Difficult years

 Well, it has been a tough year.  So long 2024 and welcome 2025.  

We lost several family members…my mother-in law…January 2023, Mom in May 2023, another brother in July 2023, and Dad, November 2023.  I have been grieving and remembering the joyful times we shared.  I stopped sewing and quilting this past summer and fall; losing my mojo for the most part.  I have been working on quick small projects, but just didn’t have the motivation to head on up to my small room to sew and create.  I have many quilt tops which need to be completed.  I do not feel guilty at all for stepping away for the time being, it takes time, but I will get back into the swing of things sewing.  

2024 has not been been any easier…I lost close cousins in October and November, and an auntie earlier in June.  My sister lost her stepson in the early spring.

As we age, more and more pass on.  Now I understand what my grandparents and my parents were referring to about life.  I have a great husband who is very supportive and is there for me when I cry as I remember sweet memories.  

Reading about this year’s quilt mystery, I didn’t feel ready to start another top, but as the time approached I prepared and searched my fabric stash to begin.  With work and long travel times, I knew I wasn’t able to get going, but I saved, printed and organized my instructions.  With school finished for another semester and my final college class completed, I sat down and begin cutting and measuring.  My previous post, I have completed the first set of three clues.  This sewing time has allowed me to reflect and reminisce the happy and sad times of these two past years.  I needed the solace that sewing and piecing brings, the simple joys of working in small amounts of time between life happenings.  I am still grieving, but I am finding much needed comfort in taking care of what I enjoy doing, along with memories of making gifts for my loved ones.  

I have been given the fortitude I need to keep going,  caring for and loving my family.  Mom and Dad, thank you for teaching me love and teaching me to be resilient, patient and strong.  Thank you for loving family members and loving friends and above all, a loving and comforting God and son Jesus.  

Sewing this year’s 2024 quilt mystery, Old Town, with Bonnie Hunter.

 I now have the time to cut and begin piecing Bonnie Hunter’s 2024 mystery quilt, Old Town.  I’ve chosen her color way and am using what I have on hand from my fabric stash.  Last week, I had to purchase more neutrals and some melon fabrics.  The melon color is one color I don’t have.  I have lots of teals and reds and large amounts of white.  I decided to add more patterns with my neutrals instead of using plain white.  Here are my pieces for clues #1 through 3.  I am working on clue 4.  Bonnie added another clue this past Tuesday, so we have 6 clues to piece, with another upcoming clue this Friday.

I am using my vintage Singer 403a.  I love sewing with this machine!  

Here is the link to access Bonnie’s mystery.  She shares with us every year her quilt pattern she creates while she visits and discovers new towns and sites as she travels the world.  This year she went to Poland.  I love reading and learning about what she shares of the various places she tours and visits.  

Old Town quilt mystery

For Christmas, I got the Little Rebel sewing machine and set her up on my quilting frame.  I love how easy and quickly she sews my quilt top.  She is available through Grace Quilt Company.  Her sewing area is 13 inches.  (Last Christmas, I invested in buying the Q-zone quilt frame also from the Grace Quilt Company.  It suits my space and I have been able to finish a couple of quilts this past year.)  

I have the Sweet Sixteen machine made by Handiquilter; she is a table top model and I get tired pushing and pulling my quilts under the needle.  I have to manipulate the pinned quilt top and it is not easy especially with the larger tops.  I have a full length queen quilt frame, but I do not have the room or space to set it up in our smaller home.  I had hoped to set up the Sweet Sixteen on that frame, but there is no room right now.  We have plans to build a small studio for my quilting, but that will happen sometime down the road.

Well, it is back to piecing clue #4.  Have a great Christmas!  

New Bonnie Hunter quilt mystery!

 Yeah, another mystery with Bonnie K. Hunter!  She has the colorway up for this year's mystery quilt...Starowka (Old Town).

Old Town Mystery Quilt Sew along

I love the color selection!  Now, I need to head upstairs to find my colors.  I know I have plenty of neutrals, but melon and turquoise?  That's fine, another trip to Gallup Sewing Mart for more fabric.  

Bonnie will start posting the first of many clues on November 22.  If you're interested, join us by using the link and begin downloading your own copy.

What fun and I am so excited to begin!  Happy sewing!

Indigo Way quilt mystery

It's the last day of 2023.  This was a rough year for my family.  We lost four close family members starting in January, May, July, and November.  

This has been my solace this year unlike the year when I lost my two younger brothers a few years ago.  I could not sit and sew that year.  I finally picked up piecing and sewing when Bonnie announced her quilt mystery that year, 2018.  I felt peace as I sewed and reflected upon my precious memories.

Here I am again, but with a different perspective.  My mil, my mom, and my dad lived a full and fruitful life.  They left with peace and faith in God and Jesus.  On the other hand, my brother left too soon.  

We miss all of them, but we continue to pray and live as we were taught.  

I am ever so grateful for people like Bonnie.  I need the comfort of working along with others doing what I love.  Sewing is my time for memories and looking back and also forward as I pick up and live.  

Looking forward to another brand new year is exciting, yet remembering the love and strength of all who formed and made us who we are is so comforting.  Praises and love to my beautiful family members, Sonny, Owen, Mom and Dad Barber, Darren. and my mother in law, Carolyn.  We love you and we miss you very much!  

The piecing begins with another mystery...sewing with Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville.  Here is the link to help you get started.  

Quiltville Quips @ Snips

I have gathered my fabrics and printed up my clue.  I love her mysteries.  I know that I have become a better piecer using her techniques.  I have fallen in love with scrap quilts, just like my Grandmother.  Grandma used what ever fabrics she had.  I remember many of her fabric pieces used after she finished her dresses, skirts, and tops.   She also used Grandpa's torn and worn denim jeans; she made herself a denim apron worthy to keep up with her as cleaned and carded sheep's wool for her weaving.  

Grandma Bekisbah was also a Navajo weaver.  She started with shearing her sheep all the way to dyeing her wool, then creating the intricate patterned rugs.  Grandpa tried to make it easier for her and purchased store yarn at the local discount stores or at Navajo Shopping center in Gamerco, NM.  She still preferred making her own yarn.  This is a lost art as I did not trek alongside her as she picked the various plants for dyeing.  I watched and practiced all the other steps, but have not taken up weaving.  My cousins and my daughter have taken weaving classes at our local university and are weaving simple designs.  My cousins of Table Mesa are artists and have sold rugs. 

Let's get started with this year's mystery!  Bonnie shares her instructions for a limited time, so it's best to save and/or print the instructions.  I have my own specific drive files with her past mysteries.  

 I have finished this year's Quiltville's Mystery quilt!  It is at the flimsy stage; I'll need to locate a backing fabric and finishing quilting it!  I enjoyed making this quilt.  I used all of my turquoise and purple fabrics so I had to make a stop at my local quilt shop.  It was fun to visit and see all the folks and to select new fabrics.  I have not been shopping for quilt fabrics much this year.  I have spent most of my time preparing and getting lessons set up for my culinary students.  

Thank you Bonnie for another beautiful quilt.  The quilt is no longer available via her blog but one can purchase the PDF pattern.  Here is the link for Bonnie's shop....Quiltville shop  

Bonnie is a very creative person and has so many patterns...I have purchased many and I love her books, too.  I have about 3 quilt makings at various stages...I have them in fabric bags and when I need to sew, I pull one out and sew.  This is so relaxing for me.

Mystery quilt with Bonnie Hunter 2022---Chilhowie quilt mystery

 Another great start with Bonnie, once again, offering and designing a new quilt mystery for this year 2022.  I have collected my fabric in her colorways and finished with part 1 and 2.  The colors are beautiful!

I didn't have quite enough purple and orange, or so I thought.  I found a stack of orange, of course, after purchasing more from my local quilt shop.  Ehh, it's okay.  I will have more variety!  Actually, I haven't made any quilt purchases for about 6 months, so this is my time to handle and caress the new fabric selections.

I'll post my progress once I run down stairs to get my I-pad.  I am in the middle of cutting the pieces for last week's clue.  Me behind?  Nah...I'm taking my time this year.  I have not been as vigilant with completing my Christmas gifts for this year.  

I have been taking up needlework, both crocheting and knitting, and loving it.  Progress is a little slow, but I enjoy sitting and doing the needlework for the day.  I usually don't finish large items such as afghans, but this year, I found Mikey.  I have been participating in his crochet-along and have finished 3 afghans this year!  That is an accomplishment for me!  I've been so wrapped up with my needlework!  I feel so accomplished!  I purchased a circular knitting machine, a 48 needle Sentro.  I've made a couple of beanies.  Learning curve, well?  I am finding out that not all yarns love the Sentro.  I have put this down for the time being as I need to concentrate more on getting my Christmas finished....that is, cut out and sewn!