One Creative Family

Got up extra early this morning to wait for Destiny, but got a call saying Mary can’t get out of her driveway. Snowed in. This is a few photos I took outside my front door at 3:30am in Missouri.

It is my favorite time to be in the snow. All you hear is the sound of the tree branches as they creak under the weight of the heavy wet snow. I am saying a prayer the power lines can hold the wet snow clining to them.

Last night Hubby and I put a jigsaw puzzle together as the TV went out. We have Dish TV and the dish sits on my roof and is covered in snow. That is ok I have my radio on and am listening to music right now. As I am writing I know all is right in my part of the world. Today is the perfect day for working on sandwiching and quilting a quilt. This is what I will be doing today. Infact this is a good time to start the process.

For everyone out there be careful as you enjoy your day.

In the last month I have seen 3 Drs for my headaches. The last one was a Neurologist and said they are tension and sent me to a physical therapist. She told me that I am stressing out my neck causing tension and whe I am sewing I shouldn’t be looking down and at an angle while quilting. I need to sit lower so I am looking even with the stitching while sitting up straight. Let me ask you all out there. While working at your machine are you sitting higher and looking down at your work or are you sitting lower so you look even with the stitching? I feel like Lilly Tomlin in the big rocking chair.

I am going to try this tomorrow and see how it goes. I am 5 ft and in the mornings 5’1″ so sitting so my feet are flat on the floor is strange.

I will stop the complaining and do some hand work while I am watching TV with Hubby for a while.

Tomorrow we are getting rain and snow. Depending on which channel I listen to it could be anywhere from a dusting to 4 inches. This means I will be doing a lot of sitting at the window. It will continue into Saturday and the Poor Football Players will be playing in the snow. Hope they are ready.

Have a fun evening and talk to you tomorrow.

I hear people talking about their quilting with friends or family. I have been thinking how that may be nice. Well today I got one. Granddaughter number 5, otherwise known as Destiny, was here and was playing in the buttons and coins in a can I have. I got some odds and ends of fabric left over from previous quilts to sort thru. She started making shapes with the triangles. With that we said we sat at the sewing machine and she learned how to put blocks together.

She made 14 blocks. After each block was completed she had to go show her “Pops”. I will press and trim up these blocks and cut fabric for more blocks and maybe we will get her Baby’s blanket completed.

I think maybe next time a little older one will come to visit and quilt. This was a fun way to spend the day. Last week it was baking. This week sewing. Keeping up with a 4yr old is a workout for this Grandma, but she sure keeps me young.

Tomorrow will mark the first week of working off lists and has had me accomplish more than I thought. This has been great. My list last week had 6 items on it and so then next list will have 9 items. We will see how this goes in a month. Will I be this excited or will I be blowing it off. Time will tell.

To go along with the lists Monique Hamelinck Adams of Farmhouse Quilts, organized her FB group to join her and the American Patchwork & Quilting’s UFO Challenge. I have 1 item finished from 2018 and almost finished an new project.

Here is my list of UFOs.

Do you have some sort of changes you want to make for 2019? Any resolutions? My lists are my resolutions. I will give monthly updates. Hope you have a wonderful day.

This is a pattern for an Infinity Shell Alicia wrote a while back. Give it a try.

Infinity Shell

By Hooked2yarn

Stitches to know

Slip stitch

DC-double crochet

Sc- single crochet

Shell -5dc in same stitch

Sm V- sc, ch2, sc in same stitch

The above infinity scarf was used with Hobby Lobby’s I Love This yarn and an “I” hook. I can comfortably wrap this around my neck twice.

Ch 155, join to the first chain being careful not to twist.

Rnd 1- Ch 3 (this counts as first DC), 4dc in same stitch, skip next 3 chains, Sm V (sc, ch2 sc in same stitch), skip next 3 chains, *shell (5 dc in same stitch), skip next 3 chains, Sm V, skip next 3 chains, * repeat *to *. Join with slip stitch to top of starting chain 3.

Rnd 2-Slip stitch in next 2 dc. Chain 3 (this counts as sc, ch 3 of sm v) sc in same stitch, *Shell in chain 2 of previous sm V, Sm V in 3rd dc of previous shell*. Repeat from * to *. Join with slipstitch in ch2.

Rnd 3- Chain 3, 4dc in same stitch, Sm V in 3rd dc of previous shell, *Shell in ch 2 space, Sm v in 3rd dc of previous shell *. Repeat from *to *. Join with slip stitch to top of chain 3.

Rnd 4, repeat rows 2 & 3 to desired width.

*feel free to make and you wish, however I would appreciate it if I was given the credit for having written the pattern.

Today I worked on getting all my Christmas put away and cleaning the sewing room. Felt good to sit and see everything in it’s place. For how long? I don’t have a clue. I even got a set of placemats and napkins made. I am on a roll here. I stacked all my UFO’s to the side and have everything ready to work on. Good start. Then the phone rings and the brakes went on and I had to do some thinking. I need to come up with ideas and guidelines for the idea for Quilt Guild. Our quilt show is in April and the theme is “The Wonders of Snowflakes”. We will supply each member with a piece of fabric to be used and they have to make something by April. I am new to the Guild business and signed up to “Help” with this committee. I got appointed chairperson because no one else signed up. What kind of guidelines should there be other than the obvious? Use the fabric and represent the theme. Am I missing anything? Over thinking it?

I did manage to play with alcohol ink and a wine bottle. I do like this idea and plan on making lots more.

Glad Hubby has a drill and the bits to drill the hole in it for me.

Tomorrow will bring trying to finish up on some UFO’s, and use up some of my fabric so I will have a “good reason” to go shopping. I hope everyone has a good Friday.

We like baked potatoes, but not the tough skin from when cooked in the microwave. I found these Potato Bags. They are GREAT! All you do is wash the potato, put in the bag, and bake. These bags keep the potatoes moist, and hot till ready to serve. I have also cooked corn on the cob in it. It is a must for my kitchen. Who doesn’t like good and quick?????

Today I will show you how to make one in less than 30 min.

Supplies:

2 fat quarters (one for outside bag and one for lining 1 21×10 cotton batting or insulbrite

Finished bag.

Start by cutting your fabric and batting into rectangles of 21×10.

Now you will stack them batting first the lining (wrong side on batting) and the outside fabric face down on the lining.

Sew 1/4 inch around the rectangle leaving an opening on the bottom to turn the bag right side out.

Now turn right side out.

I top stitch the bottom to close the opening. Now fold the bottom up 10 inches and then fold the top down over the bottom you top stitched . Since my lining was black and I wanted a little showing I folded the top piece up a little to give a contrast. Now sew the sides together. If I am using this for a craft fair or a gift I insert this instruction page, giving the user some kind of directions.

Hope you enjoy this.

I’m not making any resolutions because I have an issue being successful. So this year my goals are to set weekly goals for health, and being more organized. Over the years I find that the more I am home retired, the less I actually focus on getting done. I have been wanting to paint the inside my houses for 3 yrs now and I keep putting things off. So this year a weekly list is being made(I have started already).

This is the time that I start making items for the summer craft fairs. Today found me making microwave bowl cozies, (9 made), a set of place mats, cutting the scraps for these into 2 1/2 inch strips, and squares. More for tomorrow.

Hope everyone has a wonderful and safe New Year’s Eve. See you in 2019.

I have been cleaning the sewing room and trying to organize things so I can find what I want when I want to. Glad that part is done now I need to decide what to do with the fabric I have that is for clothing. I may donate it. We will see.

I did finish my flower wall hanging. The only thing I am not happy with is that there hasn’t been any sun the last few days to be able to photograph it outside so all the beading will show up. I will post of photo of it when the sun comes out. In the mean time here it is.

This will be short as I have to be up at 4am for Destiny. Mom’s hours changed from late at night to early in the morning. Destiny will be 4 tomorrow and we have a big day planned for her.

Have a great day.

With New Years just around the corner, I have been thinking of “New Year’s Resolutions”. My resolution is to make weekly lists and journal more. I also joined in on a Quilting UFO Challenge with APQS and Farmhouse Quilts. The first thing I needed to work on was the Flower Wallhanging. I decided to add beads to it. I think this is looking better with the beads. I am asking for your thoughts on this.

More beads is needed.

What are your plans for the New Year? Any big special plans? Big special projects?

2019 will be bringing more to the One Creative Family. Granddaughters are wanting to add more to the group. That will be nice. Let me introduce you to the family of crafters.

Back Row: Allen and Kay Adams(Ashley’s parents), Alicia(Daughter), Me, Gary(hubby), Jimmy(son) Front Row: Alexis(Granddaughter) Emily(Granddaughter), Cecilia(Granddaughter), Katelin(Granddaughter), Mary(Daughter)Destiny, & Ashley(Daughter in law). Here we are one big crazy, fun loving family.

Ugly Sweater contest Christmas Day. Alicia won(2nd from right).

Have a wonderful 2019.