Icy Morning

This past Wednesday morning this is the sight we woke up to.  It had misted/rained/sleeted during the evening before and coated everything in ice.  Was really beautiful with the sun shining through it but quite dangerous to walk or drive on.  The roads were cleared off by the afternoon but the ice stayed on for a couple of days before it all dropped off.  The storm also did damage to the power lines and we lost our power for about an hour.  We expected to be out much longer so had run water for drinking and washing in a couple of big coolers.  Even though we own a portable generator we always run water to be on the safe side.
It is supposed to be spring by April 10th but sure has not been here much yet.  Last year this apple tree had already bloomed as we had a very early spring season.  Mother Nature just keeps us guessing.

Lynn

Machine Quilting With Highlights from Superior Threads

Wow – my first words when I got this thread in the mail, one of the few I bought just to try for this machine quilting project.  This is Highlights by Superior Threads and is 40 weight trilobal polyester thread.  I could not find any information about how many ply and when I tried to untwist it seemed like just a bunch of fibers twisted together.  Again trilobal is the shape of those fibers in a triangle shape instead of round so it reflects light and makes it very shiny and so very pretty. (This shade of turquoise is probably one of my most favorite colors so that didn’t hurt my thinking it was a pretty thread.)This sample has an unknown batting and used a 14 topstitch needle, default tension and stitch length with my Bernina 730 and using the BSR (Bernina Stitch Regulator.)  Backtracking shows where I traveled over a line 3 times like the stem of the feather but the other areas where I only backtracked once over the original line it wasn’t too heavy. 

I loved quilting with this thread….loved, loved, loved it and would definitely use it again.  The only negative I can think of might be the price as it was a bit more expensive but then again it is a quality thread.  I believe you can get this in a standard spool holding 500 yds. and a large cone.

Until Later,
Lynn

Machine Quilting with Masterpiece 2 ply Thread by Superior Threads

I used a spool of Masterpiece 2 ply thread cotton thread by Superior Threads to quilt this sample.  I have just learned that Superior Threads is now going to be making this thread as a 3 ply thread but will have some of the 2 ply for sale too - probably not as many colors or just certain colors.  The 2 ply is a 50 weight but don’t know what the 3 ply thread weight is.  I read the thinking was to make this thread a bit stronger so that is why they added a strand to the thread.  It is a bit weak and will break with a snap if it has too much stress put on it.  It is great for applique though. I did use it to quilt this sample and it had a nice light look and blended into the fabric.  I used a 12 topstitch needle, 3.25 tension and 2.0 stitch length using my Bernina 730 with the BSR (Bernina Stitch Length.)  I used Bottomline thread by Superior Threads in the bobbin and the batting was Mountain Mist White Rose 100% cotton batting

This cotton thread was really smooth with very little lint.  It will be nice to quilt where you want the quilting to fade more into the background but not on a quilt with high stress like a bed quilt.  I would restrict it to use on wall hangings or miniatures unless you get the 3 ply variety. 
Until Later,
Lynn

Spring Calves

On our farm it is that time again when the new calves start arriving.  I don’t think I will ever get tired of seeing the new babies each spring.  Each cow and calf has it’s own personality just like people.  There are the grumpy ones and the calm happy ones as well.  Some cows are good mothers and some just have problems bonding with their calf or don't have enough milk for the growing calf.  Thank goodness we don’t have many of those and they are usually sold before the next year because our calves must get their nutrition from their mothers.  We occasionally have a bottle calf but try to transplant any orphans onto a cow that looses a calf.  As much as we want all the calves to live and thrive there are some that just don’t make it. We put several areas of straw in the lot where the cows and calves are to make a nice bedding area for them.  When it is a little chilly just laying in the straw can keep the calves pretty warm.  That is their preferred place to bed down for a nap between nursing.  When the calves are sleeping the cows will go off to eat but know in an instant if someone or something is near her calf.  Usually the cow runs right over and puts herself between the “danger” and her calf.Our cows are mostly Limousine, Herford, or Limousine/Herford crossbred.  We have Limousine bulls and get a big variety of colors of calves.  Some are black, grey, all red or red white faced.  We have had black and white and all grey calves too.  Sometimes the calf looks like it’s mother and sometimes completely different than the cow. If a cow and calf are not bonding like they should they get put in the barn so there are not so many other cows and calves to distract them.  That usually seems to help the calf get to know it’s mother and for the cow to recognize and mother up her calf.  They need to bond and the cow needs to be protective of her calf in order for the calf to do well and be protected from coyotes or any other predators. The best photo is this last one – I captured the calf just after it stopped nursing and was licking it’s lips.  So cute!

Until Later,
Lynn