Tag: Family

Monnie’s Treasures

Monnie was my grandmother. She was one of my favorite people. She taught me how to sew. They lived in Dearborn Michigan and we went to visit them a lot. I loved going there. They had a wonderful house (that I still dream about to this day) and always had everything a kid could want (mostly candy and a fridge full of Pop).

Monnie used to get fabric samples from Blair’s Clothing. They were little swatches maybe 1” x 2” to try and get you to buy their clothes. She saved them for me. I would sit at her sewing machine and sew all these little pieces of fabric together in one big long strip. I think this might have been the beginning of my quilting habit, even though I didn’t realize it.

Monnie was an excellent seamstress. When I went to Kindergarten, she made all my clothes. I remember when her and Grandad brought them down to our house and I had to try them all on. Funny, I remember not wanting to. I wish I had some of those clothes today. They would mean so much. But, I will have to settle for one of her quilts.

When I look at this quilt, I am not often sure what I am looking at. Sometimes I see Cubes, sometimes I see stars in the design. This was a quilt that was used every day. It was used at her house and then somehow wound up at our house and my mother used it. I have several of Monnie’s quilts. Monnie was Uncle Donald’s sister(See my post about Uncle Donald’s quilt) , so quilting is a family thing.

Funny thing,  about many of Monnie’s quilts was that a piece of a sheet was sewn across the bottom, so you could tuck it in at the base of the bed. I am pretty sure that this was the cause of my sheet tucking obsession. I must have the sheets tucked in at the bottom. I can’t stand if a foot comes out. Maybe this is a family thing too.

I love the quilt. I find it beautiful, but mostly because she made it. I hold her responsible for my quilting/sewing obsession. Thank you Monnie. I miss you dearly.
Happy Quilting

Happy Sewing

Treasure your Family

Weird Table Topper

So, this was an experiment because I have never made anything round. I used a sample fabric pack of odd fabrics. There is a store in Amish country that sells the samples they get. I love these to make small pieces. Anyway, this is one of those sample fabrics. I just wanted to see how hard it was to piece something round and bind it. I don’t think I really like the fabrics all together, but maybe I can save it for Easter.
Well, it wasn’t that hard. I like to make small pieces to give away at holidays/birthdays. I have three sisters. Funny thing about that, I didn’t realize that they even liked my quilted stuff. Then, when my mother died, all of the quilts and table toppers I had made for her disappeared. So, I am guessing that someone must have liked them.

I also plan on practicing my quilting with these. Maybe I can manage to do something other than meandering. This pattern was in an issue of Block by the Missouri Star Quilt Company. There example was red and white for holidays, which was quite lovely.
I have already cut out fabric for a few more of these, so expect to see them.

Happy Quilting

Happy Sewing

Uncle Donald’s Quilt – Yes, he made it.

My Great Uncle Donald and Aunt Helen lived on a farm in Ohio. My sister Karen and I loved to go there. The county pound was on their property and we would go play with the dogs and beg my Dad to take one home every time. I remember my Dad letting my sister drive. She was about 12. IT was a place you could do things that you normally didn’t get to do at home. We would spend hours walking on their white fence to see how far we could get without falling off. Some of my fondest memories as a child.

Well, Uncle Donald was one of nine children. He was the only boy. As Aunt Helen told me when she gave me this quilt. He didn’t have a choice. All the sisters were quilting, so if he wanted something to do, he had to join in. It is funny I have quilts form my grandmother and it wasn’t until I got Uncle Donald’s quilt that I realized how much they all meant. I now had visions of my grandmother, her sisters and Uncle Donald all sitting around quilting. I am not sure that is how it happened, but I like to think about it that way.

Uncle Donald made a beautiful quilt. I will always treasure it. I miss him, Aunt Helen and Monnie (my grandmother).
Happy Sewing
Happy Quilting
Treasure your family

Yes, I got my dog a Birthday Cake

So, it was my Moka’s birthday and being the crazy dog lady, I got her a cake. I also got special treats for the other dogs so everyone could share in the celebration. She is a crazy puppy that feels compelled to sit in my lap in a any chair (including lawn chairs). I think she thinks she is like our little dogs and figures if they can sit on my lap so can she.

Hug your pet.

Embroidered Baby Bibs for my future GrandKid?

So, While I was going through boxes of sewing supplies, fabric etc… I came across these baby bibs. I believe I made them over 20 years ago. I had no children and I was not even thinking about getting married.

Ever since my older sisters had kids and I became an Aunt, I loved making things for babies and kids. My sister Karen’s kids had the greatest Halloween costumes. I made my nephew a dinosaur once. The tail was so long and big he had to tie a roller-skate to it so he did not drag a hole in it. I made my niece Minnie mouse and a belly dancer costume. My daughter has also had a butterfly and a witch costume (with a fancy witch gown). I don’t do much costume making these days, but spend lots of time on quilts and other crafty things.

I remember making these bibs. I used Kona cotton and traced the design with a pencil while I had them taped to the sliding glass door of my single girl condo. Oh the memories. I will put these away for that Grandchild I hope to meet one day.

Happy Sewing.

Meet The Fur Babies…

Yes, I am also the crazy Dog Lady. Currently we have 4 dogs. Several are rescues. I have also fostered multiple litters of puppies. Dogs give you the most unconditional love that there is. My dog Koko, who crossed the rainbow bridge last year, helped me through the most difficult times on my life. She licked away my tears through the death of both my husbands and both my parents. She was the one thing I could always count on.

I remember when I was pregnant, I worried that Koko would be jealous of Haley. I was so wrong. I took one of Haley’s blankets at the hospital home and let her sniff it, so she would know what she smelled like before she came home. I was amazed. Koko was her biggest protector. She laid under her baby swing. When someone came to visit she would move out a few feet to be in front of the swing so she could decide who was going to get close to her baby. She knew I was pregnant before I did, laying her head on my belly. I actually thought something was wrong with her.

All the way to the Left is Moka. She is our puppy. I went to get her after my Koko died. She is a crazy girl. But I love her. She has big shoes to fill. The ones in the middle are the little dogs. The little white on is Ruger, my only male dog. He thinks I am his property. He rolls all over me as if he was making me his. He ways all of six pounds and intimidates the heck out of Moka. The Chubby Chug (Chihuahua pug Mix) is Snibble. My late Husband Derrick rescued her from a farm. There were twelve puppies and she was the only girl. She was all bit up and the boys would never let her eat. She has a totally Chihuahua attitude. The Third picture is Clover (and Moka as a puppy). She is a three legged Flat Coat Labrador. She was a rescue that we were supposed be “fostering”. That was about 9 years ago. She gets around great for a dog missing a front leg.