Summer time in Kansas–for me it has been an ice cream social for church class, grandchildren visiting with their parents which resulted in visits by extended family, temps over 100 and county fairs! All have had their positive and not so positive moments!
To start, I don’t like hot weather. I really get grouchy and I am forever grateful for AC and the income to support it!
The ice cream social is lots of fun — class members do the ice cream and baked goodies. Most brought a photo of themselves from decades earlier–baby, school or wedding. We had fun guessing who was who. Almost everyone guessed me–was it my chubby cheeks? Of course I had to spend several days cleaning, as if anyone cares except myself. But on the plus side, the house was ready for by son and his family.
It had four years since my son and his wife had been here. So grateful we have them for a week. Downside…I always plan too much food, too many activities and have too many “things we will do when the kids are here”. We would not get though all of it if they stayed month. My family was kind enough to see some of my world; they visited the “quilt room” at Church and work an entire day filling food boxes for Open Door. My grandchildren have no first cousins, so seeing their second cousins the same age as they are was memory building. And the older cousins–from different worlds, caught up now they are the parents.
County fairs wasn’t in my background. I didn’t belong to 4-H and neither did my children. It was after I was ask to judge quilts at a country fair did I start attending. This year I judged at two county fairs. I judged 4-H textile arts at one and “Open Quilting” at the second fair. Both groups were very impressive. I wish all those naysayers who say quilting is a lost art could have been with me.
I judged table runners, baby quilts and a few bags made by 4-H members–boys and girls from 7 to 18 years of age. Most received a purple or blue ribbon. Many of these students had been in the same sewing group with an enthusiastic, high energy leader. I was impressed with time she had spent testing patterns, obtaining donated fabric and rounding up machines and meeting sites. I was told the agent to have a “glow” and a “grow” on each evaluation sheet–in other words, a compliment and a suggestion for improvement. Bindings seemed to be the construction issue with the most problems. Corners are difficult. But over and over I made an effort to encourage the 4-Her to “keep sewing!” The judging took place in a metal building without air conditioning. Made me appreciate the “good ole’ NEW days”.
The quilts I judged in the Open Quilting at another fair were made by women with years of quilting experience. Their workmanship and creativity is awesome. A unique challenge is the last to be judged every year. Quilters pick up a pattern and one to several pieces of fabric from the extension office earlier in the year. The instructions include the size of the block and how it will be judged. This year it was a cowboy boot to go with the fair’s western theme. This year all the quilters received was the background fabric. The judges picked a winner based on workmanship and creativity–not an easy task. A small prize is given. But the agent combines all the blocks in to a quilt that will be auctioned off next year to benefit the 4-H club. It is a fun but difficult task to choose the best block!
While I have been cleaning house–especially my sewing room so grandchildren would have a place to sleep, cooking meals for teenagers, visiting swimming pools, and attending fairs, my fellow quilters at FUMC have been finishing projects. Here is a peek.
Virginia hand quilted this lap/child/baby quilt with kitty cats. See the cat’s head quilted into the print block. Can’t help but to smile looking at this quilt! $150 (it is hand quilted!)
Susan finished binding this table runner that could grace your dinning table all year long.
Every color is different but from the same fabric line. The border fabric is used on the back. It is 12″ x 44″ and $40.
Need a toiletry bag? or a travel bag? a sewing kit bag? These patchwork lined bags with zipper closing are perfect. Sturdy, well made–they could even be used as a gift bag–fill it with lotions, soaps, cleaning wipes and you have a unique gift for the college student heading back to university or for a new mother!
Speaking of new mothers—this 35″ x 44″ flannel baby quilt is so cozy and any parent would love to wrap their baby in it.
The back is dark grey with teal elephants–same as the binding. I personally love the pops of color the orange dots add. $60
Yep, today the temperature is to reach 100 or above, but Christmas will be here..soon!
Santa gift bags will make your gifts stand out under the tree. If your kids are like most, they will claim one certain bag as theirs year after year and woe be the sibling who claims otherwise! Some of the beards are cut from an old cutter quilt. So many uses for quilts!
A church member was downsizing and we were the lucky recipients. This twin size quilt is not “vintage” per se, but used fabrics from several different eras.
Scallops instead of prairie points frame three sides of this scrappy quilt. It is machine quilted. The quilt measures 74″ x 90″ and is $125.
Wow, what a variety of projects. Approximately 25 quilters with varied color and fabric favorites and styles have created a huge selection of “Quilty” projects. You may purchase any item now. But our closets are filled to the max with items for our sale October 20 and 21. I can’t wait to fill Wilke Family Life Center with our huge variety of projects.
Quilts, Etc. 