What We Love

This coaster was a breeze to make. The letters are from the built-in fonts in Bernina V6, and the heart was made using the heart vector drawing tool in Corel (also part of the V6). Add a couple of borders to make the coaster look more like a Valentine, and...time to stitch. If any of you would like to have this design, let me know and I will get it to you in plenty of time to stitch out a Valentine of your own! If you don't have an embroidery machine, yet really want one, also let me know....I just may be able to make one for you. Two? That will cost you. Benjamin's last night is tonight. His folks get in really late and coming straight here. I have already been informed that Katie hopes he wakes up when they go into the room he is sleeping in. The first time away is always the hardest. Carl and I love it now when we can get away without any of the kids! Oh, wait, they don't live with us. We always are without the kids. LOVE it! (But, we really love them, too!) Jerilynn

And Now an Important Message from our Sponsor (alternative title....This is How I Text Message!)

At the end of our hallway, painted pickle green, there is a little end table that Carl made, painted red, of course. Years ago I plopped down the Scrabble board with the tiles in a little basket and just started making messages with the letters. Special guest welcomes, holiday wishes, clever phrases. Sometimes I get surprised, too, with something that someone leaves for me! Similar to those refrigerator poem magnet thingies of a few years ago. Sometimes I run out of certain letters that I need, but there are always the good old blank tiles that can be used to fill in the spot. I try to keep it to one or two trays (it is a small table), but sometimes there is just much more to be said. Next time you come over, be sure to check the message table. It may say something special just for you! Jerilynn

Sit Back, Take it Easy and Have Some Grub

Not much sewing going on today. Just a bunch of watching and running after. I know you have seen this Buckaroo Bib a few times, but since I don't have anything else to show you, I thought I would show you a happy little cowboy enjoying some food. He has perfected the elevated feet, relaxed eating technique, for sure. Jerilynn

Making Merry

What did I make today? I made Merry! Yep, birthday today, and, as you can see, I received beautiful flowers! And cards! And a nice gift certificate to Fatquartershop! And a Swedish spatula! And many wishes. We didn't go out tonight - snowy and we still have the little guy with us, so we just stayed in. In my honor, however, I got out one of those pre-made apple pies from the freezer and the three of us had birthday pie! All in all, a good day. I did sneak in to the sewing room, though, and try out yet another zipper insertion idea. On the small sample it worked. Now I just have to do it in a bigger, real bag. Tonight, though, The Red Chair is mighty comfy for this tired grandma. Jerilynn

Can You Tell This is Supposed to be a Bobbin?

I have been trying to come up with a series of sewing related coasters, not sewn with an embroidery machine, but just with a regular sewing machine. This is one of the first attempts at a bobbin coaster. I like it, but there are some changes I want to make. I want the "thread stack" on the bobbin to be flipped topped to bottom. I think I need "holes" in the bottom part of the bobbin. Stitching needs to be more even. Although, there is a bit of a funky look to this. A bit primitive and free-form, maybe. I will give it another try and see what I can come up with. I also figured out a zipper solution today. It worked as a small sample...hopefully when I do a real project, full-sized, it will still be good. Another day with Benjamin. He was a very good boy today. Only cried when we took him out of the bathtub. He really likes those baths! I hope this summer is nice and hot so he can go in the water at the cabin. Our shore is pretty shallow and clear. We haven't been up there much this winter. Obviously things around here are a bit busy and intense. We know, however, that we have walls on the third level, which is the sewing studio. Trusses arrived yesterday, so we shall soon be enclosed. With all that has been happening around here, it has taken my thoughts away from the Cabin Project. How wonderful it will be when we can go up for a night or two to see the progress! Jerilynn

Stitches, Hugs, and Kisses

This is a pretty Big Bottom Bonnie Bag. Woolfelt, of course. I love the stitches, not embroidered, just stitched with sewing machine decorative stitches. Simple. The inside lining and the little trim pieces on the outside are cotton. This is the first time I combined the cotton and the woolfelt. I think I will do more of this. I finished it right after we put Benjamin down to sleep. We are watching him for 5 days while his parents take their first trip away from him. So far only one text from the dad, Peter, and one call from the mom, Katie. He was a fun little boy tonight. I don't remember laughing this much in quite a while. I think this is just what we needed for a few days...playing and being silly. Jerilynn

Sunkissed in the Snow

Usually this time of the year we are getting ready to head south to the Gulf Coast of Florida - St. Pete Beach. We have rented various places right on the beach for many years for the months of February and March. Lazy, sunkissed days of walking on the white sand, visiting the multiple beach bars, sipping rum runners, listening to live bands play music that we actually know. This year we had decided months ago that it probably wouldn't be a good year to plan a long trip. As it turned out, that decision was a good one. We are needed here, and the snow doesn't seem so bad so far. It has been snowing enough now and then to keep things nice and white. If I squeeze my eyes together, it almost looks like the sugar sand on the beach. I love this new fabric line from Sweetwater, Sunkissed. Fresh and springy. I get labels every month from them through the label crew and this month they have great heart labels. They also send a label with my name on it every time. I thought this month's would look great on the bag pocket. I wanted to photograph it today outside with better light, but it was a bit gloomy, and, of course, there was all that snow. Or, maybe it is sand. Jerilynn