Squares Matched & Border Added

I'm still working on my Winter/Christmas Red Work Table Runner.

Let me tell you it's not easy to sew squares together so all corners match perfectly!

Some squares I fussed with sewing and ripping out several times. 

Until finally I said "That's enough...  

I can live with this". 

Next I added a two and 1/2 inch border in the same fabric as the other side of the table runner.  

Yesterday I cut out the backing and lightly sprayed adhesive to the polyester batting and backing. 

I decided to go to my sewing store today and buy the new Janome 12000 "stitch in the ditch" specialty foot advertised recently on the Janome website.

(Sorry!  If you are not a sewer you probably aren't interested in these details.) 

Hopefully that will help keep my quilt lines straight when top stitching my quilt layers together.  

I drove over to my Janome sewing store this morning and decided to buy some cotton batting in addition to the new Janome "stitch in the ditch" foot. 

I read that polyester batting can melt at high temperatures.  Since I plan to iron this runner on a cotton setting (with steam) it seemed that a cotton batting is a better choice.

I also purchased the "stitch in the ditch" S foot.

When I returned home I realized that I wanted to buy the

  AcuFeed (duel feed) "stitch in the ditch" SD foot.

That foot works better with layers of quilting than the regular "stitch in the ditch" S foot.

So after lunch I returned to the Janome sewing store and purchased the "stitch in the ditch" SD foot.

I decided to keep the "stitch in the ditch" S foot as I think it can be used with all decorative stitches.

I'm still learning about this quilting/embroidery machine.

And many of these functions are new to me...like this "AcuFeed" function (lots of videos here).

And I've never had a specialty foot for "stitching in the ditch" either.    

Now I have to replace the polyester batting with the cotton batting and then I will be ready to start actually quilting the top of the runner.

Did I ever mention that I am a slow crocheter...well, I'm also a slow sewer.

This project could go on forever.

I hope I'm not boring you.

At this rate, I doubt I will ever sew a bed size quilt!

LOL !

Oh My...Ten Years Is Too Long!

The camp store was filled with "bear" items.

Can you believe it had been ten years since we have camped with my Hubby's twin brothers!

Our campground.

Way too long!

We met up at Bear Run Campground in western Pennsylvania.   

Hugged by a bear!

Hubby's twin brothers are eight years younger and they are still working full-time jobs.  

Busy lives!

So it is difficult for everyone to get time off together.

Our site and little travel van.

Plus one twin brother has three natural grandchildren and one step grandchild.  

The grandbabies are keeping them hopping...and they love it!  

But, they needed a break and managed to get away for a few days.  

Hubby's brother arriving.

We arrived first at the campground last Sunday afternoon and set up camp trying to find a level gravel/grass spot for, "Little Guy", our travel van, 

,,,saving the nice leveled paved site for Keith and Jane's travel trailer and truck. 

Me and my sister-in-law, Jane.

Hubby and his brother, Keith.

Monday we drove an hour and a half to visit Hubby's cousin, Carol.   

Keith, Carol and Hubby.

Carol is the sweetest lady who happens to be a gifted artist and quilter.  

One of Carol's beautiful quilted table runners.

Her quilts have won ribbons at quilt shows.  

And, boy, can this woman draw and paint.  

Carol painted this for her uncle when she was only 19 years old!

While visiting Carol I noticed she had a beautiful wildlife scene on her walls in her foyer.  

I assumed it was wallpaper. 

Imagine my surprise when Carol asked if we saw the wildlife scenery she painted!  

This is NOT wallpaper!

Jane asked if she penciled in the deer before painting them and Carol said "No".  

 She just painted (with latex paint) the figures and scenery as she went along.  

Could you draw and paint this without drawing it in pencil first?

I couldn't!

 She doesn't even realize how talented she is and that most people can't do this.

No clue at all!!

  

Wow...wow and wow!

Isn't this just stunning!

I asked Carol if she would come visit us for a month.

But she didn't get the hint.

The other wall.

After visiting with Carol we drove over to another cousin's farm and had supper with a bunch of  cousins.  

Now I should mention that Carol had fixed delicious sloppy joe sandwiches and strawberry shortcake for dessert for us for lunch.  

Carol's black lab, "Cash", named after "the man in black", never tired of playing ball.  

 So...we were pleased we managed to keep a straight face when Hubby's other cousin called us to supper and served us...yep...you guessed it... sloppy joes!  

And when she  asked who wanted strawberry shortcake for dessert we didn't say a word or crack a smile.  

We had a good laugh later though about the duplicate meals but really we didn't mind because it's one of our favorite meals and desserts.  

 The kicker is I had bought hamburger to make sloppy joes for one of our camping meals.  

Needless to say we skipped having sloppy joes for a third time!  

LOL !

Me and the cutest little horse.

After supper we went across the road to the barn to see and feed the horses.  

They all came out of the barn to eat.

This is a real treat for a city gal like me.  

Hubby's uncle raised Appaloosas horses on his farm for many years before he passed.  

Me giving "Ollie" a treat.

There are a few horses left on the farm including, "Ollie", a miniature horse. 

Niko petting one of his horses.

I caught myself saying "pretty" as the horses approached me...but as they got closer I changed to saying...

 "pretty... B.I.G!"

Trying not to act nervous as the BIG horses came nearer.  

I have always loved horses but more by worshiping them from afar.  

Lovely...they really are beautiful animals.  

What about you?   

Are you a horse lover?

I had never seen a life-size horse on top of a barn before!

This barn was by our campground.  

 We had a wonderful surprise greeting us when we returned to the campground.  

Hubby's other brother, Kevin, drove up to join us.  

He stayed at a deluxe cabin with his own bathroom, kitchen, cable TV and WiFi. 

We tried to not be jealous.   

We huddled around the campfire and roasted marshmallows and made s'mores and laughed and talked and just had a great time.

The adventure continues...so stay tuned! 

Arranging My Squares

Pine cones in the center!

I used my new 5 and 1/2 inch square to rotary cut out all my table runner squares yesterday.

Holly and Poinsettias outside center.

Then I laid them all out to arrange color and pattern placement. 

And I even remembered to mirror image the snowflake design in each corner!

I decided to keep it simple and not cut up the squares any more.

I'm very tempted to try cutting each square into fours but I realized to do that I can't use the squares I've already cut.  I would have to cut new ones that are larger because of the seam allowances needed for the four by fours.  

I want to try it, but I tell myself to keep it simple for this first table mat.

Next step 1/4 seams!

After all this is my first ever quilted Winter/Christmas Table Runner.

I'm so pleased too.   

My Janome came with a 1/4 inch seam stitch and a 1/4 inch seam special foot.

It is a breeze to sew the 1/4 inch seams needed for the squares!!

Wish me luck that my square corners will match. 

We're leaving tomorrow for a few days for a campout with my Hubby's brother and wife.

It's the first time in ten years!

So I'll be busy packing the "Little Guy" (i.e., travel van) today.

Now to find a crochet project I can work on in the van.

Our weather has been awful here.

Yesterday the dew point was 74 (anything over 60 is muggy).

I couldn't stand to be outside.

No biking (sob!)

Have a wonderful weekend and I hope your weather is better than ours!