I Want To Wish You A Merry Christmas—Arizona Style!
Tag Archives: quilting
Tu-Na Travels: I Want To Wish You A Merry Christmas-Arizona Style #4
3 Replies
One of the entries in our annual village Holiday Golf Cart parade.
Tu-Na Eats: Cranberry Pineapple Sauce
It isn’t the holidays without some of Mom’s Cranberry Pineapple Sauce.
I made some for Thanksgiving and I imagine I’ll be making more for Christmas. In fact, it’s the only cranberry sauce recipe that I make anymore. I’ve tried a bunch of different recipes but I seem to always come back to this one. So I thought you might like to make it, too.
Fresh plump red cranberries say Thanksgiving and Christmas are coming. I usually buy several extra bags to throw in the freezer to use during the year. Funny thing is that we found about 12 packages when we cleaned out the freezer this fall. Rinse the fresh or frozen cranberries.
Seems like this time of year the days go by so fast and there is so much to do. This sauce cooks up quickly and stays for several days in the fridge.
Usually, I buy crushed pineapple for this recipe but I accidently grabbed some tidbits instead. “No problem,” said the food chopper as it quickly turned those tidbits into tiny little pieces. Like I always told my kids when they were little, “There’s always more than one way to solve a problem.” Since I only buy pineapple packed in it’s juice, I drain the juice and use it as part of the liquid called for in the recipe. Once the pineapple is drained, I add water to the measuring cup to make the two cups needed.
It even tastes better if you make it a day or two ahead.
Boil the juice, water, and sugar for 5 minutes. I use a large kettle and stay close by.
Add the cranberries and boil without stirring until all the skins are popped open (about 5 minutes). That popping is like music to my ears. In fact, when I no longer hear the popping sounds, it tells me it’s done.
I usually can’t help myself and stir it once or twice to check on the bottom layers. Besides that, I find stirring food at the stove to be comforting.
Once all the skins are popped, remove from the heat and add in the pineapple. Chill for several hours before serving. It can even be made a day ahead of serving.
Here’s the recipe. Let me know if you make it.
Mom’s Cranberry Pineapple Sauce
- 2 cups sugar (less if you like it more tart)
- 2 cups liquid (pineapple juice plus water)
- 4 heaping cups fresh or frozen cranberries, rinsed
- 1 large can (20 oz.) crushed pineapple, drained
Drain the pineapple into a two cup measuring cup. Add enough water to make a total of 2 cups of liquid. Combine the sugar, pineapple juice/water in a large kettle. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Add the rinsed cranberries and boil without stirring until all the skins are popped, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add the pineapple, stirring well. Chill in refrigerator several hours before serving.
I like it so well that I wouldn’t have to bother eating anything else for the meal.
What I Learned Today:
- My mouth is watering as I write this post so it must be time to make another batch.
- Cranberries sure have become expensive. It seems like just yesterday that I could buy a bag for 59 cents.
- I’ve always wanted to attend a cranberry festival somewhere. I remind myself of that fact each year at this time. One of these years, I’ll have to remind myself earlier in the year so I can do just that.
- My mom is a very good cook. Thanks mom!
Question: What is your favorite holiday food to make or it just wouldn’t seem like the holidays?
Tu-Na Travels: I Want to Wish You A Merry Christmas–Arizona Style #3
Just in case you were wondering how Santa gets to Arizona.
Tu-Na Travels: Tu-Na Helper’s Side of the 2016 Quilt MN Shop Hop
You’ve heard from me about how fantastic our 2016 Quilt Minnesota Shop Hop trip was and I know at least a few of you have asked what my husband had to say about it. To satisfy your curiosity, I asked my husband if he’d share his thoughts about the trip. He was my helper: paid for everything, chauffeured me around, found things for me in shops that I had missed, and was in charge of taking interior and exterior shop photos while I interviewed and shopped. Without further ado, here’s Tu-Na Helper….
Hi everyone! Who’d have thought that I would be the talk of the internet (or at least this blog) and I am not even running for President! Yes. I accompanied my wife Karen on the MN Shop Hop not only this year, but for a total of three years now. I’m sure some of you think I may not have a life of my own. Not true! I have my own interests and hobbies that keep me more than occupied at times.
Here we are taking a selfie at the giant mosquito poster just outside of the Sweetwater Cotton Shoppe in Paynesville, MN. Had I known that this would be my internet debut, I would have combed my hair!
But first, where did my nickname come from? Well, we offered to bring my sister-in-law along for a day on the hop. Karen explained to her that she was going to blog about our journey and that I was taking photos for her blog. Karen told her that the name of the blog was “Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats”. My sister-in-law immediately piped up and said ” Oh, so that would make you Tu-Na Helper”. We had a good laugh about that. But unfortunately for me, the nickname seems to have stuck. What makes it even more unfortunate is that I do not even like tuna (fish)! Oh well, I’m a tough guy. I can take it.
So why would a husband agree to spend all this time shopping for fabric with his wife? I guess I do not think of it as lost time. I get to spend quality time with my wife doing something she enjoys (which also means she is in a pretty good mood). I enjoy looking for unique quilts and decorations that can be found on display in the shops. We also get to see areas in Minnesota that we otherwise would not get to see. Even after three times around the state, we manage to find something new and interesting. We are usually pretty focused on getting to our next destination, but we do look for some unique eateries for our evening meals. A couple of my favorites were Sherwood Forest near Nisswa, MN, and The Sawmill Saloon in Virginia, MN.
I found this quilt design particularly intriguing. It is called Gentlemen’s Agreement and was displayed at the Calico Hutch Quilt Shop in Hayward, MN.
On this trip we also took time off one afternoon to take a sailboat ride on Lake Peppin. It was both exhilarating and relaxing. On our way back to the dock we saw this hearty group of sailors out for a spin. I could not resist taking a photo or two. One never knows what wonderful sights you will come across when you take in the world around you.
I do enjoy helping Karen find some of the fabrics she needs. I have a fairly good eye for color matches if she has an idea of what she needs or a piece of fabric she is trying to match or contrast. I also monitor her spending to some extent. I know that it may not seem that way now that you have seen her loot, but believe me, it could be worse.
One of the sayings she frequently hears me remind her of is to “Spread the love”. What I mean by that is that she should not buy all the fabric she wants in one shop. Since we plan to visit all the shops on the hop we try to spread our purchases to as many shops as possible. We did not find items to purchase in every shop, but there was only a handful that we missed. The shops all go through a lot of expense and effort to hold the shop hop. Their reward is some additional business, sales, and recognition. While I understand that it is unrealistic to make a purchase in every shop, I feel that is also rude for a hopper to run in, get their passport stamped, and run back out without even looking around the shop a bit. Half the fun of the hop is talking to the shop’s owners and staff and seeing some of the fantastic quilts they have in their shops. Sorry about that, I will get off of my soapbox now…
A little more about my role as “Tu-Na Helper”. Using the Quilt Minnesota website to get the list of participating shops, I plan our route using an online site to find the most efficient route. While this is very helpful, it usually changes more than once along the way. Load the car, fuel the car, and we are on our way. My new role as photographer for the shop hop posts kept me busy while Karen would talk to the staff and do her shopping. I always ask someone on staff if they have any issues with me taking pictures in their store. Most shops have no problem but there are a few who prefer that no photos be taken. I honor those requests. I take my photographer role ‘very’ seriously. So seriously, in fact, that I took over a thousand photos! See what I mean!
This cute little saying met us at the door of Sadie Rae’s Quilt Shop in Wilton, MN. It applied pretty well to Karen. The amount of creativity that is shown in all the quilt shops is simply amazing. And yes, I said “cute” and I am man enough to admit it.
We usually do not know where we will end up at the end of the day. By mid afternoon we have a better idea and I can check ahead to see where we can get a room. It’s more exciting that way don’t ya know! The only time we had much of an issue was last year in the southern part of Minnesota along Interstate 90. The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally overlaps the Quilt Hop and every room within 30 miles of I90 was booked. In calling around I tried the Old Railroad Inn Bed & Breakfast in Jackson, MN. Luckily, they had just had a cancellation from a biker who had engine trouble earlier in the day and was not able to get to Jackson that day. We had a great night there!
Earlier I stated that I had my own interests too. I am an avid gardener and tend to supply my family with all the summer vegetables they can handle. We have a small fruit tree orchard as well. We have nine apple trees that are providing a record harvest this year. We have been cidering apples these past two weekends and have already pressed 134 gallons of apple cider with our cider press along with the help of family and friends. So what do you do with that much apple cider you may ask. Well, you ask everyone you know if they have any freezer room to store it. So far so good! Actually, fresh apple cider is a great tasting healthy drink. If that doesn’t suit you, we also take several gallons of cider to our local vintner to turn into apple wine. Doesn’t that sound better!
This is the reward for a day’s work at the cider press.
I also enjoy photography and reading ( I prefer science fiction stories). Having retired from an information technology job I still try to keep up with what’s new in that field as well as any new personal technology developments. I have started entering my photos in some local contests with limited success.
This photo, “Apache Lake Vista”, earned an honorable mention in a people’s choice photo show.
This past week our local library had their annual used book sale. Books are sold by the pound at the sale, at one dollar a pound. Now that’s a deal! I got a little carried away, but in my defense I was shopping for four people. I even picked up one book for Karen. However, the vast majority were books for me. My purchase totaled sixty dollars! When I told Karen how much I spent she didn’t make a fuss. After all, what could she say after all the loot she picked up on the hop? Hmmm… I wonder if the library book sale is still open tomorrow…
Well, I think I have used up enough space here. I hope you enjoyed it. I know Karen is excited about her blog and hopes that you will continue to follow her posts. Her blog is currently being read in 42 countries. I certainly never expected her to have so much success in such a short time. Enjoy life and stay safe!
What I, “Tu-Na Helper,” Learned Today:
- A person can get pretty cold while picking apples on a windy 40 degree F day.
- We would never be able to use up all our apples without the help of family and friends.
- Happy wife, happy life.
Question: What is your favorite apple desert?
Thanks to my husband for being a good sport and writing this guest post. I’ll be back soon with a story about that plus quilt and some apple eats.
Linking to
Can I Get a Whoop Whoop (button on the sidebar)
Finished or Not Friday (button on the sidebar)
Em’s Scrapbag Moving It Forward
Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday (button on sidebar)
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
Tu-Na Travels: The Listed “Loot”
I left home for the Quilt MN Shop Hop this summer with a list in my purse and a song in my step. Granted, I added onto that list while I was on the hop but I just couldn’t figure out why my favorite pair of Birkenstock’s squeaked when I walked.
You’ve all been patiently waiting for my next loot post so I hope I don’t disappoint you. If you need to catch up with that fun quilting shop hop trip, catch the links on this post and then here, here and here.
First, lets take a look at the list of things my mom wanted me to find for her: Airplane fabric, two spools of Aurifil thread, and a Sewline Fabric Pencil. Mission accomplished.
The airplane fabric on the right was the first score on the trip at the very first shop. One thing crossed off the list. “But I need more than one yard,” mom said when I excitedly told her later that day that I’d found some airplane fabric on clearance. So I spent the next 6 days looking for more. We found almost identical fabric but with smaller planes. I took all that was on the bolt–almost two yards.
The big item on my list was fabric for a Minecraft quilt for my oldest grandson who is seven and enjoys playing that computer game. He’s already picked out the blocks he wants from the pattern on the Seriously, I Think It Needs Stitches blog. On the shop hop, we found lots of solids and other interesting fabric for me to use for that quilt. I will have a nice selection to choose from when I begin that project.
One yard cuts of every color of the rainbow in these two pictures. Yes, I know there’s probably enough for three quilts here.
But I still need to buy some black–a lot of black for the sashing and borders and back. When we got to the quilt shop in Mankato, I found red, blue, and yellow Color Union by Robert Kaufman. They were out of that perfect black and so I searched and asked at each of the remaining 47 shops if they had any but sadly it was not to be found. I guess I’ll be doing some online searching now.
One of my readers asked me if there was anything that I’d bought on the hop that I now scratch my head and wonder “why on earth” or “what was I thinking?” I originally purchased these three 1-yard cuts for use in the minecraft quilt, but now I am scratching my head and wondering why on earth, what was I thinking?
I also listed more black and white fabrics to add to my black and white quilt. I have enough for a king-sized quilt (which I was planning to make anyway) and probably a couple more smaller size ones too. My Arizona quilting group has a black and white and one other color challenge this year. I think I’m all set in the black and white department.
More one yard cuts to add to my collection. Do you see a theme here? I really do like daisies. Can you tell?
A couple more interesting ones.
And my favorite! Why did I buy only 1 yard?
1930 Repro fabrics were also on my list. I looked for them last year and they were hard to find and when I did find them most of them were on clearance. Which was very good for last year. This year more stores had them but I didn’t find many in the clearance section. Which was not very good for this year.
Thirteen cuts of one yard each. Yes, I know I picked up a duplicate. See the ones on each of the ends. Now, how did that happen?
Twelve more yards of fun prints.
I also had this iron cleaner on the list. I bought some of these sheets last year as a notion promotion and was hoping I’d find more this year. I should have taken two.
Have you used this yet? It works great!
Aurifil thread was on my list so I bought two spools.
Cream and gray are the only colors I seem to use lately. I probably should have bought more of these, too.
Oh, I was so excited to find these wonderful perfect little scissors by Karen Kay Buckley. Yes, they were on my list! They are very pointed and very sharp and have a tendency to become lost. I bought two last year on the hop and one the year before. I gave mom a pair last year. I have already lost both of mine. So this year I bought two more and they were even on sale. With my history of losing things, I should have bought a few more.
Have you tried these? I really like them. Mom informed me today that she can’t find hers either.
I looked and asked at each shop for fabric that portrayed prairie with rocks so that I can make another covered wagon block like this one. Having previously bought only a fat quarter of that perfect prairie with rocks, there isn’t enough to make another block. I began the search and found the piece below on day 7.
While it’s close to what I used before, this one has more rocks and more green grass than I’d like. However, I took one yard anyway, just in case I didn’t find anything better.
That was the extent of the list but not the extent of this big pile. I still have more to reveal.
Up next: The Big Splurge (The things that weren’t on my list but still followed my plan to like all that I buy so I couldn’t leave them behind)
Coming Soon: Guest post by Tu-Na Helper (my husband) regarding his thoughts and impressions of the shop hop trip.
What I Learned Today:
- If I think I might use it, buy enough the first time.
- A fat quarter is not enough in most cases.
- Label my scissors just like in kindergarten. Oh, and also label my mom’s.
- Some scissors seem to have legs.
Question: What have you lost lately?
Tu-Na Quilts: Presenting Anne’s Flower
Ideas do not just happen. They begin with a thought, a need, a picture, an object; some thing that jars the brain to think about making something either for the first time or making an existing object/idea better. The beautiful purple coneflowers were the inspiration behind Anne’s Flower block.
I took this pic of the coneflower with my old Nokia phone in 2011. Camera phones and my photographing ability sure have improved since then. But I think you get the idea.
This pic was taken last year outside of Old Alley Quilt Shop in Sherburn, MN. The coneflowers were just as beautiful when I was there this summer, but I didn’t get a close-up of them.
I featured Old Alley Quilt Shop on Day 2 of my 2016 Quilt MN Shop Hop posts. You can read more about this great shop here. Look for more posts about all my loot that I acquired on that hop and a perspective from my husband as Tu-Na Helper coming up soon.
Now back to the task at hand—designing a quilt block to meet the challenge. When these fabrics from Cloud 9 arrived, my brain saw a purple coneflower.
From the left: Amazon, Sky, Shadow, Iris, and Lilac
Since my artistic drawing abilities consist of stick men and daisies, my daughter-in-law encouraged me to try anyway and provided me with a sketch from which to work.
I’ve already seen paper-pieced and appliqued coneflower quilt patterns. This meant I needed to think of a new way to approach making this flower out of fabric. As I looked at the flower petals, I saw a resemblance to the Dresden plate and decided to design this block using that method. I wanted to keep it mostly pieced and keep applique to a minimum.
Mission accomplished! I think it resembles the drawing above and looks like a coneflower.
The stem involves sewing a curved piece. This was my first attempt at sewing on a curve (not counting setting in sleeves) but it was very easy.
If you have never sewn a curved seam, don’t worry, I had not either. My recommendations: DO NOT pin-just sew, clip the curves about half-way to the seam, and press well.
Although I’ve designed several other quilt blocks for use in my grandson’s Little House Quilt, I’ve never done a tutorial about it. This required making sure the pattern could be made more than once by just following the written directions.
For the most part, it worked the second time. So a couple of revisions were needed and we are done.
Two of Anne’s Flower blocks. Which one do you like?
This pattern can be purchased at Tu-Na’s Pattern Shop on Payhip here. You’ll find all the information (templates, instructions, pics of the process, and tips) you need to make this block in the pattern for Anne’s Flower. I could see a whole quilt made of these. Let me know if you make a coneflower using my pattern. I would enjoy seeing a pic of it and reading about how the pattern worked for you.
What I Learned Today:
- I have a new appreciation for pattern writers. It’s harder than I thought.
- Everything takes longer than I expect. Even in retirement, I need to work on my time management skills.
- It is practically impossible to take a picture of myself while I am sewing.
Question: Have you designed a block or quilt? Tell me about it and what inspired you to create that specific design.
You can find all of the blocks on this New Block Blog Hop by clicking on the links below. Many thanks to Cloud 9 Fabrics for providing the beautiful fabric and our hosts Yvonne, Cheryl, and Stephanie for arranging this event. So go check out the other blocks, you might find one or two you’d like to make.
Monday, September 12th
Host: Yvonne @Quilting Jetgirl
Abigail @Cut & Alter
Janice @Color, Creating, and Quilting!
Lorinda @Laurel, Poppy, and Pine
Melva @Melva Loves Scraps
Renee @Quilts of a Feather
Kathryn @Upitis Quilts
Kim @Leland Ave Studios
Amanda @this mom quilts
Holly @Lighthouse Lane Designs
Irene @Patchwork and Pastry
Jennifer @Dizzy Quilter
Karen @Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats (You are here)
Anne @Said With Love
Suzy @Adventurous Applique and Quilting
Sharla @Thistle Thicket Studio
Kathleen @Smiles From Kate
Amanda @Gypsy Moon Quilt Co.
Sarah @Sarah Goer Quilts
Chelsea @Patch the Giraffe
Jinger @Trials of a Newbie Quilter
Anja @Anja Quilts
Daisy @Ants to Sugar
Tuesday, September 13th
Host: Cheryl @Meadow Mist Designs
Jennifer @The Inquiring Quilter
Sarah @123 Quilt
Leanne @Devoted Quilter
Jen @Patterns By Jen
Jennifer @RV Quilting
Amanda @Quiltologie
Sharon @Yellow Cat Quilt Designs
Jen @A Dream and A Stitch
Jen @Faith and Fabric
Carole @Carole Lyles Shaw
Stephanie @Quilt’n Party
Susan @Sevenoaks Street Quilts
Katrin @Now What Puppilalla
Amista @Hilltop Custom Designs
Nicole @Handwrought Quilts
Marla @Penny Lane Quilts
Silvia @A Stranger View
Sarah @Smiles Too Loudly
Carrie @the zen quilter
Mary @Quilting is in My Blood
Velda @GRANNYcanQUILT
Wednesday, September 14th
Host: Stephanie @Late Night Quilter
Kathy @Kathys Kwilts and More
Paige @Quilted Blooms
Mary @Strip Quilts Pass it On
Allison @Woodberry Way
Seven @The Concerned Craft
Olusola @Alice Samuel’s Quilt Co.
Ann @Brown Paws Quilting
Jodie @Persimmon + Pear
Vicki @Orchid Owl Quilts
Kitty @Night Quilter
Francine @Mocha Wild Child
Shelley @The Carpenter’s Daughter who Quilts
Jayne @Twiggy and Opal
Geraldine @Living Water Quilter
Shannon @Shannon Fraser Designs
Lisa @Sunlight In Winter Quilts
Jessica @Quilty Habit
Cassandra @The (not so) Dramatic Life
Deanna @Stitches Quilting
Denise @Craft Traditions
Linking with
Pink Doxies for #BraveQuilter (I completed my goal to design a block and write a tutorial for it and then bravely posted it for the world to see.)
Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt
Main Crush Monday at Cooking up Quilts
Let’s Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts (button in the sidebar)
Myra at Busy Hands Quilt for Finished or Not Friday (button on sidebar)
TGIFF (Thank Goodness It’s Finished Friday)
Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? at Confessions of a FabricAddict
Caroline at Sew Can She for Show Off Saturday
Tu-Na Quilts: Where the Magic Happens
This post could also be titled Where the Creative Mess Occurs.
Tu-Na Travels on the Quilt MN Loot posts will continue after this brief overview of my sewing space.
Melva at Melva Loves Scraps is hosting a linky party where you can see other quilter’s sewing spaces and quilting studios. I plan to check them all out to get some organizing and decorating ideas. You’re invited too.
My sewing space is in the laundry room on the lower level of our house. I really meant to get that valance finished for your visit but I’ve been rather busy lately. I recently added a window shade to protect my fabric from the sun when I’m not in the room.
Welcome to my Sewing/Quilting area. I’m so glad you came to visit.
My husband recently installed a shelf above the window so I could display my button collection in vintage canning jars and
fabric pre-cuts and a few quilting books.
A shelf under the window is a fun place to put some decorations and a jar full of ring pincushions as well as the Tide. I used to work with children, so those blocks are the perfect decoration for me.
My sewing desk holds more quilting books. My fat quarters fit nicely in those plastic bins. A cookie jar holds a nice surprise.
I like to call them cookies. These are the good kind of cookies to have around–low calorie and no information is disclosed.
A plastic tower holds pins, machine feet, and other small items that tend to get lost in the drawer. Scissors, rippers, pens and pencils, and small rulers go into the gadget caddy that spins around. This was one of my best finds at a thrift store.
I’ve read before that creative people are messy people. Well, then I must be the most creative person there is. I leave the cleaning until I’ve finished a project. I have several projects going on at one time.
The sink comes in handy for pre-washing. The counter is the perfect height for cutting. The vase on the right is full of fabric scraps. Yes, there is a wine bottle on the counter. No, I did not just empty it. It’s there so I can make a wine-bottle cover.
But I did take a few minutes to tidy up as I knew you’d be visiting.
This sign hangs over the sink. I’m the only one who reads it.
My quilting projects often flow out onto our pool table as it is the right size to lay out baby and crib size quilts. Quilting projects also flow onto our living room floor, dining room table, and kitchen table. A recent project had me overflowing onto all those areas.
I had to move furniture out of our living room to make space to lay out this recent quilt project. I’ll be writing more about this quilt soon.
So where’s my sewing machine set-up now? It’s upstairs on the kitchen table. When I have a large project to sew or when I have quilting help, I move my machine into a larger area.
My mom and I are working together on several projects. Recently, my sisters joined us for several fun quilting days. But those are topics for another post.
I’m trying to convince my husband that we either need to move the pool table out so I can completely take over that room or build a studio. He says I just need to take time to clean up the spaces I have. Sigh.
What I Learned Today:
- Cleaning-up is necessary but still not fun.
- Finding creative storage solutions that fit tight spaces is difficult.
Question: Do you clean as you go or clean when you are finished with a project?
Linking with
Myra at Busy Hands Quilt for Finished or Not Friday. (Button on the sidebar)
and Brooke at Silly Mama Quilts for WIP
Tu-Na Travels: “All My Bags Are Packed, I’m Ready to Go” to Quilty Destinations Ahead
Plans are underway for my husband and I to travel the entire state of Minnesota in a few days. The MN Quilt Shop Hop is beginning! Read more about it here. For the third year in a row, we will visit over 70 shops, get our “passports” stamped, enter to win prizes, earn some incentives for completing each section, and buy some unique quilting fabric—ok, probably buy a lot of quilting fabric.
Each year a fabric line is designed just for the hop. Looks like it’s the year of the mosquito! Campers is available in light olive (pictured) and light khaki.
Last year we spent 11 days traveling 4343 miles visiting 70 shops resulting in a fabric bill that was larger than our gas, food, and lodging combined! In my defense, we stayed at the homes of several friends and family members along the way, carried a cooler in the car for lunches, and drove a Prius which averaged in the mid 50s mpg.
I’m sure some of this fabric line will find its way into my house. Mosquitos is available in light khaki (pictured) and light aqua.
So how does one prepare for this event? My husband has entered all 73 shop addresses into a computer program and it’s been churning to give us the best route. The problem is that I closed his computer last night and he had to restart it all over this morning.
These fabrics could be pre-ordered but can not leave the shop until the hop begins. Trillium is available in light aqua (pictured) and light olive.
I’ve located the cooler. Why do we carry a cooler for lunches? Even with extended shop hours during the day, there isn’t much time to find a restaurant to grab a bite for lunch and still be able to get to many shops before they lock their doors for the night. In the evenings, we enjoy finding a local restaurant and eating a delicious meal but during the day, we snack out of the cooler and from the snack bag: cheese, yogurt, peanut butter, trail mix, and some fresh fruits and vegetables.
Just like last year, I decided not to pre-order. I guess I like the thrill of the hunt. Canoes is available in light khaki (pictured) or dark taupe.
I have my cell phone and charger in case I need to check with a store regarding their closing time. Several times in the past two years that we’ve done the hop, I’ve called ahead as the GPS says we’ll arrive a few minutes after closing and they’ve been nice enough to stay open for us until we arrive. Of course, I do reward their extended time by doing a bit of extra shopping. Yes, we use a GPS and my husband’s I-phone and, sometimes, we even have to resort to a paper map. We’ve been directed to dead ends, found ourselves miles off-course, and been re-routed by detours. Last year was the year the entire state seemed to be under road construction as even our detours were detoured. Eventually, we found our way to the shops often joking about having arrived by way of “the scenic route.”
Last year one particular wildflower fabric sold out within the first few days. Luckily, I happened to snag a yard of it. Oars is available in light teal (pictured) and dark taupe.
I’m bringing my running shoes. This year’s goal is to complete the hop in 8 days or less. This will require me to do a bit of running and fast shopping. I’ve got my list (and my mom’s list): Aurifil thread, more 1930 repro fabrics, solids for a Minecraft quilt for my oldest grandson, and, of course, some of this cute Minnesota fabrics.
And who couldn’t resist some fish? Fish is available in cream (pictured) and light taupe.
The fabrics pictured here are just some of the special fabrics printed just for the hop. See the rest of them here. Which ones will I find and which will I let get away?
All that’s left to do is load the car and drive…a lot!
What I learned today:
- I left my favorite rolling suitcase at my winter house.
- My husband says, “You need to have a plan for the fabric you will buy.”
- I plan to like all that I buy.
Question: Have you ever gone on a shop hop? Tell me about your shop hop experience.
Your comments are appreciated! Click on the title of this post if you don’t see the comment box. I respond either by email or here on the blog. Thanks.
Linking to:
Beth for Main Crush Monday (button on the sidebar)
Tu-Na Quilts: Once is Good but Twice is Better
You’ve probably heard this phrase before: “We learn by doing.” Personally, I learn so much from making a quilt once that I enjoy making it again. This allows me to improve and incorporate more ideas into the second one. Having previously made a Little House on the Prairie Quilt (you can view it here) using Amy Friend’s pattern found here on her blog During Quiet Time, I couldn’t resist making another one.
This quilt tells the story of Laura Ingalls Wilder. This story is very popular here in North Dakota as Laura lived for a while not too far away from here in South Dakota.
Since this second one was going to my grandson, I needed to make it more interesting for a five-year-old boy and also incorporate some of his favorite stories from this Little House on the Prairie book series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. So I changed some of the blocks.
Instead of the traditional log cabin block called for in the pattern, I adapted this pattern from The Quilter’s Cache.
I found fabric that looked like stacked logs and couldn’t resist including some under the window. I can picture Pa coming out of the door and getting some logs to put on the fire.
It was a paper pieced pattern but since I wasn’t feeling confident enough to attempt learning this new method yet, I changed it a bit and added 1/4″ seam allowances before sewing it together.
Another block that was added was for their dog, Jack. The pattern came from Lorna’s Sew Fresh Quilts blog and can be found here (dog #5).
I sewed this top in December and left my “perfect” fabric for this dog at my other house which meant another trip to the local fabric store.
I had to do a little math on the original So Dog Gone Cute pattern to resize it to fit the 14″ block.
Another change I made was adding red mittens: the pattern came from Lori Holt’s book Quilty Fun.
According to my grandson, Laura wanted a pair of red mittens for Christmas and her wish was fulfilled. The red sock-monkey fabric gave the perfect look of knitted mittens.
If you look close, you will see snowflakes on the background fabric. Half of the fun of sewing this quilt was searching for the “perfect” fabric for each of the blocks. This particular snowy fabric was originally purchased for use in my first Little House Quilt window block but my mom said it was too light so another snowy fabric was used instead. However, it became the perfect background for the mittens for this quilt.
Since my grandson spent a night last summer camping out in a covered wagon in DeSmet, South Dakota near The Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum, I had to include one on this quilt. After all, that’s how Laura moved from one home to another since they didn’t have cars or trucks yet.
- Can’t you just see this covered wagon bouncing along this prairie? I can’t remember where I found this perfect background fabric or who the designer was. All I know is that I used up most of the fat quarter that I bought.
I designed this pattern myself. First I tried drawing a side and front view but just couldn’t get the angle right and after fussing for most of a day I decided to just go with the back view.
I adapted the pattern for this locomotive from the Quick & Easy Quilting Magazine, Vol 19. The pattern was applique but I redid it so it was mostly pieced with appliqued smoke and wheels.
- Since Pa worked on the railroad and because the train delivered food to the town during the long winter, I added a locomotive to the quilt.
The appliqued wheels were machine satin-stitched. The plumes of smoke were raw edged appliqued so that eventually during use and washing the 1/4″ edges will fray creating billows of smoke.
My grandson’s favorite Little House story is the one with the kitten and mouse. He says a mouse bit Pa on the ear one night and so the family got a kitten to catch the mice. Only he tells it so much better than I do.
My mom hand embroidered the kitten’s nose and mouth. I sewed on green buttons for eyes after the top was quilted and bound.
So I decided now was the time to try paper piecing. Thanks to Maartje Quilts in Amsterdam for providing the free pattern for the mouse (mouse #3) and the free pattern for the kitten (kitten #4). Since this was my first experience with paper piecing, it proved a bit challenging. However, I look forward to doing more paper piecing projects in the future as Maartje cautioned “it’s addicting.”
The last block I changed was adding a block with books. My daughter-in-law, suggested books rather than blocks to represent Laura and Almanzo’s baby. This baby, Rose, loved to read her picture books and also grew up to become an author so a shelf of books seemed appropriate.
I adapted Melissa Corry’s free pattern found here on Moda’s Bake Shop to create the books on the shelf.
All of the remaining blocks included in the quilt were found on the During Quiet Time blog.
Every time Laura ran to the window that long winter, she saw snow. This was the snowy blizzard fabric I finally found to use for the window.
I tried sewing wavy lines and called this quilting stitch “the drunken path” Although “learning to drive” would have been more kid-friendly.
In one of the books, Laura got a job sewing men’s shirts. I put a removable handkerchief in the pocket and carefully sewed on buttons so that the thread wasn’t visible from the back. If I had thought ahead, I would have put buttonholes on the shirt collar. Oh, well, maybe I’ll have to make this one a third time.
The first couple of rows I quilted were rather straight but finally I found a rhythm that worked. However, I also think drinking a glass of wine or two would have helped.
Grasshoppers ate Pa’s wheat. Talk about finding the perfect fabric!
My mom hand embroidered the wheat stems and also the things on the chalkboard that Laura might have taught her students. Thanks, mom!
Laura became a school teacher.
I spray basted the top, batting, and backing layers together with June Tailor’s spray baste that I bought at Joann’s. It kept everything in place and wasn’t stiff.
More farming woes; the blackbirds ate Pa’s corn crop. Check out that little beady eye.
The pattern provided two ways to make this feather block: paper pieced or template.
The Indian told Pa that a long winter was coming or as my grandson tells it “heap big snow, many moons.”
Since I had not yet tried paper piecing (this block was made before the kitten and mouse), I used the templates. It was easy but now I am curious about making one using paper piecing.
This Maple Leaf block is the only block in the quilt that is identical to the first one I made. It worked well for that quilt and worked well for this one.
The Ingalls family tapped sugar maples and made maple syrup.
Laura saw many stars in the prairie sky especially an extra large one.
Several of the blocks told the story of Almanzo whom Laura grew up to marry.
Almanzo raised a milk-fed pumpkin and took first prize.
This barn represents the several barns on Almanzo’s family farm.
Almanzo’s dad challenged him to get all the wool into the loft of the barn before they finished shearing the sheep. He won. You’ll have to read the story of Farmer Boy to find out how he accomplished that.
I added shiny shank button eyes to this sheep.
Here’s another example of finding just the right fabric. Again I used up most of the fat quarter that I had.
This horse could represent either Almanzo’s or Pa’s horse.
That button eye along with some embroidery floss for horse bangs, added after quilting, gives this horse some personality. By the time I got to this half of the quilt, my quilting was much smoother.
This last block, the music note, was offered as either paper piecing or with a template. Again it was sewn before I attempted the kitten and mouse so I chose to use the template. I would like to sew another one using the paper piecing option. There just might be another Little House on the Prairie Quilt in my future if I can find another Little House fan.
Music was an important part of Laura’s life; Pa played the fiddle, the family sang together, and Laura and Almanzo took singing lessons while courting.
I backed the 66″ x 82″ quilt with blue flannel with brown circles. I challenge you to find the seam down the middle. I worked hard to match those circles.
I machine stitched the striped binding to the front and hand stitched it to the back.
Now, this is one very happy boy who finally has his quilt!
What I Learned Today:
- Repeating a project opens up lots of possibilities for creativity.
- Wrapping a child in a quilt is like hugging them in your arms forever.
- It takes many creative people (fabric designers, pattern designers, sewer, quilter, and a mom—Thanks, mom!) to make a quilt, especially this one.
Question: Are you a “do it once and throw away the pattern” or a “make it again and again” person?
Linking this week to Beth for Main Crush Monday, Lorna for Let’s Bee Social , Linky Tuesday at Freemotion by the River, Sew Cute Tuesday at Blossom Heart Quilts and Show off Saturday at Sew Can She.
Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats 