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In October 2019 my husband and I bought a pop up consignment business. Twice a year we set up in a gym and consignors bring items for us to display for sale. The public has 10 days to shop. We then sort it and give what didn’t sell back to the consignors. We just finished our 8th sale. Next spring will start our 5th year in business.

We have learned so much and meet some amazing people who have become our friends and family. It is fulfilling my dream of owning a business. It hasn’t been easy. Some ...

This week I’ll take you on a trip to the Alliance, Ohio, Feline Historical Foundation, better known to my friends as the cat museum. No quilts were harmed in the course of our trip, but I was reminded yet again of the lengths of collecting mania some people go to.

According to the organization’s website, the CFA Foundation’s mission is to “acquire and conserve the history of cats and show the development of the cat fancy through the acquisition of fine art, artifacts, and literature.” The museum has lots of cat show memorabilia and cat stud books ...

While I’m on vacation I’m republishing old posts. This one ties to my posts about my unknown family quilt series.

Some families pass along Confederate swords to younger generations. My family passes on sewing notions. My grandmother, mother, and aunts all sewed; and I’ve ended up with much of their sewing stuff because I’m the one in my generation who sews. Much of it is useless and good only for the landfill, such as 60 year old elastic. Some is sentimental, and some is still useful.

What’s left are buttons, Singer sewing machine attachments (and ...

Tucked away in Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands, east of Pittsburgh, is one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpieces. Fallingwater was built for the Kaufman family in the 1930s as their summer retreat. Its setting is fantastical – partly suspended over a waterfall – and totally impractical. It is a triumph of vision over reality.

For my birthday this year my husband arranged a trip there. We drove by such tourist attractions as Jellystone Park (Yogi Bear’s home) to reach the long drive up to the visitors center. Timed small group tours take you through the main house and guest house. The ...

Now that a few quilts have sold I’m adding some new items to my for sale page, with a focus on smaller works that may be just what’s needed for limited wall space. I think the new pieces are more abstract than others in the shop.

Both of the above small pieces are fused and machine stitched applique, mounted on a solid background, using a Lisa Walton technique.

Of ...

Since I am busy today with a Zoom workshop about map quilts from Valerie Goodwin I will give a few updates rather than present any new work. I hope to report on the workshop once it’s done and I’ve had time to process it.

First, all but one of my free quilts found new homes. I am so happy they have a chance of seeing someplace other than my closet. An unexpected but delightful side effect of that giveaway was the many tokens I received in return, ranging from cards to maple butter. Thank you all.

Second, the ...

Just after Christmas my husband and I headed south to Fort Myers, Florida, for a stay at my brother in law’s condo. After enduring lots of traffic bottlenecks (no, not that one in Virginia thank goodness) we arrived to temperatures … Continue reading →

Update: My machine has found a new home where she’ll be given TLC. It’s hard to part with old friends, and this is the machine I learned to sew on, but the time has come to find it a new … Continue reading →

As digital fabric printing becomes more prevalent, fabric users have even more choices for printing their own without resorting to the vagaries of their home printers. The latest SAQA Journal has a good comparison by the Pixeladies of fabric printing … Continue reading →

A friend of mine works as a nurse at one of the local hospitals. She suggested that I start making badge reels. I had no idea that this was even a thing. I did a little browsing and decided why not give it a try. I started making them back in October and to say that I was busy is an understatement. Between badge reels and Christmas ornaments I was sewing 5 days a week and trying to get our daily needs met. I have mailed them all across the country over the last 6 months.

I have discovered that ...

The Random Raffle Generator selected the following entrants to receive my pieces: Arch – Chris Wheeler Art – Kay Welch Eyes – Karen M Ferny – MaryJo K Geese – No one Opening Up – Jane Herbst Openings – Doris … Continue reading →

A very slender silver lining in the current pandemic is the ability of humans to find humor in an awful situation. Give people extra time on their hands and orders to self isolate and they get creative. With so many … Continue reading →