While working at the shop last week I started talking to a very nice customer. I found out that she and her mom design and create quilts, patterns and gifts. In fact, some of her mom's fabric is in my stash right now! Her name is Holly Knott and here is a link to her blog. She also has some wonderful tips on photographing your quilts.
Sunday we had a party on my father’s side of the family (Corradino). About 30 people attended (and 5 generations!). There was lots of food, laughing and reminiscing.
Note: Family pictures ahead!
Aunt Betty and Leonard (oldest and youngest)
Adrienne, Michael and Leonard 
Frank (my brother) and Claudia
Frank and my cousin Donny
Claudia’s mom and dad (my cousins)
Dylan and Jeff (Lauren’s boyfriend)
Greg (my brother) and Dick (Claudia’s grandpa)
Brad and Crystal, Ella, Jacob and Celia Tangorra (cousins)
My family 
The men of the family with Aunt Betty
Did you know…
…that if you go to your local Wal-Mart, Staples, and other school supply stops, and if you are very polite and ask nicely they will usually give you the boxes that display folders and the like?
This one opens at the front but sometimes they have the type that have the angled side opening.
Anyway, you can use them for your magazines:
I got 6 or 7 of these the last time I stocked up. All it cost me was a little time at the store condensing the folders into other boxes to empty them. The man at Staples thanked me for doing what he would normally have to do! This is usually a good time to check for them because school supplies are dwindling.
And by the way, if you are inundated with magazines and are planning to get rid of them, consider donating them to your local senior center. They will usually be very appreciated.
Have a great day sewing!
Last week my husband was on vacation so we decided to take Michael to Cooperstown to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
What a great day we had! Michael is at a perfect age to go and he was interested in it all. He is a big Yankees fan (like his Momo!) so we spent extra time looking at all that. We also enjoyed the halls dedicated to women and minority contributions to baseball. At the end of the day, we even watched a game at Doubleday Field.
My camera died early on but here are some of the pictures I did take.
As promised here is Part 2 of my binding tutorial.
It seems as though every website I visited this week had a binding tutorial. Most of the steps are really the same; I guess great minds think alike. All I can say is what I do works for me.
First off-two important items: an even feed food and a full bobbin (the bobbin thread should match the binding). The even feed foot (or walking foot) keeps the layers feeding smoothly through the sewing machine. As for the full bobbin, well, if you have ever run out with just a few inches to go….(insert favorite expletives here)
I always trim and square up trim my quilt after quilting. Some experts like to have all that extra fabric when putting on the binding. I think it just makes for more bulk when sewing-and a full size quilt is bulky enough. I also attach my binding to the front first.
After attaching the binding I go to my ironing board. (btw, you really can’t do the next steps with a polyester batting-it will melt. I use all cotton or 80/20 cotton/poly batting)
Iron the binding away from the quilt. I use alot of steam.
Don’t worry about the corners yet!
OK, after ironing, flip the quilt over. If you have sewn a corner by hand you should know to fold the corner opposite of the way it is folded on front. This makes for a smoother corner. Fold the binding toward the quilt near the corner and press. You will get a 45 degree angle.
Then fold the other side and press. Make sure that the binding meets up neatly at the corner. (This step is the same as when you stitch the corner by hand. 
Use one of your longer, heavier pins and pin the corner.
I do not press the binding to the back of the quilt. I find it gets wavy and I miss spots when sewing. That is just me; feel free to press the binding to the back. I also do not use fusible thread or anything like that. With practice, I have gotten better (LOTS of practice!)
Go back to your sewing machine. The quilt will be right side up. I always start right before a corner. Your needle should be right next to the binding. Swipe you finger under the quilt and feel that everything is straight and start sewing! Turn your corner with the needle in the down position.
I sew a few inches, adjust the binding to the back, do a finger swipe and sew some more. I do not sew very quickly, a big quilt will take me about a half hour to sew.
This is the quilt’s corner on the back.
Back of the quilt. There is a seam there!
Front of the quilt.
Done! Hey, Adrienne-come get your quilt!
I have my camera back. Last Monday Katie and I got brave and decided to can tomatoes. My husband got us a bushel of tomatoes. My mother-in-law and I used to can 2 or 3 bushels. I don’t remember being that energetic!
I peeled while Katie chopped and made sauce. We got 6 quarts of sauce along with several quarts and pints of tomatoes.
Katie’s sauce:
A good days work.
Hey! Maybe we should have canned these two hams!
…will be a little late. I am having a camera problem. I hope to have my binding tips up very soon. Sorry for the delay!
Remember Buddy?
(17th attempt at a picture)
Does he look like a destructive dog?
This is his monkey. Note the missing arms, legs, and tail, and partial right ear.
Yes, Buddy. We still love you.
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