How's everyone doing out there?

This past Sunday and tomorrow would have been our FW Club Class for the month of April.  That nasty virus thing caused more cancellations and most of us are sitting at home whether working or being retired.  And, I know many are a bit stir crazy wishing they could get out, see family or friends, and just get back at life.  While some feel like they are in a prison, others are just using this time to get some things done.  I'm trying to be the second kind.

We're adjusting to the new normal at our house, too.  But, we're dealing with something we never thought we'd have to be living through.  Annual blood tests and a weight loss with no effort brought a bit of a scary diagnosis for my husband.  His non threatening non hodgkins lymphoma of 20 years decided to get aggressive and the dreaded big "C" word came out of the dr's mouth.  After a pet scan and a bone marrow biopsy, the plan was revealed.  He's started his infusions and will be having one each week for 3 more weeks. 

While I intended to keep up with posting here, our family needs came first.  And, I don't know how all this will play out.  The governor will tell us tonight how long the 'stay in place' order will be in effect.  But, under the circumstances my commitments may change.  I will keep you all posted as we learn more.  And, the FWs that I have for repair are done now.  We'll figure out how and when those will be brought back to their owners.  They like being at my house getting fixed but then they want to go back home.

I mentioned at our March FW Club Class that I got 7 vintage quilt tops from my husband's cousin that need to be quilted.  So, I'm working on those during this time at home.  I finished one last week and here are a couple of  pictures of it.

There is another top just like the one I finished so that will be next.  Here are pictures of the other 5 vintage quilts.  These are all hand pieced but very well done.  If you have any suggestions on how to quilt them, let me know. That is always a challenge for me.

And I hear that many of you are working on medical masks.  That's so awesome.  Keep it up.  Everyone should be wearing a mask when going outside.  You can get patterns over on the forum that I started for us to chat.  People haven't been doing that but I hope you all will start chatting.  It's a good place to connect with each other when you can't get together face to face.

So, let's all stay in place, wear our masks, and keep in touch.  I'm so glad your little FWs are ready and willing to help you through this difficult time.  Thanks to all that have been keeping in touch.  I miss you all so much!

The Corona Virus and our New Normal

Would you have ever imagined that something like this could happen in this day and time?  I'm just shocked at what's going on around us.  The March retreats had to be cancelled and that still prays heavy on my heart.  But, it is more important that we keep everyone safe.

In an effort to 'selvage' ( thanks, Marge for the 'selvage' connection) our ability to stay connected, I've started The Featherweight Club forum.  You can sign up and join in posting and communicating about our featherweights, the projects that are keeping us sane during these troubling times, or just about anything else you'd like to chat about.  To register and be a part of the forum, go to www.jdquilts123.proboards.com.  Just click on the box that says to log in or register and follow the instructions.

There has been a plea for sewers to make medical masks out of fabric so I've posted the web address for a pattern designed by Mary Hogan on the new forum.  Go there and make of few of these.  We'll figure out how we're going to get these to the medical people that need them.  Maybe you already know of someone that needs some.  Check out the pattern, please.  ( these pictures aren't from Mary Hogan's instructions but you get the picture)

 

As for us, we are staying in, only going to dr appts and the grocery when necessary.  I don't remember when I've stayed home this long but hey, I'm getting some quilting done.  And, that's not all that bad.  The thing that really made me realize how important this is was something I read about Anne Frank staying hidden over 700 days to stay alive.  We can do this!  I know we can!

Texas was fun but I'm ready for FW stuff again!

We did have such a good time in Texas.  It was warm, I was able to go to a quilt retreat planned by somebody else, we went fishing and I got to cook with my dear son.  Life doesn't get any better than that, right?

One thing that I really enjoyed was going to the market with my son.  The prices for fresh fruits and veggies was awesome and I sure did enjoy my shopping at Letty's.  Okay,  I had to take a picture of the sign.  Letty is one of our great FW gals so I couldn't resist taking this picture of the Letty's sign.

We got back to Michigan a few days before the big snow but my car handled the white stuff just fine and I got things done that I needed to do.  There's always so much to do after a month long trip.

But, now that we're back,  I have some things to remind you about and some wonderful news to report as well.

Our great friend, Kathy Seals and owner of the Quilt Patch where we hang out for classes and such, is happy to announce that her fight with cancer these last few months is over and done with.  And, Kathy won.  She is doing great.  She's so excited to be feeling better and she is really in shock over the kindness of the FW Club gals who treated her and her hubby to a dinner out every month while she was in recovery.  You all are the kindest gals on earth.  She wants you to know that.

The FW Club classes will start back up this month.  We will be having classes either Friday, March 13 or Sunday, March 15.  Please call and get your name on the list (Quilt Patch- 517-423-0053) if you haven't done that already.  Having a count really helps me so I'll have enough handouts printed up.  You don't have to pay until you come to class so don't let that stop you.  Have you been collecting your selvages?  I hope you have a big pile of them because we're going to make a selvage block at this class.  Go over to the class schedule tab to see what you'll need to bring.

There will be a couple of FW maintenance classes coming up soon as well.  I have one scheduled for March 17 and one on April 18.  If you know of someone that needs to learn how to oil, grease, lube and clean up their FW, let them know.  Again, call to get your name on the list.

And, our FW retreat/workshops are coming up really soon, too.  I plan on getting an email off to all the participants this week.  If you need to pay the balance of your retreat fee, you can pay that at one of the FW club classes or mail a check to me.  Thanks to you that have paid in full already.  Watch for your email this week and check your spam, just in case!  Of course, if you have any questions, just email me.

Okay, we're getting ready to set up at the Jackson flea market this weekend.  It's a lot of work but I sure do love seeing those that show up.  There are some good vendors and always some fun things to see.

I hope to see you all at FW Club classes, a maintenance class, or maybe at the retreat/workshop.  Do enjoy the nice weather we've been having.  I think Spring is just around the corner.

Holiday season- There's so much to do

I don't know how it all got done but Christmas came and I managed to have everything ready.  Yes, I made the usual cookies to send to the grand children and all the presents got purchased, wrapped and given.  My husband having cataract surgery on Christmas eve sure complicated the holiday this time but the first eye is done now and we're looking ahead to having the second eye done on Monday before the new year.  2020 will be starting very soon. I still have a few things to do before 8 arrive for New Year's day dinner.  Yup, things don't seem to slow down around here.  I'm always super busy.

Since it's the week between Christmas and New year's day, have you gotten all your FWs oiled, greased and the motor lubed.  This is my reminder for you all to get that done.  I'm working on all of mine.  Hopefully I'll get them all done within the next week.  Once finished I won't have to do the full Spa day for 6 months. I'll still oil every 8-10 hours of sewing and give that gib area of the bobbin assembly one drop of oil each day I sew.

Our Club class is coming up next Friday and Sunday.  I've giving all the information over on the Class Schedule pages.  Go over there to check out what to bring.  I do hope you will all be able to come.  We'll be making the thread catcher and the pin cushion for the FW sewing machine mat that we started last month.  Check this out.  I had a fun time making these.

I know a few people that bought the FW foot controller rest from me had a problem of the cushion sliding and we think we've got that issue solved.  Researching with the stain/glue specialists, we discovered that the two chemicals didn't play well together.  So, I have new rests to replace the faulty ones.  Please email me if yours was a problem and I'll bring a replacement to swap it for the faulty one at the Club class.  The new ones have a very nice slip resistant material that doesn't slide around.

I'm almost done getting all the names on the retreat/workshop list.  I'll be sending out more information very soon.  Thank you to all that got  their deposit checks to me on time. 

And, I wish you a very Happy New Year.  May it be safe and full of wonderful things for you and your families.  I hope to see you very soon!

Thanksgiving is over. Time to start thinking of Christmas and FWs

It was a busy week getting ready for Thanksgiving and then doing all the cleaning up afterwards.  I'm sure I wasn't alone and I hope you all are getting a chance to relax a bit and catch up after all the food and fun.  We had a great time with 10 at the table and a visit from a cousin we hadn't seen in years as well.  He was just in time for dessert.  The last bits of pie and turkey noodle soup are almost gone.  I don't know how many pounds I gained.  I guess I should step on the scale.  Oh no!  That's too scary!

So now, I'm busy getting my Christmas lists made and shopping done. I'm sure you all have all that done but I've got a ton to do.  I haven't made my Christmas cards yet and I have dozens and dozens of Christmas cookies to make for the dear grandchildren and their families.  I do hope I will be able to get it all done.  But, I do have our Christmas tree out on the porch ready to set up.  See, I've started on Christmas!

We have FW Club Classes this weekend.  If you are within driving distance I sure hope you can come.  Skip over to the Class Schedule page and scroll down to see what we'll be doing this month.  We're making a FW sewing machine mat that will take us 2 months.  You can see the picture of the part we'll be doing this month when you check to see what you need to bring.

While I was making the FW sewing machine mat I was reminded that we do need to put a drop of oil on the bobbin assembly teeth  when we start sewing for the day.  Do you remember that I had you run your machine before we did the maintenance for the first time? I wanted you to see how much better your FW would sound once it was oiled, greased and lubed.  Well when I started the FW mat, I stitched a bit of a line before oiling those teeth and was immediately reminded because the sound wasn't as beautiful as I like to hear.  So, I know it might seem like a bother to do that one drop of oil every day but oh my, what a difference it makes in the end.  That beautiful click, click, click is music to my ears.  The clack, clack, or grind, grind makes cold chills go up my spine.  Do oil those teeth. (Yes, I do see that I need to clean out the fuzz but I needed to get this picture first!)

Okay, I hope to see you in a class but if you can't be there, I understand.  I hope to check in with all of you before the big holiday and try to see how you all are doing about getting ready. I'll be honest and tell you all about the stuff that I still have to do.  And, I won't be jealous of you having everything already done.  Well, maybe just a tiny bit jealous.  You do understand, right?  Have a good week, all.

Winter has arrived

Happy Veteran's Day to all those brave souls that have served at some point in their life and to the families that had to let a loved one go when their commitment meant giving a life physically or mentally.  We are free because of those brave men and women and I say THANK YOU for your service.

I guess a lot of records will be broken today in the weather columns.  I can't remember having this much snow this early but it's here.  We have 3" already and the snow is still coming down. Okay, this picture is more than 3" but if it keeps coming down it could get to be this much.  I drove to the next town to pick up a FW from a lady to fix it and the roads weren't too bad.  People in my neck of the woods are driving sanely.  I didn't see anyone in the ditch.  And, my new car handled the snowy pavement just fine, thank goodness.  I was wondering how she would like the winter weather. I'm back home now just watching it pile up.  It's good to have a nice warm house.

I hope you were able to attend our first FW Club meeting of the winter season.  We did have a fun time.  A few ideas were bounced around for this year's activities and I sure appreciated hearing what you all would like to do. 

We will be focusing on an attachment every month again.  There are so many that people haven't had a chance to see and use.  People that were at the meeting said they want to do these again.  It will take a couple of years to get through all of them.  My favorite is the buttonholer.  We did it at the last meeting.

And, the ladies also told me they like doing a little project each month.  We had so many at the Sunday class that we didn't have a lot of time to make the poinsettia pouches but everyone got the pattern and we started them.  So, we'll be making a FW mat at the next Club class.  I'm working on it now.  Watch the class schedule tab to see what to bring to the next meeting.  I'll post a week or two before class.

And, I'm announcing a challenge for this winter season as well. Drum roll please!  The FW Club Stash buster/Scrappy Challenge has begun.  I hosted one of these on my online quilt guild and it went over well.  You don't have to participate if you don't want but you can participate and bring your projects to any FW Club class to start adding up.  We'll run this challenge until time for me to leave in the Spring.  Totals will be revealed in May, 2020 and there will be a FW prize for the winner.  Here's the rules.

1. You have to use at least 15 different fabrics in each project to be counted.
2. Your project cannot be one that you've already started.  In other words, anything you begin new for this challenge can be counted.
3. You can make any size quilt, wall hanging, or whatever.  The total square inches of your project will be the number added to your total.   If you finish the item by quilting it and binding it to have it ready to use, we'll count 1 1/2 times the total square inches to your total.
4. You need to bring your projects to the FW Club meeting to show it off to be counted.

Okay, the challenge is open.  Get busy using up your scraps and let's see what you make.  I know we're all going to see a lot of gorgeous items.  I can't wait.  I'm going to start working on the prize.  Let the fun begin. Here's one example of an item that could count.  It's called, Jean's Diamonds so you know why I picked this one to show you.

I guess I'll work on machines today.  I have a few to repair/clean, etc. for people.  Keep in touch.  I'm looking forward to a busy winter season of FW fun and lots of sewing projects.  Join me!