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Monday, January 28, 2013

Last Night I Dreamed I Was Back At ...

... my sewing machine, of course, and could do free-motion quilting with the best of 'em, but then I woke and realized it was just a dream. O.O                 

 Our area got a lot of rain a few weeks ago, and we heard that Bald River Falls, which is usually an hardly-more-than-a-trickle waterfall, was showing it off in style so Goodman and I took a little day trip to see it for ourselves.

 The falls is near Tellico Plains, Tennessee just off the Cherohala Skyway.

 We passed this nifty covered bridge along the way.

  
One unusual point about this waterfall is it's a drive-by waterfall. That's right, you don't have to even get out of your car to see it but can if you want to, of course.

 
 I finished the binding on my quilt. It measures 88 in. by 88 in.

I waited & waited for a nice sunny day for a photograph of the quilt, but didn't get it until....
   
I had already gone ahead and taken what picture I could get ... then as I was putting the quilt away the sun came out. O.o
 
We have an escape artist. She's our lil rednecked hen.
See you soon, the Good Lord willin'.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Quilted at Last

 Greetings from the hills! The Carolina Wrens love the suet that was leftover from rendering fat for soapmaking. 


 I started a winter garden since we last visited here. They're what's left of vegetables we bought at the grocery store.It's a tat scrappy looking right now, but I have lettuce, two celery plants (nubs, actually) and two cabbage plants growing on the windowsill. The chirps are all excited over it.

  I read an interesting post over at Deep Roots At Home about how to do this. I started these five days ago so they're just starting to get roots, and I'll set them out in a raised bed as soon as the roots develop a little more. I may have to rig a cover for really cold nights.
 
I have my quilt back, and I'm quite happy with the quilting done by a local quilter. She thought this swirly pattern would look good as this turquoise print has the same sort of look.

  
I've been practicing free-motion quilting, but I am not ready, yet, to actually finish a quilt free-motion style without pulling out my hair. o.O

 
Oh, and I'm really slow when it comes to hand-sewing. I'll be spending the next week or so (month? year?, lol) on the binding. Until that's done ... hope your projects are all smooth sailing!



Friday, January 4, 2013

Hello 2013

Greetings from the foothills!
I'm starting the year off  learning more about sustainable gardening. There's a link over at Deep Roots at Home for streaming the Back to Eden film (which I had never seen before) that is definitely raising my eyebrows (read that ... blowin' me away) as far as gardening method goes.

After realizing that my first big bonafide quilt top was too large for me to quilt on my sewing machine I sent it off (local) to have it machine quilted. I hope to have that back in a week or so to show you the result. I can't wait to see it myself!
Until then ... stay warm!