ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

1653 - New Amsterdam, now known as New York City, was incorporated.

1863 - Samuel Langhorne Clemens used a pseudonym for the first time. He is better remembered by the pseudonym which is Mark Twain.

 1887 - The beginning of Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney, PA.

 1892 - William Painter patented the crown-cork bottle cap.

 1945 - U.S. President Roosevelt  and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill left for a summit in Yalta with Soviet leader Josef Stalin.

 1962 - The 8th and 9th planets aligned for the first time in 400 years.

 1971 - Christopher was born!

Happy birthday Chris!  I love you to the moon and back!  Hugs to you and Amy, and to granddog, Stella.

ANNA'S TABLE TOPPER

My granddaughter spent an afternoon with me in my sewing room recently.  I gave her a charm pack of  one of my all time favorite fabric lines, Frolic, by Sandy Gervais, and told her to lay them out in either a square or a rectangle.  When she had them just the way she wanted them, with no help from me, I told her I'd sew them together into a table topper for her to give to her mom.  She argued with me, saying she wanted to give it to her 20 year old college student cousin, Caleb, who has an apartment across the street from where she lives, but who is probably not really into table toppers!  I am still trying to convince her that her mom would like it.  It was a quick throw together project, and it comes complete with wavy lines instead of straight lines, but that's okay.  I think Anna will be happy when I bring it to her today.  Then we'll find out whether her mom gets it for her oak kitchen table, or whether Caleb gets it for his small table that probably doubles as a study desk, kitchen counter, and storage area. 

And I did get all the gray spool ends on the blocks of thread for my Spools wall hanging.  Now I'll get at the sashing today, after I do some laundry, dust some furniture, mop some floors, and get some groceries.  And it is still  minus 19 wind chill, with an actual temperature of minus 7, but the sun is shining and it looks warmer than that.  We have 20 above predicted for tomorrow, and 32 for Tuesday.  Hip hip hooray!

SPOOLS

I only have the spool ends on one block, but with the forecasted high temperature of minus one today, I just may have them finished up shortly!  I don't think I am going out as the wind chills could reach 40 below.   In fact they closed the school district today because of the cold.  But that's okay, I don't have to leave.  The cupboards and freezer are stocked, so bring it on!  I just worry about those without warm homes, or those with furnaces that can't be trusted, or those who are at the end of their money for the month and have empty cupboards.  If you know someone in that situation, please check on them when it's this bitter cold.  I will too.

So stay home, stay warm, and stay busy in the sewing room!

Blessings,
Marge

NEGLECTED

Oh my.  I am embarrassed.  I enthusiastically signed up for Marlene's going visiting fun, and then I completely neglected my blog.  The truth is, since I started doing Facebook, I spend way too much time on the computer and something had to go, so I just backed off on this blog.  However, I know I have friends here that are not on Facebook, and I have missed them.  I still read many blogs each day so have not neglected these friends.  I am going to remedy this and will post here again.

Actually, it had been a pretty quiet month here in Minnesota.  We have only had a total of eleven inches of snow this winter, but have had some rain and ice.  And we are now facing our second stretch of days with a high temperature below zero.  I would rather have the snow!

I do have a project or two in the works.  When we went to Branson the first weekend in December, I did visit their great quilt shop, and I bought some pre-cuts that I had veen envying.  I am finally making the Spools wall hanging for my sewing area, using Bonnie and Camille's Marmalade, of course.  Then I decided I would also make a quilt for the guest bed in that room, with another of Camille's patterns and the same Marmalade line.  My goal for the year is to master FMQ.  I keep trying, but I just cannot get it.  Does anyone have any good tutorials or ideas for me?  I have a big Brother with a long throat, so I really should be able to do it.  Somehow I don't think the presser  foot pressure is right, and I have adjusted it, to no avail.  I am satisfied with my straight line quilting, but just not the FMQ.

Again, I apologize for not updating this site for a month!  Please give me another chance!

And this is another reason that I have neglected this blog.  My great grand princess, Abby!  She is already 5 months old, and getting cuter by the second!


Hugs,
Marge