Bookish Journal Update ~ Sew & Tell - 10/12/26

Over the weeks of travel and since our return I logged many hours of reading and listening to books.  I had eight completed books and needed eight blocks.  It as a nice break from the quilting of Lala's Irish Chain quilt.

Before I show off my blocks and offer up my thoughts and reviews, let's take a look at this week's randomly selected Sew & Tell feature.  Melisa at Pinker 'n' Punkin Quilting always has some great seasonal decor and cross-stitch patterns in addition to her quilting projects.  She has a couple houses under construction and a squirrel infestation!  She also shared her progress on Lala's Scrappy Irish Chain.  Be sure to make a visit to her blog to see the other house and squirrel. ;)

I've only had one person join the Quilt Parade so far.  The party was supposed to close October 1 for the opportunity to win a prize.  Thanks and congratulations to Terry! Since I myself am not done quilting I am leaving the party open for a week or so more.  I'll figure out a special something for Terry since she was the only one to meet my original cut-off date.  Remember that only a finished top needs to be linked for the give-away.

Now, back to my Bookish Journal Quilt update... First up was a slow read, The View from the Lighthouse was a light-hearted, Christian fiction mystery.  It was a perfect read for a few minutes before turning out the lights at the end of the day.

The Invention of Wings was our first listen as we set out on the road for our vacation.

A powerful, sweeping novel, inspired by real events, and set in the American Deep South in the nineteenth century, The Invention of Wings evokes a world of shocking contrasts, of beauty and ugliness, of righteous people living daily with cruelty they fail to recognize; and celebrates the power of friendship and sisterhood against all the odds.

I especially enjoyed it because of the mention of quilts and the symbolism used in them.

Before We Were Yours was a repeat listen for me (3rd time).  

Based on one of America’s most notorious real-life scandals—in which Georgia Tann, director of a Memphis-based adoption organization, kidnapped and sold poor children to wealthy families all over the country—Lisa Wingate’s riveting, wrenching, and ultimately uplifting tale reminds us how, even though the paths we take can lead to many places, the heart never forgets where we belong.

I had to answer questions for Dave several times along the way as he was confused about the different names of the children.  I bear in mind that he was focused on the road and he wasn't feeling well with the sinus infection/hurting tooth.  Plus, it was just a lot to absorb and process and the exact reason I listened a second time to begin with.

Betsy Zane is a children's historical fiction that was a good nighty-night read.  In 1782, 13-year-old Betsy Zane’s bored with trying to act like a lady and being cooped up with her great-aunt. Her heart and soul yearn for the freedom of living with her brothers at the family homestead along the Ohio River.

When her great-aunt dies, Betsy leaves Philadelphia and returns to her home in the western wilderness. But it’s not easy for a young lady to find freedom on the frontier. Her brothers, and even a dashing young soldier, have other ideas about ladylike behavior. Little does anyone know that this young lady will soon risk her life in the final battle of the American Revolution.

Every Breath was a repeat listen for me.  Dave and I both enjoy Nicholas Sparks and his romantic stories.  I listened to this one earlier this year.  You can read my thoughts here.  I am a sucker for a happily ever after. 💖

Tallgrass by Sandra Dallas was one I enjoyed after we returned home.  I especially enjoyed this book because it was set in the area/valley that I grew up.  My hometown was even a small part of the story.  

During World War II, a family finds life turned upside-down when the government opens a Japanese internment camp in their small Colorado town. After a young girl is murdered, all eyes turn to the newcomers. Rennie has just turned thirteen, and until this time, life has been predictable and fair. But the winds of change are coming and with them, a shift in her perspective and a discovery of secrets that can destroy even the most sacred things. Part thriller, part historical novel, Tallgrass is a riveting exploration of the darkest—and best—parts of the human heart.

Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan was a charming and entertaining rom-com book telling the story of Dolly Brick, a 39-year-old single mom who returns to her Rhode Island hometown to save her family’s home, only to strike a summer-long fake dating deal with wealthy heir Stewart Whitfield—sparking unexpected bonds amid seaside charm and class divides.

It was strangely familiar to me and then I remembered that I had listened to Nora Goes Off Script in August, also by Monaghan.

Destination Unknown was a young adult book that addresses the tug-of-war that can happen when a soon-to-be HS graduate is reaching for their independence and the parents aren't quite ready to let go.  I had started this book while on the road but turned it off when I heard the narrator and the childish tone that was used for one of the characters.  It was less annoying to me after we returned home. LOL!

As a quick change of pace from outline quilting the 925 two-inch squares in Lala's Irish Chain quilt, I gathered a few scraps from the Safari Quilt kit from Connecting Threads and the brand-new pair of 501 Levi jeans I found at a Goodwill and added a scrappy cuff to add the needed length and a cute fashionable accent.

You can get yourself a 15% discount on your orders from Connecting Threads by using ACTMelvaLovesScraps at checkout.

I've had a long enough break from the sewing machine... I need to get back at it!  But before you go, tell me...

What do you do when you take a break from a big project?

Leave a comment...  I'd love to hear from you!

Keep Piecing,

Melva

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What Will You Do With Your Million?

The other day I saw an Instagram post by Tera Elness asking "What would YOU do with YOUR million."  She had some interesting thoughts...

These are a few thoughts I've had as I went about my day(s) at home and in the studio quilting on Lala's Scrappy Irish Chain.

People will often dream of "what if" when they buy a lottery ticket and were the big winner.  Dave and I believe that we would be good stewards of such a grand prize.  Of course, we would need to purchase a ticket or two to do so. ;)  Since we don't have 1 million dollars, I liked Tera's approach...

My greatest commodity is time and not money.  One million.  What does that look like in terms of time?

She put it in terms of seconds which is equal to 11.6 days or 1.65 weeks, approximately 12 days.

I thought of it in the matter of minutes which is equal to 694 days or 99 weeks or 22.8 months or just a few weeks short of 2 years.

Recently, Dave and I enjoyed the First Friday Art Walk in town.  In one particular gallery there is a trio of very large paintings of three safari animals - A giraffe, a zebra and an elephant.  Dave turned to me and said, "We're going to go there one day."  I responded with "OK, when?"

I have learned through the years that if we don't set a date or a timeline we don't do it.  We decided that we want to make the trip for our 50th wedding anniversary.  First things first... we need passports.  They're good for 10 years we learned.

Within a few days, I thought of when my parents celebrated their 50th... my Dad was in the nursing home.  Hmmmm... maybe we need to move this timeline forward a bit!  Granted, my Dad was 6 years older than Dave was at the time of marriage.  And, while Dave's parents had divorced well before their 50th anniversary would have taken place, his mom was gone by what would have been their 40th.  We just celebrated our 41st in August.  Maybe we will make a safari trip a 45th wedding anniversary gift to each other.

YES! Definitely move the date up.  As we take a serious look at our retirement plan, I want to make the most of our One Million.  What exactly will it look like?  Stay tuned...

I'll shut off the flow of my thoughts pouring out of my mind to you for now and return to Lala and another audio book - Lost in the Summer of '69 by Eliza Knight.

But before you go, tell me...

What will you do with YOUR million?

Keep Piecing,

Melva

Linking with:

Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter

Creatively Crafty at Creatively Beth & Artsy Fartsy

Share Your Style at French Ethereal

Put Your Foot Down at The Quiltery 

I Quilted This! at Quilting & Learning

Thankful Thursday at Brian's Home

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Sew & Tell - 10/4/26

Hi!  My name is Melva... and this is my blog, Melva Loves Scraps.

I've been absent for the past several weeks so I thought I would take the opportunity to re-introduce myself! LOL!

Our travels and adventures were safe with several highlights and making it a memorable trip... mostly good, with a tidbit of challenge sprinkled in.

Within the first few hours on the road, we encountered our first challenge.  We made a stop to use the pitstop and when I exited the truck and turned toward the camper my eyes noticed something out of place!

Oh! NO!  It was cloudy, cool and just starting to sprinkle.  We knew were driving into a storm with rain predicted most of the way from CO to IL.  

Dave did some quick thinking... we visited the family dollar store across the highway and purchased a large (clear) storage tub, a knife, and tape.  I made a few more visits to get scissors and a marker.  An your later, we were back on the road with a repaired window in place...  I returned to my hand-quilting and audio book #1 - The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd

Not perfect, but it did keep the rain out!  Do you remember the old television show from the '90s - MacGyver?  This guy is a MacGyver!  The repair got us all the way to IL with no problems, though we did purchase some better tape once we reached our destination for the reunion events.

We made that tape purchase while collecting the items needed to MacGyver his eyeglasses since the left temple broke as we drove across Iowa.  A pair of Foster Grant sunglasses along with an eyeglass repair kit, nail file and a pair of pliers got him all fixed up and looking good for the gathering of classmates from H.D. Jacobs HS, Class of 1981.

The rain held off long enough for us to enjoy the kick-off of the homecoming game and then settled in for most of the weekend.

Between reunion events, we entertained ourselves with visiting some thrift shops and a very, very large, very, very good Antique Mall.  We found some great deals at Goodwill and they followed us home.  Among them... a brand-new pair of Levi 501 Jeans, some flannel work shirts and a pair of shorts for Dave.  I also purchased some patriotic fabric... Just $3 a bag.  The floral red is a continuous 3-yard cut.  The others are 1+ yards or more.  What a bargain!  I'll share soon what my plans for them are.  Here's the crazy bunch that gathered for the 45th reunion...

As we bid farewell to Illinois, we started book #2 - Every Breath by Nicholas Sparks - and made our way back to Iowa and then headed south to Missouri... More specifically, Hamilton, MO.  Though we resided at a State Park about 20 minutes from Hamilton.  

Hamilton, Missouri - the home of Missouri Star Quilt Company, also known as Quilt Town.  It was fun to wander the streets of the small town and see the variety of stores and the clever marketing they used to develop the themes of them.  Fresh Cut Market was strictly pre-cuts, the Flower Shop was all floral fabrics, etc.

After a few hours of doing that Dave (& I) were bored with the window shopping.  Honestly!  I didn't even buy any fabric from Quilt Town!  We enjoyed lunch and then went to the Missouri Quilt Museum.  Now... let me tell you... THAT was an impressive place to visit.  Dave enjoyed it as much as I did.  I have set a new life goal for myself but will not reveal what it is at this time.  There is a little groundwork to be laid out, and I want to be sure to get all my ducks in a row.

The next day, we drove into Kansas City to visit the Arabia Steamboat museum and the Museum of Trails in Independence.  The Steamboat Museum was amazing!  The Trail Museum... disappointing.  Oh well...

We moved on to Kansas... we detoured off I-70 to Wamego for a quick bite to eat in the camper followed by a visit to the Wizard of Oz Museum and winery... I bought a souvenir and then we drove to Russell, KS where the campground featured the sound of the trucks driving on I-70 and cows bawling from a nearby feedlot... and the aroma... well, I'll leave that to your imagination. ;)  Dave was struggling with an ache in his jaw at this point... he was a good sport as we continued our adventures.

The intersection near our site...

I kid you not... Main Street was a dirt road. It was a short stay, and we survived one night and then drove to Scott Lake State Park.  While there we drove the Little Jerusalem Site and hiked several miles in a light rain.  It was interesting to see... the sudden change in landscape was fascinating, but after our visit to Moab in April, it was pretty unspectacular.

It was about a 7-mile drive on dirt road that was a little soft and slick in spots.  4-wheel drive was a good thing to have!  We finished the afternoon out with a visit to the "Chalk Pyramids" since the camp host suggested it.  Well... THAT one did not disappoint!

The journey back to the lake was another 4-wheel drive adventure...

Since we were at the Lake over the weekend, we joined the very large crowd at a craft fair that was in town... It was HUGE!  We wandered, and looked and taste tested some more wine... I purchased the second bottle of wine in the photo above.  I like to buy the wines from the different places and save either the label (or if there is an embossed cork, I will make a magnet out of it) as my souvenirs.

Sunday morning greeted us with sunshine and Dave was ready to get home.  He loaded up with pain reliever and drove us home as we finished book #3 of the trip - Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate.  

As we unloaded the camper the pain in his jaw increased and he struggled throughout the night.  On Monday morning the dentist offices we would trust did not have any Drs in that day.  We were able to get him some antibiotics and have since decided that he had a severe sinus infection that was not in the upper sinus cavity.  He is mostly mended and almost back to normal.  

I passed the time on familiar roads hand-quilting... I am nearly done with this little panel.  I was able to try out my new Roxanne thimble.  I found it easy to use.  I had a traditional thimble as well as the spinner ring that I purchased to try out a couple years ago.  All three work well for me and I cannot say that I have a preference.  I did notice that with each thimble I would hold the needle just a little different.  When one started feeling uncomfortable, I would switch to a different thimble.

I had a quilt deadline as soon as I got home.  I remembered that I needed to get my Rainbow Scrap Challenge quilt finished and, in the mail... I thought by Friday.  Turns out I gained a few days and that helped take some pressure off of myself.  I was able to get it done AND get caught up on laundry and housekeeping.

I will get a label on it and ship it off Monday afternoon. 

I could go on and on, but I really need to go supervise Mr. Dave.  He has construction tools in his hands to install one last cold air return for our new furnace.  So much for the housekeeping that I did.

I keep seeing the saying... If I clean house it just gets dirty again... If I make a quilt, it stays made!  It is so true!  I have so many thoughts and ideas in my head and no time to get them written down.  It's driving me nuts!  I feel like a pinball bouncing around in a pinball machine.  I have Lala's Irish Chain Quilt to still finish, Bookish Journey blocks to piece, a letter to write to the Quilt Museum and a plethora of creative ideas fighting to get out!  😮 Send help!

What do you do to help yourself stay organized and focused?

Leave a comment... I need the help!

Keep Piecing,

Melva

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Sew & Tell ~ 9/28/26

We're on the road... Having a great time! 

Party on without me ;)

Lala's Gallery of Quilts ~ Sew & Tell - 9/21/26

Here's a little quilt "gallery" of the quilts I have made by Lala and the little bit of information I have on them.

Ocean Waves made by and quilted by Lala Teegarden.

If I were to guess on when it was made... Late 30s or early 40s.  It has a children's print featuring clowns and other circus items on the back. 

It is in good condition.  The fabrics have held up well for the age.

This is a simple scrappy patchwork quilt made with 4" squares of fabric... mostly leftover from Lala's sewing pajamas for the family.

When my Mom learned to sew from her these are the type of quilts she helped with.

The quilt comforter is tied.  Most of the fabric on the front is in decent condition, except for the edges.  The backing is in excellent condition in comparison to the patchwork.

The batting has deteriorated badly and has large clumps in the corners and a few other spots where it has collected.

I have considered removing the ties and the damaged edges and "restoring" it to a better condition but in a smaller size.  Learn more about this quilt here.

This acorn quilt was made in the 1940s.  The detail, the applique and the quilting is exquisite!  Other than a few places on the edges where the binding is worn through, it is in good condition.

This Churn Dash quilt was made in the late 1940s.  The top and bottom of the quilt were worn thin and someone added silky blanket binding to keep it from falling apart further.

The wide sashing strips seem a little out of place to me but was a place to showcase the quilting beautifully.  The cotton batting is compressed and flat with little body left to it.

This purple Floral Wreath quilt was made by Lala in the 1950s and quilted by a group of quilters in La Junta, CO in the 1980s.

The batting is a high-loft poly batting.  

It is in good condition.

And finally, this pink Hearts & Flowers quilt was pieced by Lala's daughter-in-law, Tressie, and quilted by Lala in the 1940s.  

Tressie noted on the back of a photo that stated, "the Christian Church of Trinidad had a quilting club that met at the Teegarden home every Tuesday to quilt."

This quilt is worn thin and has tears in a few spots.  Several hearts are worn through as well.

I had another quilt fall into my hands so similar to this quilt... learn about it and see it here.

Let me know if you have a favorite or would like additional information on any of these quilts... I'd love to hear from you!

Don't forget to join the Sew & Tell party!  Be sure to say hello to a few friends.  😘  I'll check in from time to time to make certain that everyone is playing together nicely.  Have fun!

Keep Piecing,

Melva

Sew & Tell - 9/14/26

What a week!  The long (holiday) weekend followed by a short week felt like we just blinked and POOF! it was gone.  I had planned on quilting on Sunday afternoon... and on Monday... THAT didn't happen.  We spent a great deal of time tidying up the basement and getting things back into a more proper order.

But first... let's take a look at this week's Sew & Tell feature...

Daryl at Patchouli Moon Studio has dedicated a significant amount of time to making Sew Powerful Purses. 

When I collected my quilts from the Library Art Wall I prepared them for delivery to the two pregnancy centers I am supporting.  

After learning of Daryl's project, I felt that it was a worthy cause and made a donation from funds I received for the baby quilts.  Here are some details that she shared about the Sew Powerful Purses Program... 

"I want to raise funds for the Sew Powerful purse program. Sew Powerful works in Zambia, one of the poorest countries in the world. Because of our fundraising efforts, Zambian seamstresses and soap makers have good paying jobs while providing girls with the supplies they need to stay in school. It costs just $10 to fill each purse and I want to make sure that the purses I make will be funded so my purses can give hope and opportunities for girls who otherwise would have none. Your support is truly appreciated."

If you want to support her cause, she is still short of reaching her goal.  Support her HERE.  And be sure to follow the link by the photo to see the variety of purses she has made.

With the turn of the calendar page to the beginning of the "ber" months, I am reminded that we are also entering the "giving season."  Don't let life get so busy that you forget to be thankful for the harvest season and lose sight of sharing the first fruits of the harvests.  I'm just over here preachin' to the choir (myself!) ... Live life and appreciate the little moments... stay present with those you are around and truly listen to what they are saying so that you can understand (not just respond or react).  Ok, sorry, I'm off my soapbox now.

Our basement is back in order... It took a lot to get there though.  We had two cinderblocks that needed to be put back in place because of a change in the furnace position... After setting them back in place Dave had to do a rough coat of stucco to match the texture... let it dry and then paint.  We swept... we vacuumed... we moved stuff.

And then he had to spend time straightening water lines and a drain line because they were all wonky and that was unacceptable to him.  Never mind the fact that they had been that way for about 20 years???  The drain line had some saggy spots that were problematic for years and we finally corrected the issues.  Only to discover two days later that the gunk that had been collected in those saggy spots broke loose and moved down the line to a new place causing a backup. UGH!

It was stinky!  It was dirty!  It was gross!  But finally we are back in order.  The shelving unit was put back... the work bench back in place (but not the stuff that goes on the shelves above it) and the stuff that was sitting loose in the basement living area was put back on the shelves.  We purged a few items and made donations to a local "books & more" store and a thrift shop and sold a guitar to a friend.  It feels good to be where we are despite the furnace's exhaust stack not hooked up to the chimney.   Hopefully they don't wait too long... we are in the "ber" months! lol.

It all takes time and that was the time I had hoped I would have to quilt my large Lala's Irish Chain Quilt was non-existent.  I gave up the idea that I would have it finished by the publish date of the final story and step of the Sew Along and accepted that it would just have to wait.  It was a soft deadline and I'm okay with that... and I haven't lost any sleep. ;)  

After accepting the fact that Irish Chain would not be finished, I turned my attention to getting ready for our trip.  Meal prep, shopping and baking have consumed my time... as well as cleaning the house, paying bills and other miscellaneous errands.

A couple weeks ago as I pulled fabric for some of my Bookish Quilt Blocks I located a printed fabric panel in the stash closet.  I pulled it out and have it sandwiched and ready for my "on the road quilting project."  My new Roxanne thimble is in my sewing box and I'm ready to give it a try!  I have a few books ready to play for our enjoyment while on the road... I think Dave will enjoy my choices - The invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd, Every Breath by Nicholas Sparks, Before We were Yours by Lisa Wingate and Destination Unknown by Amy Clipston.  The last one is a little questionable... It is a Christian Fiction romance, I think... I'll let you know.

I have packing and prepping to do so let's start the party going.  The Sew & Tell party will continue while I'm on the road - I've scheduled the party posts to publish automatically.  I have "Lala's Quilt Gallery" ready to publish with next week's Sew and Tell.  I hope that you'll enjoy it. :)

I'll not be moderating the comments while we travel... even though we are going to be in metropolis settings, we do plan to be "out of office" with limited time spent on our work.  Be kind to each other and visit a few of your favorite friends and take time to make a new friend!  I'll visit when I check in to make certain that all is going smoothly with technology.  

Keep Piecing,

Melva

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Lala's Irish Chain - Week IX

We have arrived at the final installment of Lala's Irish Chain Sew Along and I am offering the finishing instructions.

If you have followed along and have kept pace with the sew along, you have your borders on and are ready to sandwich and quilt it.  Good for you!

I have gone through numerous quilting books that I have in my library in search of some alternative quilting designs for Irish Chain quilts but kept coming back to the simple outline of the patchwork blocks and the pretty daisy in the setting squares.  

After all, if I'm making a replica of Lala's Scrappy Irish Chain I should quilt it like hers, right?  I made a short video that gives a little more detail of the patchwork blocks and how I "stair-stepped" across the quilt, diagonally.  Going diagonally all the way across the quilt (in both directions) gave the first foundational quilting lines for me.

I then made the outline quilting lines inside the setting squares.  When those were completed, I returned to the patchwork blocks.  

The final step is to quilt in the daisy.  Using a circle guide, I marked a 3-1/2" circle in the center of the square and then marked the circle with the 8 intersecting points of the petals.  

I used a quilting template for feathers to mark out the petal lines.  Starting at one of the intersecting petals I stitched the larger circle and then the petals.  The inner circle was the last item quilted with a 1-3/4" circle in the middle of the 3-1/2" circle.  

You can make up your own template by finding items that will work for you or free-hand them... Do what works best for YOU!

When the quilting finished, it will be time for binding!  Need some binding tips?  You can find them here. :)

Little Lala with no border

As we wrap up this sew along, I will also wrap up the stories of the family...

Last week I told of Lala's & W.D.'s 50th wedding celebration - on June 11, 1943... 20 years later W.D. passed away at the age of 95 years on June 11, 1963.  He was buried on June 13.  Following the funeral, Lala passed away and was buried on June 14.

Both W.D. and Lala were fragile in their advanced age.  My Mom had been living there caring for them since April.  Lala was sick for an extended period of time with walking pneumonia.  And W.D. had hardening of the arteries and had been falling.  Following a visit from their son Forrest in May for Mother's Day, Lala went to bed, never to rise from bed again.  The Doctor believed she may have had some strokes.  I'm told that he would walk into the room and ask Lala when she was going to get up and fix him something.

The Dr. and entire family were certain that Lala would be the first to go... Mom said, "Grandma hung on until we got back from the funeral.  It was like she knew he was taken care of and could then join him."

They left a great legacy behind... 4 children, 8 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.  The number of cards and letters the family received was evidence that they had a significant impact on the community. (YES! I have them in the same box I found the original title and promissory note for the house. LOL!) Included in them was a letter from the House of Congress and Representative J. Edgar Chenoweth offering his condolences for the loss of both W.D. and Lala.

I'm certain that the Christian Ladies Aid Society put on quite the meal for their funerals and would have made Lala proud of the spread. ;)  Lala was a leader of the Ladies Aid Society's quilting group, and I can't help but wonder if the quilters continued making and selling quilts to raise funds for the Christian Church.  I also wonder how many quilts were in the homes in the community?  

I have a few other quilts in my collection made by Lala. Applique was a technique that she used a lot.  Here are a few...  Time has run out for me to get proper photos of all her quilts.  I'll make a feature of her quilts soon!  

For now, I will open the linky party for those that want to enter for a chance to win a prize package.  Everyone can enter, but the winner must have a US mailing address.  Quilts don't need to be quilted, but a completed top (border or not, your choice).  Finished quilts are bonus! =D

Before you go, tell me...

What part of Lala's story was the most interesting or memorable to you?

Leave a comment... I'd love to hear from you!

Keep Piecing,

Melva

Linking with:

Creatively Crafty at Artsy Fartsy

Share Your Style at French Ethereal

Put Your Foot Down at The Quiltery 

I Quilted This! at Quilting & Learning

Off The Wall Friday with Nina Marie

Brag About Your Beauties at From Bolt to Beauty

Thank Goodness It’s Finished Friday

Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts

Create, Bake, Grow & Gather at Shabby Art Boutique

Home Matters at Modern on Monticello

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