Author: louisaenright

I am passionate about whole, nutrient-dense foods, developing local markets, and strengthening communities.

Patchwork Gals Has An Etsy Shop

The outreach that Patchwork Gals does with their quilts and other sewing projects is truly astounding.

But, making this many quilts and other sewing projects takes money. The members frequently spend their own money to make finished quilts, or quilt tops that will be turned into finished quilts, or other projects as needed. But this group also often provides quilty “kits” members can use, and/or backings, battings, bindings, and longarm fees.

So, this fall, Patchwork Gals tried to sell some of their baby quilts and other “baby” products (bibs, birth cloths, car-seat covers, etc.) at local craft fairs, but as the members had been so generous with making all these “baby” products, there are a LOT left over.

So…

One member just formed an Etsy shop where these beautiful and fun projects can be purchased–with free shipping. See the link below.

Meanwhile, one member made a really nice brochure to hand out at the craft fairs. Here is a listing of the various groups to which Patchwork Gals donates their work. (SCYAP is South Carolina Youth Advocate Program, which fosters children that need that kind of care.)

There is also a big group of women who make a lot of red, white, and blue “quilts of valor” quilts–in conjunction with Cobblestone Quilters.

So, if you find yourself in need of a gift for a baby, take a look at the new Etsy store. 

https://www.etsy.com/shop/PatchworkGals?ref=seller-platform-mcnav

We have a new family baby coming in April, so I may dip into this treasure trove of baby products to give more than the baby quilt I already have in process. I’m sure these parents could use bibs, birth blankets, and car-seat covers–all hand made with loving hands.

Pretty Food

Yesterday I came home from the monthly Patchwork Gals meeting–where some beautiful quilts were shown–HUNGRY.

I started pulling items from the refrigerator–a selection of colored sweet peppers, baby bok choy, 1 lb of hamburger, and leftover roasted cauliflower and carrots.

I set off the smoke alarms in the kitchen when sautéing the peppers on high heat. Flapping a towel and opening the back door helped–in time. Ugh! Anyway, the peppers were nicely browned in places–so I added in the washed and chopped baby bok choy, and the liquid it diffused slowed down all the heat. I added some herbs and just cooked more until the bok choy was softening but still crisp.

Meanwhile, the hamburger got some chopped onion, some grated mozzarella cheese, and some herbs and four patties went into the Air Fryer–they cooked in under 15 minutes on “roast.”

Somewhere in that process, I made my daily espresso and chopped up an apple–half now and half for supper.

And…what a nice meal I had as I thought about all I saw and enjoyed at the Patchwork Gals meeting. Two meals in fact, as I set up my supper meal of these same ingredients, but much less on the plate, at the same time. Three meals, as I have enough for dinner today.

I “rented” this book from the library a bit ago–COLD SASSY TREE–and realized I had read it years ago. One can buy books from a kiosk at the library for $1–and most I return when I’m done. Some I give to others, however.

I’m enjoying reading it again however. It falls into the same “Southern” vein as RUN WITH THE HORSEMEN, which my family all read back in the day. Both books have a young male protagonist. I read it long enough ago to recognize some of the plot, but not all.

Fun is Happening in the Quilt Studio

I’ve been having fun with the 3rd block in my online class with Tara Faughnan, where we get a block a month with which to play. “Lines” might seem simple, but it offers so much room to experiment with color relationships, straight lines vs. curved or offset lines, and proportions. I made these to finish at 8 inches, like the Serpentine blocks and checkerboard squares–just to have some consistency.

Here’s my design wall now, with the recent “Lines” blocks on the lower left.

I am still wondering if I can make an improv quilt with these blocks, but I need to see more of the blocks to come to decide on a bigger quilt. Remember that I already made a lap size quilt with the curved Serpentine block and its checkerboard pieces. It is so cute, and it waiting for me to baste it on the longarm. My favorite Serpentine block though is the scrappy ones shown here.

Here’s where I am with “Lines” right now.

But look what happens when I turn sone of these “Lines” blocks on their sides.

Instant landscapes and possibly a big 9-patch block? I could join up these blocks without sashing. So now I”ll make at least 3 more blocks to fill out what could be a chunk in an improv quilt. You can kind of see how that could go in this picture.

For me, creative “play” like this project above is totally energizing and engaging. I don’t worry about where it will all go, if anywhere. I can always make an array of other items if I need to: bags, placemats, small wall hangings that are hand-quilted, pillows, or…nothing but putting them in the “parts department” bin for future consideration. Removing the need to “do something” is so, so freeing.

Meanwhile, the 1920-1930’s quilt is growing. These blocks are 10 inches and are meant to use up this fabric from my stash. I did have to buy a few more pieces of fabric to fill out the colors.

Last night I threaded 30 needles in my 3 little holders and started to bind “Red Positivity.”

How fun it will be to have this big, bold happy quilt in my lap in upcoming nights!

“Traverse” is…Done

She’s in the washing machine–with four color catcher cloths–as I write here. There were a lot of loose threads on her. And, yes, I did prewash these Artisan shot cottons, but…I am not taking any chances with anything running given all these brilliant colors.

I spread her out on my bed as I promised many of you pictures. She glows… And she is going to live folded on my bed.

I layered her and started the hand quilting back in June, and I’ve been faithful to spending some time with Traverse every night. I used 12-wt cotton threads (Sulky, Wonderfil, Aurafil) that matched the fabrics as close as I could–and had fun playing with how to quilt around or over or through the patterns. And, I used a size 6 Tulip embroidery needle. I could have used a 7, which would be a bit smaller and thinner, but I was comfortable with the 6.

You may recall that I took designer Tara Faughnan’s online class on hand quilting–and set out to learn a new method. My front stitches have always been good, but not the back ones. I can tell you now that I have improved a lot and most of my back stitches are good now. And I kind of know when to check the back to make sure all is good.

Here are some close-up pics of the quilting:

I used a thinner cotton batting (Dream Cotton Request I think) and a thinner backing fabric (Cotton Couture). The binding is a dark green/teal Kona solid cotton that work really well.

BUT–there is always a BUT. I will never again use a thinner batting as I couldn’t get purchase with my needle to bury my sewing knots in the batting. And with the thicker needle, the batting bearded badly up through both the backing and the front. I even had trouble with it when sewing down the binding.

I recently also used Dream Cotton on the longarm, and I’ll never do that again either–and I already knew better and did it again, so there’s that. Dream Cotton is pure cotton, yes. It does not have any scrim or polyester, as such it just does not hold its shape. And it is a bear to get it to lie flat on the longarm when it has been stretched to lie flat as one moves through the quilt and checks that the quilt layers are all flat as you roll the quilt up.

I LOVE the look of the shot cottons too, but they are hard to manage. Their thicker threads just fray so, so easily. And it is hard to pull a knot through the fabric without starting a run. I eventually found ways to bury my knots in nearby seams, and that worked, but it was a learning curve.

Anyway!!! Traverse is done and is beautiful!

Green Tree Coffee and Tea

I love coffee!

And I am missing the coffee I purchased on a regular basis in Maine. This small business in Lincolnville, Maine, just north of Camden, roasts and blends its own coffee.

I have enjoyed a latte many times while sitting on the porch pictured below–sometimes with a guest visiting or with a local friend.

So yesterday, I ordered some. I love Dark Harbor and, especially, Roma espresso, which is a special blend made by Green Tree.

https://www.greentreecoffee.com

Ordering proved to be really easy online, but along the way, owner John called me and we had a nice chat. He wished me to be well in my new home in South Carolina and said he’d mail my coffee first thing Monday.

So now I’ll be hanging out looking for my coffee package!

Bits and Pieces, Early December 2023

Hello Everyone!

I’ve been busy and have neglected the blog. For one thing I’ve been walking almost every day for the past two weeks: 2 miles is becoming easy now. And I’m sleeping so, so well.

Anyway, here’s a bit of a long post for you.

In anticipation of walking the winter beach and traipsing through tidal pools, I got a pair of navy blue Bog Boots–on sale!! And they fit beautifully. When I saw the constellation theme, I knew this pair was for me.

The berries on the little Chinese Holly plants that the builder’s landscape sub planted have turned red. Aren’t they beautiful? And all are healthy. Now I really, really need to trim back the red rose plants, which are still blooming.

“Sprinkles” is off the longarm–and the quilting looks awesome. It is now bound and ready for the last hand sewing of the binding.

Look at the adorable backing for “Sprinkles”! It is a Ruby Star Society print–and I bound with it as well.

Traverse is also bound, and I’m hand sewing down the binding now. Oh my heavens, that hand quilting was a LONG project, however delightful.

So, I now have FOUR quilts with binding ready to be sewn by hand. I dragged out my three thread spools–each of which holds 10 threaded needles. Two of these were gifts to me years ago. The only issue is that these needle eyes are tiny, tiny, tiny–too tiny for any threader unit I’ve ever tried. I resorted to magnifying lenses and a strong light. After a while, I got faster, but…

I now have two sides of Traverse done–and have ordered some color catcher cloths for when I wash it–just to be sure. I’ve used up most of the 30 threaded needles now.

I couldn’t stop making the Serpentine blocks from Tara Faughnan’s online class–and I do love this scrappy one. The small quilt I made from these blocks is ready to go on the longarm. I’m still wondering about being able to make an improv quilt with these small fun, playful projects. The third month is a block Tara calls “Lines.” You can see it on her Instagram page.

I have seven colors of these 1920/30 reproduction fabrics–and I’ll make the red one today–the one below is pink. I’m loving the secondary patterns that will come along with this project.

So, this brings you pretty much up-to-date with me.

I’m good, and hope you all are as well.

Good Morning!

I started this post this morning, so now I have to say “good afternoon”!

I walked 2 miles with a neighbor this beautiful sunny morning while we talked and talked, which made the miles go by super fast. This is my 4th day of regular walking, but the first 2-miler.

People here love to celebrate Christmas. Already now, with December 1st still to come tomorrow, houses in my neighborhood are lit with lights, and inside one can see that inside decorated Christmas trees are up and all lit up. Many houses also have candles in the windows.

I took this picture of a live tree outside Whole Foods recently. The trees and greenery for sale around the store smell so good. It’s a smell I will always miss from my time in Maine and walking in woods redolent of evergreen trees.

This tree was $79. Ummm. No. I left all the Christmas decorations–save for one box of special ornaments–in Maine. I had no idea where I would be living here when I packed. So I jettisoned the stored Christmas to the local community.

So far, I haven’t bought anything new–decorating here takes ladders and lights and stringing cords and, for me, a fake tree, which I will not do. And the live ones don’t last long here in our warmer weather. I’ll just enjoy the neighbors’ efforts. And I do.

And now there is an easy fish chowder base getting hotter in the oven. Soon the fish part will go into it. And then I’ll eat (outside on the porch today!) and move toward sewing. The other house chores are all done.

I Went Down a Rabbit Hole

Yep, I sure did.

I fell in love with this month’s “Serpentine” block–and the classic way designer Tara Faughnan presented it was what you see with the red and aqua blocks in the top above. But at some point I also got interested in seeing more of the checkerboard in the block–and what a scrappy version would look like.

I love this top, which I’ve called “Surprise.” I think it will need a simple grid quilting pattern–basted on the longarm and sewn on my domestic.

Note, too, that the curved arc in this block can be presented in so, so many ways. It can make circles (without the 4-patch addition) and by lining up the colors in the 4-patch, one gets an elongated arc. I could go on, but I can assure you that on the community page, there are so, so many variations that can take your breath away. Quilters are so creative!!

I’m still toying with the idea of combing these monthly blocks in some way–which is why I have kept the same fabric palette. Remember this idea?

These pieces are more in scale for an improve quilt of some sort, especially if I split up the two classic curved blocks.

Next month is a block called “lines,” so we are all waiting now for December 1st.

I put some of the leftover 4-patches together to make 8.5 inch (unfinished) blocks. Will they combine with “lines” in some way?

Meanwhile, it is time to return to the 1920/30s blocks on the left of the design wall. I’ve been making the half-square units in pink and blue as leader/ender pieces. AND, it’s time to quilt this as yet unnamed quilt. It’s loaded on the longarm.

It needs some curves I think. I”ll baste it first and decide about quilting with curves or taking it off and sewing a grid on the domestic. There is an adorable backing in place, but I’ll show it to you later.

Have a lovely day!

Patchwork Gals

Our monthly Patchwork Gals meeting–I’m beginning to think of myself as a member of this group–was on November 15th.

As usual, the Show and Tell part of the meeting was awesome. There is so much talent in this group, but there are beginning quilters too, and I do so like a mixture of quilter types in a quilt group. Thus, each month many types of quilts are shown, including modern, traditional, art, and…more. The program for this month discussed and demonstrated how to make wave and scallop borders.

The quilt that totally blew us all away was made by Marva Hayne–and it had won first place in a recent show, but I did not catch the name.

This quilt is ALL appliqué. And Marva captured the most amazing images, but also the presence of light. This quilt just glows.

I can’t even…

Marva also showed this smaller quilt of white birches–and again, the way she captured light just made her quilt glow. Her quilt effects are made totally with appliqué.

I went home missing Maine’s stands of white birches. And, grey birches.

Marva is an artist.

Marva faced this quilt, and I was reminded how nice that looks when done correctly. It’s not a skill I have practiced at all, however.

I’m looking forward to the December meeting.

Two Food Ideas

I LOVE raspberries. In Maine I had a big bed of raspberry plants and froze LOTS for winter eating.

Here, one can buy raspberries fresh pretty much all year long. And I like to combine them with the blueberries and blackberries that also seem to be available all year long–with a drizzle of maple syrup–as a dessert at night, when I eat a lighter meal. (Pricey, but better for you than sweets like a fake ice cream.)

The berries come in little plastic containers–and the blueberries and blackberries do just fine stored in the refrigerator in those containers. But NOT the raspberries. I’ve discovered if I put them on a bed of paper towels and just loosely cover them with one of my “One World, Zero Waste” fabric sheets–NOT more plastic–they last without melting or molding for many days. In the plastic container, the raspberries start to go bad in one day or less.

I’ve blogged about these fabric tops and replacements for paper towels before now, and I continue to use them heavily. I use the sheets to top dishes in the microwave too and then into the wash they go. Mine were a very welcome gift from my DIL Corinne.

I especially like the string-drawn tops–the big ones will also cover a rectangular dish.

Here they are in use in my refrigerator–with one laid over the raspberries and the small one over a bowl:

I’ve had mine for nearly a year now, and they are going strong.

To the left of the milk you can see a quart jar of organic “olio nuevo” just harvested a few weeks ago at Organic Roots–a small farm in California. I bought a gallon and took quarts to each son. New oil like this comes with all the “bits” that will settle to the bottom of a vat in 5 or 6 weeks. And it comes with the most amazing fresh smell and taste, especially when warm. New olive oil only has a short shelf life–about 6 months.

So that leads me to this plate of food, which contains a “salad” of warm blanched and roughly chopped collard leaves–with a bit of this olive oil, the carrot part that was in the container with the raw onion I wanted and which I grated, and a bit of the raw onion–salt and herbs. It was and is delicious. I included some of this salad in three scrambled eggs last night: delicious!

The rest is no surprise to you blog readers: grilled lamb chops and sweet peppers and some of the Carolina Gold Rice. (I couldn’t find any organic Carolina Gold Rice at Whole Foods so will call Anson Mills again tomorrow.) Grilled sweet peppers are so much sweeter than they are roasted in the oven or the Air Fryer.

My little diffuser is happily diffusing this morning–loaded with Young Living lavender and lemon essential oils today. Then I’m going to switch to the green tree oils, like pine, cedar, and some of the firs and balsams. And I’ll soon also order some vanilla essential oil. I have peppermint on hand as I use it to keep bugs away in the summer. Who knew that pine and grapefruit would smell delicious, not me.

It’s overcast today, with gentle rain predicted! So I’m going upstairs to sew on the project that obsessed me for some days now.