Second verse, same as the first.

A full day of sewing and I only managed to get eight more linen and lace blocks done. They are really tedious and take a while to prep and sew, but they are going to look nice in the memory quilt. With yesterday's eight, I now have sixteen...only fourteen to go! I'm sorry about the pictures. They don't photograph very well.

Lace on pale pink

Lace on a turning twenty block

Lace pillow case hem and a hanky butterfly

Lace and a crocheted doily

A 100 year old christening gown, worn by four generations

Great-Grandma's hand embroidered hanky, carried by her, her daughter, and her granddaughter at their weddings.

Its hard to see it, but the baby dress has the name 'Pat' embroidered on it

One quarter of a square table cover, mounted on pale pink.

Mr Wazoo kept busy in the man cave quilting this Christmas project.

This pretty jelly roll race quilt will be a cheerful addition to the quilter's decorations.

Panto: Holly Berries

The pattern looks even better on the back.

I finished the chicken quilt by making and sewing on the binding today. After show and tell at the guild, I will hang it on the living room quilt ladder.

Back to hand work for the evening. More block sewing tomorrow.

Linen and lace progress

After a morning filled with errands and appointments, I finally got to work and made some progress with the antique linen and lace quilt. Most of the blocks are cut from the pillow cases and table cloths, but some are from my stash. I made some Turning Twenty blocks to supplement the plain blocks, and add a bit of color. The doilies are a nice touch to the plain blocks. I folded one doily that was torn, and made a little basket from it. The handle and lace insert are more of the items I have to work with. The quilt is coming along, but it is tedious and slow.

I start the blocks by pinning components on the background fabric. This background is from an antique pillow case.

Here is the hand embroidered hanky and a beautiful crocheted coaster sewn down with invisible thread

This is the little basket made from a torn doily and some crocheted lace.

These hand made doilies are remarkable!

Some are made of thin crocheted strands

Others have complicated repeating patterns

                             

This block has a border attached with hand done faggoting. The original piece was a small table cloth I cut in quarters. I had a circle of lace and a doily layered before sewing.

                           

Blocks lined up and ready to sew

Blocks, linens, baby clothes and lace...stay tuned for more fun!

While I sewed the lace blocks, the Millie was perking along in the background on a customer quilt...until the last row. The backing was 2 inches too short!! GAAAHHH!! I took the quilt off, added to the bottom of the backing, re-loaded it, and quilted the last row. Then I left it for today, since I have to get two pillow sham backs out of the same fabric!! I hope they fit. I measured everything and knew it was going to be close...my bad.

With the quilt all bunched up on the cabinet, I carefully sewed the strip of backing to the original backing. Fortunately, I had the backs for the pillow covers to use for the backing extension.

With the quilt reloaded, I was able to finish the last row of quilting.

The best way to finish the entire project was to butt the pillow tops to the bottom of the finished quilt and just keep quilting across them until I finished.

Ta-Da! The finished quilt. And its a beauty.

Digital panto: Frolic

The pesky, but pretty back

These are the pillow covers

Mr Wazoo worked in his man cave, diligently finishing quilts for customers near and far.

This bits and pieces quilt was made from orphan blocks. I remember the original quilts! They were nice, but this one is exciting to me.

                             

Panto: Flourish

A local customer made this colorful quilt using the new Grunge dots fabrics.

Panto: Bubbles

This lovely quilt is mostly batiks. Perfect for Fall!

I forget the name of the panto, but it is all leafy and pretty.

You can see the design better on the back.

A fun footnote! My friend, Audrey Hiers, is one of the featured quilters in the Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks magazine. Today, I went to her house and did a little interview for the local newspaper, and took her picture. We had a pleasant morning, chatting about quilting and all the things we have in common. Quilters are a wonderful family, and that's what makes quilting such a joy. We all share the same feeling of accomplishment when we finish a quilt and give it away. We are quietly leaving our legacy for the next generation. That's another reason I love my job!

My friend, Audrey

Busy days, but not quilting!

On Monday, I taught the second block for my guild Block of the Month, and we all had fun making it. The other time eaters were shopping for groceries and having my broken glasses repaired. (I accidentally stepped on them after they fell off the nightstand during the night) Today, I went to Demorest and signed up for my Medicare supplemental insurance, and then treated myself to a stop at the newest quilt shop, Quilts N'Kaboodle in Cleveland, GA. They have a good selection of every type of quilting fabric. From Civil War to the nicest modern fabrics and Kaffe Fassetts. I love the Pepper Cory shot cottons, and they have a bunch of those, as well as some really pretty blenders. A really great shop for a newbie. I managed to drop some serious coins there...
I promised to show you the repair I just finished, so here are a few before and after pictures.

Oooiee! This was a really big hole!

another hole

This was the biggest hole

Most of the holes that wen through the quilt looked like this

And looked like this on the back.

All fixed and ready to go home!! I also replaced the binding, and gave the quilt a much needed bath!

I made a block and stitched it over the giant hole. The rest of the holes have patches the same as the original backing fabric color. Wnen I removed the binding, the backing was this dark underneath. I imagine that over time, the new fabric will dull down.

Mr Wazoo got a jump on the Christmas preparations during the rainy days we've had recently. He put up the tree and added the lights. Over the next few weeks we'll add the ornaments. Only 40 days to go!!

This sad note was in my in box today. Being from Wisconsin, I have been to Nancy's Notions many times, to shop, take classes and attend her open warehouse events. I loved her program on PBS and learned so many sewing and quilting techniques. She will be greatly missed.

                           

To Nancy's many fans,

It is with a heavy heart that we share sad news with you. After a long battle with cancer, our dear friend and colleague Nancy passed away at home, surrounded by family, on November 14. A private funeral service is planned with family and close friends. We know that you join us in mourning and in expressing our deepest sympathies to the Zieman family.

Nancy was beloved throughout our industry. She not only served as an icon, but as a leader who paved the way for many other women to become entrepreneurs and business leaders.

Nancy founded Nancy's Notions in 1979. St. Louis' Tacony Corporation purchased the company in 2003, and Nancy stayed on as the company's chief spokesperson, teacher, and creative voice.

Nancy also founded the Public Television show Sewing with Nancy in 1982 - now the longest-running sewing and quilting program on North American television. She authored multiple sewing how-to books and inspired countless sewing enthusiasts across the U.S. and the world.

In lieu of cards and flowers, her family suggests that donations be made in Nancy's name to Wisconsin Public Television (https://wptschedule.org/Donate/) or to Hillside Hospice in Beaver Dam, Wis. (https://bdch. com/how-you-can-help).

We also encourage you to share your memories of Nancy's life and how she inspired you via the Nancy's Notions Facebook page or on her blog at nancyzieman.com/blog.

We extend our deepest sympathies to Nancy's family, as well as her many friends, colleagues, and fans.

Thank you, Nancy, for a life filled with inspiration, education, and grace. We will all miss you so much.

Yours,
Mike Schuster
General Manager

A whole week?! Oh my!!

I can't believe how quickly the last week went by. We have been busy quilting, but also on the go to visit our twin daughters. Jenny flew to Charlotte to see Carolyn, and we all got together in Asheville for a day of touring and shopping. I certainly got my ten thousand steps in that day!!
I'll just post gobs of photos here to catch you up on Wazoo. How's that sound?

Mr W did this Autumnal quilt.

Panto: Forest Floor

Two little quilts for new Grandbabies

Panto: Dazzle

another baby quilt

Panto: Popcorn

Here's a colorful Take Five quilt

The panto is Small Splat

A customer made this nice Tee shirt quilt for a college bound Grandson

Memories

Panto: Dazzle

Here is another tee shirt quilt bound to be a Christmas present!

Our go-to panto for these is Dazzle

I love this cool dinosaur quilt!

Panto: Popcorn

Nifty back, too!

Wow! This is beautiful!!

Panto: Daisy Swirl

Daisies on the back, too.

Another customer made this tee shirt quilt for a granddaughter.

Panto: Swirlz

It has the softest pink backing.

Bum-bum-bum badda bum badda bum...Star Wars!!

Panto: Starry

Star Wars on the back

I worked on the chicken quilt a bit every day

A happy Octogenarian made this pretty Christmas quilt

Panto: Snowflakes

The back is pretty cool, too.

She also made this Warm Wishes Oriental quilt.

Panto: Fanciful

Lovely backing

Whatever this collection is, I love it. 

All the fabrics had shabby chic rose patterns on them

Digital panto: Roses

Yet another customer made tee shirt quilt for a grandson

Dazzle, again.

Meanwhile, I got this fun picture of the twins in a text. They are as kooky as their mom!

I have started a commission quilt from vintage linens and laces made by the customer's Mother and Grandmother.

It is a bit intimidating to cut up family heirlooms...

Tiny, fragile christening gown

Hand crocheted and tatted lace

Oh yes...I quilted the chicken quilt!

With a chickenwire pattern

I like this happy floral for the back. It will have black and white striped binding.

I put the last patch on the blue log cabin repair today, and ran it through a wash. Wait until you see it! That will be on tomorrow's post. We've all had enough pictures for one day!