Wyoming Territorial Prison

 Last Saturday we headed out to a Quilt show... only to find out that it had been cancelled due to weather. Whats a girl to do? Keep going north....

The Wyoming Archeological Society was putting on a History Day at the Wyoming Territorial Prison - and we thought - why not... lets keep going....

(PS my son was working at it but he did not know we were coming)

Oh by the way - there are a lot of photos in this post.... As usual I can't pick just three!!!

But the clouds - you can see the weather that put a damper on the Quilt show.

So we got to the Prison and surprised my son - while we were annoying him for 3 minutes -( he truly had NO break during the day) we saw the Indian dancers come out - 

Oh man!! I have seen photos, but never live... it was SO cool!

and you know as a lover of crazy fabrics.... this dancers outfit intrigued me!!!

So this woman did a dance that made her skirts sway and sound like bells

Black and White thrown in to cleanse your color palette

This young man did a Grass Dance. When the tribes would come upon a new place to set up camp, they did this dance prior to setting up. I assumed it was to flatten the ground a bit , and check for snakes, but he said it was more spiritual in tying themselves to the land.

Dancing fascinates me... I have no rhythm

This is the fort surrounding  the Prison

We saw a demonstration on tanning hides, and getting them ready to use for clothing. It was quite labor intensive, and the hides are quite fragile until smoked.  

A demonstration on Forging and Blacksmithing. this guy was awesome, he knew so much stuff, and was really fun to listen to. He even encouraged the shy kids to ask questions!!

The Prison Wagon - above.... below the inside of it. 

There is a Reason that Man is inside... keep reading!!

I'm not a fan of small spaces - so I just kinda looked inside

Another Prision wall

I loved the lookouts!

We didn't spend a lot of time in the Prison because I wanted to see all the exhibits from the Wyoming Archeological Society - and they had an Atlatl throw ( kind of like throwing spears... I wanted to try)

But look!!! NO QUILTS!!!! I guess prisoners were just allowed to keep warm, not pretty!!!

and in the kitchen they had wheat from Greeley ( I live east of Greeley)  that was fun to see!

The in processing room had an old camera.... Isn't that cool?

The prison cell. I am 5'10" and hit the top of my head walking in. Of course, I did not stay - I went in, backed out and took a photo.... dang they were tight spaces!!!

They had food Vendors there - Indian Tacos and Ice Cream... K would not buy me Ice Cream because it was too cold - so they came and LOCKED him up!!!

It was a really fun time. My son did the Virtual Reality Tours of the Dig site that he worked at this summer. Of course, I had to take the tour . It was really cool, he could show you the places they worked and the things that they found. The way the processed the artifacts and more.

There were a LOT of kids, and he is SO good with kids. One little girl let us know that this was mainly for kids, not adults like me.... When I told her I was a tall 12 year old she wasn't sure what to think. But! I wasn't missing out... so apparently I am still a kid haha!!!

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A QOV, The Prairie and!! Finished ( or not) Friday!!!

Happy Happy Friday!!!

This week I got to Quilt on this AMAZING Quilt of Valor!!! I love bold ones - they just pop out at you!!

Isn't this on Gorgeous!!! Verna made it and sent it to me to Quilt for our Awards - and holee cow - I fell in love!!!

I think that a Veteran will fall in love with this one too!

And for my other finish... a BOOK!!!! 

It is called Prairie - and it is AWESOME!!! So maybe you will recall - I LOVE history... and this book - oh my gosh - this book is full of AMAZING Western History - 

Well - first it is a very inspiring story about a young lady heading west in a wagon train - her name is Frankie.  ( PS - my new mantra is Frankie could do it, you can do it!!!) and Frankie suffers some hardships on the trail - but she perseveres.

This story takes you through her adventures, but! It also gives you a real glimpse of what life back then could be like. It inspired me so much... I made the Trip to Ft Laramie - just to see what some of these things could be like....

This is what is said about the book "

"Frankie Harding finds herself alone on the vast prairie of the Nebraska Territory in 1863. With the loss of her family to fever along the trail West, ten-year-old Frankie is faced with the decisions and choices of an adult. With her only other options of turning back East, to a life and home that no longer exist, or waiting by the trail for some unknown person or family to take her in, Frankie chooses to make her own way West.

Fully aware that she has no idea of what to expect, Frankie learns that the journey across the prairie is the same for her as anyone else; it's about taking one step at a time on the prairie, learning one lesson at a time. She knows that, along with a team of horses and a wagon filled with all she has left in life, it's her own character and passion that will take her to the homestead that waits for her, somewhere out on the vast prairie.

This is Frankie's story about traveling home, about going the distance and finding something permanent, both inside herself and across the prairie. It's a story about loving life, about holding onto life, and about building a life. Ultimately, it is a hero's journey...a journey of the heart and the spirit."

I agree - and you will NOT be disappointed!!!  You can find it at Amazon ( click here : Prairie - the Book ) or Barnes and Noble 

and now.... back to you!! Its time for you to brag!!!

Show us what you have been up to - 

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Quilt of Valor Awards

 My Travels took me to North Eastern Wyoming and!! There was an opportunity to award 4 Quilts of Valor to some AMAZING Veterans!!! so you know I jumped at the chance!!!

Photo courtesy of Judy at Busy hands are Happy Hands

But!! First!!!

My in laws live up that way ( Free hotel haha)  so we decided to go a day early and get a little Golfing in!

It was Cowboy Night at the Golf Course... so you know K had to represent... I needed something that kept the sweat out of my eyes - it was 105deg!!! Who knew that happened in the summer!!!

Because I don't know the area well - I searched for Parks in Gilette and found this amazing Veterans Memorial Park.. we went and scouted it when we got there to make sure I made a good choice...

Isn't this just a beautiful Venue??  and it was wheelchair accessible. The only problem - not a lot of shade for our Very Hot award ceremony, but I think I was the only one sweating!!

We had Two presentations there - The Three were so excited to be there - and I loved them. They each had such amazing stories. and the thing is... each presentation takes on a life of its own. One of the Vets shared some of his War Stories - and held us all captive.  The gentleman on the right - Turns 100 this month.   

It was so cool to have their family and friends come to Honor their Veteran... made my day

and also.... I met JUDY!!! of Busy Hands are Happy Hands!!! What a sweetheart!!!

The bottom Photo - He was also so excited to be there - but was more comfortable with an individual presentation - what another cool dynamic. His whole family showed up... and in Whole - I mean like 20 of them.. it was in the evening, and the difference in Temperature - oh wow... I could handle the evening haha!!

So!! Interested in making this Happen for one of your Veterans touched by war? Check out QOVF.org

WANT TO MAKE A QUILT for A VETERAN

Long May She Wave  has JUST started... Do it Do it Do it = haha!!

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Sunsets on the Ranch ....

One of the things you know about Ranchers - is they are ALWAYS watching the weather.

Me - I am trying to choose the cool parts of the day to get work done, K - he just wants to know if we are going to be hot or not. He is Definitely ( and infinitely ) tougher than I am  ....

Watching Sunsets is my favorite thing - If I am horseback while the suns going down - even better!~

It is interesting to me how the sun moves along the mountain range with each season...

We had a wind storm ( see there is weather in this post) and my poor 20 year old tree..... fell over,

He wasn't really a Live tree anymore - but I didn't have the heart to cut him down... so Mr Weather did it for me!!

Moon set thru the trees... I likes the Eerie - ness of this one ;-)

A storm came up - and so I went on the deck to watch it.... with my cell phone and I caught this... very  blurry... I kept thinking I should get my big camera - but I was too lazy 

So imagine my surprise When I actually caught lightening with my cell!!!

Doesn't that look like an alien ship trying to find a place to land... oh yes - I can make up stories haha

and FIRE in the sky!!!

See the Sun moving south.... means winter will really come right? or at least something less that 100?

Enjoy your day!!!

See you at Sunset!!

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Eagle QOV - and Finished ( or not) Friday

Happy Friday to you all!!!

Today I actually feel like I am seeing things off my lists get checked off - as in complete.. Not in progress...

I like that feeling.

And I have a finish!!! 

( yep, not bound - it moves on to someone in my QOV group to bind)

A QUILT OF VALOR!!!

This is me trying to get artsy... see two of my horses there in the back?

They wouldn't look at me, no matter how many times I shook the grain bucket!

I will be honest - I was pretty sure I started this one this year...

But SURPRISE!!! I was wrong!!

I started it in November 2020!!

How did that happen?

So the String blocks came from my string bin

and the Ohio Stars came from Nann

https://withstringsattached.blogspot.com/

She sent me a box a while ago and I pulled these out to play with.

( PS - don't ask how long ago - 

I will tell you last week, but based on the way I calculate time

it could have been 2010.... sigh... she still loves me tho!!)

Now!! Just in case you needed to start another project ... My New Mystery - Long May She Wave has just been released... Fabric Reqs here: Long May She Wave

and now!!! BRAG AWAY My Friendly Quilters!! Show us your Finishes ( or nots) and let us ohh and ahh!!

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LONG MAY SHE WAVE - A Patriotic Mystery - Fabric Requirements

The day is here!!! Its *supposed* to be fall like weather.... its time to dig back in to quilting....

Today the Fabric Requirements are coming out - the First Clue will be posted on September 21st - and a new clue will be released weekly HERE ON THIS BLOG until the mystery is over. 

Most clues take an average of 1-2 hours per week. 

You will need the  Companion Angle and the The Easy angle  Ruler for this mystery.

( yes there are other ways to make the components - but! I will be showing you how to do them with this ruler only)

The Quilt will finish at 62 x 81 inches. Shameless plug - it is PERFECT for a Quilt of Valor® quilt.

Downlead the clues - they will be removed when the mystery is over, and then will be available for Purchase in my Quiltygirl Etsy Store.  ( it funds my fabric habit!!! )

FIND THE PDF for the Fabric Requirements HERE

or here you go!

Fabric Requirements:

 This is a true Red, White and Blue Mystery – you will want to use those colors – in the same places as I indicate. However – it will be fun to see what RWB’s you use, and if you decide to go scrappy or all one color.

 

All Fabrics are based on 40 inch width.

 

• ·       White:    3 ½ yards
•  ·        Red  :    1 ½ yards
•  ·        Blue  :   1 1/3 yards

 

 

Cutting Step 1:

There will be more cutting, but this is what we will start with.

 

White:

• Cut 20    :  2 ½ inch Strips Width of Fabric (wof) 
• Cut 28   ;  1 ½ inch Strips wof
• Cut 5     : 4 ½ inch Strip  wof   Sub Cut into 33  * 4 ½ inch Squares

 

Red:

• Cut 16   : 2 ½ inch Strip wof
• Cut 2   : 4 ½ inch Strips wof – Sub Cut into 15 * 4 ½ inch Squares

 

Blue:

• Cut 18   : 2 ½ inch Strip wof

 

Fabric does NOT include Binding or Backing

If you are a blogger - please lead people back to this blog, do NOT recopy the clues on your blog ;-)  Thank you!! ( I did start a tab on the header for this mystery - you can use that too)

and!!

On Fridays - I host Finished ( or Not) Fridays - feel free to link up your progress posts. 

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Rainbow Scrap Challenge for August... Orange

The way my summer got too busy - I just knew I wouldn't be able to crank out a Stepper quilt for August... I mean, I had already failed for July... but I still have a sticky note of the colors!!!

So I just decided... Hats!!! That is what my RSC project will be for these months....

 I went into my trusty yarn bag and pulled out anything that looked *orangish* to me...

Most of it was kind of a burnt orange - but it made me feel that Fall would be in the air someday.... someday.........

Ta da!!! Three orangish hats - and one with the leftovers of the Purple from July!!!

Again - these are Going to my Friend M - she makes Operation Christmas Child boxes and her deadling is Looming.... she needs all the hats by October 1st - 

Speaking of Looming... every time I post these everyone asks how I made them, and I laugh - because I don't know.. I just do what M said... but now I am prepared!!

These are made on a Loom ( I called it a circly thing)

I use the pink one for the hats for M - I used the Purple one for the bigger adults that I made a few hats for. and the Blue one for a baby hat. 

I have not tried the green one yet ..maybe toddler hats?

Then I got fiddly and wanted to try something else so I got a Flexi Loom 

The cool thing with that one is you can remove the links and create a different style hat - but as slow as I am - they took longer and I still have one hat on that loom.  But its all good - I'll get there haha!!

Now! To make the ones with a brim - you stitch 20 rows and fold in half ( back up on the loom) them make 30 more rows

TO make the ones without the brim - you just stitch 40 rows total

and there you go - everything I know!!! ( kinda sad it all fits in one post haha)

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Flowers in the morning... and!! Finished ( or not) Friday!!!

 This is an old UFO -  but I can not remember how old.

I can remember being sold the rulers - Creative Grids Scrap Crazy 6' set

But from there - the trail gets hazy.... kinda like the Sun coming up in the morning and creeping over the hill......

 My goal this year has been to tackle the bin of Quilt tops - and this one was in it. I can remember making it, but I just can't remember where the pattern is - or what inspired me to do it..... 

Anyways - it now is backed with a cream floral, and bound with pink scraps, oh and of course 

I quilted it!!!

Bees and Flowers.... because you know... its flowery!!!

My To be Quilted bin is getting lower..... but I think it has some magic curse on it, it seems to fill up as soon as I empty things.... Do your bins do the same thing?

Now it is your turn!! Link up your finishes and enjoy visiting the other wonderful blogs...

Please remember - use your direct link ;-)

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