tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-312014792024-03-05T16:19:02.153-06:00Appalachian MercantileMy soul is fed with needle and thread.Appalachian Mercantilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00131903078689676377noreply@blogger.comBlogger716125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31201479.post-25261671234241493202022-01-24T07:55:00.002-06:002022-02-08T09:33:06.950-06:00Something Amazing Happened!<p><span style="font-family: arial;">We are a blended family - very much so. Not only do we have 'his' and 'hers', but we have a very diverse family. It has been a lot of work, prayer and grace to get us where we are right now. I will reiterate - it has not been easy. Our family came together this weekend to celebrate Hubs. They planned a surprise weekend at a cabin in the hills and it was truly the most spectacular family event we have ever had. We are now at a point where you would think the kids have all been raised together and are 'true' brothers and sisters.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2Xv5kBAL_Qcykcvo75n_MtITGrJ_4y4E0BBkB5g0Rydm3ptTbxKTVd6CzYipLSj5-YGOdaaisVzHBG2YVB0hsk2zDJHgorpPkX4m8PtWBug0A2HGdbRTYzGDa7tnXzaIhB8ePMADTLzrpxSGXrbF2D9OHetYrdCq0hCxSw4-2_tev6HPRGQ=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2Xv5kBAL_Qcykcvo75n_MtITGrJ_4y4E0BBkB5g0Rydm3ptTbxKTVd6CzYipLSj5-YGOdaaisVzHBG2YVB0hsk2zDJHgorpPkX4m8PtWBug0A2HGdbRTYzGDa7tnXzaIhB8ePMADTLzrpxSGXrbF2D9OHetYrdCq0hCxSw4-2_tev6HPRGQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Having the opportunity for everyone to unplug from any kind of media and just enjoy time as a family was phenomenal. Pulling it off without Hubs finding out would be a blog post all on it's own! Nurse daughter and her family were able to come up from Florida so we had everyone all in one place. The kids rented a McMansion cabin (that sleeps 39!!). It had an indoor pool, two hot tubs, a media room, a bunk room with enough bunks for all the grands....it was just perfect.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Why do we wait until special occasions to celebrate how much someone means to us? If I had my way (in a rainbow and unicorns world), we would live like this every day. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjfCIrLTZlvhmqlu235NHjNOCarzcIyjNv7l6Pnpcnqb7aw51dgnRTRN99EMyyvw5WajEaCVgHY4iZgX9mShtYnHwwcKQLtFLd18GiYp1iGXaZNvB-m3BjvZiH909S_WgzoribmfcpIr0V5UZZm9UFRrP9waPrEUo5h3Yt9ys0g2MlX-qmoYg=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjfCIrLTZlvhmqlu235NHjNOCarzcIyjNv7l6Pnpcnqb7aw51dgnRTRN99EMyyvw5WajEaCVgHY4iZgX9mShtYnHwwcKQLtFLd18GiYp1iGXaZNvB-m3BjvZiH909S_WgzoribmfcpIr0V5UZZm9UFRrP9waPrEUo5h3Yt9ys0g2MlX-qmoYg=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">There were dance parties, card playing, and meals spent around the table as a family. Pretty sure Hubs squirted a few tears from the overwhelming feeling of how special he is to us. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">We had to clean up the cabin and be out before we could fix a proper breakfast, so most of the kids came back to our house and we re-started the party. While our house is so much smaller and we don't yet have that inground pool (LOL), it was great to be able to continue on. The snow was falling on our little farm and if we had gotten enough where I could have gotten a clean bowl of snow, I was going to invoke the Nana Clause and make snow cream. I am a firm believer in being able to supply grands with as much sugar as I want by invoking the clause. Sadly, we didn't get enough snow.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">There is talk of making this a yearly event. I do hope we can pull it off. Something like this will be a memory the kids and grands will cherish for a long time, even more so than a Christmas or Thanksgiving.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Be blessed, and be a blessing!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Cynthia</span></p>Appalachian Mercantilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00131903078689676377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31201479.post-58858467038512028412022-01-01T03:00:00.001-06:002022-01-01T03:00:00.206-06:002022 - Word for the Year<p><span style="color: #800180; font-family: arial;"><b>Happy New Year!!!</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">If you have been following me for a while, you know that I am not a resolution maker. Studies show that most resolutions are broken by January 16. Really? Not even a whole month? I have a word for the year. My word for the year sets the tone for goals I set throughout the year. I don't just 'pie in the sky' a word. There is a lot of thought and prayer that go in to the choice for the year.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">My word for 2022 - RESET</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNIu4Fl033x_gZzvnaRGsRBmvM1-1Z3yTyKmQCu6lhKhZ4ZKj0kGtOzMedsvJ7tC2zTO_tmN74zMds-739Df5T4_8552QKK_fJ9-pN92nxeMS9ORRc1sWVkVBfijcYLzSHWpqYaegpVjMZ-uqdWCeuf1TAggWoDEfFvIk-U-vY1bX1h4JOgA=s430" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="401" data-original-width="430" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNIu4Fl033x_gZzvnaRGsRBmvM1-1Z3yTyKmQCu6lhKhZ4ZKj0kGtOzMedsvJ7tC2zTO_tmN74zMds-739Df5T4_8552QKK_fJ9-pN92nxeMS9ORRc1sWVkVBfijcYLzSHWpqYaegpVjMZ-uqdWCeuf1TAggWoDEfFvIk-U-vY1bX1h4JOgA=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It was a tough one this time around. I know the goals and plans Hubs and I have for the upcoming year and this was the word that was given to me.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">There is a lot of discussion on the Global Reset right now that encompasses the financial side of what is happening in the world, but that's not the kind of RESET I am referring to. I spent a lot of time reflecting on what I want to change and opportunities for internal growth. This year has thrown a lot of old memories at me and made me somewhat sappy on what used to be - those things that caused me pain and things that brought me joy. Finding joy hasn't been as easy with all that is going on in the world and experiencing the loss of so many family/friends. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Experiencing a RESET will hopefully bring me back some of that joy that eludes me when trekking through those memories. It also affords me the opportunity to 'fix' some things that need fixing. Whether it is personal relationships, habits, interests, the shop, the garden/farm....all of these things will go through a RESET this year. I'm not ready to share the extent of it, but as the year progresses know that the focus will be on a RESET and hopefully, this will be a good thing!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>On a lighter note...</i>.one of the things I get to do for my RESET is take a sledgehammer to the original shop computer. She has served me well since 2003. She has been through a lot and suffered from her own viruses. I have pulled all the info from her I can and now 'Command Central' will be sporting one less computer. Hallelujah! (Command Central is what Hubs calls the office. At one point we were up to 4 computers - each with their own level of disrepair - and it is now down to ONE! There is a dedicated shop computer in the shop, but Command Central is now just a regular office....there's my first RESET of the year!)</span></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">What about you: are you a goal setter? resolution maker? word of the year person? What inspires you to stick with it? I would love to hear all about it.</span><p></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Be blessed and be a blessing,</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cynthia</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AppalachianQuilts/" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Facebook</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Website: <a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2020/11/www.quiltweb.net" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Website</a></span></p>Appalachian Mercantilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00131903078689676377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31201479.post-82165847812654475412021-12-31T03:00:00.001-06:002021-12-31T03:00:00.226-06:00A Year in Review - Quilt Finishes<p><span style="font-family: arial;">Sometimes I just don't feel like I've accomplished much when it comes to my quilting. I have so many patterns laid out that I want to make, but I've been challenging myself to finish some of my old UFOs and flimsies first. Then, I take a step back and look at what I did get done, and I don't feel so bad. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The first UFO I got done this year was <a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2021/01/christmas-ribbons.html?showComment=1638621756895&view=sidebar" target="_blank">Christmas Ribbons</a>. You can bet I had it on the bed for the holidays! I loved this fabric line.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuG7GK4P8vD8w1aKVCD-SkiBwPPrE7YtSoZcoB03ocLpLv9_J4cXsLK6A-4MVDMyZOm1FpnIQ4YeK0RNRTUaGVBNIVy-jqtuf7w8PGMOQlfkw6VCtdhjHcnwCoa_NB2g9615jC/s2048/Christmas+Ribbons.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1746" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuG7GK4P8vD8w1aKVCD-SkiBwPPrE7YtSoZcoB03ocLpLv9_J4cXsLK6A-4MVDMyZOm1FpnIQ4YeK0RNRTUaGVBNIVy-jqtuf7w8PGMOQlfkw6VCtdhjHcnwCoa_NB2g9615jC/w546-h640/Christmas+Ribbons.JPG" width="546" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">The next completion was my <a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2021/01/just-for-fun.html?showComment=1638621756895&view=sidebar" target="_blank">Quilt Diva</a>. She proudly hangs in my sewing studio.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjExl1DOBA0ePeX29usANFzL_ZFG5RPp8gFES_idj4088lUXbVHCMhr2t9vYhg-xiPMtN08XFiW06HwWIQvAyI-N1Ff9WaFz2wJrVbpDIJaU5ZGK04_SjbbiFxTKoY-60QnDqzt/s2048/Quilt+Diva+Cynthia.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1356" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjExl1DOBA0ePeX29usANFzL_ZFG5RPp8gFES_idj4088lUXbVHCMhr2t9vYhg-xiPMtN08XFiW06HwWIQvAyI-N1Ff9WaFz2wJrVbpDIJaU5ZGK04_SjbbiFxTKoY-60QnDqzt/w265-h400/Quilt+Diva+Cynthia.JPG" width="265" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Next up was <a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2021/01/star-blush.html?showComment=1638621756895&view=sidebar" target="_blank">Star Blush</a>. This was one I designed.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPJcbxkWbctLyJSkZlPLTeK_JOqRWZXKLNUA6WYqXHkkPmt1qxjEXbAeUcTt6aApnD5pnjlKrO7cQokJ7igrJ-Nl2Bnh9tyxGjmCt3q9KsrNbpwYq_gE1e3duSN-JYF0L1UMiS/s2048/Star+Blush.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1887" data-original-width="2048" height="590" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPJcbxkWbctLyJSkZlPLTeK_JOqRWZXKLNUA6WYqXHkkPmt1qxjEXbAeUcTt6aApnD5pnjlKrO7cQokJ7igrJ-Nl2Bnh9tyxGjmCt3q9KsrNbpwYq_gE1e3duSN-JYF0L1UMiS/w640-h590/Star+Blush.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Then I finished up the <a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2021/01/cornucopia.html?showComment=1638621756895&view=sidebar" target="_blank">Cornucopia</a> topper.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6xiF27_GDYE9wWVQ_as60d944aufdJEB53XIPstBXgr2pA4kVwGHoKGJKzFA3OZ18REmDnxVkZl0wrEr930-DVezIq3AeHLJ3fMfxAZQmFRkYLw5YyaymnN6HNzgXxlKCKfrb/s640/Cornucopia+Topper.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="638" data-original-width="640" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6xiF27_GDYE9wWVQ_as60d944aufdJEB53XIPstBXgr2pA4kVwGHoKGJKzFA3OZ18REmDnxVkZl0wrEr930-DVezIq3AeHLJ3fMfxAZQmFRkYLw5YyaymnN6HNzgXxlKCKfrb/s320/Cornucopia+Topper.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />We had pieced that one in two color ways, so I needed to finish the other one - <a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2021/01/poetry-in-motion.html?showComment=1638621756895&view=sidebar" target="_blank">Poetry in Motion.</a></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxP-Ms0p2hEs3WgA6PjVCEz2_EL2TuNcSCdQuiGVFesDSf-DZsSUTd8TGM-1cPbfiK0f8f_8Lxc5TzIQJnGOE-ZfPqDnseXTWSGy2OQydhZjsW9AfbkMEERj951jIQ5MIMLFhf/s640/Poetry+in+Motion.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="618" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxP-Ms0p2hEs3WgA6PjVCEz2_EL2TuNcSCdQuiGVFesDSf-DZsSUTd8TGM-1cPbfiK0f8f_8Lxc5TzIQJnGOE-ZfPqDnseXTWSGy2OQydhZjsW9AfbkMEERj951jIQ5MIMLFhf/s320/Poetry+in+Motion.JPG" width="309" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Next up was a big one! This one was from the <a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2021/02/todays-pics-arent-my-best-work-ill-just.html?showComment=1638621756895&view=sidebar" target="_blank">Portugal</a> fabric line. </span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho4p-1-85Q-J2crbQXSHDtSF2gHWYk65794h899QLpUcd6TNHRtdKUgCOtBN7zEIdJapz8i7PHW6yrC0A4tU0A7QVqkyUorfMD8RTHZoDglKF_pSGuPTLFYrL9GG9bcS42T3ql/s399/Portugal.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="371" data-original-width="399" height="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho4p-1-85Q-J2crbQXSHDtSF2gHWYk65794h899QLpUcd6TNHRtdKUgCOtBN7zEIdJapz8i7PHW6yrC0A4tU0A7QVqkyUorfMD8RTHZoDglKF_pSGuPTLFYrL9GG9bcS42T3ql/w400-h373/Portugal.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2021/02/vacation-houses.html?showComment=1638621756895&view=sidebar" target="_blank">Vacation Houses</a> was on my 'wanna do' list for a while, so I got it pieced and quilted! LOVE this quilting pattern!</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsMG1E5dUrzZbeSFwigtCxwGZtxAa4OFdoE3VwT0HIR7PxP76RFGgnFjHrZSCBILF_GyyVEaqSmWemt-sTbTleLviFQioofaQoJ_2rWxwZepzdxzikDnZy0Z7qIk1vbgBkmv5V/s2048/Vacation+House.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1797" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsMG1E5dUrzZbeSFwigtCxwGZtxAa4OFdoE3VwT0HIR7PxP76RFGgnFjHrZSCBILF_GyyVEaqSmWemt-sTbTleLviFQioofaQoJ_2rWxwZepzdxzikDnZy0Z7qIk1vbgBkmv5V/w351-h400/Vacation+House.JPG" width="351" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">One of the 'favorites' that I let go of the idea of custom quilting and just did an allover - <a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2021/03/variety-is-spice-of-life.html?showComment=1638621756895&view=sidebar" target="_blank">Star Log Cabin</a>. It stays on the bed in the guest bedroom when I'm not holiday decorating.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqAFesWhyupMnJFFmV4xHOgbH96jGfRQvff8m0zGUFGDK_Nn2Hh8bc775c5XbOuHqMDpfzWZWYmnM4-LIpJKOpOsPVEpvnjGoBZi_qaQkeoTqUIvczq-u4lOUo-_pO9xgN06EL/s2048/Star+Log+Cabin.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1356" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqAFesWhyupMnJFFmV4xHOgbH96jGfRQvff8m0zGUFGDK_Nn2Hh8bc775c5XbOuHqMDpfzWZWYmnM4-LIpJKOpOsPVEpvnjGoBZi_qaQkeoTqUIvczq-u4lOUo-_pO9xgN06EL/w424-h640/Star+Log+Cabin.JPG" width="424" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Then....it was gardening season so not a lot was happening. I got ramped back up and quilted this <a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2021/10/cover-story.html?showComment=1638621756895&view=sidebar" target="_blank">Thimbleberries Cover Story</a> quilt.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDfRyX2XFzvdxR6Ju4zV9fixDUUb7lucwluE6KJqAeF7OoYU-aQpviNU4y-_SCGdg-gdfC3KyKUH6MevWr8pnTNR6FIdpRWklBbf2x1-fQCdzlfT82_vI4X460131kR-oMdaGu/s2048/Cover+Story.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1356" data-original-width="2048" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDfRyX2XFzvdxR6Ju4zV9fixDUUb7lucwluE6KJqAeF7OoYU-aQpviNU4y-_SCGdg-gdfC3KyKUH6MevWr8pnTNR6FIdpRWklBbf2x1-fQCdzlfT82_vI4X460131kR-oMdaGu/s320/Cover+Story.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">In time for Fall decorating, I quilted <a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2021/10/quilt-seasons.html?showComment=1638621756895&view=sidebar" target="_blank">The Great Pumpkin</a>.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSsWZGgoNej-aXQAwv5JrdpanX0Rm4ngCpkqBl18r5cIFA42VmKCyoTEatyqjPEu0n-_SNKHo2wX-1lB0R9sMaMnQEO8o6cSW3mbaBr0Ak0EUHLCmjqCWnveYL1m3Hy-C7dHRw/s1672/The+Great+Pumpkin+small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="1672" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSsWZGgoNej-aXQAwv5JrdpanX0Rm4ngCpkqBl18r5cIFA42VmKCyoTEatyqjPEu0n-_SNKHo2wX-1lB0R9sMaMnQEO8o6cSW3mbaBr0Ak0EUHLCmjqCWnveYL1m3Hy-C7dHRw/s320/The+Great+Pumpkin+small.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Wanting to get another big one done, I quilted <a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2021/11/eureka.html?showComment=1638621756895&view=sidebar" target="_blank">Eureka</a>.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHDpOAdva3EVYPaYxChDD_ibNsx8ITNv0nDnOyS0ZxNTpJOK8mWNvy-UnytuOlVOVgu9jMuT_1DgZGvzZjwyT3N9Z4JSFjQoIKR0hx2gB9jNFur0t5dSbGer9RjKjXTuzK9qwS/s1672/Eureka+small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="1672" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHDpOAdva3EVYPaYxChDD_ibNsx8ITNv0nDnOyS0ZxNTpJOK8mWNvy-UnytuOlVOVgu9jMuT_1DgZGvzZjwyT3N9Z4JSFjQoIKR0hx2gB9jNFur0t5dSbGer9RjKjXTuzK9qwS/w400-h300/Eureka+small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Surprise, surprise - I actually got <a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2021/11/straddlin.html?showComment=1638621756895&view=sidebar" target="_blank">Straddlin Santa</a> done in time for Christmas decorating.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieEzkX47eD-8CVCGVkFbVIYO2Ac3nazmHblrEOs2rzTKhu8qcbifFPbsU6Y9V-A-4JMWCt05cAKhpyKFF2yrWbqpsoUbke-k04SpipUNBfLwYZOiIIJpQ45EzcGG5polXuHY4v/s1540/Straddlin+Santa+small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1361" data-original-width="1540" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieEzkX47eD-8CVCGVkFbVIYO2Ac3nazmHblrEOs2rzTKhu8qcbifFPbsU6Y9V-A-4JMWCt05cAKhpyKFF2yrWbqpsoUbke-k04SpipUNBfLwYZOiIIJpQ45EzcGG5polXuHY4v/s320/Straddlin+Santa+small.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">And then....the quilt of all quilts....I finally finished my<a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2021/11/lifetime-achievement-quilt.html?showComment=1638621756895&view=sidebar" target="_blank"> Lifetime Achievement</a> quilt. (I <i>still</i> need to get a better pic of it!)</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGHG6xE9Myc2yIVHYdc8_ilTEpai6wxn3fOo97yqZSWq5FEi2wV7PjZOZI_Yir12yklp91x9YnnZbhbXM67aui_l2zuZB746OXYDJ7PIaOpT0QAKdmgK4n5fb1HmMM4C9oQlIi/s1779/Wholecloth+Center+Closeup+small.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1178" data-original-width="1779" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGHG6xE9Myc2yIVHYdc8_ilTEpai6wxn3fOo97yqZSWq5FEi2wV7PjZOZI_Yir12yklp91x9YnnZbhbXM67aui_l2zuZB746OXYDJ7PIaOpT0QAKdmgK4n5fb1HmMM4C9oQlIi/w640-h424/Wholecloth+Center+Closeup+small.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2021/12/a-day-late-and-dollar-short.html?showComment=1638621756895&view=sidebar" target="_blank">A Day Late and a Dollar Short</a> didn't get done in time for Fall decorating, but it will be ready for next year.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKva5WrIS1H8PZ3T2v3exCSRp3_4zEAUC_cfEX8w7j_-kTcgQuCAFCiaRkfOop5FuRuyP49Fa5i1oLweSUQfJH_AUvzAlDu55pHX4pfNZ62aDHDi80O3x0-b5jkQIU7vzgmty5/s2048/A+Day+Late+and+a+Dollar+Short.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2020" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKva5WrIS1H8PZ3T2v3exCSRp3_4zEAUC_cfEX8w7j_-kTcgQuCAFCiaRkfOop5FuRuyP49Fa5i1oLweSUQfJH_AUvzAlDu55pHX4pfNZ62aDHDi80O3x0-b5jkQIU7vzgmty5/w395-h400/A+Day+Late+and+a+Dollar+Short.JPG" width="395" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2021/12/sage-and-sea-glass-stars.html" target="_blank">Sage and Sea Glass Stars</a> was done next. Love the scrappy binding on this one!</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik6HkU4Pl_-GwFUCfk9oQBAhWuFObKxFzFVwZ9SrrZCtfWeZ5_9sfmIy3OkPgPWUsiUxLKuML3MJC0fCRkoXMnNd3pFwBw4_OXhDEM62a6qDCMTsdgQ4Q5yzyrzB3mPt5hezem/s2048/Sage+%2526+Sea+Glass+Stars.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2010" data-original-width="2048" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik6HkU4Pl_-GwFUCfk9oQBAhWuFObKxFzFVwZ9SrrZCtfWeZ5_9sfmIy3OkPgPWUsiUxLKuML3MJC0fCRkoXMnNd3pFwBw4_OXhDEM62a6qDCMTsdgQ4Q5yzyrzB3mPt5hezem/w400-h393/Sage+%2526+Sea+Glass+Stars.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Then we had a little fun with our <a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2021/12/pumpkin-divas.html" target="_blank">Pumpkin Divas</a>.</span><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiA4RIZV5H8FVlUAjYjeOJkwJzkS2n__NWSVALq1ujYtKe71HLDNHZq_zKjHiJ9l9p4ZrrRem39vRG3-0BZV-uYuAj2SHq6H0api38BdH5fzqVoolvfjghfXFTW1NNFf-3u-X-OAVxbQ-q2MCJkHwUv8MMgig9lpVxWf_ncq3NtgfMPK54xlA=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiA4RIZV5H8FVlUAjYjeOJkwJzkS2n__NWSVALq1ujYtKe71HLDNHZq_zKjHiJ9l9p4ZrrRem39vRG3-0BZV-uYuAj2SHq6H0api38BdH5fzqVoolvfjghfXFTW1NNFf-3u-X-OAVxbQ-q2MCJkHwUv8MMgig9lpVxWf_ncq3NtgfMPK54xlA=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">And to finish off the <a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2021/12/fall-cover-story.html" target="_blank">Cover Story</a> panel quilts, we whipped out this one:</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEioCL0myqqeALvnrWeIoZXtBYvV1EGXOmODEcbQ8NZ1Tse1VR1TwJ4zfkii-P2s6Y_GH5-8_XHFolav85n9hvYRilSNOVzdlnCpwdVXVTRqywzCtYFepUkyRKjMrGyFzru3aE0vdd5YmBTXyjyMkpjvsWkzeE4NJTAiybb2TO_-r_pYhsl0AQ=s3065" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3065" data-original-width="2924" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEioCL0myqqeALvnrWeIoZXtBYvV1EGXOmODEcbQ8NZ1Tse1VR1TwJ4zfkii-P2s6Y_GH5-8_XHFolav85n9hvYRilSNOVzdlnCpwdVXVTRqywzCtYFepUkyRKjMrGyFzru3aE0vdd5YmBTXyjyMkpjvsWkzeE4NJTAiybb2TO_-r_pYhsl0AQ=w381-h400" width="381" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2021/12/star-table-square.html" target="_blank">Star Table Square</a> was fun to custom quilt:</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiODjVVnntvS1lj-pRwPiADOoly6OtvxF6qF423rcfvZaDaGJAT_o-r4OMdgjMODGwE1YUVW3VudFFP6vp1XI7yv-ptiFnA64sVOHXp1A2u_y0EMfw2jAItRxMIYHBq4xbtlkRgZLXSGpn8TnkOE85bITskhuLZca5-EqsV39SoOQfQWP9M1A=s3007" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3007" data-original-width="2977" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiODjVVnntvS1lj-pRwPiADOoly6OtvxF6qF423rcfvZaDaGJAT_o-r4OMdgjMODGwE1YUVW3VudFFP6vp1XI7yv-ptiFnA64sVOHXp1A2u_y0EMfw2jAItRxMIYHBq4xbtlkRgZLXSGpn8TnkOE85bITskhuLZca5-EqsV39SoOQfQWP9M1A=w396-h400" width="396" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2021/12/fancy-baskets.html" target="_blank">Fancy Baskets </a>was done in a fabric line I just loved. Was really happy to get this one quilted:</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMA_ZvAViCa6yluNadvMyTPIQxHXzaQCF5kgdue2J71Y2FVN5f-90IE-8JfO64wqnzrJT0P6QiGofUGXBbPVxHBMVaczZoP7JmZEMtMUYBmxDRzZFfBKBBK0w4qRtWKKbekZPgnlYjSUfGvH1f52L7zQcUwjLSiQ4pc0UJAfa3RvOj6J1CWQ=s3103" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3054" data-original-width="3103" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMA_ZvAViCa6yluNadvMyTPIQxHXzaQCF5kgdue2J71Y2FVN5f-90IE-8JfO64wqnzrJT0P6QiGofUGXBbPVxHBMVaczZoP7JmZEMtMUYBmxDRzZFfBKBBK0w4qRtWKKbekZPgnlYjSUfGvH1f52L7zQcUwjLSiQ4pc0UJAfa3RvOj6J1CWQ=w400-h394" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Then, who could forget the story behind <a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2021/12/woven-palette-charm.html" target="_blank">Woven Palette Charm</a>...</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHpNZ5upNeE5aeWqmwJtlrXHkosssC2-OylLW8jJokQJ9Ha9X7j5fOU4WpVJeLrDbPl7xRE-aKDk9NO14AUvIImvAjndxdfPxDiDav5wDw49oZzG1RiqL0Jw4h1W9jt3eAjGha2cDWxol1p8_Y2eQVHls52GKiA5-u2DpEFnDQy8EmN46uFg=s3093" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3093" data-original-width="2890" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHpNZ5upNeE5aeWqmwJtlrXHkosssC2-OylLW8jJokQJ9Ha9X7j5fOU4WpVJeLrDbPl7xRE-aKDk9NO14AUvIImvAjndxdfPxDiDav5wDw49oZzG1RiqL0Jw4h1W9jt3eAjGha2cDWxol1p8_Y2eQVHls52GKiA5-u2DpEFnDQy8EmN46uFg=w374-h400" width="374" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">That put me at 20 finishes for the year. I could have scrambled and tried to finish a smaller quilt, but I'm OK with not hitting 21 for 2021. It wasn't a goal. I'm just tickled to get these off the list and relieving some of the guilt of having so many flimsies that need quilted. I still have a LOT more, but I will just keep squeezing them in a little at a time....I look at these posts, not with regret that I didn't finish more, but with a sense of accomplishment at what I DID get done.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">As we close the books on 2021 and open up 2022 there is so much to be thankful for. There are so many things we take for granted that we have been reminded to embrace each day. I'm thankful for the provision and for all of you.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Be blessed and be a blessing,</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cynthia</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AppalachianQuilts/" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Facebook</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Website: <a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2020/11/www.quiltweb.net" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Website</a></span></p></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p></div>Appalachian Mercantilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00131903078689676377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31201479.post-49018792525185228552021-12-30T04:06:00.008-06:002021-12-30T04:06:55.236-06:00Woven Palette Charm<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">I was going to name this blog post "Lesson Learned". When I first opened the shop in 2003, Jinny Beyer fabrics were a 'big thing'. I ordered the entire fabric line. The shop was smaller and the only wall space I had to hang samples was the distance between the top of the fabric racks and the ceiling. I was scrambling to get samples made and found this pattern that showcased all of the fabrics in the line. It was perfect and I was excited to get it made up and hung.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">A group of ladies came in to scope out my shop and report back to another shop in Marietta. (I found this out later....) One of the ladies looked at my quilt and asked about it. I told her it was available free online. She promptly quipped, "well, I guess you got what you paid for". Being the shop owner and not wanting to upset anyone, I smiled and in the deepest, darkest parts of my mind said to <i>myself</i> 'well, bless her heart'. My Momma taught me that if you don't have anything nice to say, you don't say anything. I'm guessing she had no Momma.... This was the day I learned a lesson that as a shop owner you are reminded of often - people are going to come in and say just about anything to you and you just have to suck it up and take it. It is those days when bridling my tongue can be taken to limits that are somewhat similar to a war zone. Needless to say, I never quilted this quilt. Any joy that it had brought me as a new shop owner was gone. Even when I loaded it to quilt this time around, what do you suppose was the first thought that came to mind??</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEib7JIrtFYqxAcVJiLVqtinsp8RylwhrnEqty0yxGkpxTIv-gEZgnX8b8_ZMyV2voKeaE7iVZCL-hW_PRkEvkkxJ4-U5Mr1QTEuxGya2Du-u_S8uB9tUr6GDKOxSXcKkhcSACQ4ZkNGfS-AtptzQK8pijm39ZKLdvw49yne4mKLYpZFLqEInQ=s3093" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3093" data-original-width="2890" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEib7JIrtFYqxAcVJiLVqtinsp8RylwhrnEqty0yxGkpxTIv-gEZgnX8b8_ZMyV2voKeaE7iVZCL-hW_PRkEvkkxJ4-U5Mr1QTEuxGya2Du-u_S8uB9tUr6GDKOxSXcKkhcSACQ4ZkNGfS-AtptzQK8pijm39ZKLdvw49yne4mKLYpZFLqEInQ=w598-h640" width="598" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">I stitched all the little blocks in the ditch and followed the lines of the border for quilting. It measures approx. 44" square. I went to the Jinny Beyer website today to see if the pattern is still available - just because.... There is a new version of it available called Woven Ribbons Palette Quilt. It is 58" square and now you can pay $10 for the pattern. So, there's that!~</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjiR1-pFTtmQVUIeuPGra0YdPr3I4A73m4o1l5PTtrDv2JZUzvZAZeVy7ZX8giv8OIoyjBqmJP6c675Qr71GSzy9mXzNi9DY-ATof34VLxeeVwxTr3NI_QIn2nVXu8b-uMboCtRweNz-Gnr8HbUYGkwB4lL_h0fBYp_lESwmxAKGH3k9sngvQ=s4928" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="4928" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjiR1-pFTtmQVUIeuPGra0YdPr3I4A73m4o1l5PTtrDv2JZUzvZAZeVy7ZX8giv8OIoyjBqmJP6c675Qr71GSzy9mXzNi9DY-ATof34VLxeeVwxTr3NI_QIn2nVXu8b-uMboCtRweNz-Gnr8HbUYGkwB4lL_h0fBYp_lESwmxAKGH3k9sngvQ=w640-h424" width="640" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I used Dream Green batting on this one. Dream Green gives you that same great drape you get from a poly and I love the loft of it. I used silk thread to bind it. (You can see a close-up on our Facebook page from earlier this week.) Silk thread is strong and just melts into the fabric. See in the pic - you cannot see the binding thread.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Although several of these fabrics are no longer available, some of them are. I am going to hang this quilt up in the shop - not because it is some great new pattern that everyone will want....but because we all need reminded to be courteous and lift each other up. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Be blessed and be a blessing,</span></p><p></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cynthia</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AppalachianQuilts/" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Facebook</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Website: <a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2020/11/www.quiltweb.net" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Website</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p>Appalachian Mercantilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00131903078689676377noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31201479.post-20372601848638483652021-12-27T08:05:00.003-06:002021-12-27T08:05:28.524-06:00Fancy Baskets<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">Hello friends and beautiful people! I pray you had a Merry Christmas! Ours was full of faith, family and friends. Thursday night we had our large family dinner with the kids and grands. Friday night we had friends over for dinner before we all headed to church for our Christmas Eve service. It was quite relaxing.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I did finish quilting and binding this quilt called "Fancy Baskets". It is another older Thimbleberries pattern with Thimbleberries fabrics. The fabric line was called Cottagewood and I really loved it - especially the plaids. (We do have one pattern left on our website, and I do believe it was also in one of her books.)</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjUDmvCPIGZfzF3hcR31Za45no8rVSWwB5_kQViJ6jp7v0E6UorxnuKBcXUFEloYZg7RAcumrHR0JJtO1_MzChV6493WjZp8HEB32vQt9FWl-_pF_rgcDX9h_b4CAnsGqx_EMFE9PK_2ztS0rWMxL23D3nqw4Lr9OL5TIHu4mB6RlyakknqpQ=s3103" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3054" data-original-width="3103" height="630" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjUDmvCPIGZfzF3hcR31Za45no8rVSWwB5_kQViJ6jp7v0E6UorxnuKBcXUFEloYZg7RAcumrHR0JJtO1_MzChV6493WjZp8HEB32vQt9FWl-_pF_rgcDX9h_b4CAnsGqx_EMFE9PK_2ztS0rWMxL23D3nqw4Lr9OL5TIHu4mB6RlyakknqpQ=w640-h630" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">I chose to custom quilt it with a lot of flowery stencil motifs in the blank space. The entire quilt was also stitched in the ditch. I had saved a backing scrap from a previous quilt, so I was good to go. </span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9JuRjZWXdOHzBtmkrpXMG2OsyiJApkGpp6V2GzcmzFO1QjqgXitN3btKXQNeNsfyb1IZ3IGWQAnHOHu2suoffLccH-DRrIvXiFCK8-IC5040hI61xLhapbxu4f4OYpMzaB5Z4BIOZJZKQOrJdJI7LG1VDsyz_hR86HSqNbXPFQnLA_Ahslw=s3099" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3070" data-original-width="3099" height="634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9JuRjZWXdOHzBtmkrpXMG2OsyiJApkGpp6V2GzcmzFO1QjqgXitN3btKXQNeNsfyb1IZ3IGWQAnHOHu2suoffLccH-DRrIvXiFCK8-IC5040hI61xLhapbxu4f4OYpMzaB5Z4BIOZJZKQOrJdJI7LG1VDsyz_hR86HSqNbXPFQnLA_Ahslw=w640-h634" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">It is a marbled backing and was just perfect for the quilt! The quilt measures approx. 46" square and would be great as a wallhanging or a table topper. I can just see this on a table with a pitcher of fresh flowers. Regardless, another flimsy is now a UFO finish.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Here is a close-up of the quilting:</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifu_9tuw2eBEctB9Yb1mLFY6T8o3UR_UHTLvK4Srb4mObvdkUI4QpDpOG85rIKcrufU-VsD-wszIF2dnmlGXbpH3nSCqRR-W4ikTao6a-fCUvc467euin5M7d13D91iWTAR3nEPoCOEbqreWPtJR5aAJ4qtRYTY0oHxJ1tox2IGtyC7Res4g=s4588" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3253" data-original-width="4588" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifu_9tuw2eBEctB9Yb1mLFY6T8o3UR_UHTLvK4Srb4mObvdkUI4QpDpOG85rIKcrufU-VsD-wszIF2dnmlGXbpH3nSCqRR-W4ikTao6a-fCUvc467euin5M7d13D91iWTAR3nEPoCOEbqreWPtJR5aAJ4qtRYTY0oHxJ1tox2IGtyC7Res4g=w640-h454" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">You can see the quilting a little better, but not much. I worked on this one while I was quilting an adoption quilt for a customer. I didn't take a pic of it because I didn't have permission from the maker, but you know that one gave me the warm fuzzies. Our grandson was adopted, so I was just gushing from all the memories. I remembered how happy our family was and can only wish many blessings on the family. It was a signature quilt, so it was fun to read all the well wishes as I quilted.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It's a rainy (but somewhat warm) day here in the Midwest. Lots to do but at least it's another short week! :)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">What are you plans for New Year's? Will you be going out? Will you be staying in? Do you subscribe to the theory that whatever you are doing on New Year's you will be doing all year? Hmmmm....makes you think about your plans!</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Be blessed and be a blessing,</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cynthia</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AppalachianQuilts/" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Facebook</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Website: <a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2020/11/www.quiltweb.net" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Website</a></span></p><div><br /></div>Appalachian Mercantilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00131903078689676377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31201479.post-5162586529269766562021-12-21T06:56:00.005-06:002021-12-21T06:56:39.688-06:00Star Table Square<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">This one was waiting to be custom quilted. I've always known how I wanted to quilt it. So, I waited....I finished quilting it last week and got it bound last night. I was originally going to bind it in the green. After I quilted it, I felt like it needed a *pop* of color, so I grabbed a red!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9sQSGqLcqEvUjxtARj1ZngsnO2NNyyTzAtuhibX3ruzc_fgksXaN2XuAzZIFa24rHihLO0xC8FDa2sBXCaHDL7TN2y_1AMOa9lnLBFrR_60EPHlYJLOZ2rK-luvyuXzK4CfBxiQ0MFDRkKYhaW7PwKpB2BrWpF0rd2hFGHTgj7A1DeDY9Qg=s3007" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3007" data-original-width="2977" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9sQSGqLcqEvUjxtARj1ZngsnO2NNyyTzAtuhibX3ruzc_fgksXaN2XuAzZIFa24rHihLO0xC8FDa2sBXCaHDL7TN2y_1AMOa9lnLBFrR_60EPHlYJLOZ2rK-luvyuXzK4CfBxiQ0MFDRkKYhaW7PwKpB2BrWpF0rd2hFGHTgj7A1DeDY9Qg=w634-h640" width="634" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">It is called Star Table Square from the book <i>Calendar Table Toppers</i> by Thimbleberries. (We do have this book in stock!) This is why I get side-tracked and we made so many quilts in several colorways. I can see this quilt with Christmas fabric in the border and red fabric where the blue flying geese are. It would be the coolest Christmas quilt....</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">OR...can you see it in patriotic colors? How awesome would it be??</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">OR...can you see it in fall colors with the star having rusts/golds?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">See why I never get anything done?</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYJx28ea4CptzkawRnyq7AZBTpFkl4GtGb4ls1x6weu0V2IofmZIi1fLDG3dETFBqAoAE5CRqDQyyI23vCErSVkzXG0fG69tYgWZ8LLKxmXgH1qDq1fySY_yymxnWb9fbanwBF7OT1dXkfTmt3QDUqPccdV3ASN3OmUXtKK5FudognP-Vf3Q=s4928" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="4928" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYJx28ea4CptzkawRnyq7AZBTpFkl4GtGb4ls1x6weu0V2IofmZIi1fLDG3dETFBqAoAE5CRqDQyyI23vCErSVkzXG0fG69tYgWZ8LLKxmXgH1qDq1fySY_yymxnWb9fbanwBF7OT1dXkfTmt3QDUqPccdV3ASN3OmUXtKK5FudognP-Vf3Q=w640-h424" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Those blank spaces have always told me they needed feathers. Feathers they got! :) I also did a lot of stitch in the ditch on this one.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhp2Ks700rwP0mj12VUz5X1SBhOMu33wz-WACh_necFFCh26l9bJeQswECtMIijUQNAZTms_60mW7TijwJ_l2GRA3K7pd5P60uFyVJqeFtVpVQInrEU11TxGiRJkK8WuA_rquxslajg1_oG93GKkhp6mjxFmbAilLIMNSBjjFDaQCw0_MKavw=s4928" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="4928" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhp2Ks700rwP0mj12VUz5X1SBhOMu33wz-WACh_necFFCh26l9bJeQswECtMIijUQNAZTms_60mW7TijwJ_l2GRA3K7pd5P60uFyVJqeFtVpVQInrEU11TxGiRJkK8WuA_rquxslajg1_oG93GKkhp6mjxFmbAilLIMNSBjjFDaQCw0_MKavw=w640-h424" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">I've been saving this leftover piece of Parade Day backing with this quilt. They immediately told me they wanted to be friends. LOL</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I've got a pretty busy day today, but I wanted to get this one posted.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Until next time....</span></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Be blessed and be a blessing,</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cynthia</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><p style="margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Facebook: </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AppalachianQuilts/" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Facebook</a></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Website: </span><a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2020/11/www.quiltweb.net" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Website</a></p></div>Appalachian Mercantilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00131903078689676377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31201479.post-33697348013092046692021-12-20T10:24:00.003-06:002021-12-20T10:24:28.749-06:00Fall Cover Story<p><span style="font-family: arial;">Believe it or not, I am all caught up on my Christmas longarming. All of my customer quilts that were needed for Christmas have either been picked up or mailed and business usually dies down for the rest of the year. It's a time to get caught up and catch my breath before the first of the year.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I loaded more of our allover designs on the Facebook page and am getting ready to load some more fabric and patterns on the website. Then, it will be time to start paperwork for the accountant. I love year-end! Truly I do! It used to be more difficult with having to inventory, but since I have been re-inventorying everything for the last few months, my accountant is satisfied with that rather than the normal inventory. *whew*</span> </p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As I scramble to get a lot of these flimsies done, the next one up was the Fall Cover Story quilt. I had already quilted the other one, so it just seemed obvious this one was next. I decided to go with a pumpkin leaf allover design. The center is a panel that was created by Thimbleberries many years ago. I've never been much of a panel person, so we just added borders from the same fabric line.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgBZ_emAQTes5O6NrMnDUNQwKQfzCY71T9AtJTFrI5vahETFPVZoIhV1QoenLYO13E_xPdWnP3PV6MzNJt2EetdhfvfqLy7j5LcEELot4NmGuUxDile_owZRQ_ftFQPjgUFUaIk-9nCQTemlEvKj5hSyUqt9Qev2VD2u6tw0aGHrQtEqz-m0g=s3065" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3065" data-original-width="2924" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgBZ_emAQTes5O6NrMnDUNQwKQfzCY71T9AtJTFrI5vahETFPVZoIhV1QoenLYO13E_xPdWnP3PV6MzNJt2EetdhfvfqLy7j5LcEELot4NmGuUxDile_owZRQ_ftFQPjgUFUaIk-9nCQTemlEvKj5hSyUqt9Qev2VD2u6tw0aGHrQtEqz-m0g=w610-h640" width="610" /></a></div><div><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial;">I just had this conversation with a customer....I am such a frugal person. I rooted through my wide back scraps until I found one that would look good on this quilt. This one seemed perfect!</span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPHu_oMSjC4HxujPnDlLFvvyxor6ph0le0hwpOtPaECiHic5LvdcTt8-ft3C5d33udoBzZXqlHMnRdAYo1DuGzYjGrkP4JhN301KsYGO0nDuL64GA5Z7AjKeT7GoPaIlHP1QCCl5Ko1Cu2w_pu_fL66RwP9Tf55u-7S8-wmgBPoYyKhnpZfg=s4928" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="4928" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPHu_oMSjC4HxujPnDlLFvvyxor6ph0le0hwpOtPaECiHic5LvdcTt8-ft3C5d33udoBzZXqlHMnRdAYo1DuGzYjGrkP4JhN301KsYGO0nDuL64GA5Z7AjKeT7GoPaIlHP1QCCl5Ko1Cu2w_pu_fL66RwP9Tf55u-7S8-wmgBPoYyKhnpZfg=s320" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">I miss the old Thimbleberries fabric lines. Kim Diehl's fabrics are really the closest to them. We were talking in a social media group I'm in about how wonderful the Thimbleberries patterns were. Even if it wasn't your 'style', those patterns were written perfectly. Not only did they make the hardest patterns simple, but at the end of each step you were told what size your unit should measure. I think that was part of what drew me in.</span><p></p></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Toward the end of her career she tried to adapt to the 'quick and easy' crowd and then they really weren't my cup of tea. I'm glad I still have a lot of the old patterns, though. I still have a bunch I want to do in my lifetime. :)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Were you a Thimbleberries fan? Did you like the fabrics? Did you like the patterns? I would love to hear all about it! Comment below.....</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Back to binding the next one....until next time...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Be blessed and be a blessing,</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Cynthia</span></div><div><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Facebook: </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AppalachianQuilts/" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Facebook</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Website: </span><a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2020/11/www.quiltweb.net" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Website</a></p></div>Appalachian Mercantilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00131903078689676377noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31201479.post-77596971410184286162021-12-11T03:00:00.002-06:002021-12-11T03:00:00.214-06:00Pumpkin Divas<p><span style="font-family: arial;">Remember the Quilt Diva UFO I got quilted earlier this year? This quilt was designed by the same designer. It's called Pumpkin Divas. This was another quilt that we had just as much fun picking out the fabrics as we did making it. (Look at the 'stars in their eyes' fabric in the glasses.) Adding the buttons and turning a couple of them into spiders - well that just added to the whimsy of the quilt. It's been hanging in the shop as a flimsy for quite a while. I pulled it down off the wall to get it quilted and I had a blast quilting it. I did mostly stitch in the ditch and some wavy lines in the striped border. I even got to use my neon green thread!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigcrmLvrFQnH51FpLMGioyTa_9WxTtwoM04u-oIRzbzdQdAmLiERoy6ZGPyXLVXLp5oK6GgL-FsHHBs6OG51h2yjRLG1GvvuKW2xnq4g61ZEjPou8A75_iYWHRt3C46M1v9LdaBQkhzekd2qmwXTGY6oEWQMriya2PNbuGJeilglvMhT5UTw=s2048" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigcrmLvrFQnH51FpLMGioyTa_9WxTtwoM04u-oIRzbzdQdAmLiERoy6ZGPyXLVXLp5oK6GgL-FsHHBs6OG51h2yjRLG1GvvuKW2xnq4g61ZEjPou8A75_iYWHRt3C46M1v9LdaBQkhzekd2qmwXTGY6oEWQMriya2PNbuGJeilglvMhT5UTw=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Honestly, this isn't something that is usually my taste. I am more of a traditional quilter. Sometimes you just have to cut loose and have a little fun, though. If you want to make one of your own, we still have patterns available. You can find them here: <a href="https://www.quiltweb.net/products/pumpkindivas?_pos=1&_sid=56a4e3b6d&_ss=r" target="_blank">Pumpkin Diva Pattern</a></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>(When I went to copy the link to put in here, I was checking out the difference fabric choice makes. Is it wrong that I like our border choice better??) </i>This is how I get caught up making the same pattern in more than one colorway. Changing colors in any quilt can totally change the look of it. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">How are you doing on your UFOs and flimsies this year? Are you getting everything finished up that you want to? This time of year I am usually trying to finish up as many UFOs as possible. I want to go into the new year guilt-free so I can make up a bunch more shop samples. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Speaking of shop samples....I had someone ask me why I sell them off. Right now we have close to 200 shop samples on hand. Plus, I have quilts that I use in the house. If I were to keep them all, I would look like the Princess and the Pea on my stash of quilts. They are all over the shop and taking up way too much room. And then there is this - please don't judge me - I don't necessarily <i>like</i> them all. It's not that they aren't pretty. A lot of the quilts I have on hand just aren't my taste. They were made as shop samples to display for new patterns or fabric lines. That is one thing I want to change in the future. I want to make more quilts that I like while balancing out the ones I need to make for upcoming fabric lines and/or patterns. I will still have to make some that aren't my taste, and that's OK. I just want to incorporate more that ARE my taste. My shop needs to reflect more of my personality.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Until next time - be blessed and be a blessing,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Cynthia</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Facebook: </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AppalachianQuilts/" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Facebook</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Website: </span><a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2020/11/www.quiltweb.net" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Website</a></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p>Appalachian Mercantilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00131903078689676377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31201479.post-58881318074568935772021-12-07T03:00:00.006-06:002021-12-07T03:00:00.179-06:00Sage and Sea Glass Stars<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">Another flimsy is a flimsy no more! When Kim Diehl's Sage and Sea Glass Stars line came in, I just saw this design as a good way to show off all the fabrics in the line. I love scrappy. For whatever reason, this one just screamed farmhouse decor to me. Maybe it is the muted colors. This line didn't feel like a 'typical' Kim Diehl line, but I did love it!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It was fun matching up backgrounds for the star blocks, but I had to let me OCD go when I worked on the nine patches. For a while, I tried not to let the same fabric 'touch' each other, but I finally gave up and just let it be. I guess I am more of a controlled scrappy person.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcKH8xVvIg0zAQ1HDyjvrZouBF6O0dO3cr5Qcx_tj9sCn0ZFJ3YoP1s9QyodsAIkJ222JY5JS_HZzTqLQYw1UGfNsD91gA72oEhMspdDaMfCXONy5byWWoyaEx0tcssds2zXz8/s2048/Sage+%2526+Sea+Glass+Stars.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2010" data-original-width="2048" height="628" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcKH8xVvIg0zAQ1HDyjvrZouBF6O0dO3cr5Qcx_tj9sCn0ZFJ3YoP1s9QyodsAIkJ222JY5JS_HZzTqLQYw1UGfNsD91gA72oEhMspdDaMfCXONy5byWWoyaEx0tcssds2zXz8/w640-h628/Sage+%2526+Sea+Glass+Stars.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">I had a lot of fun quilting this one. I did my traditional "X" through the nine patches, but I wanted to pick a fun design for the actual star blocks.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibaMOCbWrK61DiOQ-TVkOnJHiiCbNC9A8YIjjMXGduu-_Clzfek1VfAasvcFrj272AxIvNOSrxL45_Z6O4ulWYosyDN4wok0w4unSHmhLwgBElURRA6VXFtUJxWAJSZBHy_z7r/s2048/Sage+%2526+Sea+Glass+Stars+Close-up.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1356" data-original-width="2048" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibaMOCbWrK61DiOQ-TVkOnJHiiCbNC9A8YIjjMXGduu-_Clzfek1VfAasvcFrj272AxIvNOSrxL45_Z6O4ulWYosyDN4wok0w4unSHmhLwgBElURRA6VXFtUJxWAJSZBHy_z7r/w640-h424/Sage+%2526+Sea+Glass+Stars+Close-up.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">This template was called something or other Sawtooth block. Isn't it just adorable?</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I had to use a Kim Diehl wide back - just in keeping with what I was doing.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEYJUFpKGL-uczBqRtDNy82F4raKEvnLsTY9STwfv3I4Gh7H8POY6mmQ7-Foj57vfAsIF5uwvsRkdF5VKDw4Q6EL6I3-mpaY09TTsW1MfuDrC_LQGLrZF8Y3sBC_qiGo_59_IE/s2048/Sage+%2526+Sea+Glass+Stars+back.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1356" data-original-width="2048" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEYJUFpKGL-uczBqRtDNy82F4raKEvnLsTY9STwfv3I4Gh7H8POY6mmQ7-Foj57vfAsIF5uwvsRkdF5VKDw4Q6EL6I3-mpaY09TTsW1MfuDrC_LQGLrZF8Y3sBC_qiGo_59_IE/w640-h424/Sage+%2526+Sea+Glass+Stars+back.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">You can barely tell, but I took the scrappy up a level. I used leftover strips from making the stars to make a scrappy binding. Sometimes a scrappy quilt just tells you that's what it wants!</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">This quilt will make a great wallhanging or table topper for 'off seasons'. I kind of wish I had made a bed quilt out of this line....but then, there is the time factor.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Another UFO for the year is exciting for me. I doubt very seriously I will make it to the 21, but I'm one quilt closer!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Today is my Momma's birthday. We are making her a nice dinner. It's an extremely depressing day for her. She doesn't see the age thing as an issue - she still claims to be 39. It is the day Pops passed away, which makes for a rough birthday. We all miss him so much, so we will eat some steak, drink some wine and recant memories of his shenanigans.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Until next time....</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Be blessed and be a blessing,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Cynthia</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Facebook: </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AppalachianQuilts/" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Facebook</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Website: </span><a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2020/11/www.quiltweb.net" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Website</a></p>Appalachian Mercantilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00131903078689676377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31201479.post-63096544248619418452021-12-03T07:11:00.000-06:002021-12-03T07:11:12.762-06:00A Day Late And A Dollar Short<p><span style="font-family: arial;">I giggle on the insides when I catch myself using phrases or sayings that Pops used to use. When I started quilting this topper, I knew I wouldn't get it done in time for Halloween decorating. So, I knew I was going to be a 'day late and a dollar short'.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Now that the house remodeling has progressed to a good point, I really want to get back into decorating for different holidays. Non-specific quilts are a good addition for this. What do I mean by that? For example, red & white quilts can serve for multiple holidays. They can add a *punch* of color for Christmas, Valentine's Day, Independence Day, etc. With that in mind, two-color quilts are great as a non-specific quilt.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I'm not a jack o'lantern, witches, ghosts, bat person for Halloween decorating. I think it goes back to the Appalachian granny and my Momma. (As I say that, it is contradictory as they both only decorated for Christmas....) Both were against those kinds of things, though, so I guess that's where it comes from. I do love pumpkins. I'm a sucker!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I had some older Thimbleberries fabric in my stash that I thought would work well for a two-color quilt. The pumpkin print was more of a modern pumpkin - so much so, that I had to show old-fashioned Hubs where the pumpkin was.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSJ2VJ0tDcSeEWjvVGY61o2ymGuoyVif1bb5_cxoMRWcagJy-IUKCdUoB50WeKSRxDNLWmQzGe6KOP1pyAwpsdfDBC8uZ7Z1MxM-Jf7o6seBcPO_orU2KC9xKI9loYW1O0LEKA/s2048/A+Day+Late+and+a+Dollar+Short.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2020" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSJ2VJ0tDcSeEWjvVGY61o2ymGuoyVif1bb5_cxoMRWcagJy-IUKCdUoB50WeKSRxDNLWmQzGe6KOP1pyAwpsdfDBC8uZ7Z1MxM-Jf7o6seBcPO_orU2KC9xKI9loYW1O0LEKA/w632-h640/A+Day+Late+and+a+Dollar+Short.JPG" width="632" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I used a solid black on the back so that it would somewhat be reversible. As you can see from the quilting, the diagonal lines aren't 'exactly' evenly spaced. I quilted the lines of the fabric. The OCD in me struggled when I first started doing the lines, but I let go and persevered. I really love how it turned out. I couldn't get a pic of the whole back because cameras don't like taking pics of solid black.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKOfZ49cB5Sw_Q1d-ERd8undTSZ14ElzFRr_L_G9k7-JVrTuR6mtcXq6hN2fg9K2EwEDrxqyDYEzIPDMPvDC1VG2iLPUZA1ntYJ8RNTkr1zmOf_efqYe_PCsVfwwqE3itPr8t4/s2048/A+Day+Late+and+a+Dollar+Short+back.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1356" data-original-width="2048" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKOfZ49cB5Sw_Q1d-ERd8undTSZ14ElzFRr_L_G9k7-JVrTuR6mtcXq6hN2fg9K2EwEDrxqyDYEzIPDMPvDC1VG2iLPUZA1ntYJ8RNTkr1zmOf_efqYe_PCsVfwwqE3itPr8t4/w640-h424/A+Day+Late+and+a+Dollar+Short+back.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">If I remember correctly, it measures around 45" and I envision it on a table more at an angle than squared up. So, while it may be too late for this year, I am building for next year. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I have to say it has been therapeutic to be able to just throw a few of my quilts on the longarms in between customer quilts. Being able to bind in the evenings gives me purpose rather than just sitting and being a slug. I tease the Hubs that I feel like Jaba the Hut <i>(sp?)</i> sometimes if I am just sitting there. The goal is to constantly have something that needs bound so that I am accomplishing <i>something </i>this winter. I also want to finish piecing Reindeer Lodge. It is also a two-color quilt that I can use for multiple holidays.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">What about you? Do you decorate for different holidays? Do you 'plan' your quilting around them? Comment below....I would love to hear about it.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Until next time....</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Be blessed and be a blessing,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Cynthia</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Facebook: </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AppalachianQuilts/" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Facebook</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Website: </span><a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2020/11/www.quiltweb.net" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Website</a></p>Appalachian Mercantilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00131903078689676377noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31201479.post-71125572981585226882021-11-28T13:49:00.004-06:002021-11-28T13:49:47.435-06:00Offering Grace and Mercy<p><span style="font-family: arial;">I watched, stunned, as they laid out the evidence markers and started taking their pictures. My question was "why"? I was heartbroken and devastated....</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Around 11 pm last night we received a phone call from a relative. He was turning around in our church parking lot and saw a light coming from inside. As he turned his vehicle a little more his headlights happened upon a startled young man. He realized it was a flame coming from inside our church. He jumped out of his vehicle to go after the young man but it was dark and the young man was running through a muddy farm field. The relative called 9-1-1. The young man's car was parked on the back side of the church and was still running. Gas cans and a battery-operated chainsaw were laying on the ground nearby.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As we rolled up on the church, tears filled my eyes. I've never seen so many emergency vehicles in one place before. The road was blocked off and you could see plumes of smoke rolling out the windows. Talking to the Fire Chief, Fire Investigator and other emergency responders now, just hours later seems like a total blur. It was arson. The young man had poured gasoline on the alter and lit it ablaze. He then poured gasoline in through windows and that was apparently when our relative had pulled up. I remember several responders telling me that 'many resources were being used to catch this young man'. Helicopters and K-9 units showed up to track him. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkmEC3K4SQjpMNUKKQU1z60aPMMtmf9YKuNvYthlokUSTQh5Jd7E1cFkecqfKEKzWr0DFTRt-KWMsMMkVu5Fx-AcRPr7QgAN8zohxvGRAsqpsz6ZiuPdxTSnlflzJ1h016I1BM/s206/261690364_289535646419415_3700025697109989754_n.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="155" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkmEC3K4SQjpMNUKKQU1z60aPMMtmf9YKuNvYthlokUSTQh5Jd7E1cFkecqfKEKzWr0DFTRt-KWMsMMkVu5Fx-AcRPr7QgAN8zohxvGRAsqpsz6ZiuPdxTSnlflzJ1h016I1BM/w482-h640/261690364_289535646419415_3700025697109989754_n.png" width="482" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Why? Why would someone do this to a church - <i>our </i>church? We are a small non-denominational church. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I sat in my vehicle looking in the windows as the firefighters were pulling down drop ceilings and pulling up floors. Memories flooded my heart and my eyes started leaking again. I had been married in this church. Friends and family had been married in this church. All my children had been baptized in this church. Why?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Our church was built in 1872 by 5 farm families from Germany who had settled the area. We still have the original bell. The alter, pews, doors and some chairs were hand-made by the original elders of the church. When the kids were small, I had started a children's ministry in the fellowship hall we had added on. There was such a history there. Why?</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDAxQMSkyNtjWcxOeqrYvIY5O0NSl6egT-qCf0IxsyhNvN6cWqsEWBFz09TzmaFMkZsO_hXGFeMFYk-xd8akXu8FthhIZGYNa1jUQJGchYGD3TqCaCbiabqNReUu7nlAWZ7nnr/s1440/261741116_865842947436340_375009434432633204_n.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDAxQMSkyNtjWcxOeqrYvIY5O0NSl6egT-qCf0IxsyhNvN6cWqsEWBFz09TzmaFMkZsO_hXGFeMFYk-xd8akXu8FthhIZGYNa1jUQJGchYGD3TqCaCbiabqNReUu7nlAWZ7nnr/w480-h640/261741116_865842947436340_375009434432633204_n.png" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Within an hour or two, the young man was caught. I just wanted to know "why". All he would tell the deputies was his name. But, I wanted to know "why"!!</span><p></p><p>We were at the church from about 11pm until after 5am this morning. I tried to go to sleep when I got home, but I couldn't. </p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">I went to my secret place to cry this morning - the shower. The old hymn "Count Your Blessings" came to me and I barely got through the first verse. The leaky eyes became waterfalls. Why??? </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiStxY2g4WLoQB_5jhWrSCmeTTR6DrXcPkPPuiLltf26NTm_-MYHwDQKUGyzUd2WDEg8byKFqx4UGVC4kTeVJCUbt1Qiun4MwIDAl39pl3y39m-0yWZAcT-Y6oT5ajiYVrf183x/s480/hqdefault.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiStxY2g4WLoQB_5jhWrSCmeTTR6DrXcPkPPuiLltf26NTm_-MYHwDQKUGyzUd2WDEg8byKFqx4UGVC4kTeVJCUbt1Qiun4MwIDAl39pl3y39m-0yWZAcT-Y6oT5ajiYVrf183x/w640-h480/hqdefault.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> I started to pray for this young man and his family. I stopped asking "why", even if only for a little while. I started considering the call his parents would receive, similar to my call last night, whereby their world would be rocked for good. I prayed for his parents. I prayed for his heart. What would make you so angry that you needed to burn down a church? What had life thrown at him that gave him that bitterness in his heart?</span></p><p>As I readied myself to go over to the church this morning and assess damage I prayed for discernment. Tell us, God, what you would have us do. Is this your way of prodding us to reach out to this young man and his family? Is this your way of showing us that this building is not our church, but the people in it are? Is this your way of giving us a new birth?</p><p>I believe God's word when he says: <b><i>"All things work together for good to those that love God".</i></b> (Romans 8:28) This has now become our testimony. This will work for glory.</p><p>I ask that you all pray for this young man, his family and our church family. </p><p>Be blessed and be a blessing,</p><p>Cynthia</p><p><br /></p>Appalachian Mercantilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00131903078689676377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31201479.post-28505925285005373952021-11-27T04:54:00.000-06:002021-11-27T04:54:08.884-06:00Bringing it to Life!<p><span style="font-family: arial;">One of my favorite things about being a longarmer is when that quilt is loaded and you start quilting it, there is a 'change' that happens. The top comes to life as it morphs from being a flimsy to a quilt. When I am custom quilting I let the quilt tell me what it wants - usually....if a customer has a vision for what they want, I try to make that a reality. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">This time of year there aren't a lot of customer quilts that I get to show you, because they are intended Christmas gifts and we don't want to spoil the surprise. Rebecca is keeping her quilts, so she gave me permission to show hers. :) Rebecca wanted to stretch herself and make a card trick quilt. She got these fabrics at the shop and I was floored at how beautiful her card trick quilt came out when she brought it in. Truly beautiful!!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAAeYp2P9BIBLjctZdCNPRHfBDQK9_2Jk1JEIxlEtDKjov0CfuBl-7AjTOox6edX-86GQ03HIuSpqSRWi3Dz5NMJSWN7pBy2VnWvlsbhfwqKG1lCVP-h2ZthUFxkRRcwSW_tq6/s960/16147.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAAeYp2P9BIBLjctZdCNPRHfBDQK9_2Jk1JEIxlEtDKjov0CfuBl-7AjTOox6edX-86GQ03HIuSpqSRWi3Dz5NMJSWN7pBy2VnWvlsbhfwqKG1lCVP-h2ZthUFxkRRcwSW_tq6/w480-h640/16147.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Isn't it just adoreable?? The pinks and greys in this fabric line just sing! And look at that border! We did an overall on the quilt that had the same "funky flowers" as the ones in the fabric.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">She had some extra blocks and just threw a wide border on them. She was just matter of fact with it when she gave it to me. "I'll just make this a table runner or wallhanging with it, I just didn't want to waste the fabric." She did say that she would like to see a cross hatch done in the wide border like one I had done hanging in the shop.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4hix06OzSzLleFbyPv5Kf3ZYkf2egYpvcXRMR1xRLSNG1NmwVuNH6D5Vo7IDEyoIqiAM3FYTXLZp3HSxBjnONQuiIo5dh6CSNys5fQZLrBNZ_jjzMjTPJP3c7fHo-oUgTkbpU/s1280/16116.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4hix06OzSzLleFbyPv5Kf3ZYkf2egYpvcXRMR1xRLSNG1NmwVuNH6D5Vo7IDEyoIqiAM3FYTXLZp3HSxBjnONQuiIo5dh6CSNys5fQZLrBNZ_jjzMjTPJP3c7fHo-oUgTkbpU/w640-h480/16116.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Friends, as I was doing the stitch in the ditch and the cross hatching, this little beauty came to life! This is what thrills me! Can you see that little flange border she put on with the binding? Here's a close-up:</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMnA9n5xtrQCh9E0fhadSqfTwfsr56z9W3sX0XT-sGaJvmHc6tzxp_gcnGdtSkjEljh8wCE544sjDhwXGQ6WAQ1xQTq312aH3CpM-8MlHE5q4h8_GJGXwox9blCe6iZscd_a2S/s1280/16119.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMnA9n5xtrQCh9E0fhadSqfTwfsr56z9W3sX0XT-sGaJvmHc6tzxp_gcnGdtSkjEljh8wCE544sjDhwXGQ6WAQ1xQTq312aH3CpM-8MlHE5q4h8_GJGXwox9blCe6iZscd_a2S/w640-h480/16119.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">She did it on both the quilt and the table topper. (The plaid you see is the backing which was just perfect for the quilt.) I would say her "experiment" was a success, wouldn't you??</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Her sister in-law had brought three table runners in to be custom quilted, and I wish I could have shown you those as well. They, however, are Christmas gifts. Again, it was such a pleasure to quilt them and I loved watching them come to life as well. There are definitely going to be some excited recipients this Christmas!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Are you making gifts or buying gifts this year? We've decided as a family that there will be no gift exchange this year. We are getting together for a big dinner. After talking with most of the kids, the concensus was that our favorite Christmas was when we spent hours visiting, remembering childhood escapades (more confessions come out when they are all drinking wine - just saying....) and just spending time together as a family. This works out pretty well for us as we have had so many unexpected expenses this month. BTW, Hubs is doing well post-op and starts his physical therapy next week.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I hope you had a great Thanksgiving making memories and fellowshipping with family and/or friends. We are so incredibly thankful and grateful for all the blessings that continue to pour out on us.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">**Don't forget our Black Friday Sale is still going on**</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Until next time....be blessed and be a blessing,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Cynthia</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Facebook: </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AppalachianQuilts/" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Facebook</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Website: </span><a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2020/11/www.quiltweb.net" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Website</a> </p>Appalachian Mercantilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00131903078689676377noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31201479.post-36071336534021481512021-11-23T16:26:00.003-06:002021-11-23T16:26:24.318-06:00Lifetime Achievement Quilt<p><span style="font-family: arial;">One year. That's how long it took me to quilt this quilt. I don't call it my Lifetime Achievement Quilt because it is hard or anything special. I call it my Lifetime Achievement because I am proud of myself for persevering. This quilt has been on and off the longarm for one year..... I would work on it for a bit. A custom quilt would come in from a customer and I would take it off long enough to take care of the customer. Then - back on the longarm it went. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I like wholecloth quilts as a longarmer and personally feel like it is a great way to hone your skills or just practice. They come as pre-printed muslin. All you have to do is trace the lines. Easy, right? While I do have a lot of hours in this one, I will do another one <i>some day</i>.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisY294dMrApkSXngR4wqk1XAzp2tq9s1_oUWSU6TVBO9SkbvPSeL9o4hmG5jQCncuF1k1sOHWg1CJDJ0Pz8c0hbIeJ9TgwlnArX6Y-FJYNUK5gBtVIrPe-4ezvJegMTU-1W0n0/s2048/Wholecloth.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1356" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisY294dMrApkSXngR4wqk1XAzp2tq9s1_oUWSU6TVBO9SkbvPSeL9o4hmG5jQCncuF1k1sOHWg1CJDJ0Pz8c0hbIeJ9TgwlnArX6Y-FJYNUK5gBtVIrPe-4ezvJegMTU-1W0n0/w424-h640/Wholecloth.JPG" width="424" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">The lighting in the spare bedroom isn't the greatest, but you get the point. I may try to replace this pic tomorrow when it is lighter outside and I can eliminate the shadows. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Here is a close-up of the center:</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ6HhCxvjXML0CAb4gN3HYi0in5fBeoA5PpUUzDeQYMuedtgucMlZrNWx8vzkpSVyRJadT8DnlokS0m6t5xKghwb9JMSqYDon1mjZoi0q4xepbwJt9AeLPo1RaCjC4Q68t-IX7/s2048/Wholecloth+Center+Closeup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1356" data-original-width="2048" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ6HhCxvjXML0CAb4gN3HYi0in5fBeoA5PpUUzDeQYMuedtgucMlZrNWx8vzkpSVyRJadT8DnlokS0m6t5xKghwb9JMSqYDon1mjZoi0q4xepbwJt9AeLPo1RaCjC4Q68t-IX7/w640-h424/Wholecloth+Center+Closeup.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">I was a little nervous when I put it in the washer. I've heard a few ladies say that it's hard to get the blue lines out with a front-loader. As you can see, no problems here. I was so relieved!!! I will tell you that it is going back in the washer tomorrow. I used 100% cotton batting. Tomorrow I will wash it in HOT water and put it in the dryer. *Insert gasp of air from my daughter in-law here* (We just had a discussion about only washing quilts in cold water and line drying them.) The reason I will be using the HOT water and the dryer is to antique the quilt. It will all shrink up and it will look like an old quilt. That's the look I was going for.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Here is a close-up of the border that goes all the way around it:</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis6V-2ikgqZtuQtVBmpUSa2fxiIG5aiHVjnhi0h0OtmLnfAWnoqyBj8QNdUQfmNG11AvGH8jl1GmMRnNS3lfnBb5skUoqSlE5Z5XvSMpivTyGgxKUciPJiYtdK0RgByYbjItka/s2048/Wholecloth+Border.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1356" data-original-width="2048" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis6V-2ikgqZtuQtVBmpUSa2fxiIG5aiHVjnhi0h0OtmLnfAWnoqyBj8QNdUQfmNG11AvGH8jl1GmMRnNS3lfnBb5skUoqSlE5Z5XvSMpivTyGgxKUciPJiYtdK0RgByYbjItka/w640-h424/Wholecloth+Border.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">This quilt is far from perfect, but I absolutely adore it! I do have some of these kits left in our shop if you want to try your hand at it. <a href="https://www.quiltweb.net/search?type=product&q=wholecloth" target="_blank">Wholecloth Quilts</a> If you struggle with the link, just go to the website and put "wholecloth" in the search box. They come in white and off-white and are of a high-quality muslin. There was more than enough fabric included for the binding as well.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Don't forget the Black Friday Sale at the shop. For more info, check out our Facebook page. If you don't have time to shop during business hours Friday, you can always put in an order for pick-up! Yes, that's an option! We're all fancy now. LOL The sale is also good online, you just have to click on the link from our Facebook page.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Enjoy your Thanksgiving with family and friends. I am thankful and grateful for so many things - including YOU!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Until next time - be blessed and be a blessing,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Cynthia</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Facebook: </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AppalachianQuilts/" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Facebook</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Website: </span><a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2020/11/www.quiltweb.net" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Website</a> </p>Appalachian Mercantilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00131903078689676377noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31201479.post-14973902684936561292021-11-11T06:20:00.007-06:002021-11-11T06:20:54.981-06:00Straddlin<p><span style="font-family: arial;">In my quest to finish up more of the UFOs, I grabbed this little guy off the hanger. He's been hanging out and beckoned to be ready for the holidays. The name of this pattern is Straddlin Santa by The Wooden Bear. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ3g8pg8RbZJs7KkLiXD30NH7TnL8m5CiuS7HA8YvYH00JAlucjAlxD04wAt-HezJH4ktRXTThMDJZms1zkhy5pJewR_WNR3F1LKi8VH8O6FuHWgG0r4ygU1Zpl5k_4x_V-Yhw/s2048/20211106_091727.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="598" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ3g8pg8RbZJs7KkLiXD30NH7TnL8m5CiuS7HA8YvYH00JAlucjAlxD04wAt-HezJH4ktRXTThMDJZms1zkhy5pJewR_WNR3F1LKi8VH8O6FuHWgG0r4ygU1Zpl5k_4x_V-Yhw/w480-h598/20211106_091727.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">I quilted him with stitch-in-the-ditch and added some snowflakes to the background. He's already hanging up in the shop and ready for the holidays. Sadly, we are now out of this pattern, but we do have his friend Straddlin Witch in stock. Here is what she looks like:</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDE4UMdNgZaxpfeiSeZjKFvcGS9uRKqT14R0rSb9cQ1YA943EB8WbBmWGBugdM_ewyXAGd00fCnNnkZnD3mW1AtiTcgmO-460ZqoqsuvpXND8xNoJhYS3AW-A09OmFtkkPkE3s/s300/straddlin_20witch_2000x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="247" data-original-width="300" height="527" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDE4UMdNgZaxpfeiSeZjKFvcGS9uRKqT14R0rSb9cQ1YA943EB8WbBmWGBugdM_ewyXAGd00fCnNnkZnD3mW1AtiTcgmO-460ZqoqsuvpXND8xNoJhYS3AW-A09OmFtkkPkE3s/w640-h527/straddlin_20witch_2000x.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">They are whimsical patterns and also make great pillows. They go together pretty quickly and make a great item for gift-giving.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">How are you doing with your gifts for Christmas? Are you making gifts or are you going to buy gifts? I still haven't decided. Our kids are 'quilted' out, so I don't think I will be giving any quilts for Christmas.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Momma saw the Eureka quilt and had forgotten she even asked for it. After talking to her, I don't think I will be gifting it to her for her birthday/Christmas. She really seemed dis-interested....?? So, I will just be putting it on the website for sale. My gut feeling on that one was spot on. *sigh*</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Well, I am off to longarm some customer quilts. (In the evening, I have started binding another finish!) Short but sweet post today.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Until next time, be blessed and be a blessing,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Cynthia</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">Facebook: </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AppalachianQuilts/" style="background-color: white; color: #009eb8; display: inline; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; outline: none; text-align: justify; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Facebook</a></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">Website: </span><a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2020/11/www.quiltweb.net" style="background-color: white; color: #009eb8; display: inline; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; outline: none; text-align: justify; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Website</a> </p>Appalachian Mercantilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00131903078689676377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31201479.post-90387767633626055602021-11-06T06:29:00.005-05:002021-11-06T06:31:05.214-05:00Cheddar & Coal<p><span style="font-family: arial;">It's no secret that Fall is my favorite time of year. I've talked about it many times on my blog. When it comes to ordering books and patterns, if there is a pumpkin on it I am a sucker! As I was shopping for new fall fabric lines, this free pattern showed up. I instantly saw a cute table topper or wallhanging, and since it had pumpkins....I had to order the whole fabric line!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitkytm_kjpmq3yeNIS8OrE2hCl7a4ZaYzI5mVWx_Dhf4a_8t8qKFzynS8fEB9IjXo6niSX_uG_6i5l1a9tvQ6Grlh83W8YT222sMABg3cWj_ot-6xaWWjf72VIXcvanYWma55q/s200/200x200_with_marcus_cheddar_coal_20211016202931jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitkytm_kjpmq3yeNIS8OrE2hCl7a4ZaYzI5mVWx_Dhf4a_8t8qKFzynS8fEB9IjXo6niSX_uG_6i5l1a9tvQ6Grlh83W8YT222sMABg3cWj_ot-6xaWWjf72VIXcvanYWma55q/w400-h400/200x200_with_marcus_cheddar_coal_20211016202931jpg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Just as the food shortages are real, so are the shortages/delays with fabric. There just isn't a lot of fabric available that is Made in the USA, so it's a struggle to try to be a "Buy American" quilt shop. As the fabric started rolling in, I got 2 bolts. Yes, 2 bolts. I was a tad miffed. What am I going to do with just 2 bolts?? More arrived, thankfully. We ended up with 12 bolts from this fabric line by Pam Buda "Cheddar & Coal". I can work with that. I hope that more comes in, but at least it is more than the original 12!! <a href="https://www.quiltweb.net/search?q=cheddar+%26+coal" target="_blank">Cheddar & Coal on our website</a></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZhivBh2J5XJ_sHVt2mEaqPGGRStJZlxHS4AM00dG9SuISMtgSAYnj1TOV8_vjAd474JT2ybrfJOvgnNBJtfcaB0DLnIeu_ItZv-twO8IDCt0Lus-iXJoUZ138qbFLZdYnff5/s450/Cheddar+%2526+Coal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZhivBh2J5XJ_sHVt2mEaqPGGRStJZlxHS4AM00dG9SuISMtgSAYnj1TOV8_vjAd474JT2ybrfJOvgnNBJtfcaB0DLnIeu_ItZv-twO8IDCt0Lus-iXJoUZ138qbFLZdYnff5/s320/Cheddar+%2526+Coal.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I got it all loaded onto the website at O'Dark Thirty this morning and am excited to get a project made with it. While I have chosen a different pattern for it, here is the link for the free pattern: <a href="https://www.marcusfabrics.com/page/308/2-218284/with-marcus/cheddar-coal/" target="_blank">Cheddar & Coal Free Project</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">If you want us to make you a kit, just shoot us an e-mail and we can send you an invoice based on the yardage.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I haven't been very good at posting about new fabric lines, but I will try to be better. :)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">What project can you see yourself making from this line?? I would love to hear about it!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Until next time....be blessed and be a blessing,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Cynthia</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AppalachianQuilts/" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Facebook</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Website: <a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2020/11/www.quiltweb.net" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Website</a></span></p></div>Appalachian Mercantilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00131903078689676377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31201479.post-87669004326763036072021-11-01T09:55:00.005-05:002021-11-01T09:55:59.070-05:00Eureka!<p><span style="font-family: arial;">There are a lot of quilts hanging in the que that hang there for a long time. I have it in my head that I want to custom quilt them. I don't want to tie up the machine for that long because of customer quilts, so they just sit there. I've always had it in my head that I wanted to custom quilt Eureka. It told me it wanted lots of feathers. Momma was in the shop about a month ago and was looking at it. She thought it would look great in her lake house. (That's another whole story - it matches NONE of the decorating she has done.) As I was showing her what I had envisioned for the quilting, it dawned on me that this thing was so busy that you really wouldn't see that it had been custom quilted.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Fast forward to last weekend. I had done the special online to get a lot of the Christmas quilts in. Got them done and back to their owners. I figured I could throw Eureka on the longarm. I picked a super dense feather allover, which is totally not my thing. Super dense quilting makes the quilt stiffer. But....it would create the look I was going for, so I went for it! </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDPaCuXsMGktLvRm0WxhwmuD7AmfRRLZ3JXdtLn4UqnR1GB8OrIy5FW3ONJfXYVPt03GonW0uZa78N9lp5uNz43ir-WdUAbMWysrmL5bJ5EsrDlh21Jn-nn8kvmxGMSqyKz6mI/s2048/20211101_103306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDPaCuXsMGktLvRm0WxhwmuD7AmfRRLZ3JXdtLn4UqnR1GB8OrIy5FW3ONJfXYVPt03GonW0uZa78N9lp5uNz43ir-WdUAbMWysrmL5bJ5EsrDlh21Jn-nn8kvmxGMSqyKz6mI/w480-h640/20211101_103306.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">I took this pic with my phone in the shop because the way the light was hitting it, you could really see the quilting. The back is really a buttery yellow.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinS4W6j4cQU7LBSBL088kVsCCPi8KXjpQB-2Pl7SRy1E-ijpXLNq_TmQfJ_5r-4CopbrdQRdIucyhRLby9V_DezLf5aAYxR9K1fiT6HKpS5jLJMhHxrxBfi-zwEK5SiVyXHj0G/s2048/20211101_101744.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinS4W6j4cQU7LBSBL088kVsCCPi8KXjpQB-2Pl7SRy1E-ijpXLNq_TmQfJ_5r-4CopbrdQRdIucyhRLby9V_DezLf5aAYxR9K1fiT6HKpS5jLJMhHxrxBfi-zwEK5SiVyXHj0G/w480-h640/20211101_101744.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">As you can see from the quilting, the quilting is rather intense. It took two bobbins and over an hour for each pass on the longarm. I'm glad it's done!</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I hung it on the line so you could see the overall pattern. It measures 90" x 108". </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFclUC4hHxG391yFBDYDX6gMVveweg-mSCa6LyX0J9ImS0NenyMlLiBMq2GrT18OWhtlI5ih3tCf3JTRjyS_NNUNEKyanjJRV2t67InYj1wMWzbLzpMoFlwChInf917wX12hHV/s2048/20211101_103240.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFclUC4hHxG391yFBDYDX6gMVveweg-mSCa6LyX0J9ImS0NenyMlLiBMq2GrT18OWhtlI5ih3tCf3JTRjyS_NNUNEKyanjJRV2t67InYj1wMWzbLzpMoFlwChInf917wX12hHV/w640-h480/20211101_103240.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Remember how I stressed the importance of hanging your binding fabric with your quilt?? Cross your fingers that the fabric has somehow made it's way into my sewing room rather than being on the hanger with the quilt - because it wasn't there!</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I don't know if Momma will end up with this quilt or not. Don't judge me. I know she will just fold it up and put it in a closet except to bring it out to show people when they come to visit. I prefer to see it end up on a bed somewhere.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Binding is going to take more than a minute, so I see some sort of western marathon with the Hubs while I bind. :)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">What would you do? Would you give it to Momma for her birthday/Christmas? Her birthday is December 7. Would you hang on to it for someone else? Would you sell it? I would love to hear your thoughts.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">BTW - this pattern is available on our website! Just put Eureka in the search box.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Be blessed and be a blessing,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Cynthia</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AppalachianQuilts/" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Facebook</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Website: <a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2020/11/www.quiltweb.net" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Website</a></span></p>Appalachian Mercantilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00131903078689676377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31201479.post-71720480012866226222021-10-28T11:04:00.002-05:002021-10-28T11:04:39.684-05:00Quilt the Seasons<p><span style="font-family: arial;">If you Google "Quilt the Seasons", you will see that a LOT of designers have coined a book with this name. <i> (I know it is hard to come up with something unique, and I get it.)</i> By far our most popular book was the Quilt the Seasons book by Pat Sloan. We whipped up samples of a few of the projects to sell the books and sold out of books long before we even thought about getting them quilted. Sadly, the book is no longer available. I regret not grabbing one for myself. :(</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I've mentioned this before...we keep a clothes basket under the cutting table for fabric that has less than a yard left on the bolt. We pull those fabrics off the website (less than a yard) and let the fabric sit there for a bit. If a customer has purchased the fabric and needs just a little more, (we can pull up on the computer what was purchased) we check in the clothes basket to see if we have it. So....sometimes we would challenge ourselves when making samples to only pull fabric from the scrap basket. We came up with some pretty cool combinations by doing this. My favorite has always been our "Simplify" quilt. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaLKH7yFygSenRrItf02dJniW2XVWXwrdZs1OembNC4-mpUMaYft4uYFNxhwIotYehoX5m8hNiwz8slQm2-FPwWc8KX8xgM2FHqKTOxcFj4l9zrgetLNSxpQFtnYhSlaW3NFTx/s2048/Simplify.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1104" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaLKH7yFygSenRrItf02dJniW2XVWXwrdZs1OembNC4-mpUMaYft4uYFNxhwIotYehoX5m8hNiwz8slQm2-FPwWc8KX8xgM2FHqKTOxcFj4l9zrgetLNSxpQFtnYhSlaW3NFTx/s320/Simplify.jpg" width="173" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Back to the point of the story.....when we made up some of these quilts for Quilt the Seasons, we tried to pull the fabrics from the scrap basket. If I recall correctly, the stack was getting deep. I wanted to get this UFO quilted in time for the season, so I quilted our The Great Pumpkin quilt out of the book. Here is Pat Sloan's version:</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRMrHiAGbY6df739CpJn6Oy12nIXCkENzkpvRawpRWry6zVDdZ7mG4-b59vfZYa0EJQ_GMpvYvEPyfbHFuuLvEK4RSe4vC3s4JMjazIstTZYH-lHaoGa6CrqC0YVKlmsn4mMSh/s473/The+Great+Pumpkin+Quilt+the+Seasons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRMrHiAGbY6df739CpJn6Oy12nIXCkENzkpvRawpRWry6zVDdZ7mG4-b59vfZYa0EJQ_GMpvYvEPyfbHFuuLvEK4RSe4vC3s4JMjazIstTZYH-lHaoGa6CrqC0YVKlmsn4mMSh/s320/The+Great+Pumpkin+Quilt+the+Seasons.jpg" width="298" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Here is our version:</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiJGijr7-iTBYGw2lu6Gi4mst_6W-kTKLq5Lx4rVT-Xp_axZ0sEbuR8HoA9MM4je45mIChjs0PGKebWBzgFho40M6CJka6LTrbjOFmK62cpDm_uB7uBywxMur4tjAzpEbAXB6W/s2048/20211028_114224.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiJGijr7-iTBYGw2lu6Gi4mst_6W-kTKLq5Lx4rVT-Xp_axZ0sEbuR8HoA9MM4je45mIChjs0PGKebWBzgFho40M6CJka6LTrbjOFmK62cpDm_uB7uBywxMur4tjAzpEbAXB6W/w400-h300/20211028_114224.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">It was hard to get the pic because it was so windy out, but you get the idea. I custom quilted with all stitch in the ditch. This is yet another example of why it is important to hang that binding fabric up with the quilt while it is waiting to be quilted. Because we used the scrap basket, I probably wouldn't have had the binding fabric to match!</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I also got the Cover Story quilt binding on. I just need to wait until a not windy day to take pics to sell it on the website.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl3MBPI50LKhyphenhyphenIG4Y2E3HJErwrszpO5zG96u_7GWreOOIYMWoaqLXPqEfOFcZ534PX_dB9H78k6F7jJgyR6PBifK5qXvWDswwJ2Rdpgz1394P54shijsiWqw38j_1E7JKkHi7E/s2048/20211028_114231.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl3MBPI50LKhyphenhyphenIG4Y2E3HJErwrszpO5zG96u_7GWreOOIYMWoaqLXPqEfOFcZ534PX_dB9H78k6F7jJgyR6PBifK5qXvWDswwJ2Rdpgz1394P54shijsiWqw38j_1E7JKkHi7E/s320/20211028_114231.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">If anyone would have been here while I was taking pics, I'm sure they would have had quite the laugh at my expense. Waiting for the wind to not blow - snapping - whoops now there's wind - waiting and snapping again.....</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">My next UFO/flimsy to finish is a small Christmas project. I can't wait to get started!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Don't forget Friday/Saturday this week we have an "in shop only" flash sale. Batting will be 20% off. Books and patterns will be 50% off. See you then!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Be blessed and be a blessing,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Cynthia</span></p><p style="color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AppalachianQuilts/" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Facebook</a></span></p><p style="color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Website: <a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2020/11/www.quiltweb.net" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Website</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p>Appalachian Mercantilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00131903078689676377noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31201479.post-33100935716487311672021-10-26T07:28:00.002-05:002021-10-26T07:28:13.125-05:00Cover Story<p><span style="font-family: arial;">Everyone who knows me well, knows that Fall is my favorite time of the year. I love the smells, the textures, the tastes.... putting the garden to bed (pardon the pun) is always bittersweet. I've picked just about all I am going to pick. I have canned, dehydrated and froze about all I am going to preserve. Seeds are saved. What I have not done is clean up the beds and prep them for Spring. I choose to pick a few Saturdays where the air is crisp and my body feels the <i>need</i> to be out there. If you get the same warm fuzzies from gardening that I do, you will understand.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">This is the time of year when I start 'catching up' in the shop. I start too many new projects and race to finish more of those UFOs to alleviate the guilt. I order more patterns and fabrics as I work on inventories and pick out more wanna-do's. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I'm not a "panel" person. I never have been and probably never will be. I see some of you getting so creative with them, but I hit a roadblock when I try to get all fancy like that. I've had this Thimbleberries panel pieced since the line came out years ago. I never quilted it. I've custom quilted several for customers, but finishing mine just never hit the gotta do list. I always figured I would custom quilt it. As it sat there staring at me, I decided to just throw it on the longarm and put an allover on it.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjSuj0LRiGoPRriy6HqT7TkC1CDbecq9Adkj8WthrGiZDAyefCWjRGD5ASrm2oVrlQ6-TYXC0xPgR9dEXFvKq9sAo4S-T_PtSL0hUGksUFAQ8RYDBnYZ29yLjOipNEhGmBqY3v/s2048/Cover+Story.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1356" data-original-width="2048" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjSuj0LRiGoPRriy6HqT7TkC1CDbecq9Adkj8WthrGiZDAyefCWjRGD5ASrm2oVrlQ6-TYXC0xPgR9dEXFvKq9sAo4S-T_PtSL0hUGksUFAQ8RYDBnYZ29yLjOipNEhGmBqY3v/w640-h424/Cover+Story.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">It would make a cute baby quilt if someone was looking for a quick gift. The panel is the area that ends with the nutcrackers. After that, I just bordered it to death. LOL </span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbEskYWjusg1UKar1P3GG_jwpm_t1OqylWaZaVHpa1UNCb-Ov1a6hXSK9cjkigIP6f3X1QfbxMWfUxbqrgWo8rqzfFgpkdpGTvMG8Rj1nD0ANNEngDTi7JEWmEJCSbu4638uIQ/s2048/Covr+Story+Back.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1356" data-original-width="2048" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbEskYWjusg1UKar1P3GG_jwpm_t1OqylWaZaVHpa1UNCb-Ov1a6hXSK9cjkigIP6f3X1QfbxMWfUxbqrgWo8rqzfFgpkdpGTvMG8Rj1nD0ANNEngDTi7JEWmEJCSbu4638uIQ/w640-h424/Covr+Story+Back.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Usually customers who want a star allover choose the "Stars & Loops" pattern. Most longarmers have it and everyone is familiar with it. I wanted to do one that I have never done before. I actually like the shape of the star and the way this one loops better! It just needs to be bound and it will go up on the website for sale. I just don't see this one staying with me. I'm sure I have a few more of these panels that need quilted, so this will definitely motivate me to get them done.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The "Lifetime Achievement Award" quilt is off the custom machine for good. I just have to bind and wash the stenciling out. I can't wait to show you that one. Longarming has picked up for the holidays, so I've made myself work on it while working on customer quilts. I'm glad it's done. Having that one off for good has afforded me the opportunity to throw a few of my small ones on in between customer quilts now.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Speaking of which...we are still offering 1-2 week leadtime on allover quilts. Deadline for us to receive your quilt for Christmas is December 7. That gives us our week to get it quilted and you time to get it bound.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">What have you been working on? Are you gifting quilts for Christmas? I would love to hear about it!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Be blessed and be a blessing,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Cynthia</span></p><p style="color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AppalachianQuilts/" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Facebook</a></span></p><p style="color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Website: <a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2020/11/www.quiltweb.net" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Website</a></span></p>Appalachian Mercantilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00131903078689676377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31201479.post-44235145802830739722021-06-20T08:47:00.001-05:002021-06-20T08:47:22.408-05:00Shop Tour<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">I was headed out to the shop to do some longarming a few days ago and recorded a video that is a shop tour. You can see it here: </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="310" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VC1XajpaIgg" width="373" youtube-src-id="VC1XajpaIgg"></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">I have been neglecting a lot of our social media for the past few weeks. This kitchen remodel has me all discombobulated. Let's just say I am ready for it to be done. We completely gutted the kitchen down to the studs. We removed a wall between the small kitchen and the small dining room to make a larger kitchen. It's taken some time to get things all moved. I actually had a day a few weeks ago where I warned Hubs that I was ready to have the nervous breakdown I deserved. Not being able to find things - a few days of washing dishes in the bathroom sink - it all just got to me. The cabinets are being delivered Tuesday. It was supposed to be last Friday, but we put it off. The flooring isn't down. The walls and ceiling aren't painted. Frankly, friends, we are scrambling. I know it will all come together and will be worth it in the end, but we are exhausted. It's only 9:30 in the morning, but I am already ready for a nap....no kidding.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Some of the kids are coming over for Father's Day and we don't have a clean room in the house. We have no way to cook. It should be interesting.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Once we install the cabinets, there will be about a week where my old sink will be on the back porch for me to do dishes. Yes, you read that right. The new sink is an under-counter and it takes another week for them to come out for final measurements and then ANOTHER week for them to do the install. Oy!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I think about all the time we have spent on the remodel and how much 'free' time we will have after. I really have to hand it to Hubs. He has done more of the work than I have and has really worn himself out.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Have a happy Father's Day and enjoy time with those father figures in your life. Let them know you love them and appreciate them while they are here. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Until next time....be blessed and be a blessing,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Cynthia</span></p>Appalachian Mercantilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00131903078689676377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31201479.post-85991358422337086442021-05-28T05:26:00.002-05:002021-05-28T05:26:10.226-05:00The Decision Has Been Made....<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">You have probably noticed I am posting fewer blog posts. It's gardening season! :) When it's gardening season, the only quilting I am doing is usually for customers. (I do have a sewing project to do that I will post pics of, but it's not your usual project....)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Keeping up with all the social media platforms is time-consuming. So, I have decided the blog will be for quilting posts mostly. Gardening posts will be posted on our YouTube channel. Being able to watch a video is so much more informative for the gardening than just the pics. You can check out our YouTube posts here: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUvrCqsIWtE1P_XECMSQ0ng/videos" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUvrCqsIWtE1P_XECMSQ0ng/videos</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Here are some of the videos I posted this week:</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/riFn1YIt2Sw" width="320" youtube-src-id="riFn1YIt2Sw"></iframe></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">This one was on growing strawberries.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O5BYoQU4lyQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="O5BYoQU4lyQ"></iframe></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">This one was done in response to how we water our bees.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mo4zgg7YT6w" width="320" youtube-src-id="mo4zgg7YT6w"></iframe></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">This one shows my tips for planting potatoes.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Having the extra 'dimension' of a video aids in better visual aid of how things are done and how they look. Hopefully, you will join us on YouTube and follow along on our garden tours.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">We are still in the midst of the kitchen remodel. It is going to be fabulous! Hubs' attention to detail and ensuring I have everything I could ever want or need has me chomping at the bit. Once he is done with the remodel, we will have more posts, both here and on YouTube, of his exploits in the workshop.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I also have some quilting projects that I will be posting on here...once I get the garden in...so stay tuned.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Thank you for hanging with us. I will try to get more posted soon!!!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Be blessed and be a blessing,</span></p><p style="color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cynthia</span></p><p style="color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AppalachianQuilts/" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Facebook</a></span></p><p style="color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Website: <a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2020/11/www.quiltweb.net" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Website</a></span></p>Appalachian Mercantilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00131903078689676377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31201479.post-21473639368693852982021-05-17T10:18:00.004-05:002021-05-17T10:18:26.725-05:00Before and After<p><span style="font-family: arial;">Hubs asked me what I wanted for our anniversary. I'm not a 'present' kind of gal. I know we are in the middle of the remodel and I hate to ask him to do anything, but.....</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I enjoy our back patio. There is a huge tree for shade. I have my porch swing out there. We have all kinds of furniture out there, and I love having my morning coffee, listening to the birds and having my devotions....all out there. There is an area I just stare at. I can't stop thinking about what a mess it is. So much, in fact, that I can't enjoy just sitting there. I did it. I asked him to till it all up for me.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvzBy9QnVFT7M6pfx_kfV5m4QeY9bmuvEkSnkgqQG1YGk563WKi49O23xyoz_ex5xgZRSmowvgAXU8JN4DYm90SJ2DS45H_4waOw7YtdqqqTcoCoSeqDF4TO_hqfTlpWuidpGU/s2048/20210514_104029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvzBy9QnVFT7M6pfx_kfV5m4QeY9bmuvEkSnkgqQG1YGk563WKi49O23xyoz_ex5xgZRSmowvgAXU8JN4DYm90SJ2DS45H_4waOw7YtdqqqTcoCoSeqDF4TO_hqfTlpWuidpGU/w480-h640/20210514_104029.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">I am halfway ashamed to show it to you. The lady who we bought the house from had all kinds of things planted here, but it never got weeded. I've weeded it a few times, but the willy nilly-ness of all these plants just made it unenjoyable. (The hole you see here is where I salvaged a hosta before I remembered I wanted to take a before and after pic.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I went through and salvaged out the hosta and some solomon's seal. Then I found a sedum, so I salvaged him, too. The tall phlox, bulbs, yucca all were subjected to the rolling tines of the tiller. I knew this was going to be a pain because of all the tree roots. We did end up just bringing the tractor with the tiller on the back over to take care of it to save Hubs' knees.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Here is the after - it isn't quite done yet, but it's closer.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNPjiyKSqe9Ql7frrJ_CvBFayvscYUqerVZ0rPOIzLVisLQYt6LXTTfrYQ4c0jHP8crG8bA0Rc7wCaqMMbbsNic2QyUb_dWeD5_olS98VEZ26eTAGYQ9fTpuv41rvA-vvgyxtF/s2048/20210517_102115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNPjiyKSqe9Ql7frrJ_CvBFayvscYUqerVZ0rPOIzLVisLQYt6LXTTfrYQ4c0jHP8crG8bA0Rc7wCaqMMbbsNic2QyUb_dWeD5_olS98VEZ26eTAGYQ9fTpuv41rvA-vvgyxtF/w480-h640/20210517_102115.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">There are three hydrangeas (my personal favorite) and three bleeding hearts that came from the nursery. Prodigal Son brought me the digitalis for Mother's Day. (He gets me!!!) Everything else was re-purposed. There are astilbe, two different hostas, Solomon's seal and coral bells all planted. When all the plants start to stretch their legs, this should be a beautiful shade garden. I'm calling it my Anniversary Garden.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I need to go along the edges of the concrete and deal with some of the thatchy grass that is there and mulch it. At least I will be able to enjoy my devotions in the mornings now. :)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">And in other news....I did a 'thing'. I've given in to the pressure and recorded a YouTube video with a little farm tour. It's nothing exciting and is really my first foray into making videos. You can see it here: </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DftCI6FUcfw" width="320" youtube-src-id="DftCI6FUcfw"></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Be blessed and be a blessing,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Cynthia</span></p>Appalachian Mercantilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00131903078689676377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31201479.post-33419379418341057722021-05-10T03:00:00.108-05:002021-05-10T03:00:00.199-05:00This One is For the Birds!<p><span style="font-family: arial;">When I was younger, I remember strolling through craft fairs and admiring the painted gourds. I loved how something so simple could be made so beautiful. The talent that some of those artists could exhibit on something so simple as a birdhouse gourd was awe-inspiring. Having young kids, it was never really 'in the budget' to be able to buy one. I've always wanted one, though. I've seen everything from all natural to painted to artists who have burned patterns into the outside of them. (Google some pics - you will definitely end up in a rabbit hole!)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">While camping at our Amish friend's farm, again when the kids were younger, I would see those same gourds painted white and hung above their gardens. That is where I learned about purple martins. Alvin, the Patriarch of the family, told me they hung them to give a habitat for the purple martins. Purple martins are the birds that dive bomb you when you are mowing the grass. Some people find them annoying. I love them now that I know what they are doing. Purple martins are one of the biggest insect eaters on a farm! In fact, their favorite backyard delicacy is mosquitoes. They are diving down when you mow the grass to grab all the insects you are stirring up with the mower. Sadly, their population is in decline, so we need to do all we can to help them.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxdlpKmWLsm8gTq6VrnZIcWuHjnOWM822aLdvwrGgy_SDVOQ5MoPE7y15vr_LTa4-WueSj1k4_Z7fPkUaY7wF_GSjeE_tgJAWrdUkWZ9u_Cg6aaGQwxbYplxcPa_8NPm8aflqc/s924/How-to-Attract-Purple-Martins-Pin2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="796" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxdlpKmWLsm8gTq6VrnZIcWuHjnOWM822aLdvwrGgy_SDVOQ5MoPE7y15vr_LTa4-WueSj1k4_Z7fPkUaY7wF_GSjeE_tgJAWrdUkWZ9u_Cg6aaGQwxbYplxcPa_8NPm8aflqc/s320/How-to-Attract-Purple-Martins-Pin2.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p>So, last year I decided I was going to try to grow some on my own. I knew when I lost some to the birds trying to peck holes in them on the vine that I was on to something. I got worried when some would rot right on the vine. After some research, I found that those were the male fruits and they always die. *whew* I harvested the remainder at the end of the season and let them dry in the garage. Not ideal, but I didn't want to ask Hubs to create a way for me to hang them in the barn to dry - he was already pretty busy. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I recently brought them in (albeit too late for this year's nesting season) and scrubbed them with vinegar water to remove mold and impurities. Some people use a light bleach solution, but I try to keep things all natural.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8l91-MQGCxcPhk-5n5kLEFbGRPpLzbFT8JHGaR8kFjlfs_qdjmqZ7uYv7r2EKacIIRgOtFTYn93d0VV3JLdacCuK1tjWx1pMTmMoTdKkkkR3VTrX5t6sAdJuZDeQI6PqKIGke/s2048/20210502_112745.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8l91-MQGCxcPhk-5n5kLEFbGRPpLzbFT8JHGaR8kFjlfs_qdjmqZ7uYv7r2EKacIIRgOtFTYn93d0VV3JLdacCuK1tjWx1pMTmMoTdKkkkR3VTrX5t6sAdJuZDeQI6PqKIGke/w480-h640/20210502_112745.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I was loving the 'designs' created by the mold, so I did let them mold a little on the outside. After they got a little mold, I would wipe them down and let them continue to dry. </span></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiluqmfhDU7C4aaZaJk8VaE1yWq0XoTbqmC_EhVYt4nNn-0V_NnDVo-mmuRyziPManKs7gBfqnjuiVWKxZGjbU-MeK5z7O4xBeMOnO6xwYG2Fh6dt5iw4glE4cW2fKH89IGtIBs/s2048/20210502_112750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiluqmfhDU7C4aaZaJk8VaE1yWq0XoTbqmC_EhVYt4nNn-0V_NnDVo-mmuRyziPManKs7gBfqnjuiVWKxZGjbU-MeK5z7O4xBeMOnO6xwYG2Fh6dt5iw4glE4cW2fKH89IGtIBs/w480-h640/20210502_112750.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">We then used a hole saw to drill out the holes. (Use the link below to determine the hole size. We chose the size for the purple martin. )That <i>should</i> help keep the starlings out. It's a really cool site! Once the hold is drilled out, I shook out the insides - dried seeds and chaff. We also drilled a small hole in the top to put wire through to hang them. This is one instance when I do not use Jute. Jute will rot away over time and the gourd will fall to the ground. I don't want my poor birdies on a gravity ride to the ground because I didn't use something strong enough. Some people cut out a crescent-shaped hole. I don't know how they did it, but I have a hole saw not a crescent saw. So round hole it is!</span></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhanVd5nAeTPbX3EsJFLMvKaqmV42C6X0EiQzmJhxsc0EaZWeZuKTtDfvNn9ID2SE2LFUZJs6Lz4ZaurGuI5vSYF3Qz5wOudgV3OyucthB4INwPIXzklQvcdZyzLs9F0HwL98CN/s2048/20210502_112754.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhanVd5nAeTPbX3EsJFLMvKaqmV42C6X0EiQzmJhxsc0EaZWeZuKTtDfvNn9ID2SE2LFUZJs6Lz4ZaurGuI5vSYF3Qz5wOudgV3OyucthB4INwPIXzklQvcdZyzLs9F0HwL98CN/w480-h640/20210502_112754.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">As you can see, you get a lot of seeds. (Side note here: I paid $3.00 for about 20 seeds. I think I got my money's worth just in seed harvesting!) After sticking my fingers in through the hole to scrape the sides for seed I determined that we needed to sand the holds a little. I ended up with a little ouchie on my knuckle. LOL </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">After the insides were all cleaned out, we rubbed the outside down with linseed oil. This will help them last longer and hold up to the elements outside.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Some of my observations from a gardening standpoint: these gourds weren't as susceptible to squash bugs as some of the other squash I grew. I really didn't even start seeing eggs until the end of the season. The biggest pest we had with them were those cucumber beetles that seemed to attack everything last year. We grew them on a cattle panel trellis. This allowed the gourds to hang and not get flat spots. This also eliminated them laying on the ground and rotting. These gourds are NOT edible. The fruit does contain a toxin. However, there are homeopathic properties - so do your research! Native American Indians actually used them like we use a canteen. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Here are some links. The first one is a great article!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://gardenerspath.com/how-to/animals-and-wildlife/attract-purple-martins/" target="_blank">How to Attract Purple Martins (also has a lot of great info on the species)</a><br /></span></p><p><a href="https://ohiodnr.gov/static/documents/wildlife/backyard-wildlife/Nest%20Box%20Plans%20pub419.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: arial;">Ohio Division of Wildlife Nest Box Plans</span></a><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.birdwatching-bliss.com/bird-house-dimensions.html" rel="nofollow"><span style="font-family: arial;">Birdwatching Bliss Birdhouse Dimensions</span></a><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Hubs actually wants to grow a lot more this year and potentially sell them next year. They would be all natural and not painted. (I'm not that artistic.) The end goal would be to get more people interested in using them for an all-natural insect control. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I hope this article was informative enough to excite you to attract purple martins to your yard. They will sing to you all summer and provided some much needed insect assistance. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Be blessed and be a blessing,</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><p style="margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cynthia</span></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AppalachianQuilts/" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Facebook</a></span></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Website: <a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2020/11/www.quiltweb.net" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Website</a></span></p></div>Appalachian Mercantilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00131903078689676377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31201479.post-81298740366793051452021-05-07T03:00:00.003-05:002021-05-07T03:00:00.196-05:00"She" tried!!!<p><span style="font-family: arial;">We got hit with a surprise snow. Mother Nature was up to her usual tricks of trying to put a bump in my road. Usually if your trees or veggies have put out buds, you will lose them. It has caused many a farmer concern about how much fruit they will lose. Not the case in my strawberry bed. Look at all the blooms!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUktA9Zf-ND5bcwuOWciBVu-Q8S30p2R37D2GRXaK2s70ne5oOcnu56Puvp7XwXFABd7nf5boXYBM2OJKMf97pYKjtt-6P_lIeW0nfbaiiG5OTlkdmqfAEhyXQ2w75gFtcqV3w/s2048/20210424_092835.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUktA9Zf-ND5bcwuOWciBVu-Q8S30p2R37D2GRXaK2s70ne5oOcnu56Puvp7XwXFABd7nf5boXYBM2OJKMf97pYKjtt-6P_lIeW0nfbaiiG5OTlkdmqfAEhyXQ2w75gFtcqV3w/w480-h640/20210424_092835.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">As the saying goes, it was like these strawberries said "here, hold my beer". I was a tad anxious when I went out to check them, but all is well. They need thinned AGAIN! I'm thinking about saving what I pull out and starting more strawberries somewhere else - but where?? I don't think we have a kid or grandkid that doesn't LOVE strawberries. I'm thinking we can't have too many. :)</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA0MUGmtEcBxLWuEeMJ8mDj7ziyRNqN0rGKhu8Bcx8fP4mK1JpsG_qPJ65VnV77yYFcaNmBcOFSQPhRFgFYLfby_b-XHs9fJyVT2tcSBIoPzpNcqdr1SwhrT6OU2J3k9q6uCAl/s2048/20210424_124131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA0MUGmtEcBxLWuEeMJ8mDj7ziyRNqN0rGKhu8Bcx8fP4mK1JpsG_qPJ65VnV77yYFcaNmBcOFSQPhRFgFYLfby_b-XHs9fJyVT2tcSBIoPzpNcqdr1SwhrT6OU2J3k9q6uCAl/w480-h640/20210424_124131.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">And I just had to show you this. Every house we have ever lived in has a bleeding heart. I plant one in memory of my lost loved ones. This fella looked like he was not going to make it last year. I nursed him all summer and am happy to report that he is doing fine. I may move him this year, if I find time.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I stopped at the garden center this week to pick up a few more hydrangeas. Hubs asked me what I wanted for our anniversary and I told him there was an area up by the house I would like for him to till up. I can't wait to show it to you. We haven't started yet, but I will definitely post some before and after pics. It was a cool, crisp afternoon when I stopped at the garden center. I figured I would have the place to myself. Boy, was I wrong! The place was packed! So glad I went before Mother's Day weekend as that is a garden center's busiest day of the year.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Be blessed and be a blessing,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Cynthia</span></p><p style="color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AppalachianQuilts/" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Facebook</a></span></p><p style="color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Website: <a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2020/11/www.quiltweb.net" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Website</a></span></p>Appalachian Mercantilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00131903078689676377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31201479.post-80903514720312538152021-05-05T03:00:00.001-05:002021-05-05T03:00:00.197-05:00Farm Life<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">I posted this pic on Instagram from Saturday with the caption "I think his tractor's sexy".</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig0VpGFBu4DLhNb0iW5611Skjzm6Y4pG5EXoaWiwQx6J7XT2YRauzNY6gLrZOU5eSfvKOrCVmP5jrrfwJkR0czsPFDN_R77VeUcWtj2YyVa-R9XBvOoF_yPOcgJE1GlXS8tfS6/s2048/20210424_093225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig0VpGFBu4DLhNb0iW5611Skjzm6Y4pG5EXoaWiwQx6J7XT2YRauzNY6gLrZOU5eSfvKOrCVmP5jrrfwJkR0czsPFDN_R77VeUcWtj2YyVa-R9XBvOoF_yPOcgJE1GlXS8tfS6/w300-h400/20210424_093225.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">There is just something about a Saturday here on our little farm. Saturday is about us doing 'farmy' things together and working toward our goals. Truth is - if I ask for something, he usually finds a way to make it happen for me. I try to do the same for him. When we take our little stroll in the brisk air of a Spring Saturday morning and figure things out it's like all of the planets align and the birds start singing.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">While we were doing this, the chickens were doing that:</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcfTFf8ElqSi_Wb9MkLw1KvMDT92JT96vE2vItTaNfrERn-9Q_Jj5lKanhPvKGFlrWeOOWqzXWd9akNNnGATicb8xVdFSSAhwZ1Wdaeu94PPVFWjX6pOPo_5vQ4-bnQxZXSyt6/s2048/IMG_20210424_092739_516.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcfTFf8ElqSi_Wb9MkLw1KvMDT92JT96vE2vItTaNfrERn-9Q_Jj5lKanhPvKGFlrWeOOWqzXWd9akNNnGATicb8xVdFSSAhwZ1Wdaeu94PPVFWjX6pOPo_5vQ4-bnQxZXSyt6/w400-h400/IMG_20210424_092739_516.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">If you look at the one in the very top of the pic, she is out free-ranging. The others decided to hang out in Fort Knox. Our chickens are allowed to free-range all day. We open all the doors and let them go pretty much wherever they want. We do have the electric fence up to keep the coyotes away from them, but they get to choose. In this pic, they all decided to stay in Fort Knox. Why??? I'm pretty sure they know this will keep them safe from hawks, so maybe that was it. But it caused me to think....how many times do we keep ourselves pinned up and away from the freedoms of life. We have access....but we <i>choose</i> to stay pinned up.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVxupD0BZu-JISGXaSSX98EDi57-5ys2xvIW64Z98UOEzpMstM02SOikEodrc_5KYqSlhNh_r9u9ZrjdFh_0leyhxyWkLpUUjpJqaMYPDLdru-5n4pTiubtNOmKDNiid2jkInN/s2048/IMG_20210424_092605_804.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVxupD0BZu-JISGXaSSX98EDi57-5ys2xvIW64Z98UOEzpMstM02SOikEodrc_5KYqSlhNh_r9u9ZrjdFh_0leyhxyWkLpUUjpJqaMYPDLdru-5n4pTiubtNOmKDNiid2jkInN/s320/IMG_20210424_092605_804.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">So, the clothes were on the line. There was a nice cool breeze and I went to see what kind of trouble I could get into out in the high tunnel.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQHUmvsgj6J9l-UQXh0yteVrOVVXjiw_dAd_s7gKG3V-bSvZx-7qlQYlzq0UGueE1qyoA04s570u5dCPedTTCYV71Q0JM55T39kaTXg5KF2hsmV7gMwsoWDpSKufxJev30RXFX/s2048/20210424_093338.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQHUmvsgj6J9l-UQXh0yteVrOVVXjiw_dAd_s7gKG3V-bSvZx-7qlQYlzq0UGueE1qyoA04s570u5dCPedTTCYV71Q0JM55T39kaTXg5KF2hsmV7gMwsoWDpSKufxJev30RXFX/w480-h640/20210424_093338.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The chives are going absolutely wild. You can see where I have been clipping the tops off for our meals. Looks like I may need to get some going in the dehydrator. I absolutely LOVE chives!! I actually nibbled a few of the flowers while I was out working.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf1b87JCsG7tqIOggV3rfxjVMsYWvat0ZLfCEU4OTqFgJFMU0TwCgvvZ2OConHkFke9jcd_WhpdVAYdOhTJD2vycK7fODgOpBAHVnw96QOoNnh0NHXwriRzlOhpwAlKrYv04r-/s2048/20210424_093345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf1b87JCsG7tqIOggV3rfxjVMsYWvat0ZLfCEU4OTqFgJFMU0TwCgvvZ2OConHkFke9jcd_WhpdVAYdOhTJD2vycK7fODgOpBAHVnw96QOoNnh0NHXwriRzlOhpwAlKrYv04r-/w480-h640/20210424_093345.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A few years ago, I lost my oregano to the weather. Determined to have more to be able to cut from, I started this in the high tunnel. This was one little plant. Now look at her! I am definitely ready to dehydrate some. We use a LOT of oregano here. I'm also thinking about moving some of my herbs up by the back patio. That was the area that used to look wild and overgrown. I don't want that to happen again, so I am trying to be cautious.</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtekyLk3Ko6_WfwhHPPQCArzdumFQCHeNmd53-kql4ndbVN984EGgbswUE3SkQJIsRQif1EdP549DGkS0qDqpNJZWm2tk5kiqp3Oxim0DgWIgsj3wyKK9givkOLI7ks1BiQz93/s2048/20210424_093356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtekyLk3Ko6_WfwhHPPQCArzdumFQCHeNmd53-kql4ndbVN984EGgbswUE3SkQJIsRQif1EdP549DGkS0qDqpNJZWm2tk5kiqp3Oxim0DgWIgsj3wyKK9givkOLI7ks1BiQz93/w480-h640/20210424_093356.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Here is another bed that has gone wild. We can't eat the salad fast enough. We are eating at minimum one salad per day! Luckily, this merlot lettuce doesn't taste bitter when the leaves are large like this.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">If you see the 'sticker weeds' in the top of the pick, you can figure out what my first task was. I weeded the whole high tunnel. It didn't take nearly as long as I thought it would and I was pretty tickled at how beautiful everything was when I finished. (It's kind of like that tingly feeling I get when the whole house is clean.)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">All of the seedlings got watered and I did damage control on how many we actually lost to the frost a week ago. Even though we ran the heater, we did lose some on the west side of the high tunnel. Figure that out! Overall, things are looking pretty good out there.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The lavender seed I have in the fridge still hasn't germinated. It has been two weeks. I'm starting to get a little worried....</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Be blessed and be a blessing,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Cynthia</span></p><p style="color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AppalachianQuilts/" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Facebook</a></span></p><p style="color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Website: <a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2020/11/www.quiltweb.net" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Website</a></span></p>Appalachian Mercantilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00131903078689676377noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31201479.post-55098127086124790952021-05-03T03:00:00.141-05:002021-05-03T03:00:00.206-05:00How Do I Know What Herbs To Plant?<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikl3Ao4SzUpEEmou7MxvoOcQI0mdmt0wGgjAVDdioSrmrH0m3dJ_vrO4bNrlMttiV2Mn5IVTcsl-Vyzb8plhCf7fw7hQoDWpqy_Pm7GKqI2Gwd-B3T3p82WP4V3PufNaknAUbv/s720/herbs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikl3Ao4SzUpEEmou7MxvoOcQI0mdmt0wGgjAVDdioSrmrH0m3dJ_vrO4bNrlMttiV2Mn5IVTcsl-Vyzb8plhCf7fw7hQoDWpqy_Pm7GKqI2Gwd-B3T3p82WP4V3PufNaknAUbv/w640-h480/herbs.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">It seems obvious, doesn't it? In my case it was not. As I flipped through seed catalogs and made seed orders I was ordering everything in sight - this didn't only apply to herbs. My husband is pretty sure that without my yearly order of seeds some of those companies would have gone out of business. While I am in no way saying it is 'wrong' to grow an herb you won't use, it is also helpful to not miss out on the ones you <i>would</i> use. I will also add something I learned when ordering all these herbs - some herbs look like weeds. The beautiful picture you see of the herb flower in the seed catalog needs to have another picture right beside it of what the whole plant looks like. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Now we begin our exercise. I want you to go to your spice cabinet and pull out your spices. Line them up on the counter from most used to less frequently used. Now we are done. (Just kidding - in my case all of my spices are in alphabetical order, so this would take a minute....) Make your list starting with the most used and ending with the hardly ever/forgot I even had used. Put your spices away.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Start with your top five. Do some research. Are they hardy in your zone? Can you even grow them? If so, they go on the <i><span style="color: #800180;"><b>maybe</b></span></i> list. Why do I say <i><span style="color: #800180;"><b>maybe</b></span></i>? I want you to do a little MORE research. What is it like to grow this plant? What are the struggles? What are the advantages? I will give you my example, so you can learn from my mistake. I researched mint. I drink mint tea. I make mint tinctures. I use mint in my bath bombs. It would only seem logical that I would jump on the mint bandwagon. In researching mint, I found that it is highly invasive and hard to get rid of. OK, so I will plant my mint in a pot and that will be that. Only that is not what happened...I kept the top of my mint trimmed so it wouldn't go to seed. It was lush and beautiful there in it's pot in the high tunnel. Then fall came. I was tidying up in the high tunnel and lifted the pot. It would seem that for all the good I was doing up top to keep it from going to seed, I was giving it more energy to stretch it's legs. It sent out so many root sprouts through the drainage holes of the pot that I am still fighting mint in about 1/4 of my high tunnel two years later. When I dig up the roots, some of them are 4 ft long. Don't believe me? C'mon over and I will let you harvest all the free mint you could ever need. So, I reiterate - do some research.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Keep going down your list of herbs until your herb garden is full. Keep doing research. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWFZetmKA4cp9IGE4aFTA7PHnX-_6qL8ZCgdpb6LHCiG3WbMnp9pkd8tm2kzzN3w35cOBTpxiGOKGCHr5hFu04yfbYNDQKfOZryfUFhO2a9PlWFv_E33xne_caUB6QPWn-lTlX/s700/herbs+that+heal.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="366" data-original-width="700" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWFZetmKA4cp9IGE4aFTA7PHnX-_6qL8ZCgdpb6LHCiG3WbMnp9pkd8tm2kzzN3w35cOBTpxiGOKGCHr5hFu04yfbYNDQKfOZryfUFhO2a9PlWFv_E33xne_caUB6QPWn-lTlX/w640-h334/herbs+that+heal.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Are you someone who uses herbal healing? Is it something you want to dip your feet into the water on? Pick a couple and add those to your plan. BUT, something else to keep in mind....how are you going to use it? I use dried calendula flowers to make a healing salve. It is easy enough - you steep the dried flower petals in oil. Conversely, if what you are doing calls for an "essential" oil and this is why you want to grow a particular oil, be advised that it will take a lot of plants to get a little oil. (i.e. It takes 250 pounds of lavender to extract 1 pound of essential oil.) If you are using an infused (aka macerated) oil, it will take a lot fewer plants. Start with one or two and as your knowledge of herbal healing increases, start adding more.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Another experience story here - I, again, ordered some healing herbs and planted them. At the end of the growing season there was this "now what??" that hit me. I had so much other canning dehydrating to do that I really didn't have time to figure out if I should be saving seeds, flowers, leaves or roots. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Take heed - a lot of herbs are perennials. How awesome is that! Check your zone. In my zone, I have chives, sage, thyme, oregano, echinacea that comes back every year. Some of my herbs like fennel and dill are self-seeding, so they come back as well...and they spread. If/when it starts to get out of control you will have to split it and share with a friend to keep it tame. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfzyKPsZwsaNrlk_Gcroz-XakWbGXpMLVPPlTcMBvflqtLNuXWaZ2V1ozt5IU0XkTfYahyd7kiPwWbPiT5DqP5nTZpPlg3MEsjL2VQos9T6evjW0TlGFFI1yBGwJjYO-HpqG6O/s620/herbs+alive.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="620" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfzyKPsZwsaNrlk_Gcroz-XakWbGXpMLVPPlTcMBvflqtLNuXWaZ2V1ozt5IU0XkTfYahyd7kiPwWbPiT5DqP5nTZpPlg3MEsjL2VQos9T6evjW0TlGFFI1yBGwJjYO-HpqG6O/w640-h310/herbs+alive.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">What herbs do I plant? In addition to the above, I plant basil, lavender, parsley, cilantro, cumin, St. John's wart, feverfew... to name a few. I'm trying a new-to-me way of starting lavender from seed this year. I've struggled with starting rosemary and lavender from seed for years. My beloved lavender was destroyed when Hubs cleaned out the one bed by the house and I miss it.</span><p></p><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Until I 'master' the herbs I have on my list right now, I won't add too many more. I grew chamomile last year. It looks a lot like mayweed which is prolific here. Mayweed has crazy taproots and unless it is completely eliminated, I am concerned that I wouldn't be able to tell the difference between the mayweed (in Appalachia we called them weed daisies) and the chamomile. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">For me, adding a few more at a time makes sense. Once I am able to identify a plant when it starts coming up until full-grown, I can move on to others. Herbs add food for all the senses and I strongly encourage you to jump in and give them a try. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Be blessed and be a blessing,</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><p style="margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cynthia</span></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AppalachianQuilts/" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Facebook</a></span></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Website: <a href="https://appalachianquilts.blogspot.com/2020/11/www.quiltweb.net" style="color: #009eb8; display: inline; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Appalachian Mercantile Website</a></span></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><i>Photos from today's post were pulled from Google images and are not my property - only used for demonstrative purposes.</i></p></div></span></div>Appalachian Mercantilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00131903078689676377noreply@blogger.com0