30’s and 40’s Vibes

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Remembering their Service…

Memorial Day Weekend—as many meanings and memories as there are readers. Memorial Day, or as many of us grew up calling it Decoration Day, was created immediately after the Civil War to honor the Union soldiers who gave their lives to preserve the Union. After World War I the federal government declared the day was for all who had sacrificed their lives in service to their country.

Memorial Day has become the “official” start of summer with pools opening, car races, trips to the lake, cook outs and Memorial Day sales on everything! And even though I shop the sales and serve hamburgers, I do spend time remembering the lives and services that allowed me to enjoy my lifestyle.

My paternal grandfather suffered from the effects of mustard gas in the French trenches during World War I. My father landed on Omaha beach during D-Day and was injured in the hedge rows by German shelling. My son was on some of the very first flights over Afghanistan post 9-11. I will always remember their service. But I will also honor those who persevered here—a great-grandmother that strapped my grandmother to her chest so that she could continue the work of her dead husband on their prairie homestead. Or the grandparents that survived the 1930’s on a rocky Ozark farm but make sure their children were feed and educated. My grandmother who did not hear from my father or the army for six weeks after D-Day but had received a package of his personal effects in the mail. I will honor my mother who washed dishes at night in a cafe to pay for her college tuition and my father who read grown up books to me after a day in the fields.

My parents honored our families by decorating their graves with flowers from our yard. Peonies buds were cut during May and stored in the refrigerator, wrapped in newspaper for Decoration Day. Honeysuckle was gathered and put in chipped mason jars. We traveled only a few miles to the cemetery with the flowers and jugs of water and divided the flowers among the graves. I may not be able to honor them today by placing flowers on their graves but I am grateful and they will live forever in my memories.

The time between Memorial Day and the Fourth of July has become the “red, white and blue” season. The strong colors of our flag are used everywhere! We created a red, white and blue showcase in the halls of First United Methodist.

Obviously we like this color combo –these were pulled from our stash that we have preparing for the October Quilts Etc. Sale.

These placemats were made later.

The placemats are 12″ x 16″ and could be reversible. They are machine quilted and the binding features a faux flange. They are machine washable. $40 for 4

More quilts from our cupboards that could be in this theme of red, white and blue that are for sale. And of course, these would be a great addition to your home anytime in the year!

We just keep adding items to our cupboards–here are the latest additions.

Made from cozy flannel squares, the quilt is lap size, 45″ x 54″. It is machine quilted with a machine applied binding. The backing is also flannel—perfect for snuggling. $100

This soft flannel set for the new mother to be is gender neutral. The set included a bib, drool cloth and drool big. $20

Project bags–the orange and pink and green one have clear plastic on one side, the green print one has green mesh. Use them to keep a pair of scissors, embroidery floss, marking pin etc . $10 each

Ready for Halloween –Heather made two versions of a spooky table runner. One is 13″ x 23″ for $30 and the larger one is 14″ x 30″ for $40. Those little witches don’t look to scary!

Elaine contributed these two utilitarian bags from pre-quilted fabric.

Use these for shopping bags, pool bags, —they are sturdy, washable and $15 each.

Enjoy a hamburger–make that a cheeseburger, for me this week end. And remember that each of us are enjoying this life because of the many people who gave it their all —

Merry Christmas

The sewing room has been quiet these past few weeks. “There has been parties for hosting and marshmallows for toasting”..and trying to find gifts for teen age boys! But the Quilters at First–Machine group did find time for our annual holiday/end of year wrap up lunch/party.

For years we have had a baked potato bar with all the trimmings plus yummy desserts and great appetizers. The hostess, me, has it extremely easy. Just coat potatoes in olive oil and sea salt and throw them in the oven.

For our entertainment we exchange fat quarters (FQ) for there is nothing a quilter would rather do than exclaim over and pet fabric. Each of us that wants to participate, chooses and posts on the white board a theme, or color scheme of FQs we would like to receive. Some of us have a future project in mind. Some look at their stash and see what color or prints are missing.

I have as much fun shopping for the different fabrics as opening my gifts of FQs. Since I am on my “fabric diet” I don’t go into fabric shops much. The temptation is too great. So to “need” to peruse the entire shop for different fabrics is a treat!

The rule is one fat quarter per person since the prices keeps inching upwards but everyone usually adds another tiny something. Several of us add a few pieces of candy which is added to our “candy stash” in our sewing rooms. It is a proven fact that a piece of Christmas chocolate in March helps calms one after discovering the last seam sewn was without a bobbin thread!

Some add a sewing notion–little fold up shears, a notions bag made from selvages or gifts bags for the FQs. One quilter found quilt block ornaments at a garage sale in the summer and saved them to share with us in December.

Each quilter passes out her gifts, so we all open Peggy’s or Judy’s gifts at the same time. We love seeing all the different fabrics purchased given the requests. The room is filled with “oh, how pretty!” or “where did you find that?” or “this is perfect for the quilt I am making!”

Here are some of the collections. We had two members that couldn’t attend due to health issues.

Elaine wanted brights–plain or print.

Vicki requested pinks for a great granddaughter’s baby quilt. The clippers on the right side of the fabric are a wonderful gift for a quilter. You can never have too many.

Peggy ask for orange prints to fill out her stash. So many different shades and tones of orange.

Judy received bold solids. Nothing is a repeat.

Heather and Shirley wanted black on black prints. The print adds interest vs a solid black. This is Heather’s.

These are Shirley’s. I should have used the lighter background for both.

Diane is our resident creator of ETC’s–gift bags and envelopes, quiet books, small birthday banners, shopping bags. She needs lots of different interfacings and fusibles.

Can’t wait to see what she imagines for this coming year using these supplies!

I chose blue and white –not cream, prints, again this year! I have a star quilt pattern that I was going to make last year but….These are beautiful additions to my collections of prints for the quilt.

This is Janis’ fabrics!! And you may very well ask..What was her theme or request? Hmmm, nothing really goes together, does it? She surprised us with ” I really like this fabric” request. She wanted a FQ of something you liked but had no idea what to do with it. I would like to say each FQ reflected the quilters style, but no. I would never be able to match the quilter with the fabric. I choose the light blue with the butterfly–sorta my vibe.

We won’t gather in our room at Church until January 7 so no new projects until then. But I am positive most of us will sneak in a few hours in our home sewing space, if only for a little “Me Time”.

Again, thank you for all the support you gave the Quilters in 2025. You are appreciated more than I can express. I wish all of you the best Christmas and may your bobbins never run out!

A Huge Thank You!

We had a party yesterday because we had lots to celebrate! The quilters ate lunch together and presented each of the representatives from the Religious Nurture Center and the TV Ministry a check for $11,000. We are so proud of ourselves, and so thankful for all those that contributed to this year’s success.

**Delanie Hartman-RNC rep., Paulette Dibbern-hand quilt rep., Nathan Putter-TV Ministry rep., Rev. Amy Lippoldt-Sr. Ministor, and me-Judith Oswald- machine quilters rep.**

See how happy we are….but we know there are scores of folks who are also responsible for this gift to our Church.

(I was so excited, I didn’t take very good photos–but these are some of the people that made this happen.). But there are so many others we don’t have photos of to share.

So here goes–

To every quilter that made a quilt, table runner, set of placemat or book mark and used her own supplies and paid for the materials needed and the long arm quilting out of own budget with no reimbursement; all this happened because of you!!!

To every friend of FUMC that donated quilts, vintage and brand new, thank you! We sold almost every “gently and not so gently used” quilt you gave us. The new quilts added a flavor we didn’t have before.

To the “husbands of quilters” who moved tables, strung twinkle lights and banners and stayed through the three day sale collecting the cash and credit card sales, thank you! And most of all, to these men who know what it is like to live with a quilter..occasional late dinners due to “just one more seam”, threads on almost everything, and detouring to quilt shops on trips.. we give our love and thanks.

To the Church Class Friends who made items for us and helped set up in Meredith Hall, thank you! Meredith Hall was a new location for us and we might have changed our minds a few times about the location of tables and racks! Marty made a beautiful quilt rack that will find its owner soon and George took a photo from a 4-H fair and made two large display racks for smaller items.

To the Church Staff who promoted the Sale on Sunday mornings and in electronic communications, a huge thanks! Rev. Jeff and Kane were super sports and gave us 2.5 hours of their time to be filmed making a quilt–that Nathan then boiled down to 3+ minutes to share on a Sunday morning. Our graphics were designed by Evan who was new to FUMC but helped us get the word out to the general public. And thanks to Noah and Cy, we were able to participate in Wichita’s Art Crawl –on a Friday evening and to extend our sale hours past their regular hours.

To the Coffee Shop women who created a cozy place in Meredith Hall to enjoy coffee and a homemade sweets. This added touch helps make the Sale special.

To our supportive fellow members of FUMC–they came out on a rainy Friday evening to attend our first time participating in the Wichita Art Crawl, you are so appreciated! They came to our Quilt Sale and bought graduation quilts, holiday table runners, stuffed toys for their grandchildren and rag rugs for their porches. They brought their friends who are not members of First to see what we had to offer.

To our new friends that read about the sale or saw a flyer and came to Meredith Hall; we enjoyed visiting with you and hope to see you again.

To the many personal friends of each quilters–you came and supported our efforts and you have remained our friends even though some times we bore you with our quilting adventures!

To anyone who has purchased something from Quilters at First this entire year, you are greatly appreciated! We are delighted that shopping with Quilters at First is not just a three day sale–it is a year around opportunity to buy quality items that catch your fancy via Facebook, the showcase on 1B or on the blog.

We are so grateful that we can use our talents or passions or interests to help our Church. And we are in awe how it has become a church-wide effort.

But what is most gratifying to me personally is that real, live people read what I write! Blows my mind. So to all of you, from my heart, thank you, thank you!

Now we have a new goal! We are a rather competitive group, so this year’s total is a challenge. We will do our best to top these numbers in 2026!! Hang on tight for the ride.

Patience

How good are you at waiting? I am better than a two year old toddler but not near as good as my Grandma Ella was. I have been doing a lot of “waiting” the past few days. I waited several hours in an airport for the connecting flight–which I planned so I wouldn’t miss a flight–and I successfully made it to VA but I entertained myself by eating. Saturday I waited for a couple of long hours for my daughter to be finished with her appointment and again, it is on me. I forgot to take a book and the internet connection was so weak I couldn’t read off my phone. I waited this morning, never far from my phone, to hear that a family member’s surgery was a success. At six am this morning in 42 degrees with a strong wind, I was impatiently waiting for my grand-pups to do their business so we could go back home.

Amazon next day delivery has spoiled me; it is very difficult to wait for an order to arrive in regular mail. If I text a friend with a question, I have a tendency to expect an immediate response and quickly assume something is wrong if it takes a while! I have an habit of skipping to the end of a book to see how it ends. When I take a finished pieced top to the long arm quilters to “make it a quilt”, I can’t wait to get it back–even though it might have taken me months to make the top!

Some times my patience or lack of patience comes into play when I am selecting a quilt pattern. I know me well enough to know when to select something quick and easy and when I will enjoy a longer process.

Quilts that can be randomly pieced are quicker than ones that are fiddly.

This is one of my favorites, but the rows of blocks had to line up correctly or I would had weird multi-colored stars. I remember ripping a bit.

Something like this–a simple Irish Chain made from nine patch blocks is easy-peasy…quick and easy..little thought.

The Maggie Pearl pattern was made with me in mind.

I made many sets of placemats for our October Quilt Sale. Did you guess that most of them were “quick and easy”? I chose fabrics to attract your attention rather than complicated patterns. (These two sets are still available)

But sometimes I want time consuming–to help with the “waiting”. Hand appliqué is a slow process. But when I know I need to keep my hands busy for a long time, I will choose a pattern with an easy appliqué. The one on the left was started during the early weeks of COVID lockdown. The yellow and blue one helped keep me sane when my mother was in and out of the hospital towards the end of her life.

This is an “Orange Peel” pattern–hand appliquéd peels on 6 inch squares. This is my go to “traveling” project. I have made two Orange Peels quilts and I am working on my third this trip. I don’t care when I get it done–it is perfect for those periods of waiting when visiting family or on baseball tour buses.

But sometimes I choose a pattern that I know will take a longer time than usual because of a special person or special event.

At my final retirement recognition, I was ask what my plans were. I answered that I wanted to win a ribbon in the Prairie Guild Quilt Show. This is it! I was willing to spend hours making tiny saw tooth star blocks for this quilt. And it received a red or second place ribbon! Marked that off my bucket list.

My daughter did not stay away from more complex patterns. But after cutting about half of the pieces 1/2 inch too small, I was the lucky recipient. After pondering for six months or so, I decided to finish it. It is smaller than originally planned but I think my pride forced me to finish it. True Blue is still one of my all time favorite quilts!

Some people are just more patient! Janis spends hours carefully machine appliquéing masterpieces. She says she doesn’t have the patience for hand appliqué. Remember this beauty?

So very glad we all have different strengths and differences! This treasure is still for sale.

This past week we were all ready for quick and easy…small projects that didn’t take much brain power.

Microwave bowl are perfect for soup weather! $8 each

Potholders made with Insulbrite (protects your hands and the table).$8 each

Heavy canvas totes with a bright print–do you know someone who loves to ride? $10 each

This 14″ x 29″ table runner is perfect for this transitional time of the year. Machine quilted and hand bound, it is $30.

This table runner is slightly longer but the best part is that it is reversible! One side is a winter bird print and the other has holiday reindeer.

The scalloped edges is just the right touch. Machine quilted and hand bound. $40

Last week I finished another tea towel–I smiled when I realized I would include it is this post about being impatient.

I have been told all my life “good things come to those who wait”. Ok, –but I say, always have a book or a hand appliqué project in your bag…it helps with the waiting!

Quilt Season

It is “officially” Quilt Season. Friday night we handed out candy to approximately two hundred very polite and cute trick or treaters. Yesterday we flipped the calendar over to November–with the cutest photo of a Shibu pup. I found places inside for my house plants that spent the summer on the deck. This morning we set the clocks all back one hour–except my sewing room clock; it is just too difficult to change. Baseball is over for the year after a long seventh game in the World Series. There was “frost on the pumpkin” on our early doggy walk. So, check and check; it is “officially” Quilt Season.

All that is not to say we won’t have very warm days yet. There will be days I start with several layers and by dinner I am down to a short sleeve tee shirt and the windows open. But come evening, when we slow down and watch an episode of something, I will be dragging out a quilt to wrap around my shoulders.

We like to sleep in a cool room so a quilt will be folded at the end of the bed for those early morning hours when it is just a little too cool. Those smaller quilts–large lap or twin quilts work well for the end of the bed. It is probably too early to add a larger quilt to the normal bedding.

Oh by the way, those pumpkins aren’t Halloween pumpkins, they are Thanksgiving pumpkins!

We are still catching out breath after hosting the Quilts Etc. Sale in October, but Tammy B. did make a baby quilt that isn’t as girly as her last two.

The nautical theme quilt is 50″ x 50″–see the anchors, whales and the boat wheels? Flannel makes it extra soft and cozy. It is closely tied, ensuring it can be laundered. The binding continues the red and blue color scheme and is hand sewn. $50.

A friend requested a needle case, so I made several so she could have her pick. The simple quilted case stays closed by either velcro or a button loop. Four pages of felt will hold all your needles and pins that you need when traveling with some hand appliqué or embroidery.

Vicki finished another table runner for the up-coming holidays.

The runner is 14″ x 42″ and is machine quilted. The back is the same deep red as on the front. $40.

This table runner and other holiday items will be for sale at the annual all-church Thanksgiving dinner on November 23 at First United Methodist Church. We will have a couple of tables offering items guests may purchase.

These are photos from last year. Of course we will have different items but these photos give you an idea of what will be offered. A mimi-holiday market!

Friday I leave to help out my Virginia family for a couple of weeks during and after a scheduled surgery. My main role will be caring for my two feisty “grandpups”. So in-between walks, I will have lots of free time. Thus I am packing an optimistic number of tea towels to be embroidered and cut out “orange peels” to hand appliqué for a quilt. I am also loading several novels on my iPad, so check with me later to see what I get done!

This past week I returned home from my morning doggy walk, and saw this by the garage door. Can you guess what they are? My family guessed everything from candle holders to centerpieces, coins to armadillo shields -I think she was trying to be funny or just tired of my games!

Here is a hint: we were having our roof replaced due to hail damage.

Winter will be here soon, so I am enjoying Fall and its cozy vibe. I hope you have a cuddly quilt in which to wrap up! If not, I know where you can get one!

The Quilts Etc.Sale ’25 is a Wrap

Most mornings after walking my dog and enjoying my first cup of coffee, I play Wordle and Connections on my iPad on the New York Times Games app. I know many of you also play –you share the results on Facebook. Connections is my favorite and the one I have the lowest success rate.

To play, you have a grid of sixteen words which are to be grouped into four categories. You get four chances and after that, the answers are shown and you cannot play anymore.

This is what a completed puzzle looks like– (this is a different puzzle than above.)

I completed this one today without any goof-ups!! Yeah me.

I must admit I sometimes have to look up a word’s definition and often the slang meaning. When the words go in front of a common word–for example the words in the purple group, I struggle. I wouldn’t have completed them this time if they had not been the last four words–can’t miss on that!

Supposedly the colors indicate the level of difficulty, yellow, green, blue and purple being the most difficult. But depending on your background, it is possible to figure out blue or purple first. I have been tempted to create my own version for family and Church Class gatherings.

So here is my 2025 Quilts Etc. Sale Connections Edition—

First Category–yellow. “Physical Feelings of Quilters”. Exhaustion, 15,000 steps, Hyper, and Pumped

Second Category–green. “To Whom We Owe Thanks”. FUMC Staff, QH’s ( Quilter Husbands), Friends and Family

Third Category–blue. “Changes in 2025”. Meredith Hall, Traffic Patterns, Equipment, Advertising

Fourth Category–purple. “Emotions of Quilters”. Surprised, Grateful, Curious, Anticipation

To say our reflections after the sale are a mixed bag is an understatement, but mostly positive. We were in a new location, Meredith Hall, which presented some new challenges. We didn’t know about space and lighting and displays. But we were told over and over that Meredith looked “cozy”. The round tables in a round room encouraged repeated looking.

The stage allowed better presentations and it was safer to be on the stage for a closer look than the previous stage in the Forum.

Meredith Hall is more difficult to find and access than the location last year, but with the help of QHs at the front door, quilters in the top hall, fall garlands and the elevator and ramp out side Meredith Hall, we did not loose anyone.

We tried new hours—last year Saturday was dead and this year was sort of the last trial for a Saturday sale. Well–what do you know? Friday was really slow and Saturday was great. Can anyone explain this? Very curious!

We had new “racks” to display our smaller items—thanks to George S. who created these “chicken wire” display racks from an idea I “borrowed” from a 4-H fair I attended.

We had the most quilts, table runners, placemats, baby bibs etc than we had ever offered before. Therefore, we had this gut reaction that we did not sell as much as the previous years. Here is a little secret–we sold more! Our sale receipts are higher by a bit than last years.

We were exhausted –but maybe not as much as previous years. We had a lot of help! Members of the Seekers class who were not quilters or husbands of quilters helped set up–resulting in 3 short days. So a big thanks to Marty, Brian, George and Annette. And of course to those wonderful guys who live with quilters year around–Tom, John, Larry, and David who set at the “check out” tables for three long days, who hung Christmas lights and assembled quilt racks–we love you!

The Coffee Shop also relocated but the new location did not faze Delane, Nonie, Kathy, and Sandy. Delicious coffee and home made goodies were still available. Paulette’s new curtains were so popular they will remain in Meredith Hall for the winter.

Good publicity is a key to a successful sale. I will always remember the 3 minute video of “making” a quilt, featuring Rev. Jeff, our associate minister, and Kane, the administrative assistant, which was shown in Church to promote the Sale. Evan did the graphics and put us platforms I was unfamiliar with the “how to”. Rev. Amy promoted us on the TV broadcast. We tried participating in the Wichita First Friday Art Crawl….it wasn’t a roaring success or a dismal failure. Thanks to all those quilters, QHs and Church members who participated and we have some ideas for next year.

We won’t close the 2025 books until the first of December, so I can’t give you a money amount. Watch a blog posted the second week in December. We still have many great items that can be purchased–check out the photo galleries on this blog. We will have tables at the Church wide Thanksgiving Dinner with items for sale. Contact any quilter for information.

We had barely moved the last quilt rack back into storage before we were anticipating the 2026 Quilt Etc. Sale; discussing what we want to make this coming year. But before we start preparing for next year, we do want to express our un-measurable gratitude to our Church staff and members, friends and family for their support. We are delighted to have made new acquaintances who share our love of quilts. And we hope all of you will continue to follow the Quilters at First on their quilting adventures.

Photo Gallery of “Just” Quilts!

Quilts

MaggiePearl #1. 40″ x 66″. $125

62″ x 62″. $125

56″ x 70″. $125

Vintage Pieces

Vintage hand quilted, hand appliquéd, and hand embroidered baby quilt. The edges are finished with a blanket stitch. Only one faint stain above the bunny’s head. 33″ x 46″. $50

Vintage Precious Moments tied and quilted baby quilt— Never used. $30. 33” x 44″

Baby/Child Quilt

**Primary color hour glass 38″x 50″ $75**

“Tied” quilts–child size. very soft and cuddly.

Blankets

Rag quilt and pillow. both for $30. Quilt is 35″ x 49″

Just the bare bones–

Each week is like Christmas when we meet on Wednesday in the quilting room. Here is a quick preview of the treasures we received this week.

Diane is clever with the crochet hook. These cuties could be used as ornaments on a Christmas tree.

Each of these is $5 each.

Are you into gnomes? These were originally batik quilt blocks. $5 each

A Christmas tree with personality! They can hang on your tree or set on a bookshelf. Love their stockings!

“Cutter” quilts were used to create these miniature trees. Perfect to tuck into a corner on your buffet or bookcase.

$5.00 each

Pumpkin heads with hand painted faces. You could pose them several ways when decorating for Halloween. $15 each.

Are you the hostess with the mostest? Fill these turkey legs with treats and you will be the favorite aunt! $5 each

Larger items also appeared–

All Hallow’s Eve is 46″x 39″, machine quilted with a pumpkin pattern. The fabrics give a rustic feel to the wall hanging. $75

We have two Chief aprons and one KSU apron. $25 each. Will fit a large man.

This panel of a traditional pine tree is machine quilted and hand bound. It measures 36″ x 42″. $50

And we have another Kansas State University quilt!

Look at all the licensed prints Elaine used in this stunner. It could fit a twin bed–62″ x 82″. The back is the stylized Willie Wild Cat.

This would serve as a striking coverlet. $200

Here is a completely different look!

Pink Splash is a garden of vibrant pinks, purples, corals with hints of green, blue and yellow! The black sashing makes the colors even more striking. 50″ x 58″ $100

This the back! Just as stunning as the front.

This scrappy quilt grouped color families together to make it feel less scattered. The background is a collection of neutrals, allowing the colors to pop!

The backing is one print–a grunge neutral that shows off the quilting. It is large–72″ x 82″. $175

Those vintage quilt just keep being donated. This one is interesting because it was not bound in the traditional method and blocks go to the edge. One side is tattered. But most of it is in great shape.

It is 80″ x 86″. The pattern is “turkey foot”. The yellow is very characteristic of the late 1930’s and early 1940’s. $50

The Sale is just around the corner and I can truthfully say we have a something for everyone! Come check us out and enjoy a home baked treat.

I am grateful for…maintenance

Gratitude is one of my tools for keeping me centered! I have a set list I acknowledge daily. They usually are the standard–a warm bed, health, loving family and my dog! But this week I have thought a bit more about my list. My minister listed gratitude as one antidote to anxiety and disappointment. A friend has started a gratitude list on Facebook. In the mean time, I have been busy with appointments–those annual medical ones that seem a lot more often than yearly, the six month ones–I strongly dislike going to the dentist and having someone poking around in my mouth –and the monthly ones–such as hair cuts. As I drove home from an appointment, I pondered the cost and time I spend on maintenance–maintenance on me and my home. But then I visualized what my existence would be without the funds, resources and knowledge that I have access to that allows me to maintain. I came to the conclusion that I should add “maintenance” to my daily list of “I am thankful for..”

I volunteer one day a week at a large food ministry. I visit with scores of clients who live on a very limited income. Often there is no incoming income. In most cases, these clients have no money to spend on “maintenance”. I was shocked at the number of people with missing teeth or rotten teeth. I will chat with folks whose heat or air conditioning has stop working. Many of the clients need someone to bring them to the facility because their vehicle no longer runs. They just didn’t have the resources to maintain healthy teeth or to have the heater check yearly or to have the oil changed at the appropriate time.

When I taught Sewing 101 in high school, I was constantly surprised that students and/or the student’s parents would throw away a shirt if the button came off or if a seam came apart. After one day’s lesson on “sewing on buttons”, I would be shown a rescued blouse or jacket because they now knew how to repair the garment. Maintenance requires skills .

Maintenance is facilitated by having a circle of friends, family and acquaintances that will point in the right direction or lend a hand.

Maintenance is usually not exciting. Repairing a blouse is satisfying but no one is going to compliment you on your new top. We don’t invite guests to admire our ac unit after the yearly check up! And even the most diligent maintenance will not keep our cars, clothes, water heaters or bodies from wearing out! But regular maintenance will make the road to the end smoother.

So, to my generic list of “what I am grateful for….” I am adding the resources to maintain.

My Quilting Group at FUMC is also on my gratitude list! I am amazed and thankful I have such talented and creative friends. Look what came this week!

This adaptation of a nine-patch is everything Christmas –from the tradition deep reds and greens to the motifs quilted over the 54″ x 73″ lap quilt. The red and green stripe used in the binding is the perfect final touch. Drape this quilt over the back of your sofa and your home is “beginning to look a lot like Christmas”. $100 SOLD

And speaking of Christmas decorating–

These gingerbread men are surrounded by peppermints! They wear red and white vests and sport rick rack trim. The table runner is 12″ x 42.5″, machine quilted and hand bound. All this sweetness is $50.00

This quilt is not technically Christmas, it could be out all winter.

The winter birds –chick-a-dees and cardinals are framed in various red and green prints.

The backing also features the same birds. The quilt measures 52″ x 75″. It is machine quilted and hand bound. $175 SOLD

There is a rule of thumb that the more shades and hues of a color used, it is less important that all the fabrics “play together well”.

Can you count all the different tones and shades of purple in this quilt? They seem to be “playing together well”. The quilt is lap size, 52″ x 70″ and is quilted with lots of angles. It is hand bound and would a great quilt for someone going to a “purple” school but didn’t want an “in your face” school mascot quilt. $150 SOLD

Most Moms-to-be today are opting for non traditional “baby” colors. This small quilt is non-gender specific and features big bright colors.

The quilt is 40″ x 40″. It is machine quilted and bound and very washable. $75

This is a castle for a mermaid princess. It is soft flannel. The castle is appliquéd. It is firmly tied and is washable–even princesses get their blankets a bit soiled! It measures 50″ x 52″ and is $75.

This quilt could be either a wall hanging or a child’s quilt or a lap quilt.

All these flowers are machine appliquéd. The quilt is machine quilted. Measures 48″ x 48″ and is $150.

This red white and blue quilt would be perfect for your summer time picnic table or thrown over a swing on the porch.

This quilt is 48″ x 48″ –machine quilted side to side. $150

Phyllis also made a red white and blue table runner. It is also machine quilted. 26″ x 58″. $50

Your favorite quilter would enjoy this stocking filled with fat quarters, new shears and the newest notions. Stockings are about the best part of Christmas morning. Both stockings are $25 each.

A new group of hand embroidered tea towels arrived via Peggy. $9 each–all cotton muslin–great for drying china.

We will have lots of vintage quilts at the sale–this is a hand embroidered hand quilted baby quilt. 37″ x 48″. $30

The baby this comforter was made for is over 30 years old, so we are going to call it “vintage”. This pre quilted fabric was backed and tied. The decorative edge is “prairie points”. 33″ x 44″ $30

I have so very much to be grateful–and on that list is you. Thank you for taking the time to read my random thoughts and to preview all the lovely items we will have at the Quilt Etc. Sale next week! See you there!

It is October –already!

Tomorrow we turn the calendar over to October! So many different events and feelings are associated with this month! Some of my family and friends are facing serious medical procedures during October. Others can’t wait to spend days decorating their home and planning costumes for Halloween. I am looking forward to visits from family. Many of us are anticipating crisper mornings and cool evenings. Some friends are traveling to see the New England Fall Foliage. October is chock full of a variety of events, happenings and feelings. But to the Quilters at First, October means it is time for the annual Quilts Etc. Sale! What seemed like a long time in the future is now just two weeks away…

Just because we are gathering fall decor, distributing flyers and sorting inventory doesn’t mean we have finished sewing/quilting! Here is the latest items brought to the quilting room.

Two sets of placemats have been added.

This set of four is just waiting for October and all the colors of fall. They measure 11″ x 15” and each one is different but all are colorful autumn leaves. The set of four is $40. They are machine quilted and the binding is machine applied.

The second set is made using Mary Englebreit fabric.

They are 12″ x 18″. They are machine quilted, machine bound with a dark green rick rack trim. The back side is a bolder Englebreit print. Set of 4 for $40.

Tammy brought the softest tied quilt.

This photo convinced me to buy a new camera/phone!! The pink is the prettiest pink in real life, but not in this photo. The backing is Minky–pink of course. The Teddy Bear is a copy of the bear in the print. This sweet combo is $100.

Diane crocheted Granny Squares in various sizes for clutch bags–a real vintage look.

A table runner especially for October and November. Either side would be a great addition to your autumn decor. It is 15″ x 41.5″ –machine quilted in a grid pattern and the binding is hand sewn. $40

Janis wrote this for the Art Crawl on October 3–“I saw this pattern online and thought it would be easy and not take too much time. Wrong on both! The pattern was more complex that it need to be so–I didn’t choose pieces at random but had a visual in mind. My long arm quilter finished with orange spiders on the back. Great idea!”

Orange spiders! This 38″ hexagon would be the star of your Halloween decorations. $65

More items for the “etc.” part of the sale–

You can decide if they are coasters or mug rugs.

Harold C. had ask us if we would like some of his mother’s quilts. Of course we said yes! His mother was from Brooklyn, Iowa and like many rural women of her generation, had a quilting frame set up in the living room. He could remember her working on several of the quilts he gave us.

This quilt was well loved and a few of the “churn dash” blocks are thread bare. But it would make a good “cutter”–a quilt that can be repurposed. 72″ x80″. $20

This quilt is an autograph quilt. Each block has an embroidered name in the center. These quilts were often made to be auctioned off to raise funds for a church or school. Sometimes it was a gift for a friend moving far away. It’s hand quilted and in good shape.

66″ x 86″. $50

The Iris quilt is a combination of piecing and appliqué. Probably it was saved for “special”; it is hardly worn.

86″ x 96″. $50

This intricate pattern is amazing. It was quickly purchased—but it needs to be admired by all!

Oops–I didn’t get the measurements but it is large. The solid pink is characteristic of 30’s and 40’s fabric. The hand quilting adds another design element. It is in excellent condition. $60

Here is a close up of the hand quilting!

This “crazy quilt” is from another family. The pieces are mostly wool. There are very few moth holes. The backing appears to be newer than the front and is a cotton stripe. 62″ x 80″. $25

This Friday, October 3, we are participating in the First Friday Wichita Art Crawl. We have discovered the church’s narthex is a perfect place to showcase our quilts. We are displaying different quilts than we did in September. The theme is holiday quilts–Halloween, Christmas and Autumn–Thanksgiving. We also will have a few that are “year-around” beauties. We will be open from 6 pm to 8 pm. There is lots of easy parking off Topeka and we will have homemake cookies. All the quilts will be for sale.

This Sunday the edited video of Rev. Jeff and Kane learning to quilt will be shown during the eleven o’clock service. A little nervous about the teacher’s role!

And just in case you forgot, here is the Quilt Etc. Sale information one more time

I hope whatever October brings you, there is peace and a bit of fun.

The WDNC club–quilters edition

Have you seen #justbeingmelani on Instagram or on Facebook? She is the “digital creator” behind the WE DO NOT CARE club. The first time I saw her, I was laughing out loud and shouting “that is me!” The club was created for all women who were going through perimenopause, menopause or who are post menopause. But many other versions have been created –the teacher’s edition, the Australian version, the London club, the teen parents edition and on and on!

The glasses on top of her head and hanging from her neckline and on her face was “my tell” that she knew what she was talking about. So with credit to Melani Sanders for this trend, I want to share with you the Quilters Edition of WE DO NOT CARE. Feel free to add your own.

We do not care that we have spent over an hour in a quilt shop–“all who wander are not lost!”
We do not care that some of our seams do not match–52 out of 56 is just fine.
We do not care that you question our fabric choice for the quilt’s backing–it is what was in our “stash”.
We do not care that you think the quilt top is “too busy”—I made it for me not you.
We do not care that we went to the store in sweats covered in thread — out of black thread and the stored was closing in ten minutes.
We do not care that our sewing room looks like it had been raided by the FBI–shut the door on your way out.
We do not care that your PJ bottoms have been on my sewing table waiting to be hemmed since April–it is still too warm for flannel.
We do not care that we vowed not to buy any more fabric until we had used what we had–it was on sale!

And as Melani says, “that concludes the meeting of the We Do Not Care club.

But seriously, there are many things the Quilters at First do care about–

*We care that all of our sale items are made of good quality fabric.

*We care that the items are priced to sell…which means you get a great bargain.

*We care about sustainability; we used donated fabric and leftovers from previous projects before we buy new.

*We care about craftsmanship. We won’t sell items that are poorly sewn.

*We care about offering a huge variety of quilt sizes, different styles and fabric items that are not quilts per se, such as wall hangings, table runners, placemats and accessories.

*We care that you leave our sale feeling great!

🍎🍂🍁🌻🍎🍂🍁🌻🍎🍂🍁🌻

What treasures do we have this week?

I love the AMERICAN JANE FABRICS by Sandy Klop in this quilt and truthfully, all her designs . These vintage inspired prints are fresh and traditional at the same time. The quilt is machine quilted and hand bound. It is washable and should be used! The colors are much more vivid than what I captured on my phone. You should see it in person. This 47″ x 62″ quilt be great for a toddler or as a lap quilt for someone who just likes it!!!! $150

Tomorrow is the first official day of Fall. Have you created cozy spaces in your home yet? This 41″ x 42″ table topper or wall hanging or sofa throw is certain to add an autumn feel to your space. Machine quilted and bound, it is only $50.

Christmas shopping yet? These pot holders and hot pads are made with Insulbrite which reflects the heats. Need stocking stuffers or hostess gifts?

The two orange ones and the pink one have a pocket to help you hold on to the hot dish.

These hot pads are for protecting your table from “oven-hot” casseroles. They have Insulbrite also. $8 each

We have two identical Christmas aprons. The pattern labeled them as children’s aprons but Diane is modeling this one and it fits. “Santa’s Little Helper” is a pocket. $15 each

Reversible placemats are smart to use.

These six placemats are 12″ x 18″ and could be used on either side. Machine quilted and bound –they are made to withstand many trips to the laundry. $60 for 6

Quilters at First received another great gift this week.

This huge quilt top is made from polish cotton which is very sturdy but also gives the quilt a sheen. The donor’s husband was from Hawaii and I can’t help but see an Hawaiian vibe to the quilt–the bright colors and the floral prints. This quilt is probably from the sixties, qualifying it as “vintage”. $50. Approximately 100 inches square.

And least you forget—-

We really, really, really hope to see you there!