My Invisible Thread Is Invisible

My invisible thread is invisible

I don't often use invisible thread and yet I have a huge cone of it. I mean huge! I used it on a customer quilt a few months back and it looked great. I forgot how nice it sews. This week I am working on a customer quilt and the invisible thread would be just the ticket. That is if I could find the darn thing. I am the only person who works in my space so I cannot blame this on my husband. This is me losing it. I am hoping by the time I finish this blog I will have found it. I will keep you apprised.

Emily & Brad

Emily the squirrel at Rita's House

I have had a few questions from my readers regarding Emily and Brad, the backyard squirrels. They are both tearing up my bird feeders at a miraculous speed. I am a bit concerned about Emily. She seems to have experienced some health problems. I watched her last week and it looked as if her hips had grown enormously. On a closer look, most of the hair on her upper body was gone which made her hips look huge. Not sure if she hit an electric socket and burned it off or if she has some sort of disease. She is remarkably busy so I guess it hasn't bothered her much. But she sure looks weird. I wish I could include a picture but my camera lens doesn't capture her that far from my dining room table and I am sure not going to run outside and start clicking away. It's been 20 to 30 below here for the past few weeks. When it isn't cold we get another 5 to ten inches of snow. Minnesota sure makes you enjoy the indoors.

Boredom

My friend told me she was bored. She is my age and retired. I can't believe how when given the freedom to do pretty much what you want at any time you could be bored. My mind is usually racing with all of the things I want to accomplish in a week. Honest, at this time I am pretty much housebound. Truly, it's just better to stay inside. Lucky for me, Dennis does a great deal of cooking and I still can't find time to do all of the things I want to do. I thought I would record what my space looks like at the beginning of the week and the projects that I attack during the week.

My Invisible Thread Is Invisible

Potholders?

I have fallen in love with potholders! I know, sounds silly but they are truly beautiful. Harrisville Designs has a large 10" loom that I purchased along with two different colorways for the loops. These are beautiful and thick and large. I plan on making matching dishcloths and using them as gifts. Who wouldn't love these? You can find these at my Etsy site: https://www.etsy.com/shop/RulerRack?ref=seller-platform-mcnav

Handmade woven potholder in brown and tan by Rita's Handmade

Bright handwoven potholder by Rita's Designs

Quilting Ruckus

Last month Mary Fons came out with a diatribe on how vintage quilts should not be used to make clothing. I was surprised how many people had huge opinions on this subject. When I started quilting longarm quilting was just coming into fashion. Some purists were so offended by this prospect. They made it sound like the world would end if we used a sewing machine to quilt.

And yet, over the years-long farmers have shown us some of the most intricate and beautiful work. Quilting, like most things in life, changes. An art form should do this or it dies. While I would hate to see a hand-stitched quilt cut up, I have found many old quilts and tops in second-hand stores that if cut up and made into a garment would be a great thing rather than being tossed in the trash. Besides this type of change brings new people into the craft and who doesn't want that?

My Iron after using a Magic Eraser on it

Magic Eraser

I have been doing a bit of heat and Bond appliqué in the past few months. My iron plate was almost black. I had some Hot Iron Cleaner on hand and tried to remove the gunk with that but it was useless. Maybe it was old. I went to my kitchen and got a Magic Eraser and tried that on a cool iron with just a bit of water. Oh, my gosh! What a difference. After just a few minutes it was perfectly clean. No scratching!

Hooray!

I FOUND MY INVISiBLE THREAD! Just took a week. I had put it in a place I wouldn't forget. Now I am looking for something much more visible, my fusible webbing which is in a 36" heavy-duty tube, which I put in another perfect spot that I would remember. I will have to let you know if I find it next time.

For now, I give you my Irish goodbye.

Rita

I

n case you don't know what I mean by an Irish Goodbye:

The Irish Goodbye is a term used for someone who leaves a party without saying goodbye to anyone. You may have also heard an Irish Exit, French Exit, or Dutch Leave).

WON'T YOU BE MY VALENTINE

I love you all, therefore, I am offering you 15% off any rack through February 14th.

Use code: CHOCOLATE

Customer Review:

Customer Review: Caitlin Feb. 2022

"Love my ruler rack! It is so handy to have all my rulers in one place!"

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MY FAVORITE RECIPE THIS MONTH

Coconut Cookies

Guaranteed to make you think of warm spring breeds, the crispy coconut cookies couldn't be easier to whip up.

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup pack brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup crisp rice cereal

1/2 cup flaked coconut

In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugars. Add egg and vanilla; Mix well. Combine flour and baking soda; add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in cereal and coconut. Roll into 24 balls and place 2" apart on greased baking sheet

. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or till lightly browned and set. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks. Yield: 2 dozen

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“In the depths of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.”

– Albert Camus