Jim Shore Impersonator

 I fell victim to a cyber scam by responding to an ad on Facebook. The person posting claimed that Jim Shore was going out of business (he isn't), and he was offering Jim Shore Christmas ornaments and other products @75% off. It seemed too good to be true and that was the case. I ordered on November 16 and today, December 2, I thought it was a long time that the package was delayed. 

I checked the website provided by the "seller" and it does not exist. I had also received a confirmation of my payment and the email address to reach out for support, also is a non-working address.

My husband went on Facebook to Jim Shore's page and found out about the impersonator today. I have contacted my credit card company. What a nuisance! It's always something!

February 10, 2024 Update

I never did receive a package of Jim Shore Christmas Ornaments from VIKRASSETH LIMITED, the company to which I paid $59.88. They provided a photocopy of a postmark with what looked to be Chinese writing stamped all over it and submitted that as proof to my credit card company that the package had been mailed and said that it was mailed on December 9. The credit card company took their word for it and charged my account. I have reported this case of fraud to the Federal Trade Commission and written to my credit card company once again, saying I did not receive the package. 

March 3, 2024 Update

There is an online website that discusses the company who scammed me. The link is: https://malwaretips.com/blogs/vikrasseth-com/ 

Presentation on November 29, 2023

 I will be presenting a retrospective of my 40 years of quilt making via a slide presentation as well as a show of some quilts that the audience will be able to see "in person". This talk, "Every Quilt Has a Story," will be given at the Concord Parks and Recreation building on Canterbury Rd., Concord, New Hampshire on November 29 at 10:30 a.m. - to approximately noon (which provides for a time period for questions from the audience). The program is free and open to the public, with prior registration.

My decision to give a program about my quilts is based on a desire to spread the joy of quilt making and to demonstrate some of the reasons why quilts are made. Often, when I say that I am a "certified master craftsman in quilting," people don't know what I mean. They think I belong to the NH League of Craftsmen, a marketing group for handmade crafts of all kinds. No, I am not a member. I don't sell my work. The title I earned was through a TESTING program formerly offered by the Embroiderers' Guild of America. I started the program in 1991 and finished in April 2000.

Over 40 years, I have given away a lot of quilts and made all kinds of quilts, exploring various techniques and styles. My favorite types of quilts are small ones (miniatures and wall quilts) but I've been known to make quilts in all sizes, up to and including King size ones. I like small quilts because of the quicker turn-around time. Also, I don't need any more bed size quilts. In fact, on my own bed, I have a comforter bought at Walmart or some such place. I've given away all the larger (bed) quilts that I made over the years, save one. I prefer applique quilts and quilts that incorporate Redwork embroidery.

I think it will be an eye-opening exposure to what quilting can entail and I hope the audience enjoys it. I am happy that I've documented my work as far as taking photos and measurements, etc. over the years. A few years ago, a dear friend put together a printed book of many of my quilt projects up to the year 2012. Of course, I've made more quilts since then. Quilting is a pastime that can be enjoyed by all ages of learners. I'll admit that I have slowed down and I don't produce quilts in the great numbers I did in the 1990s. It's been a fun journey and one that I am happy to share.

O

Keepsake Quilting 2023 Gift Box

 Back a few months ago, I decided to give myself a treat by ordering a gift box of fabrics, notions and other goodies from Keepsake Quilting. I was able to pay in two installments which made the price more affordable. Yesterday the 2023 gift box arrived and it did not disappoint!

Included are fabrics in a strawberry theme, a small container of strawberry preserves, a Keepsake mug, some wonderful coasters, a pair of new scissors in a fancy protective sheath, quilt patterns, and lots of small notions like a double needle threader, a thread cutter to add to the side of a sewing machine, and a fancy new zip "un-sewer," and other things!

It was really a fun thing to do, ordering this. We often do so much for other people but rarely do we do something just for us. It is good to infuse some enthusiasm into our sewing rooms with handy new objects and colorful fabrics with a theme! I am so glad I ordered this box. I'm looking forward to next year's box!

Quilt Steals the Show

 On Saturday, September 23, 2023, we attended at quilt show in Keene, NH set up by the Cheshire Quilters' Guild. "Fall for Quilts" was spectacular! One outstanding quilt stood out from the rest, Norma Ippolito's quilt that she calls "Confetti Carnival."

There are 288 appliqued circles on a "confetti" fabric background and they are set around 9 starry wheels that remind the quiltmaker of "ferris wheels at a lively, colorful carnival." She created this bed quilt at the height of the Covid pandemic. With her permission, we took her photo with her quilt to post here. We offer hearty congratulations to Norma for making a fine quilt! By the way, she did all the work herself and worked with rulers to accomplish the machine quilting (which is exquisite). Well done!

As always, when attending a quilt show or viewing anyone's quilt in person, "Don't Touch the Quilt!" In the photo above, Sunbonnet Sue is behind bars. She must have touched a quilt! All hands have oily residue unless just washed and this gets passed onto the surface of a quilt. If enough people handle the quilt, it will look like an oily rag, eventually. So, that is the reason for the warning.

Betty Boop

 Having had a vintage Betty Boop doll in my collection for some time and not knowing her back story, I decided to look up information about her so I turned to a Google search.

Betty Boop, a blue-eyed, curly-haired woman with long earrings first appeared in 1930. She was an animated cartoon, the work of Max Fleischer and Grim Natick. She is probably best known for her "Boop-Oop-a-Doop" phrase. In one instance, after she successfully fought off the advances of a circus performer, she stated, "He couldn't take my boop-oop-a-doop away!"

A Black singer of the 1920s is thought to have been the inspiration for Betty Boop although Esther Lee Jones was never given that credit officially. Originally, Betty Boop was portrayed as a singing, talking French poodle with long ears, but eventually, those ears became earrings. Another cartoon pup, Bimbo, was her main love interest. 

Betty Boop was depicted as having a sweet personality. The garter she wore signaled her as a "liberated" woman because women of the 1920s often tucked a flask into their garter. 

Betty's first film was "Dizzy Dishes" in 1930. By 1934, she was censored by The Hays Code of 1934, and by 1939 the series was discontinued altogether. Always controversial from the start, the reason for the ban in 1934 was the use of laughing gas.

Betty's image has been reproduced on many material objects such as playing cards and other goods.  

I have been the happy caretaker of Betty Boop for a number of years now as she sat in my studio, keeping me company. A few years ago, some fabric companies reproduced her image. I only wish I'd bought some of that fabric when it was available. If anyone knows where I could get some, please reach out and let me know. I enjoyed learning more about her and hope that you did, too.

The Featherweight Shop: a Review

 Sometimes, folks do such a good job with serving the public in their business dealings that it is worth a few comments. The Featherweight Shop in Idaho is an outstanding business. I am the proud owner of a 1948 Singer Featherweight, Model 221. It is in great shape and sews beautifully. I have enjoyed adding accessories to it from the Featherweight Shop. I purchased an extension table, an LED light, a new electronics connection, and a kit to make a tiny Dresden Plate quilt block with a hole in the center to put on the spool holder to keep the spool from spinning too fast. In addition, I bought a new leather case, a red pouch in which to store the electronic component, and a "super belt" that we replaced today. 

The machine is humming along, making great stitches. Oh, and I also acquired some chrome needles, size 80 that I was told would be good to use with this machine. If you are in the market for anything for your machine, consider the Featherweight Shop. You won't be disappointed. The shop also offers great tutorials and information in their "Schoolhouse." 

The Featherweight Shop, LLC

P.O. Box 620

Kooskia, Idaho 83539

(208) 880-8887

The Featherweight Shop

Happy Sewing!

This has been an unpaid testimonial from a satisfied customer.

Patricia Cummings

Machine Appliqued Project

 Let me start by saying that I had never appliqued by machine until my latest project. My wish to do so started when I saw a very cute design by the whole country caboodle offered as a kit online. I don't often work from kits, usually preferring to design my own projects but this was too adorable to pass up and I was up for a learning challenge.

I did not realize what I was in for. After reading over the instructions multiple times, I realized that I needed to relax and take things one step at a time. First I had to make the pillow cover and order a pillow form online because of its odd size (14" x 20"). The material provided to make the pillow cover was a towel.

Next, I needed to fuse the yellow fabric to an adhesive, cushiony backing and then mark lines at 45 degree angles, going both ways. I then machine stitched those lines which form a grid background for the applique motif.

I had never pre-assembled appliques before and needed to buy a silicone mat for doing so. After carefully removing the paper from the pre-fused appliques and clipping the laser cuts of them, I was ready to do this work. I watched the tutorial provided by Leanne Anderson of the Whole Country Caboodle that shows how to layer the appliques, carefully fusing parts of them as I went. I then fused the pre-assembled unit to the background. 

An online video about doing machine applique on a Bernina machine was very helpful. I chose to do the buttonhole stitch to secure the pieces. Some of those pieces are very tiny and it was not an easy task, especially for a beginner. Oh! And I had to visit the quilt store to buy an open toe presser foot (#20) for my machine, and the threads mentioned in the video. The applique work is not perfect but I was pleased with it as a first effort.

To finish I needed to make a binding, sew it on, and sew on wide rick-rack, and Velcro on the ends of the pillow wrap. I think it is a very unusual project. I've never seen anything like it before. I would highly recommend it for anyone who wants a challenge or is really "into" machine applique.

I hope you have enjoyed seeing the completed work! That is my accomplishment of this summer. Now, on to other projects!

Happy Quilting!

Patricia Cummings

Bees

 Bees are important to human existence. They pollinate the flowers of vegetables and cross-pollinate fruit trees. I especially like Bumblebees. They seem to be the first to appear in the Spring and they really are fond of the early Rhododendron bush that will be blooming soon enough. Honeybees are great, too. They are certainly workers. It takes a lot of work to produce just one teaspoon of honey. Now, you are probably wondering why I am writing about bees. The impetus is a note from an old friend who told me that her grandchildren are terrified of bees that are visiting her flowering shrubs. She is wondering if bees are "good" or "bad." 

Without bees, we would not have vegetables and fruits. Simple as that. Their pollination is vital to the success of any garden. We have a special pollinator garden planted just for the bees. It consists of flowers and flowering herbs that they love. They are especially fond of oregano! We have cone flowers, Sunflowers, California Poppies, a Wildflower mix, Evening Primrose, and other flowers. Between the garden beds, the rows consist of clover that Jim plants every year. The clover keeps down the weeds, which is good, but is also food for the bees!

Hornets and wasps are a different thing altogether! They serve no purpose that I can see. Wasps often build nests in the ground and hornets build paper nests on buildings such as wooden houses. We are always knocking down nest especially at the front and back doors. One year, when Jim was painting our three-story home, he had to deal with a huge nest of hornets at the top eave. That was scary being on a ladder that far up and trying not to get stung. I think he knocked down the nest in the evening when they are less active and in the nest and he probably sprayed it first.

There must be books written about the importance of bees. I would hope there is one for children. Caution should be used around any bee because some of the stings can cause an allergic reaction but, for the most part, they are not aggressive and a healthy respect for them goes a long way. We have to contend with lots of bees on the raspberry bushes when we are picking. If one doesn't bother them, they don't bother anyone.

All I am saying is don't confuse beneficial bees with hornets and wasps. Certain types of bees are becoming endangered which is not a good thing. Happy gardening and enjoying the out-of-doors! Learn to co-exist!