Cousins don't shake hands! Cousins gotta SEW!

Since we couldn't get it to work into everyone's schedule, Olivia and I decided to have our own sewing day just us!

She slept over last night and we got up early to sew all day!  We were at our machines by 7am and didn't even stop for breakfast!

We stopped for lunch and I took Olivia for her first experience at a FIVE GUYS for burgers and fries!  It was de-lish!

We made it to one quilt shop and had an unsuccessful WalMart stop (where we saw the car to the right with the lovely words written on the back!) before it was back to the homestead.

We solved all the world's problems, got a little sewing done, and laughed as we recited some of the best "Nancy-isms".

By the end of the day, Olivia had all the blocks ready for her next quilt project, and I had curtains for my kitchen window!


-Olivia and Kristin

Teaching Others

As the summer began, I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do with my time off. I had several projects (sewing and other misc.) to get started but I didn't know which I wanted to do first. Then a new project was put in front of me. I got so excited, I went straight to work. 

Lauren, a girlfriend from high school, came over to visit one evening. While watching a movie, she wrapped up in a quilt of mine that was lying on the couch. When the movie was over, she caught me by surprise by asking if I would teach her how to make a quilt for herself. Of course I said "Yes!"

So that night she picked out a pattern from one of the many quilt books stashed in my house and we went to the quilt store the very next day. For the next two weeks she was in and out of the house "measuring twice and cutting once", ripping out seems to correct those little mistakes, and learning that there is no such thing as too many pins. In the end she caught on to lots of my sewing humor, picked up a couple of Grandma Nancy phrases,

"if you're riding by on a flying horse, you'll never notice!" - Nancy Swinford

and made herself a beautiful quilt she will cherish forever.

~ Olivia ~

It's HOT outside!

Amy Butler's Cabo Halter pattern was very easy to follow and complete in just a day!  I used a fabric from Moda's Fandango collection and an invisible zipper in the back.  Already wearing it today!

~Kristin