Last minute gift idea!

Does anyone out there in blog-land have a quilting friend who is hard to buy for? How about a gift certificate from the Farmer's Dotter? I can still get you set up for any dollar amount thru email. If you're interested send me a message at farmersdotter@frontiernet.net. The gift certificate could be used on a weekend retreat or a kit or pattern.

Merry Christmas to you all from the Farmer's Dotter

Hope you are all having a great holiday season! I've been messing a little with my blog and I'm hoping to do some MAJOR changes to my website within the next month, so will let ya know when that happens! The new title picture is a very old quilt of my husband's grandmother. I would love to reproduce it someday. Could be another pattern idea! Has anyone seen the pattern for this out there anywhere?

Oriental Coleslaw

I've had two requests for this salad recipe this week, so decided to put it on my blog for all to enjoy! Last Saturday I went to Council Bluffs and spent the day with a fun group called Quilts From the Bluffs. They do LOTS of mission quilts and I helped them for a while that day. We had all kinds of yummy foods and this salad is what I took to share. One of the ladies asked for the recipe and another lady from here in Bedford, that was at a funeral dinner that I'd taken it to, wanted the recipe, so here goes!


Oriental Salad-This recipe came from the Scrap Happy Quilt Guild Cookbook - Clarinda, Iowa





1 bag cabbage 2 or 3 green onions - chopped

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1 can water chestnuts - chopped - I didn't put these in this weeks salads, optional

1 package Ramen noodles, crumbled - don't add until ready to serve





Dressing:1/2 cup veg oil ( I use slightly less) 1/2 cup sugar


1/3 cup white vinegar


Beef seasoning from noodle package.



Mix together and pour over cabbage mixture when ready to serve. Hope you like it, it's one of my favorites. This is one salad that I like to serve here at the Farmer's Dotter Retreats! Please check out my website, if ya haven't already...http://www.farmersdotter.com/. Thanks for taking a look and check out some of my favorite blogs too. There's a lot of neat bloggers out there!

New Little Lindsay pattern!

Howdy! Seems like it's been so long since I have blogged, that I need to tell ya'll hello! Been a little busy working on this new pattern, called Little Lindsay, after my dotter! It is another version of Sun-Bonnet Sue and I just LOVE it! Hope some of you do too! I have been hand quilting it and got it all done and laundered it and then decided it needs a little more quilting! Oh, well, not much more now. I sent the info to my publisher today, so hope to have the patterns ready soon! Email me at farmersdotter@frontiernet.net if you're interested! I'm also working on another applique flower pattern that I'm so excited about! Hope to have some pics soon to show ya!

These pictures were taken off my deck the other day. There seemed to be a front moving in and it was all dark in the distance, but the sun was still shining at our house. It was kind of neat! Today I looked out the back door and 5 deer were running for their lives! Deer season just opened last weekend so there's been a lot of activity! Actually, just behind the deer, I saw a coyote, but he didn't follow them into my timber. Guess he realized he was out-numbered!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

This is one of my favorite sayings that I have out at Thanksgiving time, but it's great for all times! It reads:
Something to do is a wonderful thing.
Keep up your stride. Stay in the ring.
Labor is blessing. A bright one and true.
Be thankful, be happy, for
Something to Do!

Quilting is my "something to do" and I love it! Hope you-all have had a great Thanksgiving! We are in between two feasts right now. Been trying to be good and not get overstuffed!


This is a little shelf that I change seasonally. The antique flower garden block works great for an extra doily! I'll probably be changing all the turkey stuff for Christmas this weekend. It's usually a mess for a few days! Our corn is out of the field now! This was the last pass thru the field. We are thankful that the harvest is almost done. I am kind of a "harvest widow" while my hubby helps the neighbor get his crops in. He really enjoys helping and a lot of the time is out til about 9 at night. They should be done by the end of the week!!

New Sheriff in town!!!

This picture was taken before the election. Kooper was dressed up for Halloween.

Sorry I haven't posted for a while! It's been a little crazy around here! Of course, I had to help a little with the campaigning for my son, Josh. He is now officially the new sheriff in Taylor County and my husband, Lonnie is now officially retired! Wow, it's hard to believe, but life goes on! The election was a week ago Tuesday, late night finding out the results, then Josh's birthday was Thursday, with Momma fixing supper. Took care of Kooper while Josh and Tara went to football game on Friday night. Went to K.C. Saturday and Sunday to see Linds and go to a quilt show and antiquing. Monday afternoon was slow in the beauty shop, so decided to make another trip to K.C. to try and promote the Farmer's Dotter. I went to 3 different guild meetings and 5 different quilt shops! Hope it helps! Please call and make reservations! Come for just a day or stay for 2 or 3 days!

Itty Bitty Quilt on Blogger's Quilt Festival

Do any of you like to go to quilt retreats? Do you like vintage quilts and fabrics? Do you need someone to come do a trunk show? If ya do, Read on!!!
Vintage baby quilt, made just 3 years ago! Sorry these pics got in here twice! Click on the pictures to see them up closer.

Howdy!! From the Farmer's Dotter!

Hey ya'all check out all the neat quilts and give aways at

Bloggers Quilt Festival. Mine should be in there somewhere, I hope!

This is my 1st attempt at making and selling a pattern! I have called it Itty Bitty, after my 1st grandson, who we nick-named Itty Bitty before he was born. I LOVE vintage quilts and fabrics, so that is what I chose to make his 1st quilt out of. The photo below is the 1st one I made for him and is out of vintage prints.

This is the 3rd one! The 2nd one is at his house, gotta have that special blankie close at hand, right!

I have kits and patterns available for these in different styles: vintage boy or girl kits, or new fabric, boy or girl. For more info check out my blog on August 7th or you can contact me at mailto:farmersdotter@frontiernet.net

These next two pictures are close-ups of Kooper's 1st quilt out of vintage fabrics. I just LOVE the Scottie dogs and the children playing AND of course the Polka Dots too!! My dream job some day is to design fabrics! I have quite a stash of vintage fabrics, if anyone is interested! Also check out my website at http://www.farmersdotter.com/!

Fall Fun! Just had a group for the day, today. This is the Fletcher family from Bedford, they didn't have to come far! The Dad, Mike, was trying to exit the picture as I was taking it! He joined us for lunch, so he could see his girls for a little while.



I have a special on my website for the locals that don't want to come and spend the night. Let me know if ya want to have a fall or holiday party here. I love to use all my vintage things for holiday decorating and entertaining!BROWN and ORANGE DISHES!! Love to use these for serving in the fall! Today's menu was chili and cheese soup, chips and homemade salsa & spinach dip, homemade whole wheat bread, cheese and crackers, pickles, apples and dip, pumpkin bars and apple fruit pizza. Also had warm monster cookies when they arrived.

Lost another Aunt this week. My Aunt Teddy Runde, from rural Parnell, Mo. My Mom and I just went to see her and my Uncle Bernie on Tuesday, after I took Mom to a doctors appointment in Maryville. I am so glad we did now. Don't put it off people! Sometimes it's not all that pleasant, but you have done your good deed for the day, and isn't that what life is all about? Bernie told us the doctor had given her approximately 6 weeks to 3 months. We just never know. I'm glad she didn't have to suffer too long. She just found out she had cancer a little less than 3 weeks ago.
One thing Teddie said was, "You find out who your friends are!" RIP Teddy, we love ya, and remember what I told ya about giving everyone a hug!

FARMER'S DOTTER HOME TOUR!

This is our home in Southwest Iowa where we have opened up a Girlfriends/Quilting retreat! We are located 2.5 miles west of Bedford, on Highway 2. Please come be my guests! When you see the polka dots on the mailbox, you know you're at the right place! The main sewing room is located on the lower level. These ladies were my 2nd group of the year, from Beatrice, Nebraska. Notice the gray design walls in the background. They were putting them to good use that weekend with all kinds of beautiful projects.

Two of the bedrooms are upstairs with 7 twin sized beds total. Each bed has different colored polka dot sheets and a vintage quilt! The "ladies" tell me the beds and pillows are SO comfortable! I think part of it is being with friends AND getting your own bed!!

Another one of my recycled projects. I call it an ironing station, it is 2' x 8' and is great for pressing quilt tops. The bottom is an old baby bed that my mom and dad had stored for years in their closet and now I'm putting it to good use! It's also great for storing my unfinished tops in!

The picket fence room. This is also recycled from my parents old fence. I needed two more headboards, so this worked great and got a few more things out of my husbands shed(with a little bit of grumbling)!!!

Grandson, Kooper using one of the two and a half baths available to guests.

The dining room table and old kitchen cupboard are one of the many heirlooms from my husbands side of the family. This particular evening Kooper and Tara were helping me serve ham balls, hash brown casserole, hot rolls, home-grown corn, Ramen noodle coleslaw and layered jello cake with strawberries and cool-whip on top. I plan on starting a comfort food blog/tour sometime in the near future to let ya know what I serve here at the Farmer's Dotter. Also, will have a Tour for different seasons...this picture was at Valentine's. The table runner I made out of an old quilt top.

Keep checking back, as I will add new pictures every once in awhile.

FARMER'S DOTTER QUILT TOUR!

This is the block that inspired the name of my business. I wanted the name of a quilt block and this one seemed to fit the best! I knew I couldn't get the regular spelling for a website, so that's why I spelled it the way I did, and it's been so fun with all the polka dots! I even have polka dots on my mailbox and all the sheets in the house have polka dots! Email me if you would like a copy of this pattern at farmersdotter@frontiernet.net.

I would really like to get my quilts put on the sidebar on a "quilt tour", so I'm going to try and organize them 1st in a blog. If anyone knows how to put home tours on your sidebar, let me know! I'll start out 1st with my Farmer's Dotter quilt and pattern. This is my grandson Kooper enjoying it. Most of the prints are vintage, with the exception of a few added polka dots...had to get a few of those in there! The backing is made of 7 feedsacks...it was just a little hard to use them, but for what better cause! It is hand-quilted by me, using a pattern I call the circle of love and life.This quilt is called Little Lacy, I believe. I found these blocks at an estate sale and finished them into this full sized quilt. I am in the process of changing it a little bit and making it baby size. I am planning on calling mine Little Lindsay, after my dotter! I am just trying to get started designing quilts from antique patterns, if anyone has any suggestions or needs a designer, let me know. That's one of my dream jobs! This quilt is a bluebell quilt. I reproduced it from one that a good friend of mine, Diane Ware, owns. All of the prints are vintage. Not too many polka dots in this quilt, as I made it before I started the Farmer's Dotter. These next 3 pictures are of my 1st pattern that I've called Itty Bitty. I decided to make this my 1st pattern, since I made it for my 1st itty bitty grandchild! The 1st picture is a new (not vintage), girl's kit and quilt top made from it.

This is a picture of Kooper's 1st baby quilt made with totally vintage prints I also have kits for these, but I had to add about 3-5 reproduction cutsy fabrics, because I don't have an abundance of them in my stash. That's the pattern laying on this quilt. The instructions are for strip sewing, and I could give a class on this, if anyone's interested. This is a picture of Kooper, just waking up from a nap, he loves his blankie! Bride's bouquet that I remade for my dotter Lindsay for a late wedding present. She actually wanted a wool comforter instead of a quilt, so that's what I made 1st. An applique flower quilt made from all scrap vintage prints. This is probably one of my favorites. It's hand-quilted too. Most all of my vintage fabric quilts are hand-quilted. This my collection of quilts that were spread out on our front lawn for my dotter's wedding. I Do Love Quilts!

I will keep adding quilt picture's, so keep checking in!

Another Beautiful Fall Day!

Wow, what a great fall day! We better enjoy them while we can! I went to Grant City today to a quilt shop that I hadn't been to before. Got some material for some baby quilts for $2 a yard, can't beat that! The store is called Mrs. Pick's--cute name, huh! It is about 40-45 minutes away from here if you're coming from the south or southeast, you could stop on your way here! We also went to the Amish store in Redding and got some of the last tomatoes of the season. I'm never ready to give them up. The picture above is of the last tomatoes and some more snapdragons that I picked and brought in, and some of my fall decorations.

The snapdragons just keep on going and some live-forever too.

The hosta garden is looking like fall too.

Small garden to the back of the house and cornfield in the background.
Can ya tell I like the outdoors?

Cornfield out back and pretty yellow hickory trees in the background.

Another view to the back of the house. Is there anyone out there who can tell me how to make a home tour on my blogsite? I would like to have it on the side bar and also one for my quilts. Any suggestions, mailto:farmersdotter@frontiernet.net

Under Construction!!

Excuse the mess! Making a few changes!

Wow, there are so many things to see on the internet, huh! I have been checking out other peoples blogs and there are a lot of really neat ones! If you enjoy quilting, crafting, etc, check out My Blog List. Lots of really talented people out there! A special thanks to Keren, from Free Pretty Things For You... for all her help! She has a really neat blog...check it out!

More vintage polka dots!

Clarinda Craft Show

I've had a busy few days with the Clarinda craft show. Lots of work, but lots of fun too! Thank goodness I had family to help me get set up and tear down!

I saw a lot of people I already knew and met lots of new people too. Hope some of you will read this! Please leave a comment or become a follower!
Click on the pictures if ya want to see them better. That's my dotter Lindsay with dark hair and my dotter-in-law Tara with the blond hair.

This was my booth...lots of fabric and antiques! It sure seemed like I brought a lot back home with me, but I did sell quite a bit. Thanks to all!

I am considering having a booth at the AQS show next year in Des Moines, so if I do I'll have a lot of stuff ready for it.

How are your flowers doing? Most of mine are not doing so well, but the snapdragons just keep on going! They just keep coming back year after year! That's the kind I like!

Been away a couple days to a funeral. So sorry, I lost one of my 1st cousins on my mom's side. He would be one of the 67 grandchildren of John and Matilda Runde. (That's their picture for my profile). I'm not totally sure of the total # of grandchildren, but I think it's about 240!!! It's hard to believe 2 people started it all! My cousins name was Richard Andriano from KC, he was a great guy, so compassionate. He gave great Teddy Bear hugs. I'll miss him at the family get-togethers.

Weekly polka dots!

Another old polka dot block. It's amazing how many polka dots are in old quilts!

Got to meet Eleanor Burns!!!

This is the Itty Bitty quilt that I showed to Eleanor Burns at the show. There is more info on it in my older posts...August 7th.

Wow, I got to meet and visit with Eleanor Burns at the AQS show in Des Moines yesterday! I showed her my Itty Bitty quilt that I made out of some honey buns that I got from her shop in Paducah. She seemed to be a very nice lady and even liked my polka dot--farmer's dotter outfits. Of course, she was dressed up for halloween too, with big glasses and earrings!

Winterset quilt show and Old Crow Show

Happy 10-10-10 everyone!

Went to Winterset yesterday on the way to the AQS show again. We stopped at this fun place called the Old Crow just a few miles north of Winterset. They had lots of neat primitives! I had met this young couple at an auction at my old school in New Market, Iowa a few years ago and had always wanted to go to one of their shows. We seemed to like a lot of the same things at the sale, so I knew I would enjoy seeing their things. Check it out sometime if ya get the chance at www.oldcrowfarmantiques.com This was the cute little display they had as we came in the drive. It was such a beautiful day yesterday for a drive in the country!

I also stoped at the quilt show in Winterset. It was great, I most enjoyed the antique quilts. I hope to go and visit their quilt guild sometime or any guilds that would like to have me come. Just let me know!

This was my favorite quilt, it was the winner last year. Sorry, I got 2 pics of this one, I liked it so well!