Thimbles… there are so many choices! I this week’s Time Out I did my best to help you sort out which one(s) will work for you.
Heirloom thimbles…
After last week’s Time Out, Noela Burks wrote in to tell me about her thimble! She wrote:
I, like many people, have tried many thimbles and many things that were not actually thimbles but worked as thimbles😂. Years ago I was blessed with a family thimble that I believe was my great grandmothers. It is my prized possession and works like a charm. It is very small(I have thin fingers) and fits like it was made for my hands. I was inspired to share after the video! Here is a picture-

I love Noela’s story and I really love her thimble :-). It is in amazingly good shape. I suspect my grandmother had a thimble and I have no idea where it ended up. I will be sure that my own thimbles are handed down… later. When I don’t use them so much. Which will be when I’m 111.
FYI: My birthday is January 11, 1/11. It is my hope and aspiration to be alert and active enough to celebrate my 111th birthday on that day! It’s good to have a plan 🙂
How I keep my hands camera-ready…
When you watch my videos, I want you to see what I’m showing you and that’s easier if my hands look nice. How do I keep them happy? My secret is LoLo Bars and the LoLo Cuticle Intensive!
Wednesday Giveaway…
Shirley Chutwoid is this week’s winner and she will receive a Color Theory for Quilters DVD. This DVD is very much like the color lecture that I have presented to guilds for many years. The information on the DVD fits hand-in-hand with my book, The Quilter’s Practical Guide to Color. If you aren’t Shirley and would like to order this DVD, click here.

I’ll be back with another Giveaway next Wednesday. Until then you can shop for all sorts of sewing notions, books, and other fun stuff at pieceocake.com!
Show and tell…
Dee Bradford from Aledo, TX, sent this photo of her newly finished quilt that features blocks from Aunt Millie’s Garden. I love it so much! Dee wrote:
I have had the Aunt Millie’s garden pattern on my shelf for years but honestly was a bit intimidated. I’ve done a moderate amount of needle turn over the years but never pushed myself to tackle something as complex. Fast forward to this summer, I “inherited” a stack of lovely red/pink homespuns – very different from my usual bright & black colors. They looked so pretty sitting together on my cutting table I decided to make a quilt for my daughter (who loves red) featuring some applique mixed with pieced blocks, sort of in a round robin format.

So I pulled out Aunt Millies Garden, picked several of those blocks and then the fun started. I had such a wonderful time. I followed your method almost completely – though I admit I only auditioned one block at a time. I really didn’t know where I was going when I started, how many blocks, how large, etc. It was a fun journey and I enjoyed the applique so much. I wanted to thank you for your great teaching and wonderful videos and patterns. We are out here watching. And smiling along with you.
I do love hearing that you all enjoy my books, patterns, videos, and classes—it keeps me going. Thank you, Dee, for your kind words and for sharing your lovely quilt!
Note to all: Dee sent me this in mid-January and I thought I posted it, but just found it in the Draft folder. I am sorry to everyone for the delay in posting!!!
Show and tell….
Suzanne Nelson just sent me this story and the photos of her quilt. I’m going to share it as she wrote it:
It is with incredible relief that I share this quilt with you! I spotted your Thistle pattern about 20 years ago and began collecting a range of golds and purples. And kept collecting. And intending to make it. And well, one thing got in the way of actually starting, and then another. But mind you, I kept collecting fabrics.
Enter the pandemic. When I look for the silver lining in this extended period of stress, one of the things that pops up is this quilt! I finally sat down and with great mindfulness and enjoyment began stitching. It was so soothing to do a hand sewing project. It was so comforting to have a project to focus on every day. And so gratifying to finally finish a project that has been patiently simmering on the back burner for 20 years. Making this quilt was so satisfying and the best tonic for these unsettled tones. Thank you for the part you played in helping me make my way through these past months.
Be well.


Thank you, Suzanne, for sharing the story of your quilt and the pictures to go with it. I love it all, especially the thoughtful positioning of the brighter green leaves around the outer edges. Well done! I hope you are already working on your next hand sewing project :-).
Thistles can be found in the Flower Favorites eBook or in the Flowering Favorites print-on-demand version.
