Sunday, December 10, 2023

Sew & Tell ~ December 11, 2023


We are in the midst of the season that gets busy... schedules filled with plans for Christmas or holiday gatherings with family, friends or business associates, special concerts, decorating, baking and more.


Most of last week's to-do list items were completed with ease... The t-shirt quilt was delivered and received with joy.  You can read about my customer's reaction here.


Mini-quilt #49/52, that I shared on Thursday, the first evening of Hanukkah came with a brief history lesson that I found on-line.


Today, I back-track to mini-quilt #48/52... A Modern Christmas Sampler.

It is 5"x7" and features a small sampling of some Christmas fabrics from the stash. 

Our business Christmas greetings are in the mail and our family letter is nearly composed.  We are waiting (as usual) for our oldest daughter's portion.  If you are not familiar with our format, we each write our personal summary of the year.  Dave, the stock maker, has "The Stock Report".  Mine is entitled "Sew Much More" since I usually fill in any blanks that were missed in the other's highlights and... well, my quilting!  Our youngest is a PTA and has "The Tranquil Life" and our oldest used to have "The Lab Report" since she is a Medical Laboratory Scientist.  But with 4 children and the chaotic schedule they live with I changed it a few years ago to "The Wild Life".  She is notoriously late with it each year, which is why I always give a deadline 2-3 days early.  Shhh... don't tell her. LOL

This format began when the girls were in Jr. high and high school.  One year was especially busy and I enlisted their help.  Back then it was only one page.  It has since grown through front & back of standard paper, to two-sided legal and now 11x17.  Everyone enjoys it very much.  It is like a bonus!  Not just one Christmas letter, but 4!


Once the letters are mailed, I will be finishing a batik quilt for a customer... all over stippling was her design choice.



I'll try to stay up with the Star Tossed Mystery Quilt and one more Christmas mini.  Those wonky stars are in all sizes, from 3" to 12".  They were a little tricky for me, but I have a method down and am having fun.  I chose a nice easy pace, with one block a day. If I get a little behind, it is easy to catch up.





Have you seen my progress with my advent calendars on instagram and fb?  It's been fun seeing the various sew-in tags.  I think my favorite, so far, is the "stinkin' love you". 

And the statement is true!  I stinkin' love you all.  From all that read MLS and my sometimes-rambling thoughts, to those that comment and those that join the weekly party.  You are all the best!  Mwah!


Now for this week's feature...

Marsha's Spot has been working at making gifts... her fabric bowls, a scarf and a rug were items she made for a sale and chose to keep her gifts "hidden" until after gifting.  

She asked if anyone else has been making gifts.  Just this week, I had an order for three potato baker bags... they ship out Monday morning.  They are not gifts from me, but gifts that I made for a customer to give. :)  

How about you?  Are you making gifts?  What are you making.  

Time for Sew & Tell!

Keep piecing,

Melva

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Friday, December 8, 2023

From High School Teen to Doctor ~ A Friday Finish

When your customer admits to you that she is not a huge fan of quilts but LOVES the custom t-shirt quilt and states that "not all quilts are equal" and "this one is exceptional, and I love every detail of it!  From the red, to the music note fabric and muted colors of the leaves in between the shirts"... well, I was deeply touched and it made my heart sing... and may have needed a tissue to wipe a tear away as she pulled out of the driveway.


A "skipped line" quilting design

A close up shot of one of the shirts that has her name on it

The label... and if you look at the top of the photo you will see
a few small logos that didn't fit onto the front of the quilt

I don't often get to see the reaction of a customer when they see their quilt for the first time.  

This one was extra special! 

Have I ever mentioned that I love being able to preserve the memories of another's life for them??? 

Whether it is a quilt or an heirloom gift like a memory bear or something entirely different, it doesn't really matter.  

Leaving a legacy for others to recall loved ones or special moments is a part of my love language.

Everyone has a love language... what is yours?

Keep piecing,

Melva 

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Thursday, December 7, 2023

Hanukkah - Mini Quilt #49/52

A brief history lesson from History.com and a mini-quilt, #49/52 in honor of those celebrating Hanukkah...

Each year, Jews around the world celebrate an eight-day winter holiday known as Hanukkah (also spelled “Chanukah” and several other ways) on the 25th day of the month of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar, typically falling in November or December on the Gregorian calendar.

Hanukkah has ancient roots, commemorating the second century B.C.E. reclaiming and rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem following a period of Greek-Syrian occupation and desecration of the holy place, according to ancient Hebrew texts like the Talmud and the books of the Maccabees. In fact, Hanukkah means “dedication.” And like many religious and cultural celebrations and rituals, those associated with Hanukkah have changed over time.

“Hanukkah became more prominent in medieval Europe, when Jews were intermingling with Christians in close quarters,” says Rabbi Joseph Skloot, assistant professor of modern Jewish intellectual history at Hebrew Union College—Jewish Institute of Religion in New York. “Seeing Christians celebrate Christmas with such pageantry, and symbols that are so evocative, Jews sought to exalt their symbols during that same time.”

Over the next several centuries, Jews brought Hanukkah traditions with them as they migrated and resettled across the globe, including to what is now the United States. “Hanukkah in America is a joyful, light-filled festival celebrated by many Jewish families during the darkest days of December,” says Rabbi Douglas Sagal of Congregation B'Nai Israel in Rumson, New Jersey. Here are the origins and meanings behind several Hanukkah traditions, as celebrated in America.

Lighting a Menorah
Back in the second century, after a small band of Jewish warriors known as the Maccabees managed to overthrow the Greek-Syrians and reclaim the ancient temple in Jerusalem, they found a single container of oil: enough to keep the candelabrum (also known as a “menorah” or a “Hanukkiyah”) lit for one day, Skloot explains. Instead, the oil lasted for eight days, in what is now referred to as the “Hanukkah miracle.”

According to Sagal, lighting a menorah has been the primary ritual of Hanukkah for at least 1,800 years. “It appears from early sources that originally, only one candle was lit to mark the rededication of the Temple and the kindling of the sacred menorah,” he explains. “Eventually, it became the practice to light eight candles, one each night of the eight-day festival, to recall the miracle that the sacred lamp oil lasted for eight days.”

Since that shift, menorahs have had nine branches to accommodate the eight candles, as well as one used to light the others.

The candles are added from right to left, but lit from left to right on the menorah, thus always starting with the newest light. The special menorah used for Hanukkah has eight branches, with a ninth place for the candle called shamash from which all others are lit.

The tradition calls for candles with a real flame, though some also use electric ones in public displays, such as in hospitals, for safety reasons.

One of the essential aspects of the celebration, Skloot says, is publicizing the miracle of Hanukkah, when one day’s worth of oil provided eight days of light. “The practice of placing the Hanukkiyah in the window of one's home after it's lit is a way of announcing to the world that this extraordinary miracle took place,” he explains.

And while most Hanukkah rituals take place in the home, over the last decade, Skloot says that some communities have been holding public menorah lighting ceremonies alongside those for Christmas trees.

“This seems to be a particularly American phenomenon,” he notes, “and a sign of the broader acceptance of Jews in American public life.”

With the foundation of Christianity being of the Jewish faith, I find the celebration interesting.  A similar story exists in the Bible in 1 Kings 17... It tells of Elijah meeting a widow and asking for her to feed him...

Then God spoke to him: “Get up and go to Zarephath in Sidon and live there. I’ve instructed a woman who lives there, a widow, to feed you.”

10-11 So he got up and went to Zarephath. As he came to the entrance of the village he met a woman, a widow, gathering firewood. He asked her, “Please, would you bring me a little water in a jug? I need a drink.” As she went to get it, he called out, “And while you’re at it, would you bring me something to eat?”

12 She said, “I swear, as surely as your God lives, I don’t have so much as a biscuit. I have a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a bottle; you found me scratching together just enough firewood to make a last meal for my son and me.”

13-14 Elijah said to her, “Don’t worry about a thing. Go ahead and do what you’ve said. But first make a small biscuit for me and bring it back here. Then go ahead and make a meal from what’s left for you and your son. This is the word of the God of Israel: ‘The jar of flour will not run out and the bottle of oil will not become empty before God sends rain on the land and ends this drought.’”

15-16 And she went right off and did it, did just as Elijah asked. And it turned out as he said—daily food for her and her family. The jar of meal didn’t run out and the bottle of oil didn’t become empty: God’s promise fulfilled to the letter, exactly as Elijah had delivered it!

I pray that those that will begin the celebration of Hanukkah at sunset December 7th are blessed with joy as they recall not just the miracle that is at the core of this holiday, but the miracles that are before us each and every day.  

We only need to look around us to see them.  

Blessed are You, Lord our G‑d, King of the universe, who has granted us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this occasion.

Keep Piecing,

Melva

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Sunday, December 3, 2023

Let it Snow ~ Sew & Tell - December 4, 2023


Indian Summer seems to be done... the temperatures dropped and we have had a trace of snow a few times since Thanksgiving. Which is what has inspired this mini-quilt, #47/52. Winter is my least favorite season and if it has to be cold, I would prefer to have snow. ❄️ 

The snowflake was machine appliqued into place and then hand quilted around it, as well as some hand-quilting following the movement of the words "let it snow".

When it gets cold out, I tend to do more cooking and baking. As I was planning dinner for a busy day, Dave asked me why I haven't made any of the freezer crockpot meals lately. I told him that I had grown bored with the variety of them.

I pulled out a few of our favorites, made a list and did a quick shopping trip.  Smothered chicken, Chicken and wild rice soup and Creamy chicken tortilla soup would be on the menu.

And just in the nick of time since I traveled to meet a friend that gave me shirts for a custom quilt and to visit with the giftshop manager at Bent's Fort about selling my Pieces From the Santa Fe Trail book.

Visiting Bent's Fort was like taking a walk back in time... As I walked the 1/4-mile path to the fort, I recalled one of my first school field trips.  It was in the early 1970s, prior to the restoration of the historical site.  All that remained were small mounds from the adobe walls that melted over the decades since being abandoned.  I recalled the excitement of the restoration of the fort and the big celebration and dedication in July of 1976.  I recalled the filming of a movie at the Fort, the call for extras, and my begging my parents to allow me to participate.

Sorry about that rabbit trail... There was interest in carrying the book in the gift shop, and the possibility of a book signing event.  Knowing that dinner was taken care of, I enjoyed the day and didn't feel rushed.


Knowing I had a few other meals on hand I was able to then focus on the quilting of the most recent t-shirt quilt.  No Guilt::Go Quilt!  It is ready to be trimmed.  soon the binding will be done and then I'll spend some time hiding the thread tails.  

The backing is pieced, allowing for the overflow of the small t-shirt logos to be included.  And since it is red fabric, I will be including about 6 of the color grabber sheets.

That is at the top of my To-do list.  Followed by a few more mini-quilts, sending out Christmas cards from our business and compiling our annual family newsletter to send to the print shop.

We have discussed with our girls the idea of not doing a gift exchange for us, just the children.  Dave's family, for 7 years now, have made a family contribution to a charity or organization.  The choice has been made by a sibling in descending order of birth.  Since there are 8 siblings in the family, the "baby" will be making her choice next year, and then start over.

None of us really have a need for anything and if we do, we usually NEED it immediately.  I think something small for the Christmas stockings would be fun to do.  We'll see...


It is now time for this week's Sew & Tell feature! Karen, from Karen's Quilting shared her progress on three projects... her hand quilting caught my attention.  I am always in awe of those that hand-quilt larger projects.  I have done only one large throw quilt... it took me a year to complete it.

I do find it very relaxing, but I like to finish a project, admire it for a short time and then start a new one.  I have very few UFOs... In fact, I don't have any.  I DO have a works-in-progress - Our Camping Journal quilt.  Though, I have to admit that I am beginning to get anxious about getting enough blocks completed to get it sandwiched for quilting.  I digress...

Be sure to head over to Karen's Quilting to see her hexie project and her Christmas pillows. 

It is time now for the party to begin. :)  Join the fun by sharing a link to a blog post or a public social media post.  But before you go...

What is the longest on-going project you have worked on?

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

Keep Piecing,

Melva

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m


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Tuesday, November 28, 2023

Advent Countdown


Hi, my name is Melva and I am a sucker for a fun Advent Calendar. My love for them began as a child.  We had a calendar with a Christmas tree and small pockets that held ornaments.  Each day one of the small ornaments was added to the tree.  

When our children were young, we used the same calendar.  I passed on the calendar to our grandchildren.  Though, I don't think it has been used for a few years. :(

My Mom loves them as well.  She also loves puzzles.  I found an advent puzzle for her!  She has always admired beautiful stained-glass windows and this puzzle just seems perfect for her. 


Months ago, while looking for some custom sew-in labels, I found this fun Kylie and the Machine set that includes two tags each day.



Aaaaaaaaaand... I have an advent ornament set from Joyce Meyer Ministries.

Won't you join me on social media as I share pictures of each day's tags beginning December 1?

You can find me on Instagram @MelvaLovesScraps or on facebook at Melva Loves Scraps


Last year I found an on-line quilter's Advent calendar.  Melanie is doing it again this year too!  Along with the calendar, she is hosting a Star-Toss Mystery Quilt.  I may be a little crazy but will plan to keep up with the sew along too.   

December 1st is just around the corner!  I can't wait.  

I know that there are many different Christmas Countdown calendars... 

Tell me about your favorite.

Keep Piecing,

Melva

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m

 
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Sunday, November 26, 2023

New Week = New Quilt ~ Sew & Tell ~ 11/27/23


The temperatures dropped as the week progressed and I happily snuggled into my studio. I played with mini-quilts and am now only 1 week behind... 

In case you missed the "Autumn Collection"... Starting in upper right, clockwise, Colors of the Wind, Thankful Pumpkins, Playful Turkey and the "Pardoned Turkey".


When I was done with the turkeys, I turned my attention to the latest custom t-shirt quilt.  This collection of T-s come from a younger (than me) gal that graduated high school with our oldest daughter.  She went on to medical school and up until a few months ago, was at the local medical office.

Our community seems to have a difficult time keeping doctors in the area.  The medical field has this thing with loan forgiveness... if you serve in a rural area for X-number of years, a good portion of the school loans is written off.  A benefit for the community... but also a detrimental situation in that when (most of) the doctors fulfill their commitments, they leave. Forcing patients to become established with a new doctor.  It is a bit of a revolving door...

This doctor, having grown up in the community, is staying, though not practicing.  She is taking some time to be with her family.  She and her husband have 5 children, three old enough to be in school, a 3-year-old and a baby.  

All this to say, I enjoyed prepping her shirts for the quilt. (Sorry about my rant) I recalled several of her shirts from high school, and I enjoyed seeing the various colleges she attended to become a doctor.

The top is complete and it is now time for me to choose a backing.  My local options are extremely limited, but fingers crossed that, I can find something that is suitable and "makes sense."


Let's now take a look at this week's randomly selected feature.  Andrée at Quilting and Learning.  She has been sharing her progress on a t-shirt quilt... I thought her idea of quilting a block that has a pocket was clever.

"I quilted loops on the sweatshirt but only FMQ around the pouch/pocket. Won't that make a great hiding place 😁"

Now it is your turn!  How are your projects going?  

Do you have special gift projects in the works? 

Tell me about them... or join the linky party.  I love to see all of the quilty inspiration you share.

Keep Piecing!

Melva

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m


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Wednesday, November 22, 2023

Thanksgiving & Traditions


Happy Thanksgiving to all that are celebrating!

As so many of us are bustling about in the kitchen preparing our favorite sides to accompany the "Traditional" main course, I thought I would share my two latest mini-quilt challenges...

#45/52 was made using an orphan block, a variation of a dresden fan with a little turkey face.  Don't pay attention to the placement of his little hangy thing... Had I actually looked at a photo of a turkey before I did it, I would have seen that most pictures show that it is under, not over, the beak.  Oh well... 


Mini Quilt #46/52 is another turkey... this one was the lucky one that was pardoned by the president. LOL

I started reading into how this tradition started... It's a little silly, but multiple turkeys would be donated to the White House for a formal dinner.  One year, JFK?, decided that not all that were donated were needed... and one was released.

A few years later, a different President, had a similar situation happened... It wasn't until Ronald Reagan's presidency, the turkey pardon became a regular practice.  It was in 1989, under President George H. Bush that it became an annual tradition.

This year, President Biden pardoned Liberty and Bell. At that point they were settled into a special suite at The Willard Intercontinental for an overnight stay.  I say this part of the pardon is a bit extreme and very unnecessary...

None the less, my turkey was made by using a 50% reduced size of the Flower Garden block from Pieces From the Past quilt.  It is to be a view of the pardoned turkey's backside, making a break for it, as a freed bird. 


I have baked a GF Apple-Cranberry Cape Cod Cake for dessert and will be making my personal favorite side... fresh cranberries. 

The remainder of the meal - stuffed roasted chicken, potatoes and gravy and fruit salad - will be made Thursday. 

We're having a chicken, just because it is smaller and three of us.  Yes, Mom decided to not travel because of a forecasted storm that could delay her return home.  She will celebrate with us.

Do you celebrate Thanksgiving? How about "Friendsgiving"?  What is your favorite side dish?

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

Happy Thanksgiving to you!

Melva

PS: As thoughts turn from Thanksgiving to Christmas (shopping), keep in mind that if you are interested in purchasing Pieces From the Past (patterns available on-line at no cost, but not included in the book) or Pieces of the Santa Fe Trail (patterns included) for a quilter friend/family member, there will be a 25% discount when purchasing directly from my publisher - Blurb.com - Simply enter the code GIVING25 when you check out.

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