I needed to find a way to organize my sewing machine needles. The packages they come in just were not working for me, and my eyes are too old to search through the teeny numbers on the needles. I couldn't find anything online meant for needles.  However, as a former science teacher, I thought of vials.

I found these 5mL vials at a good price on Amazon, and they are the perfect size for my Singer needles.

If you are a sewer or quilter, Id love to hear how you you manage your needles.

I bet I took some of you by surprise, if just for a nanosecond!  I wish I could tell you I was coming along with my quilting skills that quickly, but that is not the case.

When I mentioned to Kathy M, a lovely lady in my community, that I was interested in quilting, she talked to her friend, Pat Jones, who just happens to be the current President of the Carolina Pine Quilters, here in Aiken SC.  Pat invited me to their March meeting, and I am very happy I decided to attend.  There were about 50 members there (including one man), and they were very warm. welcoming, and enjoyable to chat with.  The meeting began with some personal shares, followed by business and a guest speaker, and ended with a  "show-and-tell" of current projects by the members.  The larger quilts had been hung around the room, and I fell in love with this french roses quilt.  I can't explain why I find it so beautiful, but I do.  I found the pattern for it, French Roses by Heather French and bought it to make when my skills are equal to the challenge.

The evening's speaker was Cecelia Reed, who gave an absolutely fascinating and fun talk about feed sacks.  Who knew?  She shares and continues her mother's passion for collecting and documenting feed sacks and has a collection of 18,000 two-inch feed sack swathes that began with her mother's collection. The fabric from feed sacks was used not only for quilts, of course, but also for items like shirts, sleeping gowns, skirts, curtains, and tablecloths.  She was so pleased to have visited Aiken, because she had a hunch and bought an old quilt she noticed in one of the local stores.  Upon opening it up, she found a quilt from the 1800s!  If your club is looking for an interesting speaker, you can track Cecilia down through Pat's Sack of Titusville, Cocoa, FL.  

So, where I am I in my quilting adventure?  Not too far.  I made my 2nd square today, an X-block, the match to my O-block.  I did everything "right." I measured carefullly.  I cut carefully (but I still tend to bow with that rotary cutter).  I felt for those seams and pinned carefully.  I did my best to sew 1/4 in seams, using my new 1/4 inch seam presser foot.  I set the seams with the my iron.  I ironed the seams in the right direction, pulling a tad to make sure I didn't get a fold.  I let the pieces cool before removing them.  The result was a square where almost nothing lined up right and also had puckering in it.  I am a teeny bit frustrated right now.  Thank goodness I hate my choice of fabrics and have no real intention to use these squares for anything.

I did set up and learned how to use my sewing machine - bought in 2015 -  this week.  So, I am including a picture of some of my practice stitches.  Now that was fun!