My Three Thousand Dollar Quilt!

WHEEEEEHEEEEEEEE!!!!  

MY QUILT BROUGHT IN OVER

 THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS!!!

The quilt I sold to a lady from my Etsy store website was put up for a raffle to be a fundraiser.  It is to benefit Safe Haven Rescue Kennel in Nevada.  She bought it from me for $400.00 and donated it to the raffle to bring in funds for vet care expenses. It more than DOUBLED their expected goal!

She wrote to me last night with the good news:

Hi Karen,
I just wanted to let you know that your quilt raised over $3000 for our vet fund. We are over the moon. The quilt is going to the winner, who lives in Kansas, where I'm sure it will be a family heirloom. Thank you so much for your beautiful work and the love you put into this quilt. It has found a home.

This is what she had written up for the listing on the raffle site:

Safe Haven Rescue Kennel is a small, all breed rescue located in rural Nevada. Most Safe Haven dogs come from shelters where they are at risk because of behavioral or medical issues, hoarding situations or failed rescues/sanctuaries. 
We believe our dogs, regardless of age or behavior, should thrive and enjoy a healthy life as though they were in a normal home environment and not homeless. All of our dogs are treated as cherished family companions and live in a home environment as best as we can provide them. Due to the nature of niche rescue efforts, some of our dogs are considered less likely to be companion pets due to their unsocial nature, lack of human bonding, severe behavioral issues or medical needs. Several are permanent sanctuary residents. 
Because of the nature of the dogs we take into rescue, our vet care expenditures are always high. Initial care for one dog often runs as high as $1,000. Because of long term care, we continue to accrue vet cost over and above the initial care. We support our seniors until the end of days, offering the best care we can afford, but always balancing that goal with quality of life. 
To help support out vet care fund, we are proud to offer this handmade quilt "Into the Woods" as a raffle item. The quilt was purchased (to support the artist) and donated to Safe Haven. 
The quilt was created by Karen Pfundtner (KarenInTheWoods). Here is her description of the creation of the quilt: 
"This quilt reminds me of a walk in the woods on a fall afternoon. Lots of browns, maple reds, and flecks of green leaves not yet turned. I start out on my 103 year old treadle machine to piece the blocks in my sewing room in my 103 year old house. Soft Celtic music playing while I stitch away, with my two Sheltie rescue dogs at my feet. This quilt is created with happy thoughts.. I finished it by myself with the free motion quilting stitches that are hand designed. Please love this quilt with as much love as I gave while making it." 

Safe Haven* facility sits on an acre with 11 outdoor enclosures and a 10 indoor/outdoor kennel building with attached caretaker housing. Safe Haven averages about 18-26 dogs on property with 4-6 dogs in foster homes. The outdoor housing provides a home-like atmosphere. Dogs are housed in human size dog cottages within large enclosures. 
Our Mission: Hope from Despair. And sometimes we just provide a place for a wounded spirit to reawaken. 

* Build A Rescue Kennel, Inc (EIN 26-1759463) is the 501.c3 organization incorporated in 2008, DBA Safe Haven Rescue Kennel

Build a Rescue Kennel, Inc. DBA Safe Haven Rescue
28 Highway 95A North
Yerington, Nevada 89447
775-463-1842

I had made this quilt, piece by piece, using fabrics I bought at Nancy's Notions Warehouse Sale....  I loved how they combined into a woodsey coordinating theme colorway. I decided to name it Walk In The Woods when it just about matched perfectly with the colors outside in the fall.

I used a pattern template also from Nancy's Notions called Strip N Twist Template and chose one of the nine variations offered with the pattern instructions.

I chose the Mosaic pattern

It was pretty easy....

sew all six colors into long strips, 3 to a strip. 

Then press them smooth and cut around 

with the included plastic template

 into perfect rectangles with diagonal shapes.

I arranged the rectangles 

into a pleasing colorway with the reds towards the middles

and the greens towards the edges

Sewing it all together piece by piece 

on my old Singer treadle machine.

Once all the blocks were together, then I set them in rows with sashing fabric of pretty dark brown fabric that had little leaves printed on it.  I added the cornerstones between each block. Once that was done, I added the borders of all of my leftover scraps. I just had BARELY ENOUGH to finish!

 

 I had to switch to my electric sewing machine to do 

the free motion leaves and vines 

along the sashing sections.

I was quite pleased with how it turned out, 

if I say so myself! 

My next project will be a labor of love....  two of my grandchildren (Jameson and Whitney) have inlaws with a special project in mind.  Their other grandma, Lisa, had a big black bag of unfinished quilt squares started by HER Grandmother Mary before she passed away. That would make that quilting lady our Jameson and Whitney's GREAT GREAT Grandmother!   I got the bag on Sunday during their birthday party (will write more about that in the next blog)  and I am going to put them together into two quilts, one for each grandchild!  

One quilt is almost ready to be quilted, 

 It is all flannel squares sewn together already, I will add some borders.

The bag in the lower left corner is chock full of squares already 

sewn together in pairs in vintage cotton fabrics to make another quilt!

Imagine the tags on each one reading:

"This quilt was started by your Great Great Grandmother Mary, 

and lovingly finished up by your Grandma Pfun!"

Good News For Once

It seems like so much of my blog has been bad news lately, with family illnesses and so many struggling with cancer.  So I wanted to share my good news.....

Mammo time: 

Spring is finally trying to poke it's head around the corner and take a peek at us.  Although this morning it is bitterly cold, complete with sleet pellets.  Brrrrrr We had high winds last night that shook the house, but the weathermen are promising that we WILL get up in the mid fifties by the weekend.  Hmmmmm


Three years ago we planted this weeping cherry tree as my Mother's Day present.  The first two years we some had blossoms on it and even some small cherries.  This year, despite a cracked trunk from the winter cold, we have an abundance of blossoms!

The cascading blooms are so thick on the branches,

and the tree is just buzzing with honeybees! 

On the topic of Steve's new cuckoo clock hobby, well---- he has one completely working already and is awaiting some ordered parts on the other one. So much for waiting for retirement to work on them??? He has this one proudly displayed in the front porch. It can stay out there for the spring, summer and fall months.  In the winter months we will relocate it back inside to a spot on the landing of the staircase in the foyer.

This one chimes on the half hour with one bong and one cuckoo.  But then on the full hour it will sound off with the cuckoos and the bongs for the number of the hour.  Then as a special surprise, a music box kicks in with a lovely tune while four little dancing couples come out and twirl around!  It's delightful and I can not wait until the grandkids come to see it!

Steve figures we will keep rotating cuckoo clocks as he finds them, fixes them, and then sells them again.  Someday we will inherit my mother's cuckoo clock that she brought back from Germany.  That will have a permanent place in our home.


I am working on five different rug orders here...  some are in multi colors with random striping. I achieve this look by weaving in two strands of thin rags in the same opening, with starting and stopping various patterns and colors mid stream.

I like using a multi-colored weft (string) that matches with any rug I choose to weave.  Since I wind on enough string for 50 rugs at a time, it's nice to have an all-purpose colorway.  Next, I am going to sew up the red, white and blue rags today for the last rug on the order list.

I picked up new sash cord the auction loom I bought last weekend. I have not had time yet to tie it all on and snug everything up. Perhaps next week.  For now it's fully assembled in the loom room in front of the window, kinda blocking up the open area.  Once I weave on it, I will decide to keep it, relocate it, or sell it as a fully functional weaving rug loom. 

In between the other stuff, I have been working on a quilt for the front porch.  It's all together now, I sandwich quilted each square, then joined the blocks and sewed in between rows called sashing.  All of it is free motion quilted and completed except for the border.  When finished, it will be queen/king sized.  But I want it to cuddle up on the front porch together.  Maybe later today I can get to that part and finish it up?

Oh... on the RVing front:  the motorhome water pump repair, Steve and I are heading to the Cat dealer in Green Bay after work today to pick up the new gasket and O rings.  Hopefully that will fix it up and we can be ready to roll in 2 weeks for Mother's Day weekend. We are heading down to my friend Juanita's Vavning Studio in Shopiere and then to our friends Jim and Norma's wedding anniversary party in Beloit.  Nice to have the motorhome as our mobile hotel room, a place to keep the doggies, and have comfort in travelling there and back without hotels, restaurants and all that hassle.

Here's to hoping we don't get any more

 **S*N*O*W**

Getting Back on Track but Cancer Strikes Our Family Again

Yes, it's sad... after just losing both our father and step father, cancer has again struck another family member.  As we go through this, with support and love for our family, we are asking for prayers and kind thoughts.  

Steve's family has also had too many family members suffer with this horrible disease, and has lost some of them too.  It has been a shocking time for Steve and I, and for the members of both of our families.

Mom is adjusting well to the loss of Lowell, and we are in contact multiple times a day via computer, chats, email and phone.  I am sure it's hard for her to get used to being alone, cooking for one, and filling her days with things to do.  She is doing well, organizing her craft stuff, and handling the rest of the details that need to be done when one loses your spouse.  I am so proud of her for stepping up and coping so well at age of 77.


On one bright note... we have something positive to look forward to!  Our oldest daughter and husband have announced the forthcoming new arrival!   Sometime in November we will be greeting our seventh grandchild!

Now, isn't he or she extremely handsome, beautiful,

educationally advanced and spectacular? 

*just like ALL of our grandchildren???*

Since our coming home from Florida a few weeks ago, we have been getting back on track at home.  With multiple obligations slated for Steve's work schedule and our family gatherings, we are trying to get the repairs completed on the motorhome too.  We need to fix the waterpump seal leak and replace the clips on the alternator.  Both projects require getting out on the ground underneath the motorhome to work on it.  The only problem is that the weather isn't cooperating!

FIVE times since we got home, we have woken up to ***S*N*O*W***~~~~  

The weatherman is promising warmer weather this week, and hopefully encouraging Spring to make it's appearance? After basking in the 80+ degree days in Florida a few weeks ago, this wet heavy icky frozen Wisconsin has been kinda hard to deal with.

My flowers are poking up their feeble leaves along the house on the south side.   I carefully covered all of the tulips, daffodils and crocus to shelter them for the first two snow storms because I knew in advance.  The last few snowfalls were more of a "surprise" so they didn't get covered.  I hope they all survive.


I have been working on customer's orders for rugs that I had put aside while we were gone.  Got a few orders completed and shipped out, and working on a few more.

My Newcomb Studio loom needed a front take up lever on the front beam  The loom had come to me without a take-up lever.  Until Steve could make me one, I had to either borrow the one from the other Newcomb or use a "strap wrench" for taking oil filters off cars!   Finally, he took off the other one, matched up the materials to make a new one, and installed it last night for me!!!!

 Back in business without having to swap levers from loom to loom just to weave.

Last weekend we had the opportunity to babysit for a couple grandtots.  It was so good to fill the house with childish laughter and squeals of delight.  We put the kiddos to work with projects and baking tasks and positive attention.  It was a great time....

Making Auntie Lois's banana bread recipe:

Grandpa Pfun attended Chelsea's Hair Salon

Grandpa also attended their medical clinic.... 

using our blood pressure monitor and oxygen sensor, 

they put Grandpa through a full medical checkup.  He passed. 

Any task we ask of them, at this age, they gladly join in and help. 

 They helped me work on this quilt, and also to finish up these rugs....

With the arrival of spring, we have a lot of projects in mind to get done around here. If the weather cooperates, we can perhaps start a few things this weekend.  

Tonight Steve is going to lead the orientation for the camphosts we have lined up for the park this season. I am cooking up a meal to serve out of crock pots to the group of volunteers before the meeting starts.  But then.....  I am going to "play hooky" on the meeting and head up to Green Bay.  Granddaughter Allegra is having her dance recital, and if you ask me, that is WAY more important.  

Sunday Around The House

Still doing blog posts from my phone. At least I know it can work this way. While Steveio is cooking breakfast, I thought I would do a blog post.

We woke up to frosty cold below zero temps, and its only going to get worse... The winds are going to kick up and make it unbearable.

 I walked around the house snapping a few pics out the windows in case anyone wants to see a bit of Wisconsin Winter.


For those of you who wish to shiver a bit with Steveio, here's his winter work around the house...



Snowblowing is a never-ending task in the area we live in. We are close to Lake Michigan, so we get some "lake effect" snow. Today it seems like it just keeps falling.


 I know this is taken through the window screen on the outer layer of storm windows so you can see the grid of the screen material. But this is the view out of my bedroom window each morning out to the street in front of our home.

Our windows have outer storms , then the old fashioned wooden windows, and then an inside layer of plexiglass that snaps onto the frame from the inside. At first we thought the plexiglass panels were dumb when we bought the house, but they really help on the heat bill and air leaks. Steve would like to replace all our windows with new ones...ACK! I won't agree. What we have are nice, old fashioned, and fits the house style. Our heating gas portion of our bill last month was under $140 for the month, and some of that is the hot water heater and meter charge. That is a LOT less than our last house, which was newer, more insulated, and had new windows.

So. There.

(Steveio and I have a running disagreement on the windows, so I will get my licks in here, on the blog, where he doesn't read). LOL!

This pic is peeking through the frosty glass on the back storm door, leading to the shaker porch on the second story rear side if the house. Just look at that poor frozen motorhome out there!

In my guest bedroom, i am keeping 8 pots of coleus plants growing.

Some are blooming, even in the middle of winter?

I have kept this same strain of coleus going since the 1990's. The first plant came from my friend Connie. I keep breaking off shoots, stick them in water till they grow roots, and plant them in dirt.

I share them with friends and try to spread them all over.

In the summer, I plant them all outdoors where they grow big and lush and full.

Yesterday afternoon I worked on my newest quilt. I know I blogged about starting on this quilt before, but I will post about how I started it again.

I bought this book and template from Nancy's Notions. With it you can make 7 different pattern blocks. By sewing together long strips of fabric in groups of threes, the template helps you cut out perfect rectangles to arrange into block patterns.

  

I sew the blocks together on my 100 year old Singer treadle sewing machine

 (thanks to Paula Stuplich who gave it to me)

  

Sitting in the sunshine, facing south, helps to clear my head of the winter doldrums... Soft music playing, two doggers dozing on the floor next to me, and the gentle clickety clickety of the treadle machine. Here is the first block.

Finnegan helped me arrange some blocks and let me know the best design. LOL....

Soon I had 10 of the 20 blocks together with some checkerboard sashing to compliment the blocks. Later today I will do the other half.

I am trying to make all of my intersections and points come together neatly. I might add some smaller complimentary blocks along the top and bottom edges to make it just a bit longer. I think I have enough scraps to do that... We will see.

 

So best to get off this computer and back to the sewing machine. 

(on edit..added later)

 

 

 And here is a tiny bit of our snow for you to enjoy.

 

I shouldn't complain so much about our weather, it is kinda pretty....