Sentimental Stitches

I pray the best for our world in 2009. It seems as we turn the page on 2008 there are many things demanding our attention and causing stress in the lives of people worldwide. I’m looking to the new year with gratitude for all the blessings I have been given. If worse came to worse I think I could find a bent needle, some dull scissors, old rags to cut up and still make a quilt to keep my family warm. I know you could (and would) too.

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!

I’ve been receiving spam emails from my own web site. I hope you haven’t been receiving them too. Because of this I’ve hesitated publishing the new pattern pages for 2009 or send out a newsletter. I’m working the Lunarpages, my ISP, and can’t say enough good things about their customer service for being fast to warn me of the problem and assisting me in making it go away. I’m no expert and wouldn’t have a clue how to fix this without them. As soon as it’s taken care of the pages will start to appear like magic.
Here’s a sneak peek of the Changing Seasons Block of the Month. You can use the blocks in a quilt or finish each one with a special setting for individual wall quilts.

I hope you had a joy filled Christmas Day. We enjoyed a wonderful day together and Clutch exhausted himself with all the activity.

Do you hear your everyday responsibilities calling you back to reality? I know I do so today we’re sending out orders to everyone who has been patiently waiting for theirs to arrive. A few of you got caught in the pack and move back to Grand Rapids followed by the holiday but today is your day!

I intended to tell you about this quilt right after my trip to Shipshewana but the patterns somehow stayed in GR while I returned to Traverse City. Now that we’re back in one place (at least I think we are) I’m hoping you’re still in the mood for Christmas and thinking about next year’s projects. Remember the Reason is a heart tugging, inspirational quilt to make. The finished size is 25″ x 34″ so it’s not too overwhelming even for beginners. I made mine using hand applique and embroidery but it would be a quick project with fusible applique and inking. Better yet, try Back Basting for your applique. I have enough of the star charms to include with each pattern ordered.


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on all domestic orders. No coupon code to enter. It’s calculated automatically. For you international customers - you’ll receive a special surprise in your order. The free shipping offer will end on January 1.

Clutch and I drove to Grand Rapids last Tuesday night during a lovely Winter Storm Warning. The plan had been to leave Traverse City by 2 PM but my final day at the store and closing the cottage took longer than I anticipated. I made my last trip up the hill around 8 PM with Clutch wrapped in a blanket and the flashlight in hand to light our way.
Our usual 2 hour trip (they tell me I drive too fast) took over 4 hours. The snow started falling as we turned on US 131 near Cadillac and got worse the farther south we went. I’m used to this ride and sometimes think I could drive it in my sleep but driving in a blizzard is another thing. No street lights, no visible lines along the edge of the highway or between lanes. We followed the evenly spaced reflectors along the side of the highway and traveled at a reasonable speed for being on the freeway in a snowstorm. It wasn’t fast enough for the semi trucks traveling the same route and I cringed each time one passed the group of cars I was traveling with. It caused an instant whiteout and you simply couldn’t see a thing. More than once my guardian angel had her hand on the wheel keeping us safe. I’m sure glad I wasn’t driving faster than she could fly!

These little angels are a favorite among the ornaments I’ve made for our Christmas tree. They would be just as cute hanging on a little hook all year long reminding us that angels are all around us lending a hand or taking a stitch for us just when we need it most.



Click here for the pattern - Guardian Angels

I’ve been shoveling, carrying, packing, dragging and trudging in the snow for two weeks but the end is in site. It’s going to be a difficult ending I’m afraid. The weather here is making life miserable for everyone.

It just kept snowing and snowing and snowing until it was nearing the top of our 36″ railing on the deck. I have an icicle valance across the front of the cottage.


This is one big icicle!


This is the sled path we’ve been using to go up and down the hill to the car. Coming down at night isn’t bad but dragging stuff up the hill is hard work.
We had a big thaw yesterday with temperatures in the mid 40s. When that much snow thaws that quickly it turns into a deep slippery slush. I had a tough time backing out of the driveway and slid to within an inch of a BIG tree. I shoveled down to the dirt around three of the tires but luckily a gentleman and his son hooked a chain to the trailer hitch of the Jeep and pulled me away from the tree so I could get out. There’s my guardian angel watching over me again.
When we got home from work I backed the Jeep in the driveway just far enough to be off the road.

That thaw turned to a nasty freeze overnight. The power went out a couple of times and I could hear the wind howling outside. Just looking out the door you can see some of the downed tree limbs. Don’t know if I can move that big one.

The lake effect snow kicked in and the wind is gusting to 45-50 mph.
I haven’t ventured up the hill to see if there’s a tree on the Jeep but my boss would like me to try to get to the store today. Even though we closed on Saturday, there’s a lot of packing and hauling of things from the basement to be done.
Right now I’m going to stay snuggled on the couch with Clutch praying the power doesn’t go off again and waiting to see what the weather does. I’d load more things in the Jeep to take home but the wind chill is -3 below zero and lots of things would freeze by morning. What happens to hairspray if it freezes?


No matter what, I have to close up the cottage and drive to Grand Rapids for the rest of the winter tomorrow !!

All quilting time has not been lost with weather duties. I finished an appliqué block to include as part of the Midget Blocks.

I also used this block to do a Back Basting Tutorial for you. You should give the technique a try. It’s totally changed the way I do hand appliqué and has made me love it even more. I’d like your feedback on the tutorial. It’s so hard when you’re trying to write something you already know how to do and are trying to explain it to someone who’s never even heard of it. That’s why there’s lot of pictures!

Block 9 of the Sally Post Floral Sampler has been posted too so don’t forget to click over there and get the pattern.

Rob’s company has asked their employees to take a pay cut by giving up one days pay each week. Today is supposed to be my last day working if I can fight the ice, wind and snow to get there. Even with all the extra time for quilting, I know I’ll worry about the financial responsibility taking care of the cottage brings. After being in the family for 54 years, spending my summers and honeymoon here, and my boys spending their summers here, it’s woven into the fabric of my soul. I want it to always be here for my children and their children to come so I’ve shamelessly added a Paypal donation tab to help cover the cost of the web site until our incomes return to normal. Every little bit helps and my Daddy always said “If you take care of the pennies, the dollars will take care of themselves”

It seems like years instead of days since I was in Shipshewana taking pictures, sewing, eating pie and having the best of times at the Dear Jane Retreat.

Somehow within a matter of days I went from all that bliss to this!

I also managed to cook Thanksgiving dinner in there somewhere too.
Now my days have taken on a whole new routine and I’ve found muscles I didn’t know I had.
This first snowfall fell within only seven hours while I slept.

What you’re looking at here is supposed to be the lower section of our driveway. Rob thinks it’s about 360 feet long all together and the lower section is a steep hill that levels off at the top as it winds through the trees getting us out of the woods.

You then take the private road (which does have blacktop on it) out to the county road. Doesn’t sound too bad huh?

Well, the first thing you have to do is get that Jeep up the hill. It’s a Jeep, how bad can it be? After three attempts I came to the conclusion I was going to have to shovel my way out. Remember my escapades trying to get in the driveway last spring? The ones where I slid into a tree? From all that slipping around, I knew I’d have to shovel the winding part of the driveway and that only took about 2 hours. I took a little break and after another couple of hours, I had two nice dirt tracks all the way to the top. Drove that Jeep up on the first try and she hasn’t been back down the hill again.



Clutch and I have an additional mode of transportation. We made ourselves a sled from an under-the-bed storage bin, some garden twine and packing tape. We haul our stuff up to the Jeep in the morning and back down at night.



I took this a couple of days ago. There was at least 18 inches of snow on the wood pile and I swear it’s been snowing almost non-stop since Dec. 1st. The snow banks at the end of the driveway are up to my waist and they are predicting another 8-12 inches of snow for tomorrow.



I’m still shoveling the upper part of the driveway while Clutch props himself up on the arm of the chair letting the hot air from the furnace blow on him. Thankfully I have a special “snow angel” who clears out all that rough stuff the snow plow driver leaves behind. I don’t know what I’d do without him.




I was so thrilled to be able to participate in the Stitcher’s Angel Swap that Helen Stubbings sponsored. Sadly, with all the extra work this fall closing the store I was one of those angels whose halo cracked so badly it fell off and I’m sure I lost my wings. I didn’t get my gifts mailed to my partner until last week. That’s why “Little Clutch” is only giving you a sneak peak of one of the things I sent. Once I know they’ve arrived I’ll show you more pictures.

Because I was such a naughty angel I didn’t let myself open the gift from my partner. I hope I let her know the package arrived but I can’t remember. Note to self: email your angels!

Look at the wonderful things I received from Lesley! Everything is so beautiful!

My favorite shabby chic, pastel colors and her crochet work is unbelievable. I can knit but am barely able to crochet. LuAnn showed me a couple of stitches while we were at the Dear Jane retreat but the things Lesley made are way beyond me. I have already bought a new pattern to use the pretty threads and beads she sent me. It’s Crab Apple Hill’s “Pocketbook Charmers”



I know I’ll be using these things a lot. Thank you, thank you Lesley. I truly appreciate you sharing your talents with me.

I’m going to spend some time packing today and hopefully later tonight can finish up the Backbasting Tutorial I’ve been working on for you. It features a cute applique design for the Midget Blocks.

Clutch and I have traveled from Shipshewana to Grand Rapids, on to Traverse City and back to Grand Rapids again within a couple of days. We leave for Traverse City again later today so we can open the store in the morning but wanted to take a moment to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.

We are so thankful to be spending the day with family.

I’m also grateful for special quilting friends like all of you. You bring much joy to my life. I hope you’ll continue to be patient as I close down the store in TC and move back to GR. I promise there will be special things to come.

I have more pictures from the Dear Jane Retreat in Shipshewana. I’ll post them as soon as I can.

Good morning quilters! It’s after 10 am and I’m still in my jammies. Note to self: eating dinner at 8PM followed by Old Fashioned Crème pie at 10PM will produce heartburn until 3 am.
Janes have been arriving almost hourly and are greeted by hugs from old friends and welcomes are extended to the Virgin Shipsheites who we know will never be the same again.

It’s hard to tell from these pictures that any sewing is going on but I’ll blame that on the fact it was about dinner time and they were all out getting something to eat.

That’s Grand Rapids friend, Nancee Marchinowski in the red sweatshirt. I just love her new hairstyle!


The little cards you see on the tables are from Lolly’s. They have a token on them for a free pretzel at JoJo’s. I eat one for lunch every day because they’re so good. I alternate between cinnamon sugar and parmesan cheese.

Food in the sewing room is only a few steps away. It wouldn’t be a retreat without Cheryl’s snack mix. I believe it’s become a tradition! Thank you Cheryl.


This is one of those cool baskets I have hanging outside the door at the cottage (it’s probably covered with snow right now). I think I might just need one of those in Grand Rapids. I can see it on the wall in our bedroom filled with flowers.


Before we head over to Lolly’s, here’s a quick peek inside Lolly’s Home. It’s the store across the hall where the finished quilts and other special things are sold.

Look at all the cute calendars, boxes and mugs from Lang.

The wall of quilts!


Now on to Lolly’s -



Christmas is how many days away?


Some of Brenda’s Dear Jane fabric collection with a quilt from Laundry Basket Quilts hanging above.

Hip to Be Square Pattern and Kit

Gallery of Stars pattern & kit.


Books - books - books………..

Never thought I’d want to make a canning jar quilt but this tempts even me.


A little Holly Jolly Christmas.


A tub full of fun! I want a washer like that one!

Just a few of the 1930s prints.


Are you starting to understand why we think we’ve died and gone to quilter’s heaven when we walk in the door?


This is Aunt Millie’s Quilt.

Remember I’m still in my jammies so don’t start calling the shop and ordering all these things before I get dressed and back over there!

I’m off to look for wooden wheels for a goat wagon and Pandora beads for Brenda. Lots more from Lolly’s and Shipshewana to come.

P.S. I was asked more than once yesterday why I’m not using my given name to sign the posts. How many of you knew my given name is Gay and not Gayle? Another quandary - who should I be?