Ranch Life Update and Finding Time to Sew

 It's been close to 2 months since I've set foot in my sewing room and I've been itching to get back in there. DH helped brand on another ranch on Thursday and Friday and he left at 3 a.m. I had big plans to spend those days sewing. Alas, he got a call on Wednesday evening that a cousin from Nebraska wanted to come for a visit the next day. Always tickled to visit with family, but he felt bad because he had to be up at 2:30 and away during the morning and then he had to move cattle in the afternoon. We didn't know how long they were staying so it was hard to plan, but I made a list (scratched out sewing) and  a menu and spent the morning in town gathering groceries. We were already exhausted after making 2 day-trips in 3 days to the mountains (2 hours away) over the 4th. 

I cooked at home and took brisket, potato salad, coleslaw, and Summer Berry Pie up to my in-laws and cleaned for my MIL while DH took his dad to a ranch rodeo. 

After our company left, on Saturday, DH and I were completely DONE. I literally could not see straight. We've had some other pretty big changes taking place and honestly, it's been pretty stressful since February. I'll share soon and prayer and Jesus have been keeping us on our feet, but it's been a lot. Everyone's fine - everyone's healthy, but we're just out of fuel.  

Even so, some things never change - we're always troubleshooting water conundrums 

No matter that it's 108°, DH is on the job

 - this man got a double dose of the hard-working gene

We've also had a crew out the last few days - they are installing 2 septic tanks - one for our house and one for the bunkhouse

My poor yard!

So there has been a lot going on around here. I feel as if we've both been pulled in so many directions and I just needed to run some fabric under the needle to center myself.

My Americana hourglass blocks were ready and waiting so that's what I grabbed and I managed to get the top together

It's going to be 85 x 95 and it took me almost 2 hours to get it pressed. 

I spent some time sorting through numerous piles that have been neglected for far too long, but I think I did more shuffling than putting things away.  I think I need a larger bin

I also pressed my Criss-Cross Baskets top. I  questioned my sanity spending so much time with a hot iron when the temps outside are consistently pushing 108°. I needed to dig around for a backing, but I am currently unable to make any decisions. LOL. But it felt really good to get some stitches in.

A Few Stitches

 I haven't stitched in weeks and only a very small bit in months. You would think the recent inclement weather would allow me to sneak in a little sewing, but I haven't been able to make that happen. Due to the weather, the cattle sale was cancelled, but I put on my ranch wife hat and have been helping DH. However, I did manage to sneak in a few stitches while he was on a feed run so I took advantage of the gifted time and dusted off my neglected 16-patch  project I worked on last fall:

                               

Completed blocks were stitched into rows:

 And I pulled out this fabric from an earlier Hill Country Spring collection for the backing. In a different scenario, I'd probably use a less busy print, but I'm giving myself brownie points for using what I have and a riot of wildflowers is always a good thing. And yes, it is in serious need of a good pressing:

When I was in Texas last month, I did manage to make this oversized lined drawstring bag:

                                             

I am using it for a dirty clothes bag during road trips. Can a dirty clothes bag bring you joy? I don't want to know what that says about me that it does:

                                            

I was also thrilled to have manipulated technology into allowing me to still use the embroidery capabilities on my sewing machine and stitch a label for a quilt I gifted to the friends who did mom's memorial service:

                                             

It required downloading drivers and reconfiguring some software and for this technology-stunted gal, it was worth a whoop or two. They are retired military and I gave them this quilt:

I also worked on some blocks using a jelly roll pattern. I was really in the mood for some mindless sewing and this project fit the bill:

                                  

Whew, it feels really good to have something stitchy to share! I figured I had better strike while the iron was hot, both literally and figuratively, because more pressing matters await and I am being summoned away from my sewing room:

Under the Needle - September

September has been a slow month in my sewing room. I haven't made much progress on much of anything. I did finish my big stitch table runner. Well, I finished the stitching on it and I am currently hand stitching the binding down as time allows

 I quilted several sets of yet more pot holders:

 And I pulled out this fabric:

to make an apron

Back in the day, when the kids were growing up, I made a lot of their clothes:

And it was fun:

I loved it:

And they were always SO excited when they got up in the morning and found something new I had made for them.

Our girl will fuss at this next one and surely comment on my fashion choice for her, but I still think she was pretty cute in  those rompers.

                                               

I always had to alter the patterns - adding 3-4" in length to everything. This is why:

.

Both kids were built like colts...all arms and legs.

Now, these paper patterns make me crazy:

But I really wanted an apron from this fabric and I will use it often:

I love the brown gingham bias:

And the straps that cross in the back

I ordered this Clover bias maker

All I can say is, this would have been SO handy back when I was making clothes! I love it and it'll be great for when I'm making all the ties for the drawstring bags I keep making.

My love of quilting has steamrolled my desire to make anything else these days that does not require quilt stitches. On the other hand, I have to admit that a lot of sweet memories came rushing in when I pinned that paper to the fabric.

Somehow, aprons and drawstring bags pale in comparison.

December Sewing

As busy as everyone is in December, I have found some time to work on a few things. I pieced a toddler quilt and quilted it at a friend's home on Wednesday. She bought a quilting machine earlier this year and offered to let me give it a test run to see what it was like. It was FUN, but I still think I'll wait until Jackie retires before I consider buying one. I didn't LOVE it, but I liked it and I think the reason that it was fun was due to the fact that I got to spend the day with my sweet friend.

And ya'll think I live out in the sticks...this gal, who is also a ranch wife and my co-worker, lives twice as far from town as I do and her driveway (aka: dirt road) is 23 miles long.

I made one more block for a scrappy 'NEXT' Christmas quilt and I plan on making this my leader ender project in the New Year/ Hmmm...I think this is the same block I shared previously, but suffice it to say, I DID make one more:

 I made lots of these lined drawstring bags to replenish my dwindling supply:

Well, truth be told, I'm still making them and the above photo is from a few years ago. I love these things and I've made so many that I think I need to laminate my pattern

You can find the pattern HERE and although Jenny offers one size free, it was highly worth purchasing the pattern for the other sizes.

I made another set of potholders for the wife at North Camp:

And I surprised myself by jumping in on Bonnie Hunter's On Ringo Lake Mystery and actually making some progress:

Clue one is finished and clue 2 and three are cut out:

Haven't touched clue 4 and clue 5 will be posted tomorrow...yeh, not a chance. We tuned in to the NFR each night and I spent that time drawing diagonal lines on the endless 2" squares called for in the 2nd and 3rd clue:

And yes, I have a very attentive line drawing assistant.

Today's the 21st...it's 10:30 here and ya'll know that's at least 2 hours past my bedtime, but I haven't been on the computer in 3 days and this was the only way I was ever going to get a post in. Doesn't everyone try to get a quilt trimmed and bound 4 days before Christmas when presents are still unwrapped and baking still needs to happen?

Still Working Through November

The days and weeks just keep marching on and I just keep falling further behind. Each day I intend to get something posted and each day it doesn't happen. Everyone else is running full speed ahead into Christmas and I haven't even posted since the middle of November. So, I'm going to start where I left off and hope that I'm not posting about Christmas when Easter rolls around. :)

I hope that, for those of you who celebrate it, ya'll had a blessed Thanksgiving. It was such a pretty day here. Our girl came home late Wednesday for quick visit. She had to leave out on Friday morning, as she is on the downhill slide to defending her Masters Thesis and until then, her head is under water.

Our boy, his sweet girl and little T, went to Albuquerque to spend the holiday with the other set of grandparents. They have been here for every holiday and gathering for the past 2 years and although we miss them, it is only fair to share them with the rest of the family. :)

I spent Wednesday in the kitchen in an attempt to keep from spending Thursday there. We are a traditional family when it comes to Thanksgiving. The only change I made this year was to cook the stuffing in one of my cast iron skillets:

On Wednesday I made the Cranberries, rolls, vegetable casserole, chopped everything for the stuffing, boiled eggs for deviled eggs, and baked the Pumpkin and Pecan pies. That only left mashed potatoes, turkey, and stuffing for Thursday, allowing me to spend lots of time with DH and our girl. Even though it was just the 3 of us, I wanted enough leftovers to send home with our girl and for us for a few days. We love Thanksgiving leftovers.

A little quail hunting took place

And jerky making commenced

And I decided to partake in Bonnie Hunter's On Ringo Lake Mystery this year so I pulled fabrics:

 I know I'll fall behind fast, the closer we get to Christmas, but I'm just going to have fun.

I put together a little package for a sweet little girl who is dealing with some health issues. She loves unicorns and I made a lined drawstring bag with one fabric to hold a gift and a unicorn pillowcase with another:

I am binding a baby quilt. I tried to machine bind it, but I don't like the way it turned out so I need to rip it out and either try again, or hand stitch it:

I pulled fabrics and made one block for a scrappy Christmas quilt I've been wanting to make:

and no, it won't be done this year. I also pulled and cut fabrics for a disappearing 9-patch

It seems I'm trying to make up for lost time in the stitching department. I made zero progress last week, but that's another post and hopefully it'll not be far behind.