Sunday, October 29, 2023

Sew & Tell ~ On the Road

On the road again ♭... Our visit to Palo Duro State Park was perfect!  There had been rain predicted, but it turned out to be fabulous.  The temperatures were in the mid 80s, with a slight breeze.  We enjoyed bike riding, hiking, and the leisurely relaxation of just enjoying the outdoors.



This canyon is the second largest canyon in the United States, second only to the Grand Canyon.  The colors of nature are an incredible source of inspiration. And it seemed that as the lighting changed, the colors did as well.  

The 5.6-mile hike to the Light House formation was interesting and filled with nature.  We saw deer and turkey, a lizard and a praying mantis.  The contrast of the green foliage against the red walls that faded into other colors such as brown, mauve, and yellow captured my attention.

Alas... I'll share aaaaaaaaaaall of the details when I get home at the end of the week when I have more time and a faster computer. ;) (The laptop doesn't want to load anymore pictures. I can't even get my Sew & Tell logo up...)

Today is cold and rainy in Seymour, Texas and we are hunkered down in our friends house with cheesy potato soup simmering on the stove and prepared to play a serious round of dominos...

You know what that means.  The Sew & Tell Party is open and ready for you all to share.  

Keep Piecing,

Melva


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Sunday, October 22, 2023

Reaching the Journey's Destination ~ Sew & Tell ~ 10/23/2023

It's that time of the week again!  It's time to share the progress, great or small, we have each made on our projects... or squirrels, or any other activity in life.  Whether you realize it or not, you are all a part of my circle of support.  We may not know each other personally, but I have grown to know so many of you, and we celebrate the little things in life and sometimes the big things. 

This week I celebrate two finishes!



Gina's Journey has reached her destination and is complete and ready to be sent to her home where Gina can love and admire it and recall some great memories of her life... like the million times that she tied those little pink bows on the pillow that matched a quilt her parents had made for her when she was 16, and how she and her mom would spend Sunday afternoons cheering on the Pittsburg Steelers; the time spent watching a daughter dance at CSU-Pueblo football games as well as the various races she ran with a son.

The use of grey thread in the wavy grid quilting and the black binding toned down the "so much pink" feeling.  Although, just last week, Alycia Quilts stated that "pink isn't just a color, it is an attitude!"  The statement rings true for Gina. :)


Anchors Aweigh ~ A Quilt of Valor by Zia Miller is ready to be delivered when we visit friends in Seymour, TX.  The hanging diamond quilting design was done in red thread on the top and navy-blue thread on the back and made for a quick finish.


With the finish of these two quilts happening well in advance of "the last minute", I am able to fully focus on getting ready for our fall camping trip. I'll be prepping a few more EPP blocks for our camping journal quilt, collecting fun embellishments for quilted hearts and gathering a few things together for more mini-quilts. I'm a little behind... #41/52 was my Pray for Israel mini.  If you missed it, you could catch up and read my thoughts here.

We head to the second largest canyon in the United States, Palo Duro Canyon, near Amarillo, TX in just a few days.  We haven't been away from our shop/studio space since September.  We are SO ready for it.  


We've been hard at work getting our small shower repair to the finished point.  It seems like it has been forever.  In reality, it has only been 7 weeks since we started it.  I think with each step forward we had to wait... at first, we waited for a few items that were ordered on-line because they were not available locally... then we had to wait for stuff to dry - usually 24-48 hours...  Whether it be the concrete base or the sealant or adhesive or grout or... whatever step we were at... BUT!  Finally!  It is all back together and will be fully cured and dried and ready for use when we return.  Woohoo! 

Of course, the rest of the room was affected too.  Because Dave had to touch up the outside corners of the shower with drywall mud, we had to paint. We didn't have any paint left over in the basement, so we had to get a new can/color... and to make it easier to paint, we removed the toilet and medicine cabinet from the wall.  Like the domino effect, one thing affects the other.  But in the end, we love the new color, pebble floor and the best thing of all is that it will no longer leak!

That's all I have for Sew & Tell this week...


Let's take a look at what Joy from Joy's Jots, Shots & Whatnots shared in the party last week... She offered a tutorial on making a scrappy fabric bookmark.  She made hers a Bible table of contents bookmark.  But it's a great idea for making bookmarks in general.  Jump over and take a peek! (by clicking on the link above.) Christmas is just around the corner, and these could be great stocking stuffer gifts as well as scrap-busting projects. She has some lovely scrap-busting cards that she shared as well. I think it is a great idea to have some on hand for when you need a card to send off quick.  You can make several with a variety of messages on them... birthday wishes, get well cards, or even sympathy cards or just a "Thinking of you" card.  Thanks for sharing, Joy!

Now is the time that you get to show and share in Sew & Tell. The link for the party will be open through Saturday afternoon.  I'll be checking in as service and wi-fi allow.  Have a fun and blessed week!

Keep Piecing,

Melva

m

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Wednesday, October 18, 2023

I stand with Israel

Below are items that saw on fb... I "borrowed" them as they reflect my thoughts and feelings...



Why does Israel matter?  

Did you know that the time clock of the return of Jesus Christ isn’t based on America’s timeline? It’s based on what is happening in Israel. 

Did you know Jesus wasn’t a “Christian”? He was a Jew. He celebrated and kept the Jewish holy days and customs, as well as the feasts of the LORD. He didn’t come to eradicate the Torah and writing of the Prophets / Old Testament. He came to fulfill the prophecies that were written in them.

When Jesus returns, He isn’t returning to the United States. The Bible says He is going to plant His foot down on the Mount of Olives and go through the Eastern Gate, which is currently sealed off with 16 feet of concrete. A cemetery was also placed in front of that gate because touching the dead makes a Jew considered unclean and unable to enter the Temple, which is considered Holy. The Word of GOD says He will return there and from there He will rule and reign for 1,000 years. 


The final battle isn’t going to be on U.S. soil. It’s going to be in the Valley of Megiddo, in Israel. The Bible says as the nations wage war against Israel Jesus will come and destroy His enemies with the breath of His mouth. 2 Thess 2:8 

GOD did not replace the Jews with Christians as some believe. We are actually grafted in with them as you would graft a wild branch into an existing tree. 
The Word of GOD says, “When you touch Israel, you touch the Apple of GOD’s eye.” Zechariah 2:8

“He that keeps Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps. The LORD is thy keeper.” Psalm 121:4

“I will bless those that bless you and I will curse those that curse you.” Genesis 12:3 

We are also commanded to pray for the peace of Jerusalem in Psalm 122. 

ISRAEL matters. PRAY FOR ISRAEL.

In my own personal response, with feelings of helplessness, I made this mini quilt, #41/52.  The small Jesus picture has been on my prayer board for several years.  I took inspiration from a Moda blockhead block that I saw on Insta and joined the two together.  

I have a friend who gifts to me, as she calls them, "pretties", each time we see each other. The sparkles and rainbow prisms dance in my studio each afternoon as the sun shines into my studio window.  

Above, one of the "pretties" has a stained-glass angel on it.  As I quilted a customer's t-shirt quilt, I noticed that the shadow of that angel appeared as a dove on the sewing table... the Holy Spirit. 

And a few days prior I saw that one of the prisms landed on one of the crosses hanging near the front door.  I waited for the perfect timing to be able to capture it on Jesus' face and then on the cross.


Keep Piecing... and Pray for Israel,

Melva

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Sunday, October 15, 2023

Journey Continues ~ Sew & Tell 10/16/2023

Life is a journey... not a destination.  Life comes with challenges and is filled with ups and downs.  No one can escape the rollercoaster of life... sometimes we can enjoy the ride... sometimes we scream like a baby.


Last week I simply held on tight and prayed.  I prayed and prayed and prayed.  It seemed as though the world had gone crazy.  I didn't get as much accomplished in the studio as I had hoped, but I did get the latest t-shirt quilt, Gina's Journey, to the completed flimsy stage.  AND it is sandwiched and partially marked for quilting.  I'll do an all-over wavy grid on point in grey thread.  It is a looooooot of pink.  But Gina's favorite color is pink.  The backing is a black fabric with pink tiaras... also perfect for Gina!  Between the grey thread and a black binding, it will look great.


Since I had the floor cleared for sandwiching Gina's quilt, I went ahead and sandwiched another quilt top that had been sent to me.  This one is a Quilt of Valor that is headed to a veteran somewhere in Victoria, TX.  Since the plan is to deliver it to my customer in a couple of weeks, I need to get quilting on it.  

You probably noticed an "oopsie" in the border... Zia was so cute about it when I offered to fix it for her.  She struggles with arthritis in her hands and shoulders. And she was honest in stating that she just didn't want to rip it out.  And there simply was not enough of the blue fabric remaining to fix it and went on to say, "I figured it could be a conversation piece for the person who sees it." 

The log cabin design reminds me of anchors (imagine the quilt turned and the red is the anchor).  The backing is a red/white/blue anchor print. I haven't full decided on a quilting design... Since it is a bit of a rush job, I'll keep it simple and use one of my go-to plans... probably a hanging star, 2-3 inches spaced.


Jesus is my anchor... he is even my partner in life's roller coaster.  He has a plan for me... I may not always feel comfortable about it, but I always make it through. 😁

As a youth group member in high school we went to the amusement park located in Denver, Elitches.  They had a wooden roller coaster (The Twister?).  My friend Sandy and I road that coaster so many times in a row.  It was late in the day and the lines were not long at all.  One time, we got off, ran back through the que area and got on the thing again.  

We were crazy... we rode in the first car. We rode in the last car. We rode in the middle... I think we went consecutively at least 6 times.  We laughed so hard.  We had a great time right up until it was time to leave the park.

During the 4+ hours drive home we tried to sleep in the big van.  Tried... with every lane change or turn made, I woke up.  The sensation of being on the roller coaster would not let up.  Even once I was at home in my bed, the feeling of turning and twisting would not go away.  I remember thinking... "Stop the ride! I want to get off."  Thankfully, I was back to normal the next day.

It has been a few years since I've been on a coaster.  Most, these days, I will pass.  It depends on the kind of coaster and how many twists and turns it has.  And how daring I am feeling on that particular day.

Are you a big fan of roller coasters?
Or, do you prefer to be an observer?


Last week's Sew & Tell party had 22 links.  Woohoo!  Thank you, thank you, than you to everyone who participated.  This week's randomly selected feature is Bonnie at In Stitches with Bonnie.  She shared several items.  But given my love for scrappy projects, my eye caught sight of her latest leader/ender project ~ a Basket of Chips.

I enjoy each and every one of the links and always visit.  As time allows, I leave comments and will reply to comments left for me.  

Let's start the party!

Keep Piecing,

Melva



Also last week, I had a feature story at Nancy's Notions, on their blog, in their weekly newsletter and on social media.  It was a great honor to have a few of my quilts and the stories of them shared with so many in the quilting and sewing world.  

If you are a part of a guild that might like for me to visit and share some of these quilts and their stories, let me know.  I am just beginning to explore the opportunity to travel for such events.
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Thursday, October 12, 2023

Baby Steps

This week had challenge after challenge... A visit to the ER for myself (I'm fine now), news that a work situation for a son-in-law had not been resolved and the opportunity of something new missed, news that our daughter's dog had a seizure and that the pastor of our last church home had suddenly offered his resignation (effective immediately).  Our minds were swirling, causing both of Dave and I to sleep poorly.  I tossed and turned... Dave got up and read. And then commenced the tossing and turning when he returned. Teamwork makes the dream work!  LOL.

I had been up most of Monday night with back pain and upset stomach.  I was concerned about a kidney infection.  After the walk-in clinic said I had to wait 4+ hours to see a doctor, we walked-out and went to the emergency room.  Lab results came back with no blood in the sample and no indication of infection.  

Aspirin helped to relieve the pain.  I had an appointment with my naturopath/chiropractor on Tuesday.

He thought it was a weird "perfect storm" of a reaction to a supplement I've taken for years and having a vertebra out of place.

After two days of rest, I was able to make it back into the studio to get borders on Gina's Journey Quilt.  It will be sandwiched and marked for quilting and soon be under the needle!  

It felt good to feel the fabric in my hands and to hear the hum of the machine as it stitched and I prayed... and processed all of the news and events of the week.  There is just something therapeutic about it.  

Feeling under attack can be daunting and exhausting... but with the full armor of God properly adorned and in place... and prayer warriors at work...


We can make it. And we did make it!

It is Thursday, late afternoon, and I am ready for the week to be done.  I'm gonna get a glass of wine and start dinner... 

I've changed my mind 4 times because I am limited on what ingredients I have on hand.  Since I was down for 2 days and Monday was lost to the bathroom remodel, I haven't been to the store.  But I have settled on one of our all-time favorites... PIZZA.

Comfort food at its finest.  The toppings may be a little different than my typical pizza, but I. don't. care. It will feel good to have a quiet evening in front of some mindless tv.  I'll stop my whining now. I have a pizza crust to make.

Don't let life get you down... Keep Piecing!

Melva

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Tuesday, October 10, 2023

A Special Surprise

Over the summer I had a lull in my custom quilting orders.  I took advantage of the time to improve some FMQ skills as well as completing some "general housekeeping" things here on Melva Loves Scraps.  At the same time, I worked to update my husband's website.  (I don't often procrastinate... But the anxiety I feel from the need of uploading new pages for him is real and is always a task I can easily talk myself out of.)  I found distractions, and lots of them... such as reading email. 

That is what I was doing one day when I happened to scroll all the way down past the highlighted special deals in the newsletter from Nancy's Notions that is now a part of the Missouri Star Quilt Co.  I saw the question "Are you a sewing or quilting rockstar?"  I contemplated their question.  While I feel very confident in my sewing and quilting skills, I don't necessarily really believe that I am of rockstar celebrity status.  

After weeks of contemplation, on a whim a few weeks ago, (because I was procrastinating) I said, "What the heck... just make a submission." So, I did.  I sent in four quilts, and the stories of them (because every one of my quilts have a story) for consideration.  

Last week I had a message informing me that I had been selected for a Quilt & Tell feature.  

"We loved the story and all of the information you included as well.  It will be posted on our website on Wednesday, be in our newsletter on Thursday, and be on our social media on Friday of next week."

Wow! 😁 What a special surprise...

So... if you are a first-time visitor stopping by because of the Quilt & Tell feature story, WELCOME! I am thrilled to have you visit.  Let me tell you a little more about myself.

I love scraps.  I love vintage quilts and I love preserving the stories of quilters and the quilts they make.  

I live in Trinidad, CO – the far Southeastern portion of the state, between the plains and the mountains. I am a Homemaker who has a passion for all things quilty.  Did I mention that I especially like a scrappy look?   I love the challenge of working with scraps, remnants and cast-offs to make something beautiful.  My favorite quilts to make are quilts that tell stories ~ Stories of a family member through custom memory quilts ~ like The Legacy Quilt ~ or another "heirloom" type project.  

Quilts can tell the story of a particular time of history ~ such as the Pieces From the Past quilt or the Pieces of the Santa Fe Trail quilt. It can tell the story of a life like the Pieces in the Garden Quilt; Or it can tell of one's adventures and travels ~ like the Camping Journal Quilt I have been working on for several years.

If you are a part of a guild that might like for me to visit and share some of these quilts and their stories, let me know.  I am just beginning to explore the opportunity to travel for such events.


Melva Loves Scraps was originally started in 2011 when I participated in a weekly scrapbooking challenge.  I soon lost interest in the challenge and the blog went to the wayside until 2013 when I submitted a block for volume 8 of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks publication.  It was shortly after that I decided that this blog would be a great way to document and share the stories of my quilts and some of the thoughts and experiences of life as I create them.


Another regular feature on Melva Loves Scraps is the weekly Sew & Tell party.  A linky party where you can link up blog stories or social media posts to show everyone what you have been up to.  It is fun to see the variety of projects and the progress made in a week and find new inspiration to grow your own creativity.  I hope you'll join me. 

I hope that you have enjoyed your visit and that you will choose to return... because you just never know what I might be doing or what my latest project may be.  Some say I am crazy; some say talented… all I know is that life keeps me on my toes!  I do my best to keep a positive attitude and a sense of humor… and my faith keeps me on my knees and looking up.  

If you'd like to know more about me, leave a comment and feel free to ask me anything... (please note ~ if I feel it is too personal, I'll simply delete and pretend it never happened. 😉)

Remember, when life gives you scraps, make a quilt!

Keep Piecing,

Melva

PS - I'd love to have you follow me.  You can sign up to be notified when I have a new story up in the right sidebar, just below the search box.  If you want to keep up on social media, you'll find me instagram at @melvalovesscraps or on Facebook at Melva Loves Scraps.  If you still use bloglovin' (whenever it happens to be working), you can find the link below the place you sign up for email.





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Sunday, October 8, 2023

Gina's Journey and Sew & Tell Party~ 10/9/23

What a week I had!  Not a lot happened in the quilting studio, but there was a lot, a lot, a lot that happened outside of the studio. Appointments that had to do with Mom's future move, got scheduled for nearly every day of the week.  Everything went smoothly and the wheels have been placed in motion with so much.  But I won't bore you with those details.  


Between appointments I prepped the blocks for a custom t-shirt quilt and go them on the design wall.  I was in contact with my customer regarding the choice of fabric for the sashing strips when she asked me if she could add one more shirt. 

{Gina's collection goes back to the 1980s.  I was amazed at the difference in the quality of the shirts as well as how many were made in the USA then vs present day shirts.}

"Of course!" was my answer.  She had caught me at just the right time.  I had the outer columns of blocks joined together and was assessing the center column.  I'll trim down two of the blocks and squeeze in the last one...


I quickly set it aside with excitement since I had my plans for a Houndstooth mini quilt, #40/52, in the mini-quilt challenge that I jumped into back in January.

I had the mini together and ready to hand quilt it when I realized there was a major problem with one row.  

"Jackie" and I had a little time to finish the latest season of Virgin River on Netflix.

Alas, I have the mini complete and ready for teatime. 

By the time the weekend arrived, and all of the appointments completed, Gina's "extra" shirt arrived.  I'll have a flimsy ready to quilt right around the corner!  The border, backing and binding fabrics are all on hand so there is nothing holding me back.


So... who is the randomly selected feature? It is Andrée at Quilting & Learning. Her process of making a t-shirt quilt is very much the same as mine.  She shared several tips about what she learned in the making of this quilt. Follow the link above to see what she shared.

It is now time to open up this week's party... 

What do YOU have to share?

No pictures?  That's okay... leave a comment. I'd love to hear from you.

Keep Piecing... and have fun while doing it!

Melva
🥳Pssst... Jump over to here to learn about a Special Surprise of news that I received.

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Thursday, October 5, 2023

Houndstooth Mini Quilt ~ #40/52


My last min-quilt, the Baby Buffalo Check (#39/52), inspired me to design/make a Houndstooth mini.  As I searched for a detailed photo to base my pattern on, I also found a little bit of history on it...

"Modern yet universal, houndstooth is a staple print that never loses its luster. In recent years, there has been a revival of the two-toned textile as seen on models strutting down the runway donning new designer styles.

Houndstooth, also known as “shepherd’s check” is a classic pattern that coined its name after it’s resemblance to the shape of a dog’s tooth. It consists of irregular pointed squares commonly seen in black and white duotone and is also a prime example of a tessellation.


Worn as an outer garment by shepherds, houndstooth originated in wool cloth from the Scottish Lowlands dating back to the 19th century. Even though the pattern emerged over a century ago, the popularity of the print did not step into the fashion world until the 1930s.

Houndstooth was initially adopted by the upper class as a status symbol for wealth upon arriving to the style scene. Christian Dior was one of the first designers to incorporate houndstooth in his designs for the 1948 Haute Couture spring/summer collection. In 1959, French shoe designer Roger Vivier created pointed court heels for Dior with a smaller scale version of the pattern. Six years later, he enlarged it for a turquoise and black A-line coat.

Even though houndstooth is commonly seen in black-and-white, many modern variations have hit the catwalk. Designers from across the globe have re-envisioned the traditional mosaic by toying with its color and scale. The remixed print captivates the eye while paying tribute to the past. Houndstooth is a classic print for old and new fashionistas that never goes out of style."

Houndstooth is mainly associated with the autumn-winter season because it is used on warm, woolen fabrics. Since it is Autumn/leaves-are-turning season, it is only natural that I give a houndstooth mini a try! 


Doesn't it look wonderful with my teacup cozy and tea jar?  I'll be baking up my power bars and be ready for a snack mid-morning.  Who wants to join me?

Keep Piecing,

Melva

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