Pieces in the Garden - Hours - Block #4

“Bride’s Quilt”

Once upon a time, there was a little girl, who wore a bow in her hair.  When she grew up, she began a friendship with a young bachelor.  As the hours and days passed, they began to look at each other with stars in their eyes, and as their love grew, they thought about taking steps to the altar.  So, the young girl got out her spools of thread and made clothes to get ready for their wedding ring day.

After they are married, some of their times together will be bright as noon and others will be dark as night.  But they will try to share their happiness, their miseries and their chores – she grabbing a wrench to help with household repairs and he grabbing a towel to help with the dishes.  Sometimes they will have broken dishes, but they will try to remember that “things” can be replaced, whereas harsh words, possibly spoken about the broken dishes, could chip away love.  They will try to follow the Golden Rule as they are learning to communicate openly with each other.

They will also try to keep in mind the symbolism of Jacob’s ladder – “steps of communication” between themselves on earth and God in heaven.

*********************

Please join me (and Grandma) for a cup of tea as Tressie Edith Teegarden tells me of how she and Forrest met...

Grandma, tell me about Grandpa.  How old were you and he when you met?  What did you do together on dates? And how long did you date before you to married?

I was about 18 years old when we met.  We dated for about two years.  Forrie would pick me up in his "Blue Chariot."  We would meet our friends.  We had a lot of cook outs.  We would cook hamburgers and hot dogs up around Morley.

What did your parents think of him?

They thought he was fine.  He was always a favorite son-in-law.

So you met after you graduated...  Tell me about your High School days.  What year did you graduate and how many were in your class?  

I graduated May 29, 1933.  Mr. Mertz was the principal.  There were about 150 students in my class.  Graduation was in the auditorium.

What were your school colors and mascot?

The school colors were blue & white.  Our class colors were purple and white.  Our class flower was a carnation.  Our motto was "To thine own self be true."

Did you go to your prom or a big dance?  Tell me about it.

I went to both Junior and Senior Prom. My Junior year I didn't have a date. I had a date for my Senior year, but I didn't have a lot of fun at either one.

One time in High School, I had taken the Essex to school. Roy Simpson needed a ride to the train depot so he asked if I would take him. I finally said yes. When we got out to the parking lot the car had a flat tire. Roy went over and sat on the curb and waited until I got the tire changed. He didn't offer once to help change the tire. As soon as I was done, he got in the car and I took him to the train station.

The Chamber of Commerce Public Park was run by C.C. Brown. Brown also had horses to rent. My friend Alice, her brother, Morton, and I rented horses one day. Mine was white. The three of us rode down the highway a ways and turned around to go back to Brown's corrals. The horses took off and ran. They were going home. We complained a little and C.C. Brown said, "You'll have to learn to ride before you can ride my horses again."

It is spring-time and "Prom Season".... so, tell me...

Did you go to your Junior or Senior Prom?

I attended both of my prom dances.  I went to Junior Prom with a boyfriend who was a year older than me and from a different school.  His Senior prom and dinner was the same night and they were not permitted to bring guests.  I got jipped out of a nice dinner, but we did manage to make it to both of our proms. He went to his dinner, picked me up and we went to my dance for a few hours and then went to his. The guy was a really nice guy... and then he went and got much more serious than I was interested in.  I kinda freaked out and broke off the relationship and he went off to college.  

The next year, when the time for my Senior Prom rolled around, I wasn't dating anyone.  A few of my girlfriends worked overtime trying to find a guy for me to go with... just as friends.  I ended up calling the same guy at college and asked if he was interested in going.  It was short notice and I was half wishing that he would say no.  But... he said yes.  He was all googly eyed for me still and it was an awkward evening.  I DID, however, finally get a nice dinner.  

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

Head over to Payhip to get the pattern... But be sure you come back to link up your finished blocks for a chance to win a selection of teas from Corner Stone Tea Company!  I encourage you to check out her tea selection and use PROM in the promotion box to get a 20% discount for all teas through May 25th.  

Just look at the lovely prize package that last month's winner received!  You can read the entire story of what a blessing it was over on instagram.  

Follow me on facebook at Melva Loves Scraps or on instagram @MelvaLovesScraps and use these hashtags so that everyone can see our gardens grow!  

#PiecesInTheGarden #Piecesinthegardensewalong #Piecesinthegardenrowquilt #TeaTimeWithTT

Keep piecing,

Melva

Linking with:

 Put Your Foot Down at For the Love of Geese

Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation

Off The Wall Friday with Nina Marie

Brag About Your Beauties at From Bolt to Beauty

Peacock Party at Wendy’s Quilts and More

Friday Foto Fun at Powered by Quilting

Thank Goodness It’s Finished Friday

Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts

Patchwork & Quilts at The Quilting Patch

Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework

Sunday Stash at QuiltPaintCreate

Spring Snow Monday

After 3-1/2 weeks of nothing but dry days, high winds and extreme fire danger, we woke this morning to this...

We have about 8 inches of the white gold and it may continue for a bit longer.  Woohoo!

The smoke on Friday afternoon was horrible.  There were fires in New Mexico and the winds from the south blew it in, making us think that MUST be a fire somewhere in our area... Much to our relief, we realized it was just smoke from the south.

Last week, despite the crazy wind that was making me a little grumpy, I was quite successful with ticking things off of my To-Do list.  Let's take a look...

❧ Finish custom t-shirt quilt 

I had it done, labeled, washed and dried and photographed by Thursday... You can view more photos on my Custom Friday Finish story.

Ooooooh!  Look at that!  I only had one thing on the list...meaning I had the entire weekend open up for more play with the postcard blocks for our Camping Journal Quilt. 

I made up kits for the remaining 4 EPP blocks and made two of them (the cardinal and the fish) as I started watching the Call the Midwife series again.  

I pieced the clamshell block and added the locations and dates on the sign blocks...

It won't be long until I am ready to add these 2+ rows to the rest of the quilt top.  

I think I am getting close to having it to a size long enough to meet my husband's request.  He wants it wider than it currently is, so I'll need to add a narrow border and then more blocks... which means more camping trips!

I also made a practice block for my next quilt.  This is the "Our Country" block from the Pieces From The Past sew along series.  I needed to resize it from the 15-3/4" block to a 12" block.  

It will set alternatively with the Dragon Fly Block.

❧ I'll make the Dragon Fly with a three-color layout.  I need to make a practice of this block as well, and layout to make sure there is enough of a contrast in the values of the blue & purple fabrics I have purchased.  (not the ones in the practice block, but these are close)

❧ Once I verify that all is okay with the values of the fabric, I'll start cutting and piecing.  Since there are only six blocks of each, I should be able to get the top ready for borders.  Getting borders on and getting it quilted and finished will be my May One Month Goal.

I think that will keep me busy and out of trouble for the week.

Last week I celebrated my birthday with the giveaway of an insulated mug... The winner is... Cindy K. Smith.  🎉 Congratulations!

You know where you can find me... In my studio. 😁 You can take a quick tour of my space by selecting the Studio Tour tab above.

Do you have a designated sewing space?

Stay happy and keep piecing!

Melva

Linking with:

Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt

Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

To Do Tuesday at Texas Quilt Gal

Mid-week Makers at Quilt Fabrication

Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter

Stitch Sew & Show at Life in the Scrap Patch

Another Custom Friday Finish

I am on a roll!  Another week and another finish!  Woohoo!

The fabric for the backing arrived on Monday and on Tuesday I quickly got to working getting the various "left over" t-shirt bits that didn't make it into the top.  The recipient of this quilt is a music lover and guitar player and the musical print fabric allowed for the many random seams without being disruptive to the print pattern.

The 4-inch square on point is my standard quilting for quilts like this... allowing for the t-shirts to be the star of the show.  There was certainly no lack of shirt graphics to be used in this quilt.  As I mentioned in a previous post... Mom has been saving clothing items for this since the time he was born!  This includes the nursing gown and scrubs that she and Dad wore in the hospital at the time of birth and were used as the sashing strips and border. 

There were pre-school shirts, a HS 1/2 Marathon shirt, lots of favorite band and "concert" shirts and many more assorted items.

With this quilt complete that means I have the whole weekend to work on the blocks for our Camping Journal Quilt.  I'll share with you on my Monday musings post about the progress for that.  

What will you be doing this weekend?  

Leave a comment to let me know.

Keep Piecing!

Melva

Linking with:

Put Your Foot Down at For the Love of Geese

Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation

Off The Wall Friday with Nina Marie

Brag About Your Beauties at From Bolt to Beauty

Peacock Party at Wendy’s Quilts and More

Friday Foto Fun at Powered by Quilting

Thank Goodness It’s Finished Friday

Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts

Scrap Happy Saturday at Super Scrappy

Patchwork & Quilts at The Quilting Patch

Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework

Sunday Stash at QuiltPaintCreate

Windy Tuesday

The week was filled with great productivity and creative opportunities again... 

✔ Finish quilting and binding of the Dreamscicle Quilt.  And I just had an email from my customer stating "the random pattern you did is just what was needed. Like the green thread. Thank you."

✔ Write a few stories for the Pieces in the Garden Sew Along. My brother shared with me a few of his favorite memories. You can find them (and a discount code for a tea purchase from Cornerstone Tea Company) in the Teatime with TT & Kelvin story.

✔ Celebrate my birthday!

All of the girls came for a visit on Saturday.  (I totally failed to get any pictures.) You can read more about that by following the link above.  

That link, should you choose to visit it, will divulge the instructions to enter a giveaway for the custom cup that our daughter, Rebecca, made.  

❧ The custom t-shirt quilt was on hold since I was waiting on the delivery of fabric for the backing... This meant that there was ample time for creativity!

The first DrEAMI was a modern cross mini-quilt...  The idea for my next finish came to me on Palm Sunday as we watched an on-line worship.  There was a large modern, neon-looking cross suspended above the altar area where the pastor was delivering his message.

I was able to turn my attention to our Camping Journal Quilt and starting some of the blocks to represent our most recent trip to the Gulf Coast. 

Here's what I have done so far...  I'll add machine embroidery on the sign blocks with the locations and March 2022.  

I have a few that will be hand-sewn and a few that will be FPP...

Those FPP intimidate me... Some of those pieces are TINY!  It may be a while before I get back to those. 😬

❧ Since the backing fabric arrived in the mail yesterday, I'll turn my attention to that custom quilt again.  I promised the customer that I would have it completed by the end of April... that deadline is quickly approaching and will be here before I know it!

The creative time and designing process this past week with no deadlines fed my soul.  Not that my productivity has waned lately, but the unexpected break from commissioned work was welcome!

What sort of things do you do to feed your creative soul?

Nina Marie Sayre often shares ideas to spur creative ideas at her Off The Wall linky parties.  Check it out... but leave a comment here first!  I love our conversations...

Keep Piecing!

Melva

PS. Can someone please turn off the switch for the wind???  I'm over it!

Linking with:

Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

This & That at Days Filled with Joy

To Do Tuesday at Texas Quilt Gal

Mid-week Makers at Quilt Fabrication

Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter

Stitch Sew & Show at Life in the Scrap Patch

Celebrating My Birthday!

Today is my birthday!  And while some celebrate with a special meal, dinner out or cake, ice cream and gifts from others, I am celebrating by having a giveaway! (details near the end of the story)

The old saying goes... "It's better to give than receive" after all.  And one of my natural love languages is gift giving.  When I give a hand-made gift, I am not just giving a gift... I am giving a small part of me.  A part of the creativity that helps me to make it through life.

Our daughter, Rebecca, enjoys "crafting" and has had lots of fun designing and making insulated mugs.  When she discovered a Pinterest idea showing how to use fabric on a mug she decided she needed to make it.  She shared her idea with me, and together, we designed a mug.  

Offering my idea of the confetti heart that I made in the early weeks of the 2020 pandemic shut-down, she located a small amount of red fabric (her options were very limited) and then designed this lovely work of art.  

She added the quote and the MLS script... and, because she LOVES all things glittery and shimmery, she made it all sparkle!

I made a gluten-free, dairy-free cheesecake to celebrate with the family on Saturday... it was pretty yummy!

Dave doesn't generally do a lot of gifts, but he came through with one this time.  Well... several actually, though he said that just one was the gift... the other items he had ordered for the camper and everything happened to be in the same box and the girls were having a ball wrapping everything and picking out fancy bows and ribbons.

It will be very helpful for when I do hand-sewing in the evening... rather than move a lampstand, I can just hang this around my neck!

Perfect timing too!  I have some EPP sewing that I need to get done to prep for May's Pieces From the Past BOM class. 

Give away time!  Leave a comment telling me...

What favorite beverage you would enjoy in this cup?

I'd have chai tea!

The winner will be randomly chosen and announced on Friday, April 22nd.  If the  winner happens to have a non-US mailing address, I'll e-mail a full digital set of the Pieces of the Santa Fe Trail Quilt blocks and then randomly select another winner.  Be sure to leave an email address if you have an anonymous or no-reply identity.

Keep piecing!

Melva

Good Friday DrEAMI Finish

I have a couple finishes to celebrate...

I finished quilting the Summertime Orange Dreamscicle quilt for my customer and it is on its way...

She had requested meandering for the quilting and it just looks luscious!

No fancy photo shoot for this one... the wind was horrible!

The idea for my next finish came to me on Sunday morning as we watched an on-line worship.  There was a large modern, neon-looking cross suspended above the altar area where the pastor was delivering his message.

I sketched it out and knew I had to DRop Everything And Make It (DrEAMI) this week in honor of Holy Week... While the Dreamscicle quilt was getting washed and dried to reveal that soft, wrinkly look, I grabbed some scraps and started cutting, piecing and quilting.

The backing is a large B/W rose print with highlights of red.  I couldn't help but think of the song "Above All" with the lyrics "like a rose, trampled on the ground, You thought of me... Above All."

The red hand-stitched button-hole edging on the binding required the most time that I invested in this project.  It measures 5" x 7" and, for now will adorn a space in my sewing room... reminding me that One died for ALL, and all are forgiven... forgiveness poured out on a Friday sooooooooo many years ago and that Christians around the world call "Good Friday."

Judas’ shame led him to his own death. But Peter’s regret just resulted in a good cry (and a changed life). What made the difference?

Like these two disciples, as we come face to face with the raw truth of our carnal hearts, our shame and guilt will lead us in one of two directions. As Paul wrote:

“For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death” (2 Cor. 7:10).

While Judas’ sorrow led him to a needless, desperate act—bowing to sin’s penalty— Peter’s sorrow led him to grace and to seeking sin’s remedy.

Good Friday shows us two choices: sin’s penalty in death or sin’s remedy in grace. If we’re honest, the only difference between these two disciples was that Peter responded to the grace Good Friday offered. Jesus Christ died to pay for our sins.

We have all failed. But God intends the pangs of your shame to lead you away from your guilt and toward His grace. For although sin leads us down into the Hinnom Valley, Jesus offers us the path back out—up to Calvary.

May you recall the Good News of the Lord's sacrifice and His death... a death that could not keep him down, as you go about life this weekend... and celebrate on Sunday by saying "He is not here... He is risen...

He is risen, indeed!

Melva

Linking with:

Off The Wall Friday with Nina Marie

Brag About Your Beauties at From Bolt to Beauty

Peacock Party at Wendy’s Quilts and More

Friday Foto Fun at Powered by Quilting

Thank Goodness It’s Finished Friday

Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts

Scrap Happy Saturday at Super Scrappy

Patchwork & Quilts at The Quilting Patch

Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework

Sunday Stash at QuiltPaintCreate

Teatime with TT and Kelvin

Welcome to Teatime with TT... Tressie Teegarden.  Today my brother, Kelvin, is stopping by to share some of his most special memories...  Won't you grab a cup of tea and join us?  Kelvin is the first-born grandchild, and only grandson, to Tressie & Forrest Teegarden...

Side Note::  Kelvin is a lot like Forrest.  He doesn't like to write much and getting short and direct answers to questions is the response when asked a question.  He shared his favorite memories with me and I am expanding on the them since I was with him in all of these.

My favorite memories of Grandma are the few trips we made to Nogales in the summers we went to stay for a while...

It was always an interesting day when we went to Nogales and getting through customs.  Once, I think (if my memory serves me correctly), we were on the wrong road or highway after passing through the check point.  We were headed south, but not on the road to Nogales... once realized, we got turned around quickly.  I'm not sure what they thought was going to happen... were the Border Patrol going to chase us down and arrest us?  LOL!  I have no idea... I was just a kid and was ready to get out of the car after an hour or so in the car.  

The street markets were fun to visit and filled with so many brightly colored trinkets and do-dads.  From what I recall, we always got to pick out some small souvenir... and you could easily talk the seller down in price. 

The camping trip up to Yellowstone and around in 1976...

What a trip!  I shared some details of our "extreme weather" trip in a Father's Day story in 2017.

The high temperatures and desert like terrain in Arches National Park (the hike that we failed to take water with us, and we came upon a hiker going back down the trail with an aluminum water container with ice jiggling it) 

The "follow the leader" moments in our trucks/campers in Salt Lake City because we got lost (Grandpa and Grandma made U-turns, and we were right behind them, lol!)

The very wet and soggy stops in Idaho (and the excitement of Grandpa when the toilets at the campground were once again flushing [the campground was on a septic system and the ground was saturated], lol!  It's the little things in life!) 

And getting snowed in while camping in Yellowstone (and the breakfast prepared on the tailgate of a parking lot, and the enticing smells of bacon and eggs that all the others in the lot wanted as well) {{I think they felt as we did in Arches and the guy with the water}} 

This photo was taken in 1978

And from another story I wrote in 2018 about the trip... We were visiting YS in the first full week that the entire park and all campgrounds were open... and we had tent campers across the road from us.  

Space in both campers were tight so my brother and I would split up and take turns sleeping on the floor of Grandma & Grandpa's camper.  My brother was a rough sleeper... he would toss and turn and jostle the truck around.  The campers were not equipped to prepare meals inside... they were basically for sleeping only.

It had been raining and the rain eventually turned to snow.  In order to prepare dinner out of the rain/snow, the trucks were backed up tailgate to tailgate with a tarp draped over the opening to protect the camp stove and food from getting completely soggy.  After dinner was eaten and cleaned up the camp stove was tucked away in the cubby space on the side of the camper...  

Since it was raining and we couldn't enjoy a campfire we all retired for the night.  I was with Grandma & Grandpa... I recall waking up (I have no idea of the time) with some jostling of the truck and then Grandpa shining a flashlight across the road.  The campers across the road had sought shelter and protection in their car and had started their VW Bug (a very distinctive sound).  

There was a bear in the campground!  Not just in the campground, but ON our tailgate reaching in the cubby space to pull out the camp stove... and then it was trying to get the food in a cooler that the campers across the way had left out.

I don't know how long the excitement carried on because this little girl was tuckered out and fell back to sleep...  In the morning, when we all emerged from our campers, my Mom & Dad had not a clue about what took place.  They thought it was just my brother tossing and turning again!  And they thought that the neighbors across the way were cold so they started their car to run the heater.

Oh, my!  The memories...

A few of the times we went down for the summer it was a BIG deal to photograph the night blooming cactus...

I'm not sure why it was such a big deal, but it was!  

And of course, the BIG move back to Colorado.

Grandpa had passed away in November 2002.  Grandma returned to Colorado with Mom and Dad in early December.  She lived with them until the house in Tucson was sold and a house was purchased in Trinidad, CO for her to live in.  

Immediately after Christmas we left for Tucson to pack the house.  We packed for days!  And had secured the largest U-haul truck.  As we loaded box after box of painted and unpainted china, antique dishes and furniture we had reached the 3/4 full point when the guys looked at the springs of the truck and realized that it was over-loaded.  

We had to unload boxes and furniture and head to the truck rental place to get a second, smaller truck so that we could redistribute the weight.  

It was quite the sight... Two moving trucks, one towing Grandma's car, and two other cars caravanning our way across the country.  And the wind was ferocious! But... we made it... it was simply slow and steady.

Grandma & Grandpa lived in the same house in Tucson for 40+ years and packing was a HUGE task.  Dave and I have lived here in Trinidad for 27 years... and packing up and making a move seems daunting to us (not that we are planning to move any time soon).

What is the longest time that you have lived in one place?

Leave a comment... I always enjoy visits with you!

Keep Piecing!

Melva

P.S. - Go get your Bachelor Block pattern at Payhip and then be sure you come back to link up your finished blocks for a chance to win a 1-ounce selection of tea from Corner Stone Tea Company!  I encourage you to check out her tea selection and use ICECREAM in the promotion box to get a 15% discount for all teas through April 27th.  

 Follow me on facebook at Melva Loves Scraps or on instagram @MelvaLovesScraps and use these hashtags so that everyone can see our gardens grow!  

#PiecesInTheGarden #Piecesinthegardensewalong #Piecesinthegardenrowquilt #TeaTimeWithTT

Linking with:

Weekly Check-in, Musings and To-Do's

Weekly Check-in!  The first full week back in the studio and I am happy to share things went smoothly.

✔ Pieces from the Past BOM demonstration.

Quilter/participant Patti brought all of her blocks, completed to date, to share with the group.  She is a fairly new quilter, but she has not been scared away by any of the techniques or more advanced blocks.  I applaud her! 👏

✔ Custom memory quilt top completed.

✔ "Summer Dreamscicle" quilt is sandwiched and quilting started

✔ pictures and stories from our trip shared. You can find the details here.

✔ Orphan Quilt Finish shared on Friday. 

So, this week...

❧ There were more than a dozen parts of t-shirts that did not fit on the front of the quilt.  I have a layout in mind and fabric for the backing is on order.  Until then...

❧ Finish quilting and binding of the Dreamscicle Quilt

❧ Write a few stories for the Pieces in the Garden Sew Along.  Have you been working on your Bachelor Blocks?  I'd love to see them!  Share with me on facebook at Melva Loves Scraps or on instagram @MelvaLovesScraps and use these hashtags so that everyone can see your gardens grow!  

#PiecesInTheGarden #Piecesinthegardensewalong #Piecesinthegardenrowquilt #TeaTimeWithTT

❧ Celebrate my birthday with my family!  I happened to have been born on Easter and this year my birthday is the day after Easter.  We will be celebrating on Saturday though because it just works out better for everyone.  I think a non-dairy, gluten-free cheesecake is in order 😁 And for those that may be wondering... yes!  It really is possible. 

What is your favorite way to celebrate your birthday?  

Favorite dessert?  

Favorite or special activity?

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

Keep Piecing,

Melva

Linking with:

Scrap Happy Saturday at Super Scrappy

Patchwork & Quilts at The Quilting Patch

Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework

Sunday Stash at QuiltPaintCreate

Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt

Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

This & That at Days Filled with Joy

To Do Tuesday at Texas Quilt Gal

Mid-week Makers at Quilt Fabrication

Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter

Stitch Sew & Show at Life in the Scrap Patch

Put Your Foot Down at For the Love of Geese

Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation