Fore!!

I don't actually play golf, but just about everyone I've met in Michigan since moving here does.  I am a church musician and often hear people on a particularly lovely Sunday morning longing for the golf course.  So I was thinking there should be one right next to the church.  I can just imagine that moment of indecision on Sunday mornings (the clubs are probably already in the trunk...along with the plaid pants and white shoes...).

It's a given that I would add a horse (and an apple snack stack) in the quilt.  My daughter rides and loves horses.  The additions are mostly glue basted, I still need to stitch them down and embellish with embroidery.

I have been thinking hard, trying to find some humorous inspiration for a church sign.  If anyone has a suggestion, I'd love your help/input.  This block will be positioned between the golfing and redneck house, if that gets your creative juices flowing.  LOL

The redneck block is now completely finished!  Only two more to finish.

The new washer is in and I'm trying to decide if I like it.  It is a high efficiency model with no agitator.  It uses very little water.  I gently pre-wash all my fabric.  It removes some of the excess sizing and dye (which my skin is sensitive to) and cuts down on later shrinkage and fading (and freezer paper and fusible materials adheres better when ironed onto washed fabric). 

I used to just put the appropriate amount of water in the tub, dump in some fabric, let it soak a while with no soap, hand-agitate a little, then spin and dry.  Of course, my husband usually walks by while I am hand-agitating and he quips something like, "you know...I think those machines will do that for you..."

He's hilarious.

I inherited this pile of scraps some time ago and decided I'd experiment on them.  They got a little stringy...I sort of expected that...should have put them in a lingerie bag.  Then I tried a very large (6+ yards) piece of new backing.  I ended up pinking the edges first.  It went well.

I tried using the "quick wash" cycle and I never really knew what was going on in there (it locks the lid so I can't just open up and take a peep).  I'm going to have to experiment further.  Any suggestions?

I am so close to finishing the last 3 blocks of this quilt.  I am also going back and adding a few things to the other finished nine blocks...just some animals and the odd piece of lawn art.  How I am going to do the sun is slowing me down.  Then I can add the "road" skinny stop border, the outer border, and the cars.  I can't wait to do the cars!!

Barb over at Fun With Barb has a great blog and recently posted about finding her favorite thimble.  When I saw the picture of it, I understand why she was so happy...it is beautiful!  It made me start thinking about my favorite thimbles (and wanting one like hers...covet-lust-drool-covet-lust-drool). 

The thing on my finger is a reusable leather adhesive pad called 'Thimble Pads' from Colonial Needle.  I like to use them sometimes when I am hand appliqueing or binding.

The one on the left was my Grandmother's thimble (on my mom's side).  It is only shiny where it is handled a lot.

The middle thimble is one of the three Roxanne's thimbles I have purchased over the years.  It is brass.  I also have a gold plated one and a silver one.  I was really disappointed with the gold one, as the plating blistered and peeled off on the inside and now turns my finger green!  Ick!  The silver one has lost it's luster on the inside, but is still satisfactory.  The brass one has been better, though more expensive.

I LOVE my Roxanne's thimble (can also be purchased through Colonial Needle), but the weight can be a little trying sometimes, especially in cold, dry seasons.  I was teaching a hand quilting class one time, and I was apparently gesturing too wildly with my hands, trying to make some stupid point.  The heavy brass thimble flew off my finger and hit one of my students in the chest!  I was mortified!

I've started licking my finger before putting it on to create a suction...pretty unsanitary now that I think of it.  That's probably not good for the inside surface.  I was very careful in choosing the size, but we all know that our fingers vary in size from day to day (one reason I have 3 thimbles - 3 different sizes).

Every now and then I finish another basket...this is a slow, slow, long term project.

We have snow on the ground now and will be under a Winter Weather Advisory tonight for 4-5 more inches(of course - it is band Solo and Ensemble competition weekend, and the weather is traditionally bad that weekend every year...sigh).  I hope you folks on the northeast are coping with your snowy winter...you just can't seem to get a break!

In stitches,
Teresa  :o)