Rose Prairie Quilts and Farm

Yeppy !!!! I finished the top I started, from oh,  just a couple of years ago. But if you were around a month ago you know that I decided to finish this. I was making it my 4th of July project.  I did well but then it came to a halt because I didn't have enough fabric for the border. I was able to find border fabric at a local quilt shop. What do you think? So now I have another one checked off my list of WIP.  I really need to make a list of all the projects I have in various stages. I know I'll be shocked when I do. Till next time Kat =^..^=

I need to get you up to speed on what's been going on in the garden. Since last week I was mainly trying to catch the groundhog and just keep it all watered.  So really did not have much to report. I did not plant any new crops but did harvest my first batch of pickling cucumbers Just beautiful Ever since than I have been picking every other day. I going to make and can some lime pickles. The plants are looking good. They are in front of picture and the Okra are the shorter plants behind the cucumbers. Right now all I have are some good looking Okra plants, no blooms. You can not see the Eggplants behind the Okra, boy are they loaded with eggplants. Should be ready probably next week. The groundhog did not like those crops, plus he did not like the Peppers and Purple Hull Peas.  Peppers, 3 different varieties.  Purple Hull Peas  The Purple Hull Peas are starting to bloom. Now the Sweet Potatoes are starting to grow back. Mr Groundhog oh so ...

I forgot to mention yesterday something about this soap. It is safe for your front loading machine. I have one and because it is a low suds detergent that makes it OK. There is  a recipe for powder detergent out there and again just google or you could try a website I go to and from there you are linked to other sites, it is   money saving queen .  It is a local site but there are many ideals and recipes you can use anywhere. If you are into saving with coupons that is one of her speciality. Oh ya, I forgot to mention it works well on your cats. They come out of the dryer just so white and fluffy. Plus they smell April fresh.  That is my cat Pete (short for Pistil Pete) He has a thing for jumping into the dryer when I am trying to get the clothes out. Then he'll get in the laundry basket. He doesn't care if you cover him in clothes. Goofy cat  and of course just kidding about washing him. Thou there are times I would like to. He'l...

I had to make a new batch the other day and thought maybe you would like to try it. It is easy, a money saver and a good detergent. For just pennies a load my clothes are clean and softer than name brand detergent. ( FYI - I have hard water) I have been making my own for a year now and do not see any difference than using a name brand detergent. It takes only 3 ingredients. They are Borax, Washing Soda and Fels-Naptha (a heavy duty laundry bar soap). If you cannot find that bar soap I had read you can use Ivory bar soap. You will need; 1/3 bar of fels-naptha 1/2 cup borax 1/2 cup washing soda 2 gallon bucket You will need to grate the soap. Can use a hand grater or food processor In a pot add 6 cups of water and the grated soap. Heat until soap is dissolved. Measure out the borax and washing soda. I just put them together in one cup. Add to the pot and stir until the borax and washing soda is dissolved. If it is boiling, turn off heat once dissolved. In the bucket you...

I was playing cards this afternoon with my parents and my Great Aunt Jane. We try to get together on occasion and do this. My parents are in there 70's and my aunt is 81 so this an activity they enjoy. I think it help keep their minds sharp. We play Hands and Feets. Well today my aunt surprised me with a gift. You see I will knit while the others are playing theirs hands, so she knows how much I love to knit. Knitting was the first needlecraft I learned when I was 8 years old. She gave  me a Jordana Paige  needle case.  Isn't this the cutest needle holder. I have seen these before and was tempted to purchase one but decided to get one of her bags instead. She has some really nice bags to hold you project along with the stuff you put in your purse. What 's neat is the chart on the otherside for keeping a record of what needles you have. Now I need to go through my needles and record them before I put them in storage. Till n...

For Friday Night Sew In I worked on the purple sugar twist quilt. I made 26 blocks and was in the process of 18 more when I ran out of the light lavender fabric. I had asked for some to be order. So now I just have to wait for the order to come. I have 25 made before this and I figures I will need 88 to make a queen size. Just a few more. Then last week I also made another snowman block. this one is really cute. If you interested in making this Snowman quilt it is available through Sager Creek Quilts  Till next time Kat =^..^=

photo courtesy of website c.tadst.com I just love this picture, he is waving goodbye.  OK, so I taken some liberties, my groundhog wasn't really waving at me. I should say that he was very unhappy with me. It has been a big, no biggest challenge I have had to deal with in the garden in quite a few years. Now the heat is one thing but this groundhog. Well, you know he is very good at what he does.  EAT AND EAT A LOT I put my live trap in the garden in a couple of different spots, no luck. Then I put it by his hole, no luck. Then I took the hose, stuck it down his hole and thought I would flood him out. I must of ran that water for 40 minutes and it never overflowed. Heaven knows how deep that hole went. So I tried the trap one more time in the garden. Well I am so happy to say that he will not be eating out of my garden no more. It took some persistence on my part but  it paid off. But I need to let you know ...

I came across this on quilterblogs.com . This site view hundreds of posts a day. Every time I  post I'm on there. Any hoot, Heidi has a blog and once a month they have a virtual party. All are invited and in the comfort of your own home, you sew till your heart is content. Then everyone posts their pictures the next day. This will be my first time and I'll let you know what I did. Maybe you'll give it a try. Still time to sign up. Leave me a comment if you do sign up and that way I can see what you did  also. I'm off to see what I can work on.  I need to get caught up on a few things.  We'll see Till next time Kat =^..^=

Just a few pictures of the old homestead These Pholx's are covered in black butterflies but you can not see them all in the picture                                                            I am so waiting for my first ripe tomato. Very late this year To the cows, this is their ice cream truck. Oh, just a sweet picture of "the girls" Pete does not care for the chickens. He'll just find a new spot to go to. Shankopotamus wants to drive the tractor, but first he has to figure out how to get in. If you were raised or live on a farm, nothing smells as sweet as fresh cut hay. 

I had just come across this. If you have been to Dawn 's blog Linen Closet Quilt you already know about the new online BOM she has started. If not you should check it out.                                                              The quilt is called Hartfield She has up the first block and it is free up until the 15th. It will be a combination of applique and pieced blocks. The first one is applique and is rather nice. I think I'll give it a shot. Oh, heck there goes a sign of A.D.D. again. How does that saying go, "idle hands are the devils workshop". I think I might have that one covered right now Till next time Kat =^..^=

 My cat Buddy or as the man of the place calls him "shankopotamus" What is it with cats and quilters. Buddy is taking his nap on a block I was working on. I left just for a few minutes. This is not the first time. He looked just too peaceful for me to move him but I did.  I had to finish it. Yesterday at a guild meeting, one of the members  Barbara E. was talking about herself and said she was a "blocker' Went onto describe what a "blocker " was. This a  person who likes to  figure out how to make a block and then figures she is done with that quilt Then there is the "topper". This is a person who likes to make the top and then figures she is done with that quilt. Maybe will pass it on to get quilted. Then there is the "quilter".   She goes all the way.  Makes the blocks, puts it together and gets it quilted. What kind of quilter are you? update on operation groundhog. Nothing positive to repor...

HE'S BACK,  I SPOTTED HIM. This little critter has enormous appetite.  Just look at what he has done to the veggie patch.  My poor sunflowers, they were 3 1/2 ft tall I haven't had any problem there for a few days. Started to think what I did was working  the red cabbage was pretty well ready for picking, at least he thought so  Getting a little to relax and pu t down my shields. That's what I get. So I going to try to trap him. I didn't think I could bait the trap but after hearing what had happen to a friend of mine, it might work. She said she had one get up on her porch for a melon. I saw him escaping the garden by going under the gate I use to get in and out. Doesn't look like he could fit through it but he did. He ran across the pasture to the old homestead and slipped under the house So I'm going to bait the live trap with a piece of cantaloupe. Put it near where I saw it escape from the garden. By the looks of him, he has ...

 Just look at so many happy and smiling quilters   Photos by Pam at Sager Creek Quilt Shop  I have been quilting for over 25 years but I still love taking classes. I always learn something new or reinforce something I have been doing. I try to take classes from quilters I consider masters of their art. Elsie Campbell is one I would put in that category. I have taken classes from her before and never failed to go home being impressed and inspired. Just look at some of these beauties she has done. Doesn't she just beam.   All done on her bernina. Her quilts win many awards. For years Elsie quilts were hand quilted by her and just in the past few years she has being doing some of them on her own home machine. Just perfection. This is one of her quilts she hand quilted. Love the colors. Reminds me of an antique quilt I've seen. The class we took was based on a pattern in her new book. We did the one one the cover. You can see and read more a...

I haven't yet shown any of the WIP's I'm working on. I have not been diagnosed but I think I have adult A.D.D. I just can't stick to one thing and finish it before starting another. I either get bored or see something new and just have to start it. So here are two that I am working on I have had this pattern for a while now and just could not wait any longer. Now I'm doing mine in blue thread on a very pale blue fabric. For these two project I'm using Sulky 12wt. The blue is variegated. I like Bird Brain Designs. I'm doing this one and have completed another one. Except I am not doing them again in Red. Maybe you can tell I am not that fond of the color red. This one is done in sulky thread also,  color is charcoal. The one completed I used a variety of different colors. And I used DMC embroidery floss. Pam at Sager Creek  liked it so much that she is offering as a kit if anyone wants to do it also. But it can be done the way designer intended also, Red...