Coming Soon!

Summer is nearly over... Kids are returning to schools... County and State Fairs are being held... Labor Day is just around the corner.

As I look forward into my fall calendars I see a number of hops that I will be participating in.



First up... The 2018 Quilters Meet & Greet will begin September 4th.  This hop is hosted by Benita at Victoriana Quilt Designs.  There are prizes and give-aways involved and you will have the entire month to join in on the fun!  


I will be sharing a few of my favorite quilts and I updated my Studio Tour since I removed my cutting table and added a second sewing table that holds my Babylock Jazz. 





The Welcome To My House Hop on September 10th is hosted by Carol Swift at Just Let Me Quilt  



I will sharing a cute little wall hanging to make you feel welcome... oh, and a chance to win another fun quilt pattern from my collection - The Settler's Trail.












In October I will be part of the Peek-a-Who hop that Marian at Seams to be Sew... I have a really fun and cute idea for the quilt that will be featured in this hop.  Be sure to visit the week of October 22!

There will be another give away... a chance to win a pattern for a beginner friendly and fat quarter friendly row quilt.

And, finally, in November... I will be participating in Alida's Art in Fabric hop and the Pick A Pumpkin hop hosted by Carla at Creatin' in the Sticks.

So, there you go... I have a busy schedule for the fall!  I better get to my studio and start creating!

Of course, I will continue with the monthly block sew-alongs that I have been participating in... the 2108 Color Challenge, It's A Wild Life and Let's Go Camping have all been fun... and I can't wait to get the tops complete!




There are still a few fleeting days of summer left... We hope to get one more camping trip in before fall arrives.  We we can always head south when the overnight temps drop.  There are several places in New Mexico and Texas that we want to explore and enjoy long bike rides.

What did you do on your summer vacation?  

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

Stay calm and quilt on,

Melva

Melva Loves Scraps - Home of the Quilters Through The Generations series

2018 Color Challenge - Red-Orange

The August block for the 2018 Monthly Color Challenge featured the blended color Red-Orange...

As I pulled my stack of orange fabric out and started selecting the pieces I wanted to use I recalled the numerous sunsets on the lake that we enjoyed when we had our boat.  A sunset cruise with a glass of wine (for me) and beer (for Dave) was a wonderful way to end a hot day... no schedule... no phones (it was the age of "cell phones for emergency only" and as it happened, there was no cell service in the middle of the lake anyway.

It was a time to get away from the noise of world and demands of the jobs...

(photo courtesy of our daughter)

We had our boat for 16 years and enjoyed many morning breakfasts with friends.  We (our entire family... and our friends that we influenced... and their children) have such fond memories of our times on the Lake.  There was one summer that we all could be found there 3-5 days a week.  

We would call each other on occasion frequently and say "Last one on the lake is a rotten egg!"  and then race to the boat launch.  But we had to be fair... there was no head start.  The call had to be made and then breakfast could be packed, children awakened and the boat uncovered and loaded with all of the water skiing stuff.

Most mornings the call would come around 7:30 am... there was never a complaint or whine from any of the kids... all of them were teenagers or pre-teens... it was a minor miracle!

We would launch the boats, head to our favorite morning cove and enjoy our coffee, tea and juice and then break out the bagels and doughnuts.   Okay... may not the most healthy of breakfasts, but they packed easily and traveled well.

As the morning would begin to warm, the water would become completely calm.  Not a ripple or wave to be seen anywhere!  That was when the kids would begin negotiating who would ski first and enjoy the best of the water.  It was another minor miracle that there was never any major fights over this!  This pristine water would last about 45 minutes so there was ample time for everyone that wanted to get a ski run in to do so.

When the morning calm was gone we would all contentedly head to dock and head home to take care of any business that needed to addressed... such as lawn care or gymnastic practices, bill paying, cheerleader camps, etc...

**Sigh** Good times 💓

After my block was pieced I began searching for some of my sunset pictures.  Apparently, we enjoyed the moments so well that there were very few photographs taken of the sunset cruises on the lake....  

But here are two sunsets photos that I did find... though neither of them from the lake.  😕

This amazing shot was taken from our friends home in Seymour, TX a few years ago when we visited them over Thanksgiving.

And this shot was from our first camping trip last year in September.

I did locate many sunrise photos from the view of our front window... I may use those sometime in the future.

As I finished my block and snapped a picture I realized that I had inverted the placement of two colors...

Though I could have left it... and even considered it for a fleeting 1/2 second before my attention to detail tendency kicked in and said "What??? No you are NOT leaving it that way."

I immediately pulled out Mr. Ripper and got to work to correct the problem...  

So there you go... my sunset block.

Are you more of a sunrise person?  Or a sunset person?

Leave a comment for me letting me know... I love to hear from my readers.

Piece Out,

Melva

Melva Loves Scraps - Home of the Quilters Through The Generations series.

Linking with:
Color Challenge Link up at Patterns by Jen
BOMs Away at What a Hoot Quilts
Finished or not Friday at Busy Hands Quilts
TGIF Friday
Can I Get A Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict
UFO Busting at Tish's Wonderland

Let's Go Camping - Things To Camp In

The August "Let's Go Camping" block by Pat Sloan is called Things to Camp in.  She used some really cute camping fabric that featured camp trailers.  

I, however, did not have any fabric quite so cute with campers, trailers or tents on it... I chose to go with some fabric that features an assortment of license plates. 

Through out the years and experiences of camping I have camped in tents, pop-up campers, and truck campers.  






Tents are my least favorite.  There always seems to be a problem when a tent goes up...  It is like it is a rain magnet! Everything would end up wet.  And it usually happened on the last day so that the tent would have to be taken down while still damp.  It would require an additional set up once you returned home so that it could dry properly and completely.  And don't forget that the whole sleeping on the ground thing is highly over-rated!  (Tent photo found on the internet)









Of course, the pop-up camper was nothing more than a tent off of the ground.  The rain thing wasn't quite as bad, but it still required an additional set up to dry properly.  And there were advantages of being off of the ground.

However, in the end it really was just a tent and I did not feel very safe in "Bear Country" and would seldom sleep as I was always listening for wildlife.  {{Have you read my "bear stories" over at Bearpaw Block?  No???  You will certainly get a laugh, but you may understand my concern.}}



When we had the opportunity to purchase the truck camper last year I was excited to be able to enjoy camping again with the security of some hard sides that would offer a bit more protection from wildlife.



We wander the campgrounds after we settle in and wonder in awe of the size of some of the motor homes that we see.  

We giggle at the fact that the people have traveled many miles to enjoy the outdoors and then sit in the comfort of recliners watching a big screen television at night... or even all day sometimes.  Hmmmmm.....

We don't mind being the little dog among all the big dogs at all!

While we are not living it up in the Shangri la or a rolling condo, we have all we need in our teeny, tiny home on the truck.  Maybe in a few years we will make a move into a pull behind trailer... or not.  


So my block may not feature "Things to camp in"... but it could easily represent the states we have camped in. 😀

One of our goals to travel to every state of the United States.  We have several international trips we would like to do some day as well, but for now... we will stick to the Continental US.

What do you like camping in?  

Or where do you like to go camping?

I would love to hear from you... leave a comment!
Quilt Happy!

Melva

Melva Loves Scraps - Home of the Quilters Through The Generations series

Linking with:

Pat Sloan's Mystery BOM

Linky Tuesday at Freemotion By The River

Fiber Tuesday at The Quilting Room with Mel

Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication

Let's Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts

BOMs Away at What A Hoot Quilts

Quilters Through The Generations - Georgia Wirth

Today's featured quilter is Georgia Wirth.  She happens to occupy a leaf in my family tree since she is married to my cousin, Marvin  They were married in 1966 and have always been a fun couple and family to be around.  They both love to tell jokes and "tall tales".  Some of their stories are a bit difficult to tell whether they are true or not since some facts get a little stretched.  But rest assured, the more far fetched the story may seem, the more true it probably is!

I recall as a young girl that my parents would load up my brother and I to go visit when Marvin and Georgia would visit Marvin's parents.  They were among my favorites to get to see because they were so entertaining... Georgia had a magic trick that she would do and pull out a quarter from someone's ear.  We were always laughing about something that one of them would share.

So, without further delay, here is Georgia...

Have you ever made a quilt?

Yes, I have made several... more than I can count.  They vary in size - bed quilts, wall hangings and table runners.  Most of the quilts have been for family and friends.

Who got you started with quilting?

I watched my mother and grandmothers sewing and crocheting as a young child.  I started making doll clothes around age 5 or 6.  My mom would let me use the Singer sewing machine.  There were several older women on our block and they would on their front porch and I'd go over and show them what I had made.  They would encourage me to keep on sewing.

Tell me a story about your first quilt.

My first quilt was a star pattern.  My friend who had taught me how to quilt was with me when I got the pattern and fabric.  She said "that is a little more advanced... are you sure you want to try that?"  Well, of course I did!  Well, when I started to sew it I was not getting good pints at all on my blocks.  I set it aside for a few months and then decided that I needed to finish it as I had all that fabric.

I did finish it and still have it.  I named the quilt "I Don't Get the Point."





Does your Mother or Grandmother quilt?

My Mother, Barbara Nordell, did made a couple of quilts, but crocheting was her favorite thing to do.

My Father's mother, Frances Holloway, quilted all of the time.  She pieced by hand and used old clothes for fabric.  I have a couple of her quilts. 

This quilt was just the top when I got it. I hand quilted it and named it my forgiveness quilt.

Unfortunately most of my memories of this grandmother where not good. When I finally decided to finish it I prayed every time I worked on it to forgive her. I did and the quilt is finished.

She hand pieced this quilt and it has pieces of fabric from clothes I wore as well as my father and brothers clothes. For that reason it is precious to me.

This star quilt is one she hand pieced and quilted herself on her homemade long arm frame.

She used to do machine quilting for people all over the United States.  She had a long room built on the back of her house.  My Grandfather put pulleys in the ceiling.  She had a rack that held the quilt, batting and back together, the sewing machine stayed still while she moved the rack back and forth on the pulleys.  She had a good business going.








Have you taught someone to quilt?

I have helped people with the, but not from start to finish.




Do you have a favorite block or quilt?

I like to work on quilts that have hand work in them.  I embroider and do needle turn applique.  

This is the most recent quilt that I finished.  I worked on it for 7 years.  It was a fun quilt to make and parts of it traveled all over the place with me.










Do you participate in any quilt groups?

Yes, I belong to one. We call ourselves the "Pin Pricks". It is the group that I learned quilting with. There are six of us, including my friend that helped me select my first quilt pattern and fabric. We meet once a month and work on some projects together and by ourselves. We just finished making some Quilts of Valor that will be given to Veterans.

Have you ever entered any quilt competitions?

I haven't entered any quilts in competitions or for judging, but I may enter one next year in the fair.

Have you sold any quilts?  

If I started selling them, then it would be a business and no longer fun for me.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

My inspiration comes from my mother and both of my Grandmothers.  I also get a lot of inspiration from my friends.  I love to have my hands busy and sewing gives me peace.

I enjoy most all of the quilting steps.  I love thinking of the person I'm making the quilt for and creating something they will like.  I love bad weather days when I can be in my sewing room all day and not feel guilty.


I am like Georgia.  I enjoy the entire process of quilting... selecting the pattern and fabrics, piecing it, quilting it, binding it... all while thinking of and praying for the person/people that will receive the quilt.  And don't forget the label!  Each quilt given as a gift has a label that states "Blessed from above, Made with love for....  by Melva Nolan and a date.

Do you label your quilts?  

Do you make your own labels?  

Or do you have purchased labels?

Leave a comment... I love to hear from my readers. :)

Quilt happy!

Melva

Melva Loves Scraps - home of the Quilters Through The Generations series

It's A Wild Life - Home at the Cabin

This month's block of It's A "Wild" Life, hosted by Amy Warner at Sew Incredibly Crazy is Home At The Cabin.  

It involved applique again, but bigger pieces... I hardly complained because the block was sooooo cute!  

I opted out of the logs for the log cabin but think that the house is still cute.  It could be our house! (please excuse the unkept look of the house... we are currently doing some repair work on the stucco finish.)

And those two snow peaked mountains could easily be the Spanish Peaks - also known as the Twin Peaks - that can be viewed as you crest the the hill behind our house!

The story of how we came to live in South-Eastern Colorado is quite the story!

We had been living in the Chicagoland area for 9+ years and had long desired to return to Colorado to raise our children.  An opening for an instructor at the college where Dave and I met was announced and he applied.  He interviewed on November 15th and received a job offer on November 23rd... the day before Thanksgiving.  The job would begin January 3rd.  

We called my parents who lived 80 miles from where we would be living and asked them if they would go locate a house for us to purchase... sight-unseen!

We immediately started packing and purging... We loaded the truck on December 26th and pulled out of IL on December 27th.  We arrived in Trinidad, CO  on December 31st and unloaded our belongings into this...







It was clean inside, thanks to my parents and brother since they spent three days cleaning and removing household contents that had been left behind.











We got settled in and continued cleaning the yard and removing miles of fences, replaced the roof and painted it in the first 5 months.  

It made a world of difference!

What an adventure we have had!  Our families must have thought we were crazy... but we had the Peace That Passes All Understanding prevail and we walked through it as though it was no big deal.  **sigh** CrAzY!!! 

Nearly as crazy as the wild ride we were on that started six years ago... but that is a different story.

In the layout of the finished quilt, this 24" block is the center of the quilt and the blocks are coming together nicely!

When complete it will be the perfect size for our bed in our camper... Next year.

Have you had a crazy adventurous move in life?  

Leave a comment... I'd love to hear your story. :)

Stay calm and keep quilting!

Melva

Melva Loves Scraps - home of the Quilters Through The Generations series

Linking with:

It's A Wild Life August Block at Sew Incredibly Crazy
BOMs Away at What a Hoot Quilts
Fiber Tuesday at the Quilting Room with Mel
Needle and Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation
Let's Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts
Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication
Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter

Where Did I Go?

You may have noticed that I went silent for a week... Oooops!

I had been busy getting posts ready to share a few weeks ago for the Christmas In July hop week and the blocks of the month sew alongs that I am doing. And then it was time to prepare for our camping trip with our grandchildren and their parents.   Yay!  But I ran out of time to get anything ready beyond that. 




It was a great time to be unplugged and just focus on them as they explored and played outside.  Here's a little peek into our time in Ouray - 



We enjoyed a soak in the hot springs and lunch at the local brewery

Not only did we have S'mores... we had doughboys!  Biscuit dough carefully wrapped around a 1 inch dowel rod (or tree branch if you want to "rough it") and filled with your choice of goodness - we had strawberry jam, chocolate pudding and breakfast sausage... though some sausage gravy would have been divine!

The kiddos and their parents stayed in a small cabin that was a snug fit!

There was a rousing game of t-ball!  Some of the rules were made up and changed as we went along, but for the most part every one had fun.

The giggles from the littlest one as she and Kampa chased the ball down, topped the day off!

The boy was hunting!

Momma had a headache :(

"The Galloping Goose" hybrid train/bus in Telluride...

They were having a serious conversation about the bronze fawn in the Ridgeway park. 

Sooooo.... please excuse me for not getting much else done.  I did get eight squares added to my EPP hexie.  Does that count?

I'll be back this week... maybe even with a Quilters Through The Generations story!

Do you have a road trip project?  

Or do you pass the time with some other activity?

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

Stay calm and Sew on...

Melva

Melva Loves Scraps - Home of the Quilters Through The Generations series