My Sweet New Sewing Machine

My friend, Gray, and I shopped for new sewing machines last week after lots of research and testing of various brands and models. We both bought Viking Sapphire 875 Quilt machines at The Sewing Circle in Fort Collins. I'm impressed with the shop and its staff who spent hours with us and offer excellent support. I've signed up for a new machine owner's class later this month but in the meantime, I'm working my way through the manual learning and practicing what my new gem can do. I've gotten the basics down and have made a pillow case and sewed borders on my Cobblestone quilt. I've had the most fun trying out the decorative stitches - I plan to make a sampler of all the stitches for a reference tool.

My last new machine, a Brother purchased in the late 1960's, still works but after more than forty years, I wanted a machine that will do things my Brother never dreamed of. I have a hard time staying out of the sewing loft even when I have other things to do. It's like a magnet!

I have three "priority projects" of the quilting variety that I'm working on now.

• The first is my contribution to the New Mexico Twin Quilts that my friend, Linda, and I are co-making. She did the centers and I'm about to put the first border on each one and send them back to her so she can add something. The twins (as we call them) are to commemorate our trip to New Mexico last year. The borders will include cornerstones of New Mexico icons that I've printed on fabric.
• The second project is putting together my contribution to our February Quilt Guild program. I'll be showing two antique/vintage quilts and I'm doing some research for the presentation. The Sunbonnet Babies quilt belongs to my 91 year old mother. Her grandmother made it for her when she was a child. The second quilt belonged to my mother-in-law, then my husband when he was a child. It has fifteen blocks embroidered from early 1900's patterns by Ruby Short McKim. Both quilts are charming.
• The third project is the Cobblestone quilt. The borders are on and I'm ready to start hand quilting.

Those should keep me busy for awhile.

Snow Day

Snowy, cold, and blustery - perfect for savoring the joys of spending the day inside with a good book, a good movie, plenty of green tea, and a bite or two of dark chocolate. Wayne chose a day of skiing which I think is brave and adventurous for a man of seventy-two. I choose warm and cozy. 

The book for today is Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle by The Countess of Carnarvon which I'll read on my Kindle. I finished watching the latest episode of Downton Abbey on Sunday with tears streaming down my cheeks. The series is still my current favorite show on television.

Belated Birthday Lunch

Two dear friends took me out today for a belated birthday lunch at my favorite local Mexican restaurant, Mountain Home Cafe. We spent the rest of the afternoon chatting and stitching here in our living room. I intended to take a picture of the three of us but forgot! It was a lovely way to spend an afternoon.

Historic Day for USA

President Barack Obama was officially sworn in as president for his second term yesterday, an historic day for the United States. Today will be the public swearing in, accompanied by a day of celebration in Washington D.C. and all over the country. Today I am especially proud to be an American. I'll spend a lot of time watching the solemn moments and the festivities on television while stitching on my Cobblestone quilt.