter to pay Paulson

Robbing Peter to pay Paul is a traditional quilt block.
This quilt picture is from the Nebraska State Historical Society, International Quilt Study Center, James Collection #11997.007.0925. Copy and reuse restrictions apply.

I am on a quilt mail list. The other day someone said she wanted to make a quilt for an economist friend. Suggestions poured in for traditional quilt blocks: Economy Block, Bright Hope, Flight of Fancy, Dreamers Lament, Card Trick, Federal Chain, Depression Block, Hard Times, Double Cross, Washington’s Puzzle, etc. My favorite was Robbing Peter to Pay Paul (renaming it “Robbing Peter to pay Paulson”).

Quilters are so clever. There are free instructions for making a traditional Rob Peter to Pay Paul block on Marsha Hohn’s Quilter’s Cache site.

To see more historical quilts go to the Nebraska State Historical Society site.