Jim and I spent 3 and a half months in Mexico, coming home two weeks early because of COVID 19. While there God gave us many opportunities for ministry. I made 38 quilted items, table runners,  hot pads, and mug rugs, for a fundraiser for Bet Shalom, the elderly home where I volunteer. I used the bright colored batiks you see here in this picture. All but 3 items sold! 

Since we got home I have been quilting customer quilts. I also made a gray/cream quilt for a wedding gift for the gal that rents our little house. Just need to get it quilted before the end of June.

Praise - thankful that all our kids and grandkids are doing well. 

Prayer - so many dear Mexican friends are suffering with no income right now.

Love to all my dear quilting sisters.  Miss you.

Bev

Hi everyone It's Heather Hajny.  I'm photoed with my good friend Cathy Metzenbauer. (I'm wearing the blue hat.)

Since last retreat, I've stayed busy with the bookkeeping for the business, especially for year-end.  In January I got to go to Mexico to see my parents for two weeks. We were joined by Cathy M for one week. It was a fabulous time. The weekend I got home, the trucking world was starting to change due to covid19. For two months we were absolutely swamped and even paid a friend to haul some of the produce for us. Then everything came to a screeching halt. The nice thing is I get to have my husband home every day since April 3rd. 

For sewing projects, I made several rice bags this winter for our house. They have become a favorite around here. I also made several mesh bags (some are a work in process) and even made a small caddy bag with the leftover mesh. I've also made a handful of face masks for our drivers and local grocery store. 

I miss all of you so much and it has been getting more difficult the closer we get to the retreat. Please pray for our business and wisdom for Jon as he is seeking loads. Please pray for strength for me as I miss you so much, and especially my son, Tim. Not seeing him for six months is hard enough, and now it will be longer. 

Love all of you dear friends,

Praying all of you stay safe and healthy

Heather

Hi all!  You'll be hearing a lot from me this week, so I will try to keep this short and sweet.  The last 6 months have been filled with making plans for my son's wedding coming up in June.  (That's his fiance in the picture with me.)  We just adore Shelby, and can't wait for her and Jon to be married.  However, due to COVID 19, they have decided to postpone the wedding.  They both really want an actual wedding with all their friends and family in attendance.  They are hoping for May 2021.  

I had not done much sewing, aside from making a Christmas stocking for Shelby, until just recently.  I've started making masks for our family.  I've been trying out different patterns and having fun with that.  I also made a baby quilt for a dear friend who has moved away.  I have the top completed and am hoping maybe this week I can quilt and bind it.

I miss you all, and am glad to see that people have started to send in updates.  This can be a fun week!  Please join in if you haven't already!

As many of you know Larry and I were married April 5, 2020. 

Thought it was kept small it was still very nice. 

We even had our masks   

God is good! 

Kathy 

Here is the quilt top that I just finished!  The embroidery is hand embroidered!  The appliqué is fused!

A lot of the pieces were around one inch!

We are planning an addition to our home.  Part of the addition is going to be my sewing room!   I’ve been spending any extra time that I have planning that room.  

I’m in the process of completing two more quilt tops and will send them to you when they are done!

Marcie

 Hi everyone. Hope all is well.  

On March 26th at about 11:30 a bullet went through are dining room window through our house and out are loving room wall and on to the roof of the house next door. Thus the tape on the window.  Someone shot a gun from the garage of the duplex next to us. You will see their roof in the window. The hole is the size of a quarter. We were sleeping when it happened and didn't notice it until Friday evening around 7 PM. The police came over were looking for the place the bullet landed or lodged. We couldn't locate any place until the Police went outside and looked around and found a bullet hole in the siding of our house. They came back inside to look. I had a quilt rack hanging up on that wall with wrought iron on the top of the shelving. The bullet hit the wrought iron and went into the wall. There was a small dent in one small part of the shelf. They went to speak to the neighbors and they denied it. It is a city-owned house. They will be evicted when quarantine is up. I am so thankful to the Lord for sparing us.  If we would have been by that window the bullet could have hit Ron in the head. I would have been too short. It was a bit unnerving so didn't sleep too well for a couple of nights. I guess God still needs us here on this earth and still has a job for us to do.   By the way, it was twenty-five years ago Ron was rob at gunpoint at WWJC.

Also the quilt I am holding up I just finished for a wedding in May. We were supposed to attend but is now only immediate family only. I have 5 more quilts in the works in various stages. 

I’m in🦋🦋

I am currently working at home.  When my day is done, I’ve been working on a Quarantine Mystery quilt that I saw on Facebook from Gail Grassel at River’s Edge Antiques & Quilt Loft in Hayward.  I am starting on clue 6.  I added a picture of the blocks I currently have.  😊 I will share the entire quilt when it is finished.

I’ve been putting backs on the many quilts that I made while in Wisconsin last October.  Will be bringing them in the fall to give to the Manor nursing home.  This is one of many table runners I made. This little tuck has been embroidered on many sweatshirts for Wisconsin Veteran Farm LLC.   I’ve also backed many of the quilts that I made at the last retreat.  I’ve made my then a dozen face mask, some for myself and a friend and others I gave to the church. I keep myself busy And still have fun.  Miss you all.  Until this Fall. God bless and keep you all. 

Love Alice 

I’ve already made about 60 masks, first for Marshfield hospital, then Comforts of home and last for the veterans home.  I am now trying to use up my stash, and have made 2 baby quilts, a child’s quilt and a couch quilt for my daughter (Jenny). I am working on a couch quilt for Tim and Amy and then will start one for Kevin and Emily. I still have more stash but had to order backing fabric and batting on line. I like this idea of sharing and the daily devotional. 

Hi. Missing you all!!! This will be a fun way to connect!  

I have been sewing masks for the past few weeks I am up to 850 donated to our community of health officials and group homes/ assisted living homes.   I have been out of work since March 18 so it’s been a good way to keep me busy and my mind off of Caileigh and baby Oliver. I have also been sewing for baby Oliver making various things for him.

We are all getting so excited for the arrival of Oliver ❤️

Happy sewing friends.  Love you all!!!

Care

(I asked Care when Caileigh was due...here's her response:)

She is due May 1st and is dilated to 1. And she is definitely ready.  So anytime now.  We are praying Tim will be able to be in the delivery room with her. As of now he can.  Only he can be there, none of us.  Sad day. But need to be safe for all of hospital. 

Oliver is about 7 lbs now😃

Tim hasn't been able to go to any of the last few appointments with her. 

Unfortunately, Karen can't find the pictures for our bell ringers.    :(

Cheryl finished her couch quilt

Heather finished 3 more mesh bags

Barb made her first basket--called a Tisket A Gasket Basket

Jayne made face mask extenders

Hello Ladies!

Since I have seen you at the last Spring Retreat, my oldest daughter had her wedding in October. It was such a wonderful time and the weather was beautiful. 

We are now expecting our 13th grandchild! Meagan is having a little girl in October. 

I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia last June. I am fortunate that it isn’t as bad as some. It certainly helped explain a lot of the aches and pains I have been experiencing. 

Harry and I are both currently working from home. I am blessed to be married to someone that I love being with all the time. 

I am currently working on Colleen’s wedding quilt. I’ll send a picture of that soon. 

Hope you are all well. 

Love,

Tammy V.

Hello, my dear friends,

What’s been happening here?  Let’s see, we tapped maple trees in February, the earliest ever, for us.  It was a good season with lots of family time with my parents, son, daughter-in-law, and grandkids.  If you’d like some syrup, I can have my mom bring some to the fall retreat, since I most likely won’t be able to attend.  My youngest is on the equestrian team and the state competition is the same time as the retreat.  Odds are they will make it again since Chi-Hi has been the Division A state champions for 7 consecutive years.

Our March mission trip to Torreon, MX was canceled and we are missing seeing our kids and grandkids in Iowa.  Facetime just isn’t quite the same.

I have done some sewing.  Many of you remember the accident in November 2018 involving Chippewa Falls Girl Scouts.  One girl had been in my Awana small group and her father had been my co-leader.  I had offered the family to make a memory quilt if/when they were ready.  Robin contacted me near the end of last year, we met and came up with a plan that she liked.  It’s now just getting the backing fabric and quilting.   Please continue to pray for the Kelley family and other families involved as they continue on.  A specific prayer for Robin’s salvation.

I’ve also started a batik quilt for myself.  I’ve had the pattern for quite some time but was struggling to find fabrics I liked.  I finally just ordered from Missouri Star so I could get started.  It was to be my spring retreat project.  I’m including a picture of some blocks.

I’ve been working in the greenhouse and have lots of plants waiting for warm enough weather to plant in the garden.  I did manage to get some onions planted this past weekend.  I’ve also been working with the horses, cattle, building fence, and preparing for calving season.  Oh, and taking care of the quickly maturing meat chickens.  If you don’t know or haven’t figured out, we have a hobby farm with a vast menagerie of animals.  Last night, I even saw a black bear visiting us.

The coronavirus craze has left us quite busy since the business we own was deemed an essential business.  Spring usually starts getting busy for us and this year has been even more so.  The first couple of weeks included lots of extra hours, as business owners, with paperwork, cleaning, regulations, etc.   I know some of you have had unexpected extra time available, which is a mixed blessing, yet I wouldn’t mind just a little bit of downtime (missing my retreat rest).  We are extremely thankful; God has blessed us by allowing us to remain open and for all the work He’s providing.  May God richly provide for each of your beloved families, also.

Stay safe and healthy!  I miss you all!

Dora

I had been helping Gail Grassel of River's Edge Quilts. She put a call out for Quilt of Valor blocks and also for people to sew blocks into quilts. I also started a quilt for charity at a local church, however, it is stuck there for a while.  I have made face masks for a friend in CA, and family members. I have been crocheting a lot. My contribution to nurses has been making face mask extenders to relieve stress on the ears. I have also crocheted market bags. I organized my sewing/craft room so that everything has a home and I can easily find what I need. I made 4 face masks for my mom this week.

Hello!

So I have a few things. Between my grandmother and myself we have donated 300+ masks to my sister and brother-in-law's work at the Trempealeau County healthcare facility for workers and clients. We have donated close to 100 masks to the Hallie Police department for their first aid/front line workers. I have donated from my personal stash close to 30 masks to the Our House Senior Living for their workers and clients.

I am attempting to make my very first quilt ever. Who is crazy enough to make a king-size quilt there very first quilt. It's me. Its a rag quilt. I have all rows sewn together I just have to attach each row to each other now.  So a Harry Potter Movie Marathon is in order to help aid in the quilt-making process. (Pictures of the process included.)

Also been working with my dad on a tall but collapsible cutting table with ironing board insert with my dad! (Picture of the top included) Super excited for the finished project of that. 

Made a couple of table runners out of my scraps from my quilt. Also made a baby blanket for an old co-worker and she told me that its the blanket she is going to bring home her little bundle of joy in. If she can get it away from her son Mason. He loves it so much!

I have missed all you lovely ladies and hope you are all well.

Being a single lady amongst these crazy times makes me very happy that I'm not pulling my hair out. Enjoying my "extended vacation" as I call it with my parents and my dog!

I love you all! Hugs!

Leah Lynn C.

Jean made the next block for her Quarantine Mystery Quilt

Jayne made a crocheted basket.  How Cute!

Jyl finished three pages for her scrapbook

Leah finished her quilt

Leah sent a few more pictures to go along with yesterday's update.

And a late day update:

Hello pretty ladies! I have done it! I have officially made my very first quilt! King size rag quilt! I'm so freaking excited! I even managed to make a few masks for my cousin! Now to try and decide what to make next! Probably a pillowcase (because they are easy and my favorite). Can't wait to see you in the fall!

2nd update from Care (We LOVE updates!)

Hello all!

Hope you’re all having a wonderful day today!!    It wouldn’t be right if I didn’t remind you all to be cleaning your machines and give them a little shot of oil too :-) 😁💕   Today I thought I’d send a beautiful picture of myself and my very beautiful pregnant daughter,  this was taken at her small shower that we were able to give before all of the coronavirus started.  

Today marks  1000 masks being sent out to our community!  I have included a couple pictures of me making masks and binding for the ties (I have The most Awesome vintage foot that fits on my PFAFF sewing machine and it is a most wonderful tool to make the binding)  for those masks because I’ve pretty much run out of elastic. In one of the pictures Caileigh and Tim for my birthday gave me the most precious grandma coffee cup that you can see I am using daily ❤️.  Sorry about all mask posts but that is pretty much what I have been doing because our community is in such need and I keep getting so many requests for it and I really feel that this is what God wants me to do to give and donate to my community at this time.  It is the pull on my heart ever since this has started and I feel that is what God wants so what a blessing for me to do that. 💗

Oh and I did use a lot of my fabric up so at some point I’ll have to go shopping for my fabric ha ha ha ha😉

The last two pictures are for burp cloths that I had made for our grandson Oliver I had given to Caileigh for her shower. 

Love and miss you all!!

Prayers and hugs!!!

Xoxoxo 

Care

This is Jyl, with the sunglasses.

The next picture is a page I’ve completed in my granddaughter, Lucy’s scrapbook.

And the last two pictures are from our trip to CA this past February. We went to the mission in Ventura and the other one is me with my cousin, we stayed with her & her husband for part of the trip.

I texted Cindy this morning (picture of Cindy getting baptized this summer) stating we should be on our way to the retreat. I am so missing being with all you lovely ladies. But we are all being safe and staying healthy.

In December I had some blood pressure issues, ended up in the hospital while my daughter-in-law was getting pinned in St. Paul, MN. She is now officially a registered nurse. Long story short an excellent doctor in Duluth, ( I went to the ER again) decided to increase my meds and I am now doing just fine. Dean & I took a two week trip to California. We drove the Pacific Coast Hwy 1 as far as Ventura. It was awesome to see all that our Creator has blessed us with. Steve, my son is on furlough from his university job and his wife, Alyssa is on call from her new job at Regions Hospital, which averages about once every two weeks, but still gets paid 50% of her pay. We are thankful she isn’t on the “frontline” as they say. We miss our Little Miss Lucy, but FaceTime her often.

I love seeing everyone’s projects and hope to see more.

Blessings,   Jyl

Hi Everyone!

So glad to finally get here!  I remembered my cap!! Missing the atmosphere of all being together, but this is a great way to catch up and be together a bit.

In November, Mike had another ablation on his heart. He has been limited with work since then, please pray for wisdom as we see where God guides us with that. 

This quarantine has been interesting here. I still go to work just about every day. There was a lot to do getting ready for patients with Covid-19 and the process tended to change about every hour or two, so it kept us busy. We are only doing emergent cases right now, so my department is very slow.  But there is always information to try to stay up to date on. We are doing shifts monitoring the temperature of hospital staff and doctors coming in to work. Other hospitals in the area are opening back up to elective surgery so I think we will soon as well. We just haven’t heard anything official.

The boys have not been to a quilt retreat since they were each four months old. They are pretty excited.  Although they don’t quite get what retreat means... it’s ok with me.

They have been out of school since the middle of March. They miss school, just being out and about, and seeing their friends.  Nate is in 7th grade and has a computer from school. He has all online lessons and assignments. It works well for him and tells him if he is on track, ahead, or behind.  Caleb is in 5th grade and we get his work and assignments every other week. 

Mike’s mom passed away a few weeks ago. That was not only a shock but very different in this time of being separated. Jim and Bev blessed us by coming to visit with Mike’s dad, siblings, and their spouses, (kept the number less than 10). It was a wonderful time of healing and we will be forever grateful.

Well, that was a long update. I enjoyed reading the other ones out there. I am going to sew a bit this evening. And get caught up on the devotions before bed.

Love you gals!!

Mary

ps. I am trying my hand at crocheting. I watched a few videos and am enjoying it. My second washcloth has better edges, but I think I use too much tension.  I’ll get it... it reminds me of sitting with my grandma.

Pat finished two layouts for her scrapbook

Barb finished some baby blankets

Bev finished a baby quilt

So just a little more update on what’s been going on with me. Two pictures are the quilts which I finally finished, and the Easter masks I made for my grandchildren. I’ve been a very busy lady since the last retreat. As you know I got married but also have been redoing Larry’s once bachelor pad into a home. Painting, wallpaper, and new floors. Plus moving in. I’m actually doing a wallpaper quilt on the wall of my sewing room. I will bring pictures this fall. I was wondering what everyone was pigging out on. Me, no-bake cookies and peeps. Miss you all sooo much!

Oh yeah and made my own lace shoes. Since the ones I was going to order were coming from China 😉

Good Friday morning

I love this idea if a retreat virtually.  My pride and joy is my wool BOM wall hanging.  I just got the binding on. Bev did an absolutely beautiful job long arming it.  I decided to get out all my started projects during this time and the wall hanging with the barn I started when my daughter was in Green Bay and she had lived in Colorado and Virginia since then.  But she is retired and bought a house in Wisconsin,  so I have a housewarming present.  By the way, thank you all for your prayers for her, she is cancer free!!!!!  The little wall hanging I hung appropriately on the door in the garage that opens to my sewing room. Love to love you all.

• There are two of Maple syrup - we had 140 taps this year and bottled a total of 19 gallons of syrup.  

• We put a fresh coat of paint on the guest room walls (picture with beds).  

• We put in new towel hooks in all the shower rooms - these ones have a shelf on the top.  

• There's a picture of the buffet line floor - we had ALL the tile in the whole building glazed so they are all super shiny and look brand new!!  

• The final picture of David by our new generator - he is working on mudding it and then will be painting it.  The wiring still has to be connected to it and the lodge - but have to wait on the local electric company to finish that part.  

So there is a small update from us.  We are all healthy.  All the staff has been laid off except for Mark, David and myself.  We trust in the Lord to provide for our needs financially as OFC has taken a BIG hit with such a big loss of income.  We have been closed since March 18th.  

Thanks for your prayers and keeping us connected with your group!!

Blessings,

Tina

Dot embroidered two kitchen towels

Alice finished a quilt using crazy squares

Jean's working on her Quarantine Mystery Quilt.  Next block is done (need to make 4)

Cathy M made a blues and greens quilt

Jayne made more mask extenders and a table runner

Jean made reversible seasonal toilet toppers

Dot

I miss the retreat and am so thankful for the virtual one!  I look forward to hearing what everyone is doing and for seeing the smiling faces! 

While reading the devotion each day I picture us sitting by the fireplace and like Bev said imagining each person sitting in their assigned 😁 seats!

I’ve been cutting wood, doing laundry, making meals and baking bread this week!  Stitching has taken the back burner!  I keep reminding my husband that I wasn’t supposed to do these things this week!

Several people had asked how he is doing!  He had cancer surgery in January and had his virtual three-month checkup this week!  So far they feel that they have gotten everything!  He received the results from his liver biopsy last week and everything looks good!  

Thank you to all for your prayers and thoughts!  The good Lord was listening!

Dot

And more from Dot:

This (picture is in Bell Ringer post) is what I have been doing when I’m not cutting wood, making supper, doing laundry and all if the other projects that my husband and mother come up with for me to do!  

The virtual retreat is awesome being we can’t do the real thing!

I do know that I would have gotten a lot mire stitching done in Frederic!  I’ll do that this fall!😁

I retired in January. I love it. Been making a lot of the 3-yard quilts. This week I made only 3  and 22 masks. All is good with me. But please keep Evie M. in your prayers. Her heath is not the best also she is dealing with her husband's health. Very challenging for her. Been keeping up with the devotions. Thank you, Karen, and all who are doing the web site. It is great. Been spending a lot of time working on the yard and helping Evie with hers. Sorry no pictures of my quilts. I don’t know how. I have to get busy I have 17 quilts that need the binding on. I have til October but Richard has 10 more at his house that are being quilted. At least I’m not staying up til 4:00 in the morning. Take care and miss you all. Will hope to see you in the fall. 

 Love Mary H.

Marcie

I thought I would have another quilt top done but my machine had problems. It took me a couple of days to figure it out. It is fine now. Should have that top done by Monday. I have  5  that need to be done by the beginning of September. They are wedding gifts.

EVERYONE who participated in any way will also receive a luggage tag and a butterfly charm, available at the fall retreat.

Thank you for participating!

LATE BREAKING NEWS

Baby Oliver Harold arrives just THREE DAYS after our retreat!

Caileigh had her baby! Care is a grandma!

April 29, 2020 at 12:24 am

6 lb 2.25 oz

Mom and Baby are doing well!