Category Archives: Uncategorized

A Little Ancestry Work

18 Replies

You all know I’ve been working on my big cross stitch piece Anniversaries of the Heart by Blackbird Designs.  The piece is designed to record family that is important to you.  Well, that has prompted me to do a little more research and looking up to find the information that I need.

I had a good idea of what mine is.  My husband Kramer, I know little about.  His family didn’t really talk a lot about ancestry stuff and now that he’s gone, my best resource to know more is gone too.

Olivia from Pumpkin Hollow Quilts is a Flosstuber and she was the one that I first saw stitch Anniversaries of the Heart.  She didn’t record birthdays as some people do.  She recorded marriages and relationships instead.  I liked that idea.

Here is my January block.  That one is dedicated to our son Karl.

I’ve now finished my February block.  This one is dedicated to my Johnson grandparents.  My Grandpa was Iver.  My Grandma Elsa.  They have five kids- Harold, Esther, Agnes, my day Carl and Bert.  If you look at my stitching you’ll see that I put their initials in the block.  My Dad often went by “C.I.” so I put C.I. in red for my Dad.


I really have been loving this.

I’m working on the next bonus block now…See? Continue reading →

Kids are My Saving Grace

17 Replies

I was recently going through old blog posts.  I was writing the Quilts of 2016 post which will be like in a few weeks.  It was quite the year for me.  I have my thyroid cancer complete with thyroid removal and I had foot surgery.  I spent almost two months doing childcare on a scooter.  You can see me in the picture below from back then.

scooter-1
It was quite a year…only to rivaled by 2019.

As I was scrolling through I came upon this post.

I wrote: Continue reading →

Ask Jo: Many Topics to Share

32 Replies

Hello, and welcome to another edition of “Ask Jo”.  I get many comments and questions from all sorts of places, the comment section here, Youtube, email, and from our Facebook group.  Sometimes I think others of you might want to know the answers as well so I answer them here on the blog. In today’s feature, I have a little bit of everything to share.

First off I want to share an email from Bobbie C.
She wrote:

“After reading your post about “Cut and Run,” I thought you might like to know about a site I visit often.  It’s:   bookseriesinorder.com

I’m not sure where I first learned of it but it’s great. It doesn’t charge any fees. I’m even subscribed to their newsletter but of course, that’s not required.”

I know many of you are series readers and will appreciate the service of this site offers of listing books in a series in order.  AWESOME.  I went and check it out.  I loved it!!

Next up, I did a video and blog post on how I cut so many squares at once.  I had shown this quilt Square Dance.  We made this back in 2014 and it was published in Quiltmaker magazine.
Ruby-1
I had several people ask about the quilt.  You can read the full blog post about it HERE.  The question everyone wanted to know is, what issue was the quilt in.  The answer:  March/April of 2014.

Ruby-3
If you want to read or see the video on how we cut so many squares for a big project like this, read THIS BLOG POST or watch my video…

Sandy wrote asking:  “How do you handle pockets and labels on yokes?”  I will be doing a video on this along with a blog post in the near future.  I am still cutting out a quilt from shirts so it was the perfect time to ask.  If you subscribe to my Youtube channel HERE and hit the little bell to get notifications when new videos come out, you will see it before I even tell about it on the blog.

Gail is one of MANY who have asked: Continue reading →

In My Mail…

14 Replies

I have stacks of mail to share with you all.  I am way behind on posting about it.  It seems mail goes in streaks.  I have a lot and then none.  After the Halloween fabric, there was no mail for a bit.  There was a box or two and I set them aside as there wasn’t enough to make a whole blog post.  Well, then I ended up opening the boxes and taking pictures.  I even had it all in a blog post but somehow that blog post that I started disappeared.  I went back and I think I found the photos, but I’m worried somethings didn’t get credited exactly like they were supposed to.  So, please forgive me if I’m wrong.  I really did try.

The first goodies came from Jacomina.  Check out the cute quilt.  It’s finished so this will go with the stack I have here going to the homeless shelter.  I like to send them bigger ones but sadly there are children that enter with their parents and there are those in wheelchairs that could use a little warmth.

Halloween prints were included too.


Check out the Irish Chain top…Backing fabric was included.

The next package came from a kind blog reader.  I was so excited about this package and cute card.

These colorful nine-patches are already in the hands of the next person on the community quilt chain.  I’m guessing before long we will see them in a finished quilt.


This was fun.  No note was with it but I’m making the assumption that this is fabric meant to be colored with these markers.  FUN.  I have some kiddos that will love this!  Thanks for thinking of us.

Sweet Debbie sent thread and asked me to send it along to the Cresco Quilting Ladies…They were so happy to get it.  It turns out the thread didn’t work with Debbie’s machine.  I’m sure they will use this for piecing.

This box from Barbara came at the perfect time.  I have a new community quilter that was looking for projects to finish!  These are perfect!!

There was a small quilt top in the box too.  Anyone interested in finishing it?  I have some tops here that need a finisher!

Edna sent the next box.  She’s been collecting scraps.


I dumped the box out and sorted out some of the reds for my next upcoming quilt that will be in American Patchwork and Quilting.

Here are the reds I found.  I need the variety.  THANKS!

Even more, goodies came.  This time Rosie was the recipient.

Kathy was so sweet and sent a set of embroidery floss.  I’ve been stitching a lot lately so your thoughtfulness is appreciated.


Lesley sent the next box.  It was HUGE.  I was thrilled to get it as Julie who is doing some community sewing had used up most of the fabric I sent her.  These were bigger cuts and perfect for her to use to make pillowcases.  She makes lots of kids’ quilts to so a chunk of this I saved out and will deliver to her next time I’m that way.


Lesley asked if it was okay to send more my way.  YES.  It’s not only okay.  It’s fabulous.

There were so many fun fabrics that are going to go on to make so many great projects!

This was all flannel.  I saved a few pieces out for Jazz and will send them to her for backings for the baby quilts she makes.


All sorts of great prints!!


I saved a couple of these for Julie.  Remember the cute placemats that she made for the Meals on Wheels recipients in her area.  These I think will be great for that.

The back was seriously packed.


I sent these on to the Cresco ladies.  They use poly batts as well as cotton.  If you have a poly batting sitting around and don’t think you’ll use it, the ladies certainly will.


Check out all of these panels.  I passed these on to Julie too for the kids’ quilts she makes.


Lesley, you sent so many things I could pass on.  Everyone appreciates your donation.

Donna was so sweet.  She sent me an AWESOME larger cut of food fabric.  You all might remember I want to make another food quilt.   This mellon fabric is perfect.  Donna was hoping there might be enough for a backing or at least part of a backing depending on how big of a quilt I make.


Collen sent a great box of goodies.


There were a lot of vintage prints.  I love seeing them.


There were background prints.

This one I squealed about and grabbed up.  This is one of my all-time favorite reproduction background prints.  It’s the backing fabric of one of my quilts.  I was so sad when I used up the last bits of it.  Now it’s back.  YAHOO!!  I saved this piece for myself!!


This sweet card came from some quilters near Decorah that I passed goodies onto.  The card was signed by lots of ladies saying Thanks.  Sue my contact added a nice note telling about where the quilts they have been making have been donated.  I loved it!  The card is really a thanks to those of you who have gifted goodies.  THANKS.

Carol sent a nice box of upholstery fabric.  This will go to my friend who makes bags for walkers for people in the nursing home.  My friend prefers upholstery fabric for this.


Halloween fabric came from Dotti.  Connie sent some too.

Money for the postage fund came from Marybeth, Sue, and Teri.  Others added it to their packages.  You all have been generous with postage money so I ended up buying a roll of batting for both the Cresco Quilting Ladies and Ray.  This has made my heart so happy to have been able to do that!!  THANKS so much to every single person who has added to the Community Quilt Fund.

Joyce sent goodies… Continue reading →