Monday, June 20, 2011

Home again

heading home

Shug and I are back at home after our car trip to the midlands to see our Moms. We are getting back to the normal routine and getting a little rested.

I haven't driven through Kansas in years. Now before any of you say anything, let me just say that I Love Kansas! My soul lives in Kansas. Many think that Kansas is flat and boring. Yes, it is pretty flat, but it is not at all boring. The winter wheat was ripening and being combined. (The furrowed fields gave me ideas for my next quilting project.) I looked and looked at those miles and miles of wheat and tried to describe the color; it is kind of a reddish amber, sort of the color of a deer's coat. Then we drove through the Flint Hills. Earlier in the year and earlier in the day would have shown the rolling prairie off to better advantage, but it was still just beautiful.

flint hills

We brought home quite a bit of stuff from my Mom's house. Her old Kenmore sewing machine, for one. I learned to sew on this machine; it was my first machine as a young bird just out of the nest. I haven't yet tried to see if will sew--it looks like it needs quite a bit of attention (I hope that rusty place will clean up.) But I am glad to have it here. I also got some bobbins and buttons and old irons.

the kenmore

sewing stuff

And I brought home a stack each of my Dad's shirts and my Mom's shirts. Dad's shirts are mostly polyester and I don't look forward to sewing with them, but I saw a project on flickr that used linen with polyester fabrics. I am hoping that the addition of a some rich linens will give some stability and depth to his old shirts. There is quite a bit of polyester in Mom's stack as well, though hers are slightly more "cotton rich". The prints are pretty loud. I may add some solids, but then again, maybe not. It will be a real heart-tug to work with them but I am looking forward to quite a few projects from these shirts.

dad's shirts

mom's shirts

3 comments:

noga quilts said...

Your description of travels through Kansas is heart warming, I can actually see these fields of wheat. I can feel your love for your state.

It's very emotional to get stuff from our aging parents, I'm sure these beautiful things will bring you good memories.

Lovely post, thank you!

Rachaeldaisy said...

Now I want to visit Kansas! Those flat areas have bigger skies and great cloudscapes which your photos show so beautifully. The Kenmore sewing machine is awesome!! I haven't seen one like it. I think it's wonderful that you've got lots of your parents shirts. I know you'll make wonderful quilts that would make them proud!!

Manda said...

Kansas looks beautiful!
Look forward to seeing what you make with those shirts. Whatever you create will enable those shirts to be with you for longer!