Advent This

Our church needed some updated Advent decoration. I have inherited my mother-in-laws vintage Babylock embroidery machine and put it to good use. I have it set up in my sewing studio ready to go.

It is old technology and uses cards, not disk, not thumb drive, just cards. Luckily my husbands mom had some cards to use and were stored well. The cards still work and can be used for a limited calligraphy embroidery run.

Pick your size and off it goes. It stops automatically for a thread change or when finished.

I have been able to find some Babylock cards on ebay here and there.Most cards are outdated art and type styles from the 1980's. But for these small jobs it is great for banging out a small project. I only wish I could hook this machine up to my computer. But those are later models. But thanks to her good care of her sewing machines, I can keep using it.

Currently Working on

From ideas, to sketches to drwaings

Worked on the layout and began sewing it together. Love the threads available at Connecting Threads website. Strong threads, no bleed, and lots of yardage per spool. Very good for embroidery work and quilting.

Getting closer to a whole composition with no pattern. This is straight from the hip applique and new texture ideas. 

My ever ready cat house gang. So lazy and so not helpful. But fun to pet.

Ire Eye

Here is our 5 year old Missouri Fox trotter mare. This is her good side. Two weeks ago she did something and we found her eyelid hanging tangled in her forelock. Called the vet and with headlamps on he trimmed off the necrotic tissue and sewed back the living eyelid tissue, saving her lashes and lid.

He used bright blue suture so we can find them to pull them when healed.

 Close up for the shorter lid and saved lashes.

Maple and her constant companion, Shelby, the donkey. Our vet said the cut was extremely sharp and might have come from a large mountain lion and not barb wire. We have electric extensions along the barbwire to prevent the horses getting into the wire. None of our horses have gotten into wire since we installed it and walked the fences. We even replaced our round bale ring with a new one to prevent metal cuts. But horses get into things and we do live in the woods. We are just glad her eye was saved.