A little Applique

Today I felt well enough to get up and around a bit-in truth it is very difficult for me to be inactive, I need to be productive and that's pretty difficult lying flat in bed!
My surgery turned out to be two operations 48 hours apart owing to a problem that arose after the first.
All that fasting/anesthesia/drugs/more fasting/anesthesia/drugs is really hard on the body and creates havoc for the immune system so you can be sure I will be using every natural method possible to get my system back to "normal".
I decided to tackle the applique on the Christmas table runner and I found that sitting is really more comfortable, less pressure on the surgical area than lying in bed.

 In earlier years I had made quite a few appliqued quilts and won some ribbons at it but it's very time consuming and doesn't allow for "pedal to the metal" sewing, so in recent years my applique projects have been few and far between. With this in mind I will tell you a few of the "tricks" I find make it a more palatable process, starting with an open toe applique foot that allows for better vision of the work area.

You need to use a good tear-away  stabilizer.

I find this one removes nicely, I also use it for the embroidery machine.

I like to use fancy threads for applique, if you are going to all that trouble why not make the most of the effect? This time I pulled out a few from my longarm selection, some Superior "Rainbows" and "Art Colors" trilobal polyesters.

To use these specialty threads efficiently it's important to have the correct needle and these titanium coated topstitch needles from Superior are the best I have found. A #14 [90] will usually be sufficient to allow easy access for the thread in order not to shred.

These threads are very "slick" and require the ends to be tied off or otherwise secured to ensure that they do not unravel. Secure the beginning by sewingover the tails for a half inch, and then leaving sufficient thread at the very end to bury the tails by threading them into the back of the work. That way when you launder the article you won't have the applique coming loose! You get a good look at the open toe applique foot here. One more thing, often I find it necessary to adjust tension and this works best for me if I tweak the bobbin tension a little bit tighter to pull the fancy thread down to the back of the work giving a nicer appearance.
Now I know the DSM manufacturers may say "never touch the bobbin tension" but that is malarkey I can testify as a longarmer for eleven years I constantly adjust my bobbin tension and the machine police have never come to my door! What is a longarm but a DSM on steroids?!

There are two small screws on the bobbin, the really tiny one on the left holds the tension arm in place, don't mess with that, but the larger of the two controls the tension of the thread coming off the bobbin so if you tighten this screw just a little you may like the result and what have you lost? You can always turn it back that fraction to what it was before, which is exactly what I do when I return to regular stitching. Your instruction book may even have some directions for bobbin tension adjustment from some of the more enlightened manufacturers!

Have no fear, you can do this!

While I am far from the world's greatest appliquer you can see how the specialty threads make a pretty effect in spite of the operator!

Now to quilt and bind it! 

To Quilt Or Not to Quilt.........

Wordless Wednesday

Temporarily Offline!

Just a quick note to say that I may be offline for a few more days- I will have surgery to my back tomorrow and I am not sure what to expect in the first few days after.
Hopefully a speedy return to full activity!

Thanksgiving Dinner!

Rather than cooking/cleaning up and dealing with the left-overs, we went to the Cimarron Cafe Thanksgiving buffet.

It was a lovely meal and best of all no work!

I chose a non-traditional dessert, a chocolate mocha pie, just the right small size !

After eating we walked around the small town of Ridgway [population approx. 1300] and wandered over to show our Aussie visitors the old Firehouse. 

The gentleman who lives there offered to show us inside the original Ridgway Jail, built in 1909. 

This building was actually in use until 1978........

I can't imagine anyone being incarcerated here, no doubt it was temporary, but it must have been a very cold place in winter!
We saw much more this afternoon but it will need to wait for another day, information overload!

Thanksgiving 2012

Our nation is in turmoil, the Middle East is a cauldron that threatens to boil over at any moment and it is Thanksgiving again.
So rather than pontificate I will post the words of others more wise, to say what needs to be said!
The first from a venerable man, an exemplary United States President regarded as the "Father of our Nation".
 The second from  The Patriot Post.

A Proclamation.

By the President of the United States of America.

Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me "to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness."

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted; for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations, and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally, to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.

G. Washington

1789

"Lord God Almighty, you have made all the peoples of the earth for your glory, to serve you in freedom and in peace: Give to the people of our country a zeal for what is right and what is true and the integrity to use our Liberty in accordance with your gracious will. We thank you Lord, for the gift of our Nation and its heritage. May we live up to the Patriot dreams of our Founding Fathers. We praise You for the Constitution and government our Founding Fathers designed. Forgive us that we have strayed so far from the ideals of religious freedom and individual responsibility they embody. We thank You for our Godly heritage and the Biblical principles on which the laws and institutions of our land were established."

From The Patriot Post

Colorado Huggy Bunch Quilters

Wednesday Khris and I went into Montrose to meet with the few HB members who came in spite of Thanksgiving prep cooking etc. At times there may be as many as 25 who gather to sew but that's more likely in the summer time.

 Khris was sewing on my old Singer Feather Weight machine using up some of my collection of selvedges.......

 and finished up with enough blocks for four potholders, two she will be taking back to Aus. with her as souvenirs of her visit to the HB.

I worked on the Christmas table runner and got it together, woohoo, just have to applique the bows and quilt and bind it, hopefully before Christmas. I am not sure why this photo is a bit blurry.........?

Before heading back up the mountain we paid a visit to the Lady Bugz Quilt Shop in Montrose where Khris made a couple of purchases...............

and I bought this for her as a reminder of her visit there!

As for me, I found these fabrics irresistible, aren't the retro kitchen appliances the cutest? And the black and white fabric has all sorts of sewing motifs, you always need black in the stash, right?!

Khristina And Glen Are Here!

They arrived Sunday afternoon and we stopped in at Colorado Boy Brewery to pick up pizzas before driving up the mountain.

Walt and Glen enjoyed a brew or two while we waited for our dinner..........and we all enjoyed the yummy pizza..........

thin  hand tossed crusts, and exotic toppings.

This one is called Rustica, can't remember the name of the one with Arugula but they were both very good! They also make a dessert pizza, two thin crusts sandwiched with Nutella!

Earlier that day we had stopped in at my friends' small farm just outside Montrose, Gale has chickens that lay the prettiest green and blue eggs.

 We caught this hen in the act of laying, she looks a little peeved or is she just embarrassed?

Here are a few more of the hens. We had these delicious free range, organic eggs scrambled for breakfast on Monday morning, the yolks are so orange and the eggs actually taste the way they should!

Aren't they beautiful?

After brekkie [Aus. for breakfast!] Monday we drove into Ouray, and stopped at Mouse's Chocolates of course.......

they make a hot apple cider with home made caramel and cream, simply divine daaahling, I brought home a jar of the caramel, it's great for Sticky Date Pudding!

We couldn't leave without  trying a few of these hand made truffles.........

                                  turkey truffles!

Here Khristina is about to tuck into a "Scrap cookie".........

    In case you are wondering what these are, the explanation is below!

Thence over the Million Dollar Highway to Silverton, the town is pretty much closed up though some places will re-open for ski season next month.

Like other old Colorado towns they have a vintage operational bank building with original fittings.............

 shades of the old days!

 

Here is the original jail, now a thrift store.

 This is the steam engine that runs between Silverton and Durango, we rode it down and back a few years ago in a terrific snow storm, that was fun!

The Civil War Quilt at 9,000ft.

We arrived up at the Colorado house last evening after the 9 hour drive from Phoenix and a stop at Colorado Boy Brewery for beer and a delicious pizza.
After unpacking the groceries I actually sat in front of the TV watching "Cold Case"and checking email, I can't remember when I last sat and watched TV, LOL.
It's quite balmy up here today, around mid 40's F, so we will likely take a wander around after lunch, maybe visit our neighbors in that next cabin along the ridge.

Trying to get some pics of the CW quilt that I took off the longarm machine around midnight Thursday.

It is ready to bind but there are lots of thread tails that need to be "buried" yet. This is the view looking to the south with Corbett's Peak and Whitehouse mountains, 12-13,000+ ft high. It looks a little hazy but you can see there's some new snow up there.

Shows the back of the quilt and the feather quilting.

A little snow on the ground around the house but it isn't sticking long, too early yet in the season.

With the sun behind me this photo turned out better, view to the south.

Close up of the quilting detail.
This quilt is to go on the couch downstairs in Phoenix, it's the perfect color scheme!