Almost 2017 ...............Happy New Year Everyone!!!

Hi everyone,

Can't believe that Christmas is here and gone already and the New Year is creeping up on us.  This is a busy time of year, cooking, decorating, traveling, shopping, eating, gathering together, what a magical time of year, but mostly the reason for this season, the birthday of Jesus!

Even though I've been busy, I do have a few things I can share.  We decided not to quilt yesterday at the center, so we will be back at it next Wed to start off the new year right!!

I began working on a table runner that is non-Christmas related.  I purchased it as a kit, I like to do this as then I have a pattern to make more of them in other types of material.  When I purchase a kit, I usually buy the fabric that will work well in my home.  I love colonial/primitive/country colors, no brights, but lots of Forest/Spruce Greens, Navy Blue, Rust or Deep Dark Red, Deep Gold, etc.

This was one of the most simple patterns to make, took me only minutes.  All I have to do now is quilt it and bind and sew the backing.  I'm loving this one!!

I did all the sewing on this one last week at the center.  I'll explain why!

I have a Brother Sewing machine that Bryan and Jess bought me a few Christmas' ago.  It is a great machine for straight type stitching and I use it to put quilts together.  I began making a Civil War Reproduction Quilt with it and have it set up accordingly and don't want to change the settings until I complete that quilt.

So, for my retirement gift, I got a new electronic Janome sewing machine.  It has a big throat to do all the fancy type quilting.  It has so many stitches and I can even sew names and designs on my quilts now, if only I could get one that works!!!

Yes, that is what I said works!  The first machine I got fried!  I mean it smoked and shut off, never to turn on again.  So, I called the quilt shop and back it went and they ordered me a new one!  So, I used this new one for probably 10 times at best, and guess what.................I got an error message that wouldn't clear!  Kept asking me to lift the pressure foot, raise the needle bar and start the machine again even though it was turned on.  So, I followed the process and nothing.  One day, it works, the next it doesn't.  Called the quilt shop again and had to take that one back, they had another one in stock already, like they knew this one wasn't going to work either.  So, last Tuesday I got my third one of these machines.  Guess what!!  It's sitting on my table and I'm half afraid to turn it on.  Yep, I haven't tried it yet.  I keep saying maybe today, maybe tomorrow, guess I just need to dive in and give it a try!!  They say the third time is a charm, so I'll see.  If not, it's going back and I'll take my money back, thank you very much and go buy myself a Husqvarna Viking or some other brand.  All machines are made in China, Taiwan, nothing is made here anymore.  I'd say that is part of the problem!  Wish me luck!!!

Here it is..................I love it if it works..................................

So, how about Christmas sales, any one get any good bargains??  I don't usually go anywhere to get some after Christmas bargains, but we did stop at Dollar General and I got some snowman paper plates and napkins for 50 cents a package.  Also, found some snowflake tins to put my candied walnuts in next year for 50 cents a tin.  Then on my way out, Bernie sees a white Christmas tree outside for 1/2 off, so that meant $10.  It's 6' tall.  So, for that price, I'm sure I can make it look beautiful next year.  I looked at Walmart's white ones before and believe it or not, the dollar store one is more full looking than theirs!  So here that is....................

I guess that is all that is going on, except for a dentist appt that I'm going to in about an hour.  Yay!!!

Just wanted to say that although I post every Thursday, I understand that if you follow via email, that you don't get the email notice until Friday!  So, if you want to view this on Thursday, as in you can't wait until Friday, ha ha!!, then just type into your browser...........http://debbiedixieblog.blogspot.com and that should get you there faster.

So, I'll talk with you again next Thursday, or Friday, and I leave you with this wish.................

for everyone reading this a

 Very Happy, Healthy, Safe, Prosperous, and Blessed New Year 2017!!




Hugs,
Debbie and Macy Kate too!!