Forwarding to 2014

My favorite time now is the time when I clock out and step away the office.  I look forward to put on my cozy winter coat and woolie scarves {yes, i put more than one}. When the door open to the outside entrance the cold air sudden blow in my face my fingers { sadly, still can't find my gloves in the storage}.  brrr.... Quickly, I walked fast into the car and turn on the car furnace to high! I sat a minute or two; sometimes longer... then I take a deep breath... Off I went and slowly pass streets then slowly pull into driveway.   I love that few minutes quiet drive alone... then there's a lot of little things come in mind; how's my girl's day? What book she enjoyed? Has she loving the new books that she received? What should we have for supper? of course, thinking aloud of the projects on the table; do I have that right blue I "wanted" in the quilt? Should I change my mind?  then the list of things pop in and out in that less than 5 minutes drive home.

The year of 2013 is full and filled with numbers of event! Finished school, new citizenship, lived oversea, met new friends,  moved and moved again, sew a lot and sew more, fabric stash grew another foot taller,  made many quilts, celebrated happy days, made difficult decisions, made silly changes, lost all the computer data and I cried... so on and on.. and you?

Last few days, finally the mind was made and I am ready for the {camelot quilt}. The pattern was purchased two weeks before we moved away from ND. I had a thought that it might not make it to time, but it did! On the day of our moving day the mail carrier came and dropped the envelope in the mailbox. When I first reading the whole booklet and saw the diagrams, I was intimidated about this pattern then there was some study time after that. The pattern was taken with me while we were oversea. I show it to my sister and she looked at me; the only question she had for me is do you understand? I said to her, yes! But I think I need more fabric! Can you take me for fabric shopping? and she did!  {The floral yellow print with white shape was one of prints we shopped together}.

This quilt is alike {Farmer's wife quilt} that I've done.  Traced each block piece onto fabric with a pencil then cut each join piece off from the fabric, but this time the block is done in hand-stitch; with double floss sewing thread.  The hand sewing is a little different to the machine sewing. I made sure  join seams are double stitched, so that would help the block flow better.  There are still lots improvement to make since I haven't done hand-stitch for years.  It is a challenge quilt pattern and 2014 seems like a good year to take time to put it together and pick out fabrics and hoping new fabric will added to the collection.

Like every year, I don't have a list for myself nor S has one! We go with the flow and take one step a day and make small accomplishments each day if we can!  We look forward 2014 to arrive and our many adventures to come!

Thank you for another great year's reading and great year support.  

Happy New Year~
xxc

From the past

Come on in... This is my room and this is the very first time S and I don't share a room together. We've been sharing a bedroom since I gone to grade school and prior that was in a small one bedroom apartment. She is in her little room next to mine now and has all her books stack together in one big pile and has her quilts on the floor where she can get cozy and on her own; reading, crafting, and little independence and privacy...  She comes over during the weekends to spend some time with me and sometimes just to chat then she fell asleep by me.  Likely I turn off the light and let her snuggle in. This mama wouldn't mind this at all, really!

A week ago, I came cross some vintage quilts in our local antique store. Whenever I go to an antique store; likely I see things that I love so much, but between vintage items and fabric. Likely I go with fabric and good chocolates. Last week, as I walked around the store, I saw 5 vintage quilts for sale.  The first one that cough my attention right away was the double wedding ring quilt. It is hand-pieced and hand-quilted. I couldn't just walk away from the store without touching it and unfold the quilt. Checking each pieces of the feedback that's been used in the quilt. The double wedding ring quilt comes in perfect condition and lots feedback fabrics were used in this quilt. It might be from the early 40's or 50's. There is not evidence of maker or date on. I fell in love with this wedding ring quilt! Maybe this is called " love in first sight". I've made 3 double wedding ring quilts in the past, but this one is so soft and has been loved by the previous owner(s). I couldn't help myself to walk away the shop without thinking maybe this quilt is waiting for me??  No, I didn't second myself too long for this quilt.  I went ahead and got this quilt. Indeed, this quilt didn't cost arms and legs. It was marked on a very fair price.  It does feel a good found of the year.

The quilt have sandwiched in really fine cloth instead of cotton batting. The weight is rather light and the texture is rather soft. Yes, I put in the wash and gave her a nice bath. It turns out so nice! I have so  much appreciation in vintage quilts whenever I see one.  I also feel hesitate to purchase them when I encounter one. Sometimes, they were being price in a very high and unreachable price and sometimes, it might be worn and hard to repair at all. I've learned to love these vintage quilts as they are part of the quilting histories and quilting evidences towards to the modern quilts.

The second quilt is made with thousands of hexagons. It is hand-pieces and hand-quilted. There are some worn on the hexagon pieces, but I went ahead and take her home with me on the second trip that I went with S. She wanted some chocolate and gummy for holiday treats.

It is a very nice full sized quilt and I pictured it will be in the future sewing room's couch where I could enjoy some tea time and cuddle under it.  What I love about this quilt is the maker is so brilliant! She/ He used fuzzy cuts for each flower pattern. Even some of the hexagons are gone, but I could still see from some of the fade area and traced back the original design.

This quilt is much sweet in colors and it might made for either a daughter or a grand-daughter. The usage of green for around up the quilt is so nicely done. It almost gives a nice completion to the quilt. I couldn't find any names on this quilt at all. This is a little sad for the vintage quilts that I have seen so far; rarely they have dated or names of the makers. She also got a nice bath and tossed in the dryer and few more fabric pieces worn down during the wash.

Both quilts are nicely lay on the bed. I need more mattresses, so I can have all the quilts out. I hope someday, I can have one bed just for quilts! They are better laying flat than being fold.  I have a thought that I'd love to start collecting vintage quilts. These vintage quilts might have been pass on from family to family or being sold in stores, but these vintage quilts are truly being loved and made with loves from the past.  I always curious about the story behind each quilts or maybe there isn't a story behind it...

I've always envy quilts that have pass from the family from great grand mother, since there's no such custom in my family. I do hope someday quilts that I made will be pass on in the family and maybe  little S will be able to share stories of these quilts to her family.

xxc

From ours to yours

It is rather cozy here tonight~ S and I didn't get to make chocolate chip cookies since I got home a little later than scheduled. We plan to save it for tomorrow and start a bit of holiday cooking here; it will be simple and relaxing. I will be sewing like a storm and S is ready to get on her machine with me. We have ordered some materials and they have arrived in the mail box today.

I have a post for you later the week on the quilts you seen here. Meanwhile, S and I wish you a very happy holiday~ Lots sewing time, lots sweet time and lots family time~ We'll cuddle under quilts and stay indoor as the temperature has dropped to negative again.

THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart to you all~  


cheers~

xxc&s

Weekending

{do you like S' arrangement?}

I had intended to leave a simple message for you before we take off, but I knew it would be great if another longer post can be share before we set this space quiet again. Time is clicking as always, but we have been taking it normal and casual just like everyday doings.  It is about time to play a new quilt idea and make it an action rather than just think about it! It has been too long since I think about making.a.quilt! I miss it! It is something hard to use words describe or express.  Once the idea is on I took the action and started the hexie piecing process and it has filling me in and keeping hands busy.

The sharing table is all "mine" for last week! Thanks to S for the kindness of sharing the table with me and even let me have it for the week! There are few last finish projects need to wrap up and hexies everywhere. There's many possible color arrangements with hexies that I made awhile ago, but need more for the quilt.  I am thinking a lap size quilt, but a queen or a king would be awesome! Maybe I need to set a bigger goal for making larger size quilt for next year or two.  The hexagon size is 3/4" and will use red print as center. It reminds me the {log cabin quilt} I made earlier and the hexie project is nice portable project to transport around.

S and I took a trip to the east coast side; where we were right next to Pacific Ocean and closed to mountains and fields.  The mountain hot spring was so relaxing and S had the best time ever! It is always spoiled when we take a field trip outside the city limited. It helps us to feel fresh again.

It is not so wintery for us here, since we used to lived in bitter cold states. The winter colors here are so gorgeous! From the greens to the browns; the earth tone colors make us think of Fall in the states.  We could still see some vibrate colors essence the field. The strawberry season is almost here, but we'll miss it!

The bike trail was the highlight of this trip! We rode over an hour bike around the mountains without many people following on the trail. I didn't need to set my voice high and loud to ask S avoid the traffic. The up and down mountain trail was exciting for her! The last time we visited the same bike trail she was 5. It has been too long since we revisit again. We had wished to stay longer, but the time was so limited.

Do you like the train photos? I had wish some sunlight when I taken the photos, but the it was cloudy and rainy that day. The train pass through the Pacific Mountain trail line and was named the most beautiful train station in the east coast. S and I have decided we'll take a train trip next time when we visit again. It will be so nice to view the land and take time slowly to enjoy longer countryside getaway.

Our belongings are most pack and put away. We left few projects to finish up and some books to keep S going for last few weeks of our time here. We still take half day filed trips around the city limited and taste local food. It has been a great way to wrap up this adventure journey of ours.

On this thankful holiday season, we Thank many of our families and friends supporting us to make this journey safe and memorable. We Thank your encouragements each time when we share our stories and journey with you. It might not be the best way to do it, {{big HUGS to you all}}!! 

I would like to let you know that I will be closed {254 sewingshop} in a few weels and though if you are interested in any supplies they are all marked down. Hope the shop will reopen again in the future. For now, I will not be able to expend the shop inventory and need to set it quiet.

{1/4" mark} will be quiet for now! We will be traveling very soon and hope see you very soon~
until then happy sewing and happy holiday~

xxc