Carol Swift
Let's all give a big round of applause to our very own Carol at Just Let Me Quilt for being selected as one of twelve 2023 talented ambassadors for Benartex Fabrics! You may read all about her exciting honor in her post right here, and you can also see the full list of ambassadors and read their bios on the Benartex website right here. Congratulations Carol!
My Janome 4160QDC is home!
Last week I was waiting for my new Janome from Ken's Sewing Center, and it came during the day on Wednesday, only two days after I ordered it! I almost hugged the FEDEX guy, but I hugged my Hubs instead - lol! I got it set up and started sewing and finished putting the setting triangles on my RBD quilt. It sews like a dream and has features I love, like the automatic thread cutter and a locking stitch, plus this machine has the heft I associate with Janome, as well as smooth, quiet stitching, a simple bobbin, and the sloped front, which enables me to see the stitching much easier. The Necchi had a complicated bobbin which drove me crazy and a straight front, which caused me to crouch to see the stitches. I don't mean to disparage the Necchi, but I'm in heaven!
I saw this puffy tree skirt in an ad on Instagram and found the instructions to make it on Joann.com. Not sure I'll have time to make it, but isn't it cute! Click on these links to the Instructions and Templates.
I got an email from Art Gallery featuring these beautiful little lavender-filled eye pillows. You can find the tutorial right here.
My daughter asked me if I could make stockings like this rag-edged one she found on Amazon. I found the fabric company that makes them and purchased 3 yards of their homespun fabric and will try make three stockings for her - wish me luck!
I am caught up with Joy's Mystery Stitch-Along, but I have fallen behind in Flurry and Flakes, the stitch-along of our dear Melisa at Pinker n Punkin Quilting and Stitching. I hope to get caught up after Thanksgiving. Melisa has the cutest patterns, and they are generously offered free!
I finally got my game on with Gail's Fall 2022 Scrappy Mystery SAL. You can still join in! Either visit the Quilting Gail blog or you can click on each clue in the logo in my sidebar.
Last week my goals were:
✅1. Gail's Fall 2022 Scrappy Mystery SAL - Caught up through Clue #5
✅2. RBD Quilt - got the setting triangles sewn on the blocks, working on a sashng layout
✔3. Virtual Cookie Exchange project - I have a plan!
✅4. Evening needlework - Almost finished with a couple of my projects
Playlist for the coming week:
1. Get ready for our son and family as well as our daughter and The Littles coming on Thanksgiving Day!
2. Work on Gail's Fall 2022 Scrappy Mystery SAL
3. Work on Virtual Cookie Exchange project
4. Evening needlework
5. RBD quilt
You are all invited to share your posts by clicking on the link below - then go make some friends by visiting a few blogs - but you will need to wear your Squirrel Blinders! Be sure to visit Marsha's Spot by copying this URL and pasting it into your browser: https://marshasspot.com/
Here is our Thanksgiving menu for Thursday:
Roasted Turkey Breast and Gravy
Mashed Potatoes
Dressing (made by our daughter)
Green Bean Casserole
Corn (tradition of our son and family)
Weezie's Sweet Potato Souffle (Recipe below)
Pumpkin Cupcakes
My Mom used to make the most wonderful marshmallow topped sweet potato casserole for Thanksgiving, but we discovered this one in 2008, and it is decadent! I miss having my Mom to share it with because my family won't touch it, so I only make half the recipe:
Weezie’s Sweet Potato Soufflé
Serves 8-10 people
3 cups yams or sweet potatoes, boiled, drained, mashed
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
4 tablespoons melted (salted) butter
Mix all ingredients and place in greased casserole dish. It's best if you mix everything while the potatoes are still hot.
Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons melted (salted) butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Mix together and sprinkle over potatoes. Bake uncovered in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.
I would love to see your Thanksgiving menu!
Have a wonderful week and Happy Thanksgiving!
So glad you're enjoying the new Janome! That puffy tree skirt looks fun - I really need a new one, but have never figured out a pattern to use. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, Linda! Our menu is just simple - turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and veggies - but we're ready to take it on the road!
ReplyDeleteThose stockings would be so easy to make! I wish I'd seen those before I made our current ones (fur topped and trimmed out) but def next time (which might be in a few years--I think we've had these about 10?) I love plaids! Our menu? Smoked Turkey (hubs), potatoes and the best gravy ever (starting it today if that says anything when I make Turkey Day Broth--the whole thing is from Food & Wine Mag), Corn Pudding (Susan Branch), Peas and Red Onions (Martha Stewart), sourdough bread (not sure what form I'm making yet). Dessert: Pumpkin Cheesecake & Pecan Pie Bars. Appetizers are Smoked Salmon (hubs and I made yesterday) and Pastry Wrapped Brie with Cranberry Chutney (All Things BBQ, on the smoker). I may have forgotten something... Susan Branch has a killer Sweet Potato Casserole that I haven't made in a while. I should share that one, too. Actually I should share all of these but most esp that turkey day broth/gravy. It's got a lot of steps but they're fun, and it all smells sooo good! Gets everyone in the house excited for the big day! Have a happy Thanksgiving!!
ReplyDeleteI keep things simple, roast turkey breast/stuffing & gravy, mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce,veggies of some sort and rolls. Pumpkin pie for us - I like others like pecan but then I eat almost all of it and it is just us and one daughter so we are keeping it simple - more food this weekend when we go to see our other daughter.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you had a fun week getting acquainted with your new Janome, I am glad it shipped so fast! We are having friends over for turkey, stuffing, yams, dinner rolls and of course pumpkin pie! Happy Turkey day to you and yours.
ReplyDeleteYour new Janome sounds like it's exactly what you wanted! I also make the sweet potato souffle for Thanksgiving meal. My husband also grew up with the marshmallow sweet potatoes but he loves this recipe. No cranberry salad on our menu, I'm making creamy coleslaw. Enjoy the day with your family!
ReplyDeleteSo happy for you with the new Janome! The tree skirt and the stocking both look like good projects. I hope you have fun creating the stockings for her daughter. I thought our Thanksgiving would be a small gathering this year, but the numbers are growing. The menu includes turkey with dressing, gravy, cranberry relish, sweet potatoes, sauerkraut & apples, green bean casserole, two pies - apple and pumpkin, hot apple cider cocktail. Happy Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving, Linda, and HAPPY NEW SEWING MACHINE!!!!! I always feel like a new machine with new features gives me lots of new ideas, motivation, and courage to tackle intimidating projects. It's like having a superhero sidekick -- or maybe I'm the sidekick and it's my sewing machine that's the superhero? Depends on which machine we're talking about... ;-). Our Thanksgiving is just me, my husband, my two college-age sons, and my mom. And I decided that since I can't spend the same hour twice, it made more sense this year for me to order the whole Thanksgiving feast prepared from Whole Foods catering (except for the cranberry citrus compote that I made from scratch) so I can focus on spending time with the boys while they are home (instead of slaving away in the kitchen while the rest of the family is having fun together) and finishing the custom quilting on my Jingle Christmas quilt. Also if it's not all my favorite homemade recipes, I won't be as tempted to have third helpings of rich food that tends to accumulate on my hips!
ReplyDeleteOh what fun to have a new machine. :) Menu? The traditional turkey, dressing, mashed taters and such. Not actually one of my favorite meals, but time with the family makes it worth the effort. <3
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your new Janome! I sure sound like a dread machine. Thanks for the sweet potatoes recipe. I would love to try it in the future when I'm fully in charge of the Thanksgiving meal. Right now, my father in law, who's a wonderful cook, has his own recipe. Happy Thanksgiving!!
ReplyDeleteYour pucture shows how happy you are with your new Janome! I am sure yoy will come up with beautiful stockings. Happy Thanksgiven for you and your family. Hugs
ReplyDeleteI was in bed on Tuesday night before you posted so here I am no on Wednesday morning (NZ time!). Oh the excitement of a new Janome, I love that feature of an automatic cut off, I don't have it but see on videos those who do and wish! But I won't be changing my Bernina anytime soon. Nice to see your RBC quilt top is moving along. That Christmas stocking x3 will be wonderful, love it. Have a great Thanksgiving with family. Such a wonderful celebration.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you got your new Janome so quickly! Whew! That’s quite the to-do list. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteMichelle
https://mybijoulifeonline.com
Thank you Michelle! I doubt I will get much done on my list besides eat - lol!
DeleteWhat a beautiful post, Linda. Chock a block with nifty ideas, links and the wonderful food as well. I love that photo of you, you look beautiful with that hairdo and such big blue eyes. Mine are blue too but small and squinty, LOL What fun to have a wonderful new machine to play with. Enjoy it all! And Happy Thanksgiving too.
ReplyDeleteYour Thanksgiving meal sounds better than mine.... there needs to be a Club called "Celiac's" don't eat normal! LOL. Have a great Thanksgiving! Hugs Enjoy your family!
ReplyDeleteDon't laugh at me too much -- I spent most of Tuesday thinking it was Wed. and trying to link to the Wed. parties! As to Thanksgiving dinner we diverge at green bean casserole. We have green beans with almonds, no corn, no sweet potatoes, no rolls; we'll have a raw veggie tray, Dessert will be pumpkin pie (which hubby and I don't like particularly) and homemade carrot cake. They'll be 6 of us at dinner as son and his family are at his wife's family. Generally we all have Christmas together.
ReplyDeleteSo glad that you are enjoying your Janome. Happy thanksgiving to you! We are having cheese, olives, salmon and crackers to start - followed by turkey, stuffing, homemade cranberry sauce, mashed sweets, broccoli and asparagus, and finishing with apple Crisp and vanilla ice cream. It is a lot for 3, but my son will live off the leftovers the rest of the weekend!
ReplyDeleteHi Linda! Thank you so much for today's linky party. Yippee! Your Janome is home. You are in your happy place as far as sewing goes. I know it's a relief. I don't think I could go back to no thread cutter, or the knee lift. OH - stockings are so fun to make. You'll have no issues unless you try to perfectly match the plaid on the seams. Then, good luck isn't enough - remember, they're only stockings that are used once a year. Cute but not perfect! And they have cute covered in spades. OOH, the virtual cookie exchange is right around the corner, isn't it?! I am so looking forward to reading everyone's post and see what is shared. Oh yeah, what time should we be over for dinner?? HAHAHA. Just kidding . . . kind of. Your menu sounds deeeelicious. I love sweet potatoes - only William and I eat them, but I make them just for us. YUM! {{Hugs}} ~smile~ Roseanne
ReplyDeleteIt was so great to read about Carol’s becoming an ambassador. How wonderful you got your new machine! I do love me a Janome (or 3 😉). Good luck this week with your list. I’m behind on everything this week again but I’m not fretting. I have my Cookie Exchange project all cut out. Now to get to stay home so I can sew! 😉
ReplyDeleteOops forgot about the menu. Our Thanksgiving was in October. With my DH’s food allergies and picky appetite he got to choose the menu; barbecue burgers, sweet potato fries and a lovely side salad with an Asian Sesame dressing (salad was just for me). 😢. I miss turkey dinners with all the fixings. Now I’m off to drool over your recipes. Thanks for sharing Linda. Happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy.
ReplyDeleteHey, I can comment!! I don't do sweet potatoes, but will dearly miss the dumplings at my family's gathering. I may have to go get stuff to make a pumpkin pie here in Florida. We still haven't decided what we're having for our meal on Thursday, definitely not turkey. Lobster?
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy you are enjoying your new Janome! Ken's is just a couple hours drive from my home! Crazy, but I've only visited there once, I think! I'm sure you will have no problem with those Christmas stockings. They are really cute with the ragged edges. Reminds me of a rag quilt! Our Thanksgiving will be at Cracker Barrel! The kids usually have Thanksgiving with my SIL's mom, but they did theirs early this year. I gave them the choice of a second traditional meal, since they are here at Christmas, or eating out. We all voted and eating out won! LOL Have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family. It's a blessing to be together and enjoy each other's company!
ReplyDeleteYay for your new machine!! So glad you like it - and so glad you hugged your hubby instead haha!!
ReplyDeleteThose stockings are really cute!! have fun making them - and enjoy your amazing thanksgiving!!
Happy Thanksgiving, Linda, to you and your family! How exciting that you have your new machine to play with - the Thanksgiving food would be running late if that was me - I'd be too busy playing with the new machine - haha! You have some fun projects in the works, too! I'm going to check your Blue Cranberry Sauce recipe - I'm curious!
ReplyDeleteLinda I am so thrilled for you to get your new Janome. It's a great day when you can just sew and not have to fuss with the machine! My menu this week is pretty easy - whatever my daughter is making! Haha! Good luck this week on your to do list. I am sure everything will be more fun with the new machine.
ReplyDeleteThank you Peggy! Enjoy your time with your daughter - that is a treat. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
DeleteSo glad you were able to get right to using your new machine. You've got some fun Christmas projects planned. We are going simple for Thanksgiving, ribs (GG hates Turkey and My Guy can't eat ham), corn casserole, roasted root veggies, lava bread and chocolate lava cakes with ice cream for dessert. That should be plenty for the three of us. Have a very happy thanksgiving.
ReplyDeletewe are eating at my middle daughter's house for Thanksgiving, and praying my oldest daughter feels well enough to be with us.
ReplyDeleteI will pray for her too Marsha. I hope your holiday is filled with laughter, good food, and good health!
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