life and stuff...

Didn't mean to not post for this long, but showing the same tumbler picture isn't what I call blog worthy. I'm still working on the tumbler quilt's applique parts at night and getting some normal house things done during the days. Quilting has been much slower this past few days due to normal life stuff really. One I've had the worst non-cold sinus thing for days. No idea what was wrong as I didn't have the normal cold symptoms, but the allergy issues sucked and I lost an entire night to the worst sinus headache. No sewing that night.

But I do have a few things to show for myself! I was able to get several blocks ready for my ABC sampler quilt so I could work on them during the evenings. I like to prep the applique pieces during the day and then you can lay them out and mark for all the stitchery sections and take off the applique. I prefer to get the needlework done ...if I can...without the fabric already sewn on. Saves my stitches getting pulled. I worked on the Q for Quail block and the M for Mother block. The quail is finished. I kinda thought the M block was too, but looking at the picture I don't like all the space at the bottom edge. Children's names go there and I don't have any...so it's empty. I think the feather stitch is going to wrap around the bottom corner just a bit. OH and I forgot their FEET!

I spent one morning cutting all the pieces for this months 27 Geese in the Forest blocks. Boy, cutting take so much time and actually I lied. I haven't cut all the white triangles pieces. I need 84? or something each direction and I'm only up to 54 each. They are rectangles cut into triangles so you have to be careful to cut both directions to have them facing correctly.

I've also spent time doing another little clean out of the house in preparation for a move. I know I've mentioned moving before...I've wanted to move for quite a while out of this state. When is a total crap shoot. Long term estimate could be a year...short term could be 60 days! So we might as well get moving and do some work now. Up till now, I haven't mentioned anything about my hubby's job.

I normally don't talk about real life family issues anymore on the blog because it makes most people uncomfortable. Only a very few of you know that my husbands company filed for bankruptcy months back due to a CEO who played fast and loose with company money on the futures market and lost it all...stole is the word I use. Oh right except for the $74 million bonus (was it?) he split between himself and his company buddy last year. Because of this thieving bastard, an extremely profitable, successful company is no more, dissolved. He'll get his in court hopefully. Turns out it may have all been orchestrated by a competitor, which if it floats your boat, you can read about here (keep reading down the whole page). Might help to explain the high gas prices last summer. Screw the employees and their families...we want to put our competitors out of business. Lots of good employees will be laid off. Not exactly their fault...no one can take advantage of you if you don't put yourself in that situation. So we wait and plan for every eventuality we can think to happen.

We move under another branch of the company April 1st?, we think, and so far have no idea about anything. Who stays and who goes...IF we will have any benefits or what they will be, even what pay they will offer. Good news is that hubby will probably be one of the last to go due to his job in the company. But these people don't run a business, and don't want to. Are we having fun yet? I'm certainly not and I'm rather pissed over the whole thing. We're hoping for a quick sale to a good company or to find a good job somewhere else.

If you read all that, thanks for letting me rant. I may be a little more scarce for a while as we do some things around here to get the condo ready for sale. I'll be around and still quilting.

tumbler details......

SO lots questions about this quilt! It was, I think, the first bom offered from Pinwheels. I'm not sure how I found them, but they are at our quilt show every year. Bad news...it's about 3 years old maybe more. I do know that their fabulous 3rd bom "Cabin Fever"quilt is still being offered on their site. I didn't order that one since I hadn't finished this one and I only did 2 months of the 2nd one called Ping! I don't see any pattern offered on the site and I know they have some. I have another one made from scraps. SO give them a call and ask them about this quilt or about offering the pattern.

I actually love this quilt so I'm not sure why it sat for 3 years before getting done. I loved doing all the blocks and getting to do all sorts of patterns. They sell the acrylic template on the site and this one is about 12 inches. They also have a 7" and a tiny one.

Melanie asked about cutting the blocks. YES, you trim them to the correct size using the template, I kept mine uncut until now, just trimming them before I've sewn the rows together. They've been hanging from the wide end on skirt hangers for the whole time. I have most of the close-up block shots in my flickr album. Just click on the flickr box in the left column and go to the In Progress Set.

Also important.... I learned a trick quickly. When I first got the blocks I did exactly what they said to do and made my big square/rectangle. Then I started the second block and looked at the picture and wondered how they got the hourglass blocks centered?

Look at the dark hourglass block on the right..that was the first block. I realized I was going to cut all that extra fabric in the top corners. So the lighter hourglass above is the result of laying down the template and sewing just enough to extend past the template by 1/2" or so. As a result...I have 3 BIG ziplock bags of left over fabric for other projects!! They sent extra anyway, but I got LOTS left over and at $13 a yard, that's good!

tumbling...

I'm plugging away on my Taupe Tumblers and working to get totally caught up on all my bom's still. Okay so maybe I have too many open projects going at the moment. I'll finally admit that...and once these get completed I'm definitely going to have a less concurrent projects working at once. The old brain can't seem to multi-task as well as it used to anymore. *s

****Another blogger comment from Nancy...who is quite the good digger of Miller tidbits!!
"More info of the Miller's. Spencer Jr. on his WWI Draft registration card said his hair was "red". Google "Hattie Maria Ruggles genealogy" and you will find more. Found out that while T. Spencer was living in Chicago he was President of the Chicago Bicycle Club."***** Thanks Nancy again!

My Uncle years back did his mother's family (my grandmother's) all the way back to the 1300's and I have the whole book he made detailing all the lineage. It's quite interesting.

national quilting day...

Kim wanted to know how we spent it...so I can oblige with some details and pictures! See... I'm not just digging in old boxes and stores! I was sewing!! So on the actual day I got the last 5 blocks of these assembled and ironed.

These being my block of the month project with Homestead Hearth. I know I said I'd never order another bom program from them again, but these aren't the same as picking fabric for each applique part of a block. I figured a pieced program was safe enough. Simple, easy...4 blocks a month...easy as pie and so far so good. I had month one done, then month 3 arrived last week. SO back to work. I spent Friday cutting the pieces out and started sewing a few. Saturday I had the last 5 to assemble and got them done quickly before lunch. Now three months are done and I am way ahead of the game! These won't look like this either.... they are turned on point and alternated with a lovely brown.


I also am desperately trying to get the last pieces of the Four Seasons quilt done so I can move along to my new bom...Baskets of Life. I made a bargain to not start the new until I finished the old. So again, work like a dog to get finished. I have the fall bird done and now the fall house is done. Just two little sections to complete and assemble and then I'll get the whole top assembled and start quilting! Won't be too long as the fall branch is about 90% done now. Best of all I can move on with doing the Baskets! I love those and I'm feeling tense because 3 months have arrived and I haven't even started yet!

Once I had my last few Brownstone blocks done yesterday I pulled out my Tumbler blocks and stared at them. Then I just started putting them together. I have the top two rows sewn together and ready for some tiny applique on the ends...then the borders need to have some applique before going on. I goofed on one of the first blocks I made for this, and I'm in the process of re0doing the block. All this type fabric was totally new to me so I appliqued the flowers to the back of the fabric!! Has to be changed. It's working very well and I have just the center and stem to removed and re-locate. Then the next few rows will be ready to assemble! I hope to have it ready to quilt by the end of the week! I also would like to have all my blocks done for the month for Geese in the Forest...all 27 of them...all done by next weekend!

Happy sewing!!

hattie and spencer...

Oh Nancy has found out more about Spencer and Hattie! Thanks tons Nancy...especially in letting me know that Spencer's first name didn't start with a Y and instead a T for Thomas. Here's what Nancy left in the comments:

****I found a lot of info for Spencer and Hattie.
They were married on Jan 1, 1885.
Her maiden name was Hattie Maria Ruggles born in Moline, IL on June 6, 1858. Spencer was Thomas Spencer Miller born April 25, 1859 in Waukegan, IL. Even though they were both born in Illinois due their fathers occupations, their families were from Massachusetts. They had 3 children. There is so much more. Nancy *****

Then I plugged them into Google and follow the first link to find more.Their 3 kids were:

1. Marguerette Miller b: 10 Dec 1888...Massachusetts
2. Spencer J Miller b: 2 July 1891...Massachusetts
3. Hellen Miller b: Jan 1897...Massachusetts

I'll post more with the quilting stuff as I uncover it! Thanks Nancy for doing that and for sending on the right path to look!! I'm posting quilty stuff later today!! Never fear!!

new finds...

Hit the thrift/antique stores again yesterday to pick up a few blue jars for a fellow enthusiast and I was sent to a new store, thinking they might have the one I wanted...they didn't, but I did find a few things I couldn't pass up!

Finally found the small old tin I wanted! 4" x 6 1/2" and about 1 3/4" deep and PERFECT for small little pieces!

Then I found exactly what I've wanted for the kitchen counter ever since putting away the lighted church after Christmas. A little light for the counter top. It gives the kitchen such a nice glow at night.

I know quilting has been slim to none around this blog for the week, but I am working and getting some finishes done so next few post will be all quilting! Have a great weekend everyone!

my sweet letter

Oh I knew that I wasn't the only one who loved reading others old letters! I bought about 20 of them the next day too! It's so funny to read them. I also found some lovely old Christmas cards and a few neat postcards. The letter is from Hattie to Spencer and she refers to 5 years, so I think it's been a long engagement.

So the letter... you can almost read it in the pictures but I'll type it too.Mr. T.S. Miller
#11 to 23 S. Jefferson Street Chicago, IL

No. 26 West Street
Worcester Aug. 10, 1884

My Dear Spencer,
Father has invited me to go to church with him to-night: so I am going out to Piedmont Church. Your last few letters have talked so awfully of financial difficulties; I am beginning to fear. I wonder what I am going into.

If it is so hard to take care of one, how much more so will it be to care for two. We won't think of being married till about Christmas time. This will give you a month longer, and you won't have to feel that you must rush so dreadfully. I can't understand why your finances are thus. I've had not half the salary you've had. I have paid my board, clothed my self and paid all expenses and in addition have saved enough for my trousseau. This is why I can't understand the reason why, in all these five years. I can't see the need of feeling anxious at this late day-

Have two pretty suits - Full dress and half dress - best suit. You've common suits enough. Dress over-coat with a seal-skin collar to match your cap. Gloves, you will need several pairs. White of course; brown and the like. You should be getting things gradually, that is the way I am doing it.
**A nice warm comfortable winter over-coat*** (She squeezed in the side margin spaces)
A linen out-fit for one under set would be nice. Wish I was where I could get your underclothes made for you. I think you might get a shirt pattern and an A.G. Pattern cut, and then send them to me, then I might get the cloth and have them cut and made for you much less than you could get it done. Do you like this plan?

We can certainly save money if you have a good salary. Have you received a little book from me? In what condition did the forget-me-nots arrive?

Good bye dear,
Hattie

I typed it exactly as she wrote it. I love how they folded letters back then. The paper was folded and started on the side with the fold to the left. Then they either used the inside as two sheets, or turned it and wrote down the whole length, then to the back page...and the envelopes were so small!
I love how she ran out of room and had to write the last sentence along the side, then turned over the page and wrote her name upside down in the top margin.

So after reading this, then reading it to hubby about 4 times, I knew I was going back the next day. I was compelled. I HAD to find more letters. Did they get married after all? I went right back, dropped my purse on the floor between my feet, took off my sweater, and stood there for about 2 hours! I touched every note in that box and finally after I was almost to the back...I see..

Mrs. Spencer Miller...New Jersey. Postmarked June 3rd, 1908. My heart leap out of my chest and I grabbed that envelope!

And that was it. No letter inside...just the envelope!! I almost died! I looked again all through the back of the box. I knew I didn't miss anything. It just wasn't there. but I do at least know they got married. Since the weren't to marry until after Christmas... by 1908 they had been married 23 years. Good for them. The letter was mailed from Morcan Park, IL and on the back it has a Chicago postmark too. So maybe she was away visiting. Or maybe they moved to NJ and an old friend was writing to her.

I got letters from ladies inquiring about teaching jobs from about 1894 to 1905 or so going to the head of a school in NC. Letters from a soldier writing to his sweetheart about trying to get into a commissioned officer school, I think, and about how desperately he misses her. I'll take some pictures of the Christmas cards and post cards later.