First Ever Quilt

This is my first ever attempt at making a quilt type blanket. So I got 1/3 of a yard of 16 different patterns. I assumed that they were all 45”. Some were 43 some were 46. So my ends right now are very different. Good thing there aren’t any pictures of them, yet… LOL! The material was $22

I just love the way all the colors go together.

Yep, you guessed it…This is for the camper. It will go on the bed for Grim and I.

I don’t know yet if I will use batting or not.

I did however find the backing I’m going to use. I went to an Estate sale last weekend and found 3 chenille blankets, King, Queen and a full for $5.

Since this looks to be about the size of a king it should work wonderfully.

This is one half. It takes up my entire dining room table.

And here is a better shot. I was able to get all the sewing of the top done today. Very happy…. My machine was warm to the touch. First time I’ve worked it out that much… LOL!

Once the rain goes away I will lay it out on the lawn and take some pictures. I don’t have anywhere big enough to lay it out in the house… LOL!

Yart

Farm Kids Law Update

Labor Department statement on withdrawal of proposed rule dealing with children who work in agricultural vocations

Thanks Phelan for the update!

Farm Kids Law

I try not to get political here. I am always so afraid of scaring off the few readers I have. But I really need to point something out. This new farm bill to help protect farm kids is just way out of line. It takes a parents right to raise a child the way they deem fit. They take away that a parent knows who is responsible to leave a child with. It takes away a chance for children to learn a work ethic.

Every summer I went to work on my Uncles farm. I milked cows, collected eggs, drove a tractor, hayed and various other things that farm kids do. I had the best time ever and always looked forward to going back the next summer. The skills that I learned and the work ethic I gained are worth more then any money I could have ever earned. I had the honor of helping a family member on a farmstead that had been in my family for 5 generations.

Today that farm is no longer part of the family. So my children will never have the opportunity to learn the skills and gain the memories that I was afforded. But if things were different they would be up there every summer also. I believe in the family farm. I believe that, that love starts young. And if these children aren’t allowed to have an active roll in our society then what will become of the family farm? Will it become part of myth and legend….  just a chapter in a child’s fairy tale, a vision on a sugar coated cereal box.

I don’t know what to say to get our political system to tread lightly instead of stomping through a china shop. But I do know that when good people do nothing evil thrives. So I am a good person making other aware of a bad situation. If you can do nothing else let others know the plight of the family farmer.

Yart

What’s Blooming

Tulips

Lilacs

Tulips

Red Bleeding Heart

White Bleeding Heart

Volunteer Pansy

Maple tree growing in the garden that will need to be moved soon.

Hostas

Lemon Balm

Apple Tree

Weed of some sort… I thought it was pretty so it stays.

Blueberry bushes… Seem to like the tires!

Work in progress. It looks so bear with nothing in there. But that will be changing soon.

Yart

Newest Afghan

Since things aren’t progressing as fast as we would have like with my uncle. I decided that he needs to have an afghan to drape over his legs when he gets to go outside. He is still in a wheelchair and will be for awhile. And once he is out of the hospital setting I think he will go back to smoking, so he will be outside quite often.

I chose a nice selection of grays. There is a light, dark and variegated. I think that I will do rows of 6, more manly. Thick and Chunky.

Since I love the ripple stitch so much what else would it be… LOL! I had started on it right before I got sick so only 3 rows done right now. I will keep you updated on the progress.

P.S. I finally got a smartphone….Just wanted to say that I love instagram! It makes my pictures way prettier then they really are….LOL!

Yart


Shared at http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2012/04/homestead-barn-hop-59.html

Rotting Crud

It has hit me with a vengeance.... It is my own fault. I allowed myself to get so upset that I broke out in hives which caused my body to go into hyper drive.... Which ultimately has allowed a cold bug to take up residence in my head. So now I'm taking Advil allergy and drinking Kefir. The tea last night did nothing to help. I figured that the probiotics should do the trick. At least that is what I'm hoping.

I'm off to lay down under all my warm blankets!

Yart

Re-Useable Paper (Cloth) Towels

I have seen these on line for sale but I thought since I was never happy with the design that I would make my own. So I bought two yards of each the towel and the cotton. First mistake The towel was 60” wide and the cotton was only 45”. So I did get as many as I thought I would have…. Beginner mistake. That’s ok, cause I still ended up with 18. They are roughly 12x12.

First thing I did was cut the fabric. I think that they will look great when there done

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Then I pined the edges so that they wouldn’t move when I sewed them. I tried several different stitches. I finally decided on a medium width zigzag. But the first 6 are all sorts of stitches… LOL! One day I might get a serger to make this type of work easier.

Here are a couple pictures of some of them after I sewed them. Not to bad as long as  you seasoned sewers don’t look to close…. LOL! One day I will learn to sew a straight line… Then again probably not.

I even purchased the snap snaper maker thingy…. LOL! I can say that it did make easy work of the snaps. I chose to use the teal, pink and red. Once all the snaps were in place I snapped the first two together and started rolling. Adding a new towel as soon as it was finished. I’m very pleased with this project and I might even make a set for inside the house. (It has been years since I bought paper towel)

Yart

WIP

Here is my latest work in progress. It is a Market Bag…. I have wanted one for forever. But I just couldn’t see spending the money they were asking for them. Because I knew I could make one if I could just figure out how to follow a pattern. Well, let me tell you…. Since I have figured out this pattern reading thing…. My world of yarn has opened up!

About two months ago I was at Hobby Lobby and found three variegated colors that I absolutely fell in love with, Agean Stripe, Jazz Stripe and Surprize Stripe. I had to have them even though I had no plan or pattern for them. They weren’t to bad on price $3.99 a skein for (4ply worsted).

So I stumble across this great site called, Mad Mad Me. And what should my wondering eyes should appear but a market bag tutorial! Yeah, ME!

As you can see I finished the first bag. I did the edge of the bag differently then the pattern because I wasn’t home when I was working on it and I thought that my memory was excellent…. Hmmmm! I guess I just a little bit off. No worries, it looks lovely! Since the first one turned out so nice I had to start the next one.

Of course the pink one is done…. no pics yet. That’s because I am currently working on the BOHO one. The colors of the Jazz Stripe remind me of BOHO style. I love these bags and they come together very quick. But three is my limit. I will now have to go out and get rid of some of the bigger store bags that I have. These take up way less space in my trunk.

Yart

I've been up to stuff

I have been working on a ton of projects that are probably better served in Winter, but I don't think that the weather here knows what season it is so, I'm going to count myself safe. I have been taking a lot of pictures to do a show and tell. I have re-usable paper towels, a quilt and lots of crocheting happening here. I have to share... Since I am still so new to reading patterns and doing so good at following them I went looking and look what found me. If you want to make these also, just click on the borrowed pictures below. I will make these one day.... SOON!

Since there is no point in having a new purse without a new jacket (hey, I gotta justify is somehow...LOL!)

I have more ambition then time or money..... Or even talent.... But I had better figure these things out cause I have more clothes that I want to crochet. First things first, gotta get the pattern for the jacket... Isn't it pretty?

Everything that should be blooming is. I have pictures of that also. What I don't have pictures of is the blossoms from the pear tree. But I will tell you that they were beautiful. My seedlings seem to be doing ok... I did start them late, in my defense they usually die anyways. They should be ready to go into the ground right around Mother's day. Good thing too, cause I still need to get over to my moms and break ground on the new garden. I don't think she realizes how big this thing is going to be..... Well, I probably should work on it when she isn't home... LOL!

We broke down and got Netflix. I really didn't think that it would be worth the $8 a month but I have been proven wrong. Yes, we are spending the money... but we haven't gone to the video store in the past month..... That would have been any where between $9 & $36, depending what came out or due to boredom. Now we turn on Netflix and find new things to us. We just got done watching a series called "The Black Donnellys". I guess it had been on TV, but we never saw it. Loved it... To bad it ended after one season.

I have gotten out to the yard. The grass has already been cut a couple time and we have had frost?!? So I really haven't been out doing to much as of yet. I'm the only one, cause Mother Nature has been busy. All of the mint and lemon balm are growing like crazy. The sage is coming back nicely and the chives already have blooms. I did find a huge patch of violets in the back. They are so pretty. There isn't enough to make jelly though. Maybe next year they will have multiplied even more.

I still face a dilemma of what to do with the garden part of the yard. I still have time but I really am a loss. I would love to plant the whole area again. There isn't a good air flow in that area. I will come up with something.... I still have a couple weeks.

I've rambled long enough.... LOL!

Yart

Update on DNR vs. Pig Farmers

When I win the lottery

This will be my house!

How to Make an Apple Cider Press (with Free Plans)

Mornings Made Easy

I need to be on auto-pilot in the mornings. So I thought I would jump on the bandwagon and make the individual baked omelets to keep in the fridge.

As you can see I got all my supplies ready. I figured I would keep it simple for the first time. Just egg and cheese.

I scrambled each egg and poured it into the mold and added less then a tablespoon of cheese to each one.

As you can see from the picture they are puffed up a bit. While they were in the oven they actually looked like soufflés.

Next time I will add sweet potatoes and maybe some sausage. They turned out very well. Enough to keep me in breakfast for the week. I love not having to think about breakfast!

Yart

Hello!

Anybody still here…. LOL! I can’t believe that we are almost through April and this is my first post of the month. I have just been so busy doing absolutely nothing that I haven’t had time to post. You all know what I mean.

I finished the pillow…. I just love the way it turned out. Most of the border around the flowers is just a double crochet. The pillow ended up on a 24x24 pillow form.

 

The leaning tower of coasters is now finished…. I know I made way to many…. Guess a giveaway might be in order?!?

My poor Tulips are all but done. That’s alright because I am going to plant them. Then I will have them next year. I actually have 2 bags of bulbs that I didn’t have time to plant in the fall that are going to hit the ground running this Spring.

We still haven’t finished the trunk yet…. We have all the wood just not the time. I was able to spend some quality time with the inside of the trailer. One of the benches is out and the staples holding the front wall are all out. Just need to take out the other bench so I can replace the front wall and the wall at the door.

Of course I am still doing the household stuff like making bread. I am kind of happy that the weather can’t make up its mind. I like the smell of bread baking and right now I have bean and ham soup on the stove cooking down.

Yart