Quilting

Unbeknownst to many people I am a quilter. Not by profession, strictly a hobby. 

I am not trained, nor do I belong to a Quilters guild, or club, this is strictly therapeutic. I feel no need to have my work exhibited, or critiqued, or criticized, or analyzed. This is an outlet and one that is totally mine and a reflection of me. My children will be the only ones who ever benefit, if that's what you call it, from this happy endeavor.  

I stumbled upon this by accident years ago. 

I like to sew, but lost interest in making my own clothes as I got older, and my body changed, and I was no longer a perfect size 10. Patterns required more alteration, and I found I could go buy what I wanted for so much less time and hassle, and yes, even cheaper; go figure.  

One of the aspects of Home Ec. class that I enjoyed in school was the 6 wk segment on decorating, and learning to sew accents for your home. This is something I appreciated when we moved into our first apt. I made curtains, pillows, etc. long before it was so vogue to do so. 

I began my journey into quilting making baby quilts for friends, dear friends, who's little's were going to be as important to me as my own family. I loved it when I found out that those little's loved the quilts I made, carrying them everywhere, and using them till they actually wore out. I  loved fabric, and the feel and textures it brought, and I loved making things that were useful to people. 

Over the years I have made dozens of baby quilts, and even started making flannel receiving blankets for little's that were larger than the ones you bought in the store and was told again and again how wonderful the bigger ones were for those little ones. 

I was hooked. Doing something I loved, and being rewarded by hearing how helpful and useful what I made was to folks. It was a perfect fit.  

I never ventured into larger quilts as I didn't have a quilting frame, they took up a lot of room. If I made them at all, I tied them. like the one I made for my sister. 

Back seven or eight years ago, I received a phone call from the Pastor at our church. The fire marshal had been out on inspection and all the quilting things from the former quilters group at our church was going to have to go. If I didn't want it and come get it, it was going to the dump. 

Back when my children were little, and we started attending our church, there were a group of older ladies who gathered one Tues of every  month and made quilts to be auctioned off at the churches university in Olathe for scholarships. As each of those ladies grew too old to continue the tradition, their materials, notions, and quilting frame sat idle in a back room at the church.

I loaded up and went out to get all the totes - 8 of them - full of fabric, kits, cut out quilt pieces, scissors, tape measures, marking pens, pins, instructions, and on and on and on. I sorted, and sifted and cleaned out and after giving away all the fabrics that were not appropriate for quilts, had 5 totes left. 

It might have been overwhelming to some, but I was like a alcoholic in a liquor store. I was drowning in fabric, ideas, and materials to sew and quilt till the day I died; literally.  

I found a quilt kit with the top that needed to be embroidered, but no floss; they had used it on something else. It was a tree of life, that I knew by looking at it would be beautiful in the right colors. I bought floss and began the process. I found the perfect backing material in a Jacobean print of muted tones, that literally sat for years waiting for me to finish embroidering the top. In between I made baby quilts, even a rather complicated one for our first grandchild. 

 I would embroidery in the evenings when the light was not good, and quilt during the day on my little embroidery hoop. 

As I completed projects they began to stack up on the king size bed in Audrey's bedroom. A baby quilt, two regular size quilts, even a bedspread. 

On my 60th birthday Audrey surprised me with a quilting frame. Not just any quilting frame, a adjustable, tilting, fancy, expensive quilting frame that I had been drooling over. Now I had no excuse not to finish those quilts. 

My first project was the Tree of Life quilt. The quilting lines were printed on it, and I figured it was a sure fire way to get off to a good start, and I was right. It was a job, but it was enjoyable, and I loved working on it. It didn't seem to take any time at all. 

As I worked on it, I realized what I had been missing by having a quilting frame. I was delighted to be able to see my work in such a broad scope, or at least what I thought of as broad. 

It afforded me such a bigger picture than the little hoop that I had used in the past. 

I worked diligently, and the entire quilt was finished in a matter of months.  

The next project was one of a little more complicated nature. 

It was a Texas Star quilt in red's, white's and blues, in pieces, partially put together. As I began to look at it more closely, and lay it out to see what else I might need, I became acutely aware that I would have to rip out what had been sewn and start completely over. The stitches were uneven and puckered, and it was lacking some diamonds, plus, what was I going to fill in the corners and middle sections with? 

As I began to scour for fabric, I found exactly what I needed, and purchased the backing and batting to get started. 

It has turned out great! Just what I wanted, I've just taken it off the frame, so am allowing it to rest a bit, but the binding is already cut and I will have that done shortly.  

In the mean time while I was working on this, I made a miniature quilt out of some dutch doll blocks that my mother made when she was just a little girl. It turned out beautiful as well, and will be the perfect addition to the wall in my office.  

This is an abbreviated version of my quilting exploits thus far. But I have to say that with each project finished, I am feeling more accomplished, and satisfied.  

A time to gather

As I am canning green beans, some thoughts surface in my mind.  I was reminded recently of something my mother said and most wives of farmers.  They said "It doesn't matter if harvest is early or late, the beans are always ready at harvest time".  I remember Mother driving the wheat truck for Daddy during harvest and then coming in and staying up late to can beans.  Our Grandma Horack (Millie) who stayed with us girls during harvest would have them picked and probably ready to can. 
Well, this year of 2012, wheat harvest began around this area in mid-May.  I checked the beans.  Sure enough, they were blooming.  By the time they were cutting our wheat, I was canning beans.  But I wasn't up half the night canning them. 
There were times that Mother canned beans even after harvest was over.  She would pick enough for a canner (7 quarts or 9 pints), wash, snap and pack them in jars.  Then she would get them in the pressure canner and get the pressure built up.  She would say "You watch the pressure gauge and if it gets over a certain number, you call me". Then she would go out to pick beans for the next canner.  Made me very nervous.  I watched that gauge like a hawk.  She always said you should but up 1 qt of whatever you were doing for each week of the year and some extra for company.  That was the canning rule.
 The year I really learned how to can beans, Aunt Doris and Uncle Harold were going to California to see Jean and John.  Aunt Doris said," Anita, the beans will be ready to can while we're gone.  You come out and can them".  Clinton was a baby.  But I went out.  He sat in his little seat.  I picked the beans and canned them for Aunt Doris.  Everything went fine.  Lots of memories of canning at Aunt Doris's. 
When you are used to home canned goods, nothing tastes the same.  We are very thankful for the produce and the knowledge to know how to preserve them.

The Tablecloth

Her things are always in my house; her coffee table and end table, dishes, pots, kitchen utensils. There is even a fleece jacket of hers that I wear almost every day during the winter, but I guess I’ve grown accustomed to having those things.

These are new. Tablecloths. I have a whole pile of them. Anita brought them up. Lace, linen, some Mother made, and many we bought her; one in particular stands out to me. She never used it much, said it didn’t fit the table for large groups, but I always loved it; the smoothness of the linen, the formality of it with just enough whimsy of fun in that trial of pale green shamrocks.

The things I was taught in the use of table clothes. Use the formal ones with the china, the bright printed ones with the Fiesta ware, for family dinners. There were others for Sunday after church dinners, parties with friends.

Much discussion always went into which one to use on which occasion. Did it hang right, was it the right color, and was it to short, too long? Dressing a table took forethought and preparation. It was a statement to your guests as they walked in your door.

“I’m ready for you!”
“I’m so glad you’re here!”
“I’ve planned something special just because you are coming.”

With the advent of Formica top tables, and polyurethane finishes, tables don’t need the protection of a table cloth or covering so much anymore. Placemats have also taken the place of table cloths. Shoot, people seldom drag out the china, and candle sticks anymore, if they entertain at all.

I didn’t realize that there was anything to doing it properly until I had Roger help me one time and he didn’t have a clue….he didn’t know the crease needs to run straight down the center of the table, the ends need to be even, to really do it correctly, you need a partner on the other end to get it centered just so. You don’t just “slap” a tablecloth on the table; you put something under it to protect the table. She went to far as taking old mattress pads and making table pads for her tables. She made special hangers to hang the cloths on in the closet after she had washed and ironed them so they would stay wrinkle free and ready to dress out the table at a moment’s notice.

As I went through the stack and looked at each one, I remembered them, and I remembered the times we used them, and I remembered her. I remember being taught to be particular about how you do things, pay attention to details--they matter, somethings go together, and somethings just don't, protect and take care of your things, they are worth it, be prepared for company, make people feel special, sometime it take more than two hands to do something right, and "yes, the crease being straight matters". As I look at that stack I miss my mother. I’m thankful for my Mother and all the simple life lessons that she taught me by simply teaching me the how’s and whys of using a table cloth.

Sweet Potato Biscuits

It is the time of year for hot soup and hot breads--together is possible.



This recipe was given to me by one of the beauticians who used to do mother's hair.
Sweet Potato Biscuits

2 c. flour
4 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
2/3 c. sugar
1/2 c. melted butter or margarine
2 c. mashed sweet potatoes
1/4 c. milk

Mix the dry ingrediants, work in the melted butter and sweet potatoes, turn out on a floured board, knead a few times, pat or roll out and cut into biscuits. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 12-15 min.

Note: I used canned sweet potatoes, and drain them WELL. This makes a wet dough, and you will have to work what may seem like a goodly amount of flour into it as you knead it, work only what you must to make it manageable. They will hit the spot, and as far as a perfect taste combination, you can't get any better than these with Cheesy Ham Chowder

For Kids.....large and small...Merry Christmas!

I inherited the nativity scene that we grew up with. I remember rearranging the figures, and playing out the Christmas Story of how Mary and Joseph came to be in the stable. I love nativity scenes, now with Mother's we have two. They are the central focus of our Christmas. I found the following both amusing, and touching, and know the younger crowd will probably enjoy this short "cartoon". Oh, you'll need to pause the music.

Christmas Differences

When I started this blog, it was with the intention of sharing some things about what life was like after kids, and caregiving. This is one of those blogs..........
All the blogs I look at every day are featuring what their writers and their families are doing in preparation for Christmas. Lovely pictures posted of peoples homes, and their family decorations, and traditions show the excitement and anticipation of the holiday. One woman has had shoulder surgery, and her husband and kids are still doing all the decorating! Some of the homes are absolutely beautiful!

I haven’t decorated a thing for Christmas this year. The only Christmas decoration I have in my house at this moment is the calendar picture in my office.

I had convinced myself that since the kids were not going to be home for Christmas this year that there was no reason to “drag” out all the Christmas decorations. Oh, I would put up the Nativity scene, after all isn’t that what Christmas is REALLY about?

Then I talked to Audrey the other night and she said she wasn’t going to put their Christmas tree up, the apt just wasn’t big enough. I thought “You have to decorate! It will be depressing for you if you don’t put up some Christmas stuff!”

Ryan has a phrase for Audrey and I that he coined early in their relationship and it is right on the money “Pot, meet Kettle, Kettle, meet pot.” as he looks back and forth between us. In other words we are A LOT alike.

As I heard my daughters reason for not decorating this year, and didn’t deem it worthy of denying them the festiveness of the holiday, simply because of space, I heard myself in her voice, only the reason was just a different one.

I realized that I needed to get to the bottom of this “not NEEDING to decorate” excuse and determine where it is coming from.

Granted my children live a long way away and won’t be home for Christmas, and my mother passed away in Jan. and this is our first Christmas without grandma. Yes, Roger and I will be home by ourselves……… These are what many people would deem legitimate reasons for not decorating and getting into the holiday festiveness by putting up a bunch of Christmas decorations. However, as I was making the bed this morning, and pulling the covers up on my husband’s side of the bed, I was reminded I am not the only one missing our kids over the holiday, and missing that little short woman we called Granma, and Mama.

Roger and I have reached a stage in our lives where we are probably going to be spending a lot of holidays, Christmas included, by ourselves. Am I going to simply stop celebrating the birth of my Savior and all that it implies because there isn’t a crowd around and because my circumstances have changed? Am I going to, as my mother would have said, “throw the baby out with the bath water”?

After a little “come to Jesus” meeting, I had to apologize, and tell Him that I would be getting ready for his party just like usual. I came to realize that even at the age of 53, I was still making Christmas about me. Oh yes, I could celebrate it in a grass hut with no decorations or in a beautifully decorated house on a hill, but what would be the motivation and attitude of my heart in either circumstance? Now I know that Christmas isn’t in the decorating, and the baking, and the gift giving, and tree trimming, but all those things are a representation of the preparation for the coming of our Savior. He was the biggest and best gift; ours are simply cheap reminders of what God did for us. But all these things done in the right heart attitude (yes I said ATTITUDE!!) are symbols to the outside world of the party we have every year at the birth of our Savior.

I’ve also decided that I am going to view my decorations that I have put out the same way year after year in a new light, and maybe shake things up a bit. Maybe I won’t put the entire tree up, but that doesn’t mean I can’t display some favorite ornaments in a fashion that will make us smile and remember who is coming.

Paul reminds the Thessalonians in the second letter to them: “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

After all, by myself or in a crowd, Jesus is my Savior and THAT is worth being joyful, giving thanks and celebrating.

P.S I'm still trying to find the song Tijuana Christmas by the Border Brass to add to our song list, in the meantime hope you enjoy the Christmas music :)

Nic is Home!!

Nic arrived yesterday from Phoenix to help pour concrete before the weather turns--as far as he is concerned, it has turned. "MOM IT'S FREEZING HERE!!!" He was right, when we came out of the airport, it actually was 32 degrees-so I'll give him that. But today is as they promised, a balmy 52 degrees, with a warm gale force wind out of the south. Today is sunny and great, but tomorrow is supposed to actually bring snow. He won't hang around long, but in the time he is here he had some requests before he left for work with his dad this morning.
There was a request for a peach pie, and Orange rolls and as you can tell by the picture, there will be a bonus or two in there. But I figured while I was at it I would make a pot of Quick Minestrone for the freezer, and a pumpkin pie with the left over pie dough. I put the ingredients in the bread machine before I started anything, so just about the time the rolls came out of the oven, the loaf of French Bread came out of the bread machine too.
My apron has LOTS of flour and "stuff" on the front, it is getting properly broken in, and I love that. Since Roger and I were alone for Thanksgiving, it is great to have an excuse to produce all this. This is what having people around and family here means-cooking, and food, and fun, and laughing.......... Am including the minestrone recipe. It can be made ahead, and freezes well too. Once you've made it once, you will love the fact it is delicious and easy.


Quick Minestrone
4 slices of bacon, cut up
1 large onion, chopped
1 small box mushrooms, sliced
1 lg. can(49 1/2 oz.) chicken broth
1 (1 lb. can) diced tomatoes (the Italian style are great for this)
1 tsp. EACH salt and dried basil leaves
1/4 tsp. EACH dried thyme leaves, and white pepper
4 oz. spaghetti, or mermicelli
1/2 oz. snow peas
1/4 chopped parsley
Grated Parmasan Cheese

1) in a 5 qt. kettle or dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until it begins to brown; mix in onion,mushrooms, garlic and carrots. Cook, stirring until onion is soft.
2) Add broth, tomatoes with liqued, salt, basil, thyme, and pepper. Bring to boiling. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 min.
3) Brind to boiling, add pasta. Bring to a low boil, and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until nearly tender, about 10 min. Add peas, and parsley, and boil for 2 min.
4) Taste, add salt, if needed. Serve soup with cheese, to add taste.
This yields 8 servings.

Entertaining..........

I love to decorate. House, yard, patio……..dinner tables.

As I was growing up, and we were expecting company, or family for a holiday meal, or any kind of special meal, Mother and I had somewhat of a routine. She would do the lion share of the cooking, cleaning the kitchen, utility room, and family room, while she monitored whatever was on the stove. I cleaned the rest of the house, setting up the dining room table with the extra spacers in the table, and the linens, and table ware. This became a ritual to the point that Mother admitted after I left home that she found entertaining to be somewhat daunting without me there to “take care of the table”.

As I would set up we would verbally go over the menu; what was she serving, what serving pieces would we need, if gravy, then the gravy boat and ladle, if a special side dish, for ex. Cranberry Ice, a Christmas treat that was always served on the side in its own little separate dish at each place setting, then extra room had to be arranged. Of course the centerpiece was always considered carefully; what did we have room for, and did we want candles? By the time the meal rolled around the table was (at least I felt like it) a masterpiece. She taught us to take pride not only in what we served, but how we served it. Now mind you, we don’t put that kind of pressure on ourselves in these less formal days, but the knowledge is still there, and I know if required, we know how to “pull it off”.

Perhaps this is where our love for pretty dishes and serving pieces came from. Each of us has several complete sets of dishes; Fiesta, china we picked out when we married, and a set of pottery for those more casual dinners, and then the always present set of “everyday” dishes; i.e. Corel. We have actually devoted entire weekend’s antiquing where we found complimenting dishes we could use with our current dinnerware, thereby making our table someplace fun to sit down and enjoy a delicious meal.

This has been passed on in each of we girls to the homes of our daughters. These are just a few pictures of my niece’s homes and their tables prepared for a special Easter dinner, and a Mother’s Day lunch.
Casie's Mother's Day Table

RaDawnna's Easter Table

Last night we hosted Dinners for Six, a ministry through our church where three couples have an opportunity to eat together, each contributing to the meal, and it was our night to host. As I was folding the napkins, and setting the table, I thought of all the tables I have set and decorated in my life as a Horack girl.

Cooking is fun, and the good food is always the highlight of any meal, but the part I think I enjoy the most is the decorating of the table.

Cranberry Ice (from Aunt Doris)
Cook and run thru sieve: 1 lb. cranberries & 2 C. water
Add and reheat: 2 1/2 C. sugar
Add juice of 1 orange and 1 lemon
Let cool some.
Add 1 pt. lemon-lime pop (Sprite)
Freeze
Remove from freezer a little while before ready to serve so you are able to spoon it out into the dishes. This is tart, and cold, and the perfect "side" at Thanksgiving or Christmas dinners.

A new Apron

With all the cooking I have been doing, I thought it would be nice to have a new apron. The one I did have had seen better days, and didn't really feel very good rubbing the back of my neck. I found myself not wearing it, and always getting my belly covered with splatters, or flour, something (this is no reflection on my belly mind you :) Here is the finished product. I loved this fabric, and had it made in a day. No ties, however by the time I made the binding out of coordinating fabric, ties would have been just as easy to make, UGH! BUT! I love it, it is working beautifully, and I expect to have the front of it covered with flour, or splatters very soon!