Food and Family!

My kids are all grown and on their own now. But I like that they call to talk or send me texts and pictures of the grandkids everyday. But what I enjoy even more is when they all get to come and visit from whatever part of the country that they are working in at the time. 

This past week they were all home and we enjoyed being together for laughter and food. One night we had catfish, fried potatoes and coleslaw. So simple, and yet so tasty and enjoyed by all. 

FISH COATING

3 cups white cornmeal mix

1 Tablespoon garlic powder

1 Tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

Mix the ingredients well. Roll fish fillets in the coating and place in hot grease in your deep fryer and cook till golden brown. 

This recipe coated about 6 pounds of catfish fillets.

The fried potatoes were delicious and enjoyed by all. I used the yukon gold potatoes. Washed then cut them into bite sized pieces with skins on. Placed in a large skillet with hot oil in the bottom of it and added a chopped up yellow onion and a cleaned and chopped green bell pepper. Add salt and pepper, place lid on skillet. Cook over medium heat, turning potatoes occasionally to prevent sticking and burning. Cook till potatoes are tender. Place in colander to drain the grease...then enjoy!

Scripture Sunday

She opens her hand to the poor, yes

she reaches out her filled hands to the 

needy (whether in body, mind, or spirit).

Proverbs 31:20 AMP

A woman who walks with the Lord all her days

is a beautiful sight to see!

Mini Charm Table Runner

I made this quick little table runner using a couple of mini charm packs that I had in my stash.  I really

enjoy the fun spring colors.

First I matched the little 2-1/2" x 2-1/2" charms into pairs to make a 2 patch unit.

Then chain piece them together, using a 1/4 inch seam allowance.  Clip the pairs apart, and press the seams.

Next, sew 2 pairs together, end to end to make a 4 patch unit.

Then add a 2 block unit to a 4 block unit, end to end, to make a 6 block unit.  

This is a good project to use the chain piecing technique.

Each 6 charm unit is one row. 

Make 14 rows.

Arrange the rows till your pleased with the placement.

Sew the rows together.

Quilt as desired.

I used this quick and easy little squiggly line to quilt my 

table runner. 

I used this little floral print fabric from my stash for the backing.  The wiggly quilting lines really showed up nicely on the back. 

My husband pointed out that this little table runner could be reversible.  

My husband really knows how to encourage me!

Every woman should be so blessed to have a husband like mine!

Linking up with:

Quilting is more fun than Housework

Works in Progress...

While reorganizing my sewing room...or my fabric pantry, as my husband calls it... I kept pulling out a lot of flimsies and other UFO's.

I decided to make a list and I wrote down what still needed to be done to these items to take them from the works in progress status to the "Finished!" status.

Wow!!! I need to stop starting new projects and get busy finishing!

I've noticed that I seem to do better, complete more projects when they are listed on my to do list. But if not on my list and stuck in a drawer or closet...they become out of sight, out of mind.

I hate resolutions...I do like a challenge though.
So, I think I shall challenge myself to finish these UFO's or WIP list before the end of this year. I guess this will be my 2015 Challenge.

Now...just to figure out where to start!

How do you keep your UFO/WIP list manageable?

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to my dad, my husband and to all the  men out there who have taken the time to mentor and be the role model for the young people in your life. For the wisdom, instruction and encouragement. Thank you!

Get all the advice and instruction you can, 

so you will be wise the rest of your life.

Proverbs 19:20

Needle Cushion Tutorial

Have you ever needed to switch to a different thread and needed to use a different size needle for that thread? But you don't want to put that good used needle in with the new needles in the package?

How do you keep track of the different sizes after they come out of the package?

A friend of mine had a tomato pin cushion that she wrote the different sizes of her needles in each section using a sharpie.  When she has to change needles, she just places the good used one in the correct section of the tomato.

I didn't have a tomato pin cushion, so I decided to make my own needle cushion with some fabric scraps.

I had these little dresden plate wedges left over from another project.

I sewed them into pairs using a 1/4 inch seam allowance. I pressed the seams toward the darker fabric.

Then I sewed the pairs together. Then again pressed the seam.

I had this yellow print in my stash. I cut a 3 x 5 inch piece for the backing for my needle cushion.

Then with the top and back laying right sides together, sew a 1/4 inch seam allowance using the pieced top as my guide. I left one end open.  Then trimmed the backing to be even with the top after I stitched around the top.

Turn the cushion right side out...I used my purple thang to push the corners out.

Using my micron pen, I wrote the needle sizes that I use the most in different sections.

Then I stuffed the cushion with some left-over batting. Turned the opening under and pinned. Then I stitched the opening closed by hand.

This is a picture of my finished needle cushion with a couple of good used needles in it.

How do you keep your needles separate when having to switch needle and thread during a project?

Linking up with:

Quilting is more fun than Housework

A Use for Old Sewing Machine Needles

Wow! Have you ever noticed how nice and smooth your sewing machine runs after you've placed a new needle in it?

A good rule of thumb is to change the needle when you start a new project...Of course, I'm bad about working on several projects at a time.

For those who use there machines for long periods of time, you may find you need to change the needle every day or after every 8-10 hours of sewing...more
often if you happen to hit a pin while sewing. 

I know...I know...I'm not supposed to sew over the pins!

I notice that my machine will start making a little popping sound when the needle starts getting dull. When I start noticing that sound, I try to take a break in my sewing and make time to change the needle.

If I have to change the needle because it has gotten dull and not because I bent the needle, I also take the time to clean the lint out of the machine then too.

The machine just seems to run so much smoother then.

So what do you do with those old used needles? 

I have an old medicine bottle that I save all of my old needles in. I'd hate for someone to get stuck with one if I just threw it in the trash.

A Use for Dull Needles

I have been teaching my little granddaughters the basics of using a sewing machine.

I put one of the dull needles in my machine, then using some of there old school papers, I let them practice sewing on the lines (without thread).

I'm dulling my good needles by sewing through the paper, and they are learning to control the speed of the machine and learning to sew 1/4 inch seams using the lines of the paper.

The girls are having a blast learning to use the sewing machine!

It's a good thing I have a back-up!

What other uses have you found for your old needles?