The Depot

In historic downtown Cookeville, next to The Depot is parked this 3-car train.

There is an engine,  a coal car and a caboose.

When we first moved here, ten years ago, I took the kids on a train ride to Nashville. 

We rode on refurbished rail cars, high class travel back in the day.

There was a "bar" car selling sodas and  a "window" car with a glass roof for a full view. 

It was a 3-hour trip there; 2 hours to walk, shop or eat in downtown Nashville; then the 3-hour ride home.

I mistakenly thought it was a guided tour showing points of interest and local history.  OOPS!

No, just a long leisurely ride to the city.  I wish I had brought a book or games to entertain the kids.

I'm glad that we have highways and cars to get around in these days.

Here's The Depot Museum.

I have yet to find time to be there when it is open.

Opposite  is "the old shirt factory" that in recent years has been used by local bands to hold concerts and other social gatherings for the 20-somethings in the area.  I'm guessing that it was purposely located next to the train station for ease in shipping products in and out.

Every now and then I hear someone talking about having worked in the factory or I see an old quilt like the pink one pictured in a previous post http://madakamom.blogspot.com/2012/04/happy-easter-ok-im-little-late-but.html that  I assume was made and backed with shirting from this factory.

Playground Hazzard

We have constantly warned him about jumping off things... couches, chairs, steps!
Well, the inevitable happened at daycare.
He jumped off one of those outdoor climbing toys... only about a foot off the ground.

But, he landed on his elbow.  Fractured the radial head.... ie.. elbow for us lay people.
Had to pin him down to get the cast on and he cried for two hours to take it off.  Poor baby!

Scooby-Doo on tv, grilled cheese sandwhich and a couple chocolate cookies and he's better. Took him shopping to find some shirts with wider arms to fit over the cast. Spiderman for him and Hawaii for me!

Sewing will wait for another day.

UFO Listing

As part of reorganizing, some of my online friends have posted their UFO's... a list of all the projects and kits in their possession.  Since I'm working on reorganizing too, here is my list ... so far ...  I would have to dig through and examine each basket to determine a detailed listing of how far I've progressed on each project  and I don't have time for that now... but this will get me started.

COMPLETED IN 2012
Improve Block Quilt (february)

WAITING TO BE QUILTED
Rosewood Cottage - 1/2 hand quilted
Lucky Charms
Basket Sampler Quilt
Birthday Star
Monkey Wrench BOM
Set of 4 placemats
ScrapMania - listed as flimsy... can't locate????

ALMOST DONE
Christmas Swap Blocks - waiting for boder fabric to arrive
Baltimore Album Quilt - needs borders to be a flimsy
Sunbonnet Sue - needs 3 prairie point borders to be a flimsy
Basic Class Wall Hanging - need to finish hand applique on 4th block then assemble
Pillow Cover - assemble parts

STARTED AND STOPPED
Barn Blocks - 5 more applique blocks, then log cabin blocks to assemble
1950s Santa - applique - working on block 2 of 12
Happiness Key - background prepared
Vicksburg BOM - 3 to hand applique.. I may just assemble the completed blocks into a flimsy and stop
Scott's Quilt - 1/2 cutting done
Dear Jane/Hot Momma Rose - 3 blocks complete
Cheddar Bowties - 81 blocks complete, 2 of 9 rows completed for first 1/4 of quilt
Orca Bay - some of steps 1 and 2 complete
Swartz Creek Quilt - unfinished class project
Jamestown Landing BOM
Green/Pink BOM
Black White & Red
Orphan Fan Blocks
Heart Blocks
Pumpkin wall hanging
4th July Wall Hanging - paper pieced
Recycle Quilt Teddy Bears

UPCOMING CLASSES
Winston Ways
Turkey Tracks
Midnight Flight

KITS NOT YET STARTED
Pastel stars
Pink Baby Quilt
5-Star Tablerunner
Parisian 20
Cardinal Wall Hanging
Quilt Diva
Colonial Christmas
Golden Stars tablerunner
CJ's Care Bears
Iris Table Runner
2 Americana Dolls

I also have several boxes with quilt-of-the-month kits stored in the closet...but I'll leave them for another day to inventory and decide what to do.

Swaps

I have just completed another swap with Pat Sloan's Mash-up group.  I've got the blocks stitched together... now I have to find a Christmas fabric for the border.

Organization 102

The rooms have been emptied and rearranged, and while not completely organized I am happy with the results so far.

 
My quilting studio is now formed by a wall of shelves and boxes of fabrics and scraps.  As customers walk into the room there is a table to lay their tops on where we can measure and discuss work to be done. The boxes are labeled with content or fabric color.  I love that there is more open floor space for me to maneuver as I quilt along.

 The sewing studio is reorganized too.  Along the back wall of the room is a table with baskets of UFOs that need to be finished.... yes that pile is way too high!...but it was even higher last year, so I am making slow progress getting things done.  Next to that table it is my new pressing table that my husband made as a Christmas gift with some batting scraps in those pink crates underneath.  Right now it is piled high with fabrics that I am in the process of  preparing for three different quilt classes I will be attending in August.  The spare bed on the right wall serves as a "table" for my roll of batting with the extra roll stored standing on the floor in the corner.  At the bottom of the bed is the spare dresser in which I am organizing and sorting my fat quarters and storing my Dear Jane kits with work in progress.

Along the left wall of the room is my sewing table and chair.  I've discovered that I need to buy one of those plastic or wooden things for the floor as my chair will not roll on the carpet.  I've got a couple of  folding tray tables and my handquilting hoop and stand with the quilt I will eventually finish for me!  Now that it is set up and constantly staring at me I will be able to view and decide how to quilt the next block.  The last item along that wall is my cutting table... it is constructed with saw horse legs purchased from Lowes and my old butcher-block kitchen table. Yes, there is a pile of projects to be cut stacked here too, and I will get them all done eventually!   On the window sill above the table are my Civil War fabrics and some of my collection books

Lastly is the closet.  It is crammed full with two large tubs of various yarns and knitting projects, another two large tubs of fabrics and patterns for dresses and jackets that I planned on making, another large tub of kitchen towels and yarns and yet another full of colored plastic bags to be cut and crochet into waterbottle holders or entry-way rugs to help stop dirt and leaves from being tracked all over the house!  Not sure how it got knocked off, but I'll have to get hubby to put that one door back on it's tracks this weekend.

There are still more boxes to sort through, organize, and label, but at least now I can move my elbows while working and not have to worry about knocking something over.  I am so lucky to be able to expand into and take over two rooms... one for hobby and one for busniess!

organization 101

If you are like me and trying to get your sewing studio organized... again.  Check out Pat Sloan's posts on getting organized.  Lots of helpful hints.

http://quiltinggallery.com/2012/02/02/organization-101-pat-sloan/

My first step will be to empty both work areas.... my quilt studio on the left and my sewing studio on the right.

Thank goodness for strong young son's wiling to work for food!
LOL!