March Free Motion Quilt Challenge Results & Farm Update

 I had a lot of fun reading through Ann Fahl's tutorial for the Free Motion Quilt Challenge.

I would like to thank Ann for sharing all your information and taking time to do a tutorial.  I highly recommend Ann's book called "Dancing With Thread".

Whether you're a beginner or an advanced quilter, it is always a great opportunity to learn new things from other quilters.  Practicing is also cheap therapy.  I think there should be medical studies on how quilting improves overall health.  It's hard to describe the joy making a quilt for others.

Today I used 100% Egyptian Cotton from Connecting Threads.  I used batting from Fairfield that is called Nature Fill batting.  It is 50% rayon and 50% cotton.  This actually the first time I used this type of batting.  I'm pleased with the results.  I'm not sure if I like the idea of rayon in my batting, but I have an open mind.

Quilting designs are everywhere if you're looking.

Our winter wheat looks great and the weather is warmer.

Dean is getting farm machinery ready for Spring planting.

 

Last week we lost a neighboring farmer, Tom.  

Our farming community will certainly miss Tom and his happy personality.

Our family has been blessed with Tom and his family's friendship for many years.  He will certainly be missed by everyone in the community.

Happy Quilting!

Kay Lynne

Firemen Thread Painting & Farm Activity

My thread painting is coming right along.  I would like to thank Randy Roberts a photographer that has given me permission to thread paint his copyrighted photo.  I have been trying to work at it one baby step at a time  It's hard when the weather is warm and there is so much to do.

My husband is rearranging farm equipment so he has room to work on the planter.

Backing a grain combine header into the barn with a pickup truck is not an easy task!

 After several tries and hand signals from me, it finally was backed into a perfect spot.

Even though the fields are barren right now there has been a lot of activity at our farm: 

mountains of paperwork from taxes, 

planning what we're going to plant, 

hauling grain to the elevator, 

buying of fertilizer, 

buying of seed, 

and many activities too numerous to mention.

Hope you have a wonderful week and see a wonderful sunrise like this one we seen this week.

Happy Quilting!

Kay Lynne

Quilting Retreat & Thread Painted Firemen Sneek Peek

Last weekend I spent time making a donation quilt at our quilt club's retreat.  It was a relaxing, noisy, and great time with friends.

My friend, Jo Ann, had been wonderful in letting us use her basement--Thank You!

 Yes--that is me in the picture below  :)

Here are some of the finished quilts that have been made by our quilt members.

 Guess who was at the retreat!  My blogging friend, Sandi, from Sew in Peace!

I'm working on a new project.  The photographer from my local newspaper had taken a neat picture of the firemen that were fighting the fire and he has given me permission to thread paint his picture!

Here is a sneak peek!  

I received a few personal cake decorating tools that I used at the bakery and to my surprise my books actually were in good condition.

One book had gotten a little damp and smoky, but I let it air out for about two weeks and dry ironed the pages.  It will be ready to be used again.  I would like to thank Steve and Debbie for their thoughtfulness in salvaging my personal tools.  This has been a really rough time for them and for them to think of me and my coworker's personal items was really thoughtful. 

I miss my bakery family which also includes more customers than I can count.

If I have an errand in town, people are always stopping me asking when the bakery will reopen.  The outpouring of concern and love has been overwhelming!

Happy Quilting!

Kay Lynne 

Taking A Break

This week I am taking a break from writing a post.

Everything is just fine!

The world is going a little too fast and I need to slow down and take care of me and my family.

Since the fire, I've put all my emotions on hold so I could be useful and my emotions are now catching up with me! 

Things are good and I never knew there were so many angels out there that care.

Now I just want some quiet time to count all the blessings that have happened in the last two weeks :)

Happy Quilting and God Bless!

Kay Lynne

A Quilt of Blessings, One Last Goodbye, and Looking Forward

Since the fire at the bakery last week, I have witnessed one blessing after another.  Next month I am going to teach a thread painting class at Sew Nice and to my surprise through word of mouth I received enough donation quilts to fill the trunk of my car for the people left homeless after the fire.  I saved one back to deliver to a very special 92 year old lady named Ruth.  She always came to visit me in the bakery and a wonderful nursing home took her in after the fire.  Ruth was extremely happy to see me and showed me all the things that suddenly appeared in her assisted living apartment.  The outpouring of love is just wonderful.  She will certainly keep warm because she had already received two other quilts.  The quilt above is a lap quilt so it will be perfect for her to use on a chilly evening watching TV.

 I just had to stop uptown for one last goodbye to the place that I worked at for so many years.  There have been many wonderful memories made in the bakery section of this building.  I'm hoping that my boss can reopen the bakery.  If he cannot, I'm still a better person because Steve, coworkers, and customers taught me so much.  There's much anger and grief because of the fire, but I have seen so many blessings that have happened because of the fire.    

So my bakery family is looking forward and not backward.  We will see what the future will hold and I would like to thank you all for your prayers and emails :)

Happy Quilting!

Kay Lynne