Author Portrait: maryjane

WINNERS!!! Giveaway: Picnic Quilt

Posted on May 21, 2018 by maryjane

The winners of our “Busy Bee Quilt, Le Picnic” giveaway are:

DeAnna Hoyt-Zoeller, who said in response to our question, “Tell me all about your favorite picnic experience.”:

“Our favorite picnic is at the beach. Blanket spread out on the sand, not too far from the waves, with our favorite sandwiches and iced tea to go with it. Of course, having the beach umbrella is always helpful. The kids love to gather shells and sea glass while the hubby and I soak up the rays. Such a gorgeous quilt! I love the idea of a bassinet for a picnic basket, fabulous!!”

and Dolly Sarrio, who posted:
“Love the quilt and pillow! Let’s see a picnic that stands out in my mind. As teenagers, a group of us decided to go to a state park. Guy and girls, and it was a fun time. I fried chicken and made potato salad, of course. One of the girls decided that her boyfriend was paying me and my picnic basket too much attention. (Little did she know he just loved my fried chicken … lol). She brought boiled eggs, so she politely walked up to us and threw a few of her boiled eggs in the shell at him …. Funny stuff! Truthfully, the most important picnics were held underneath a Weeping Willow in our back yard with my babies and the kitty cats. We did that almost daily when they were young.”

Congratulations, DeAnna and Dolly! Watch for an email from the farm.

Thank you to the 391 women who responded with such lovely comments. I thoroughly enjoyed reading them!

Continue reading →

  2. Dolly Sarrio says:
    July 9, 2018 at 10:28 am

    Thank you so much! We are already enjoying the quilt and pillow! I did a post today
    https://bit.ly/2J97WJU.
    The boys said, “Mimi, we like your new quilt! It is soft!”
    Thanks again,

    Reply
  3. Cecilia Jackson says:
    February 14, 2019 at 11:29 pm

    I’m ordering “Scrap Peels and Stems” and “Wild Bread” tonight. I cannot wait to read them. I love baking all sorts of dishes and breads. And of course I have to have the mixes to start me off.

    Reply

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Author Portrait: maryjane

photo-of-the-day

Posted on March 21, 2018 by maryjane

farm_romance-8517

  1. Barbara Criss says:
    March 21, 2018 at 6:51 am

    The colours in this are so beautiful. It makes me wish I had a room done in them.

    Reply

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Author Portrait: maryjane

GIVEAWAY: “Busy Bee Quilt, Le Picnic”

Posted on February 22, 2018 by maryjane

Thank you for dropping by my Raising Jane Journal to participate in my giveaways! We’ve chosen a winner for this giveaway already (click here for details), but don’t be afraid to leave a comment anyway. I love reading them. And stay tuned for more great MaryJanesFarm giveaways.

In the Apr/May issue of MaryJanesFarm, on newsstands March 6, you’ll see how Megan converted an old wicker bassinet into living-room picnic-gear storage that now holds a picnic quilt, a couple of pillows, and board games for the perfect indoor picnic.

picnic-quilt

In the photo above, you’ll see my MaryJane’s Home “”Busy Bee” quilt and pillow with my favorite patchwork shape, the hexagon. Why a hexagon? The hexagon, a shape that speaks the zen of the busy beehive or the wired manors of chickens (the oldest domesticated animal on Earth), symbolizes the unity and structure of the farmgirl life—a framework for the proper order of things, a pattern for life. In unwritten feminine language, it is a standard for farmgirls, or for that matter, the ordinary honeybee or the hen, rank and file workers that move the work along. It says that all things are to be done decently and in order, and that small things add up.

For a chance to win one of our “Busy Bee” twin quilts and matching 16″-square pillows, tell me all about your favorite picnic experience in the comments below. I’ll toss your name into a hat and draw a lucky winner sometime mid-May.

Stay tuned for more magazine-related giveaways. If you’re not yet a subscriber to my magazine, MaryJanesFarm, subscribe here for $19.95/year.

Continue reading →

  1. Kathy Mccourt says:
    February 22, 2018 at 3:23 am

    My Mother had a very vivid imagination. So even in the Dead of winter this Sun Worshiper could make the Sunshine come inside. With a green plaid metal picnic basket I still own she would fill it with goodies and a thermos of Hot chocolate spread the picnic blanket on the floor and we would have a winter picnic even though there would be a half a foot of snow outside.

    Reply
  2. Elizabeth Hawley says:
    February 22, 2018 at 3:49 am

    Our favorite picnic is a trip to sleeping bear dunes where we pick up smoked lake fish, cheese, crackers and cold drinks. Maybe some fruit and chips to round things out! As everyone else plays at the Lake Michigan shoreline I sit on a towel making cracker sandwiches while keeping the blowing sand out of the food and drink! A warm, sunny, beach day is a wonderful thought as we are now 2/3 the way through a Michigan winter!

    Reply
  3. Barbara Criss says:
    February 22, 2018 at 4:53 am

    My favorite picnic experience dates back to the summers of the 1970’s when my cousin would come to visit and stay a few days. Our family would drive to a local state park and stay all day. I can still taste the great home cooked food we had and the fun we had playing on the swings and see-saws. Also hiking and playing in the creek gave us a thrill. My cousin and I still talk about those happy days of our youth and we remember them with great joy.

    Reply
  4. Deb Ritchey says:
    February 22, 2018 at 5:35 am

    We were camping in the Smokey Mountains. We hiked to Andrews Bald and had a picnic.

    Reply
  5. Suzanna Drozd-Kowalski says:
    February 22, 2018 at 5:46 am

    There are many favorite picnic memories shared at the off grid chalet my parents built years ago but I’m reminded of one the November we moved into our retirement 50’s ranch on Indiamwood Lake in Michigan. Normally that time of year here is cold with a possibility of snow. Somehow we ended up with weather in the 70’s. We have eight adult kids and 10+ grandchildren. We had an impromptu picnic in the backyard. Everyone brought food and made my homemade baked beans. The fun the kids and adults had with the peddle boat, skiff, fishing, and sitting on the pontoon that came with the house was just incredible to watch. We’ve just past a year here this past November and our spring, summer and fall were filled with picnics every weekend. My husband survived a brain tumor and the only item on his bucket list was wanting the grandchildren to remember who he was. In his own words, “I never knew I needed a lake!” Priceless!

    Reply
  6. Michelle Kirby says:
    February 22, 2018 at 6:04 am

    I’ve always lived on the coast & most picnics occur at the beach. There’s nothing like eating out in the fresh air. We don’t have to worry about ants, just sand.

    Reply
  7. Kristy De Vuyst says:
    February 22, 2018 at 6:06 am

    My favorite picnic was on top of a mountain in a meadow filled with beautiful wild flowers. We ATV’d all morning to get there. We had sandwiches and wine and it was the perfect day.

    Reply
  8. JacksonQVance says:
    February 22, 2018 at 7:20 am

    My favorite picnic of all time was climbing up into Eel Creek on the Lochsa River as a child. The smooth warm stones and the bubbly creek represent the ultimate picnic site to me.

    Reply
  9. Lisa Von Saunder says:
    February 22, 2018 at 7:26 am

    My favorite picnic memory is from the early 70’s. We “clammed” ( dug up fresh clams) all day at a private and remote beach on Martha’s Vineyard. Then we built a huge fire, and set up a monster cast iron kettle and made gallons of clam chowder which we simmered all day long. When it was finally ready we had also roasted corn in the husks and dug right in. The owner of the beach had actually built his own submarine and that day was the maiden voyage and christening . It sailed just fine, although we all turned down the offer of a ride!

    Reply
  10. Rebecca Darrington says:
    February 22, 2018 at 8:45 am

    In the backyard with my 3 young children, serving peanut butter sandwiches, chips, apple slices and chocolate chip cookies. I loved those days! Oh and always a dog, waiting patiently for a cast off crust or piece of cookie.

    Reply
  11. Marlene Laverty says:
    February 22, 2018 at 9:08 am

    My favorite picnic memory is from when my daughter was little. We had planned a particular picnic outing for almost a week and the day of the picnic, she came down sick. Instead of going outside to picnic at the park we stayed in and spread a blanket out on the floor and had our picnic inside. We read stories together on that blanket after lunch until she fell asleep. Great times!

    Reply
  12. Debra Brodie says:
    February 22, 2018 at 9:30 am

    It was a beautiful warm night in the early 1970’s in the low country of South Carolina. There was too be a meteor shower that night, so my teenaged friends and I dragged blankets and paper bags and coolers full of the tasty junk food that teenagers love outside under the stars. We laid down on the blankets, mesmerized by the show above us. It is an indelible memory!

    Reply
  13. Leisa Joan says:
    February 22, 2018 at 9:31 am

    We found an old historic Meeting House in Vermont while looking for a place to enjoy our sandwiches. it was beautiful & peaceful. and we learned something new that day as well.

    Reply
  14. Mary Arntson says:
    February 23, 2018 at 7:29 am

    My family would take a picnic lunch to Itasca State Park in northern Minnesota. We would take our shoes off and splash in the waters of the beginning of the Mississippi
    River. My husband, daughter and I and our bridge couples would camp in the park every summer. The kids would go raspberry and blueberry picking and we would make pancakes with the fruit. Wonderful memories of the park.

    Reply
  15. Marcy says:
    February 23, 2018 at 9:29 am

    My favorite picnic would be at what we used to call ‘the sand bars’. I was born in Massachusetts but lived in Tennessee for almost ten years. We would still trek home almost every summer to stay with and spend time with our family in Massachusetts. The sand bars were like a lovely little watering hole where people went swimming. Sometimes four generations of my family would all be together spread out on blankets, eating sandwiches and whatever else everyone brought, swimming, chatting, hanging out and getting caught up on each other’s lives. Unfortunately that was many years ago and most of my family from that time are gone, but the memories of those wonderful times will always stay with me.

    Reply
  16. Julie R says:
    February 24, 2018 at 1:04 am

    I’ve actually never been on an official picnic where you sit down on a blanket!

    Reply
  17. Liz Hofacket says:
    February 24, 2018 at 12:38 pm

    Growing up in the desert southwest of El Paso, Texas, there weren’t many lakes, streams or rivers (the Rio Grande River is very often a dry sand bed!) to picnic along. As money was often tight, there was no option of driving 3 or 4 hours to a lovely place. Thankfully, we had the gorgeous desert!! All the aunts, uncles and cousins would load up sandwiches, chips, sodas, beer (for the dads!), cookies and maybe a cake or two and head for the desert which was only a 10 minute drive from anyone’s house. The days were always great, the sky blue, the air smelled fabulous and we kids all had a grand time finding treasures – rocks, pieces pottery, arrowheads. BUT, we could only go on picnics during the late fall and through the winter….rattlesnakes were out spring and summer! What a happy childhood I had!!

    Reply
  18. Lori Morton says:
    February 25, 2018 at 7:53 am

    LOOOOVE Hexagons too! 🙂 Favorite picnics have always been making a tent with blankets over the clothesline & quilt on ground..packing up sandwiches & treats & cool drink..gathering my 4 Kiddo’s & having a grand picnic! BEST fun ever!!& under the table, in the Winter! lol (Now do with Grankiddo’s!) Thank you for chance to win such a treasured prize too! 😀

    Reply
  19. Rebecca McCoy says:
    February 27, 2018 at 10:36 am

    Oh what fun memories this post brings up. My family used to pile in daddy’s old Ford Truck (kids in the back) and head to the river for the day. We’d play in the water, eat ham biscuits with fruit for dessert, and fish until dark before heading back home to sleep and dream of the wonderful time we had had.

    Reply
  20. Judy Van Schoyck-Fritschler says:
    March 1, 2018 at 7:17 pm

    My husband & I went on our “first picnic of the year” every New Year’s Day, for many years. We’d take fruit, cheese, crackers, and wine to a park where we could watch eagles. If the weather was nice enough, we’d sit at a picnic table, otherwise enjoy the sight of the water & the eagles congregated in the trees on the opposite shore, from our car. The highlight was seeing an eagle swoop down & snatch up a fish–our own “National Geographic” moment.

    Reply
  21. Donna Blankenberger says:
    March 2, 2018 at 4:32 am

    Just enjoying a day in the sunshine or having a picnic when it rains on the dining room table.Life is apicnic no matter where you are.

    Reply
  22. Alison Davis says:
    March 2, 2018 at 11:57 am

    After 20 years of having picnics on the beach in the Caribbean we have bought a small 17 acre farm in WV. We experienced our first cold winter here and loved it. There is something so special about taking our picnic down to the Creek with the puppy. We sit and enjoy sandwiches, fresh fruit, cake and coffee
    while she splashes around in the water. Almost heaven!

    Reply
  23. Carolyn Forbis says:
    March 2, 2018 at 9:29 pm

    I have always loved picnics. I have an old basket and a red checkered tablecloth I have used since my boys were little. As soon as school was out for the summer we would take off to the park. I do miss those days but plan to restart them with my grandchildren soon. Making new memories.

    Reply
  24. Deanna Hoyt-Zoeller says:
    March 3, 2018 at 7:53 am

    our favorite picnic is at the beach. Blanket spread out on the sand, not too far from the waves with our favorite sandwiches and iced tea to go with it. Of course having the beach umbrella is always helpful. The kids love to gather shells and sea glass while the hubby and I soak up the rays. Such a gorgeous quilt! I love the idea of a bassinet for a picnic basket, fabulous!!

    Reply
  25. Cassie White says:
    March 3, 2018 at 11:48 am

    My favorite picnic memories include the big patchwork quilt spread softly on the bluegrass hillside with my family…The breeze gently blowing our hair and the sun kissing my boy’s cheeks. Simple sandwiches packed with favorite fruits to complement our picnic vacation on our back country hillside.

    Reply
  26. Jeanette Moscoso says:
    March 3, 2018 at 1:57 pm

    A picnic anytime, anywhere. Favorite eats and friends.

    Reply
  27. Deborah Allen says:
    March 3, 2018 at 7:32 pm

    My favorite picnic as a young girl was when I was about 8 yrs of age. I decided to take a old blanket outside for a picnic in a field out behind our house. Didn’t have a whole lot to choose from for my meal, so I took a jar of pickle juice, some saltine crackers and a popsicle.
    Spread out the old blanket in the y’all grass where close by I could smell honeysuckle blooming on a oak tree. As I lay watching the white billowy clouds float by, I began to itch on my legs and arms so much that I ran to where mama was hanging clothes on the line to show her the rash. She went with me to see where I had laid down to make sure it wasn’t poison oak or ivy. Gladly it wasn’t neither…
    But then she smiled and said it was because the old blanket was my daddy’s old Army blanket and it was made out of wool!!!
    Needless to say I never took it out again on a hot May afternoon!
    Sincerely,
    Deborah Allen ❤️

    Reply
    • Deborah Allen says:
      March 3, 2018 at 7:35 pm

      tall grass-sorry…👍
      P.S.
      When I was about 10 someone built a house on that grassy lot and I never got to picnic there again!
      😔

      Reply
  28. Sherry Bradley says:
    March 4, 2018 at 7:24 am

    I remember the special times my three little girls would come in from Church and we gathered the food put in the picnic basket and headed for the big oak tree in the pasture. We would pray and watch the cows grazing in the field. I can hear their laughter and see their beautiful smiles today, even though they have grown children of their own. Memories in the heart forever.

    Reply
  29. Terri Stalmach says:
    March 5, 2018 at 10:38 am

    I remember our neighborhood picnics in Fairview , Pa. on Linda Avenue. We would have pig roasts, beef roasts and many other ones. Always on memorial day we would go to the parade and then home to picnic. July 4th and Labor Day also another picnic. I miss that neighborhood and all my childhood friends.

    Reply
  30. Deb F says:
    March 5, 2018 at 2:41 pm

    I have many wonderful childhood memories of picnics at state parks in Wisconsin where I lived. Fishing, hiking, and sleeping outside in a tent under the stars were an adventure. We were scared one night by the sound of banging on our pots and pans resting on the floor of the tent.In the am, we discovered that a critter was trying to dig under the tent). That adventure provided many stories at school. In adulthood,picnics in the forests and mountains of Washington State were incredible. My parents had a Thermos brand red and white cooler that accompanied us on my childhood picnics and it was then passed on to me for picnics and adventures with my children.

    Reply
  31. Sally Kroenke says:
    March 5, 2018 at 2:48 pm

    I remember picnics with my family at my fathers favorite fishing spot. My mom would spread the quilt she made from scraps of clothing and old fabric she recycled. Our drink of choice was always koolaid, and it did not matter what we ate, usually bologna sandwiches, homemade pickles and cookies. There were five of us adopted kids, and we enjoyed every minute of the picnic day. I am thankful for a wonderful memory.

    Reply
  32. Elizabeth Plewa says:
    March 5, 2018 at 2:49 pm

    My favorite picnic moment is when my three children were young, I picked them up from school with a completely loaded picnic basket full of sandwiches, drinks, salad, desserts, and a blanket. I packed some balls. Drive to the nearest forest preserve by our house and surprised them with a picnic dinner and games. It was such a magical day!

    Reply
  33. Sylvia Jacobus says:
    March 5, 2018 at 9:53 pm

    Memories that will be with me until I die are those of our beach picnics and night fishing. We started late afternoon. My grandmother, Dad, uncles, cousins, my sister and I all joined in.
    My grandmother fixed lots of sandwiches,brought bottles of her pickled onions, sodas, coffee in thermoses, and THE cookies–her famous oatmeal cookies. She sprawled the large beach towels on the sand. Everyone was in a good mood, laughing, telling jokes, telling “stories” of the ones-that-got-away from the last night fishing adventure. No matter what my grandmother packed in her large picnic basket, it always tasted the best ever. We all felt that way.
    Once the sun set, the fishing began. They used spears to catch the fish. All of the kids were never bored at the beach. Torches were lit around the area. We weren’t considered old enough to handle spears and we definitely were too noisy to fish. We amused ourselves investigating tide pools, chasing crabs and each other. Hours later, the limit of fish was obtained and happy people came back to camp. A fire was started and we had freshly cooked fish as “dessert.”
    Fun, fun times I’m glad I had as a kid……

    Reply
  34. LAURIE D SPARKS says:
    March 5, 2018 at 9:55 pm

    My favorite picnics were with my husband Steven who bought a wicker basket with lid and proceeded to fill it with cobalt plates, wine glasses, napkins, candles, real flatware, sunflower napkins, blue gingham table cloth. We had wonderful picnics with that basket. He died in 2010 of leukemia. I still have the basket along with a picture of us using at the foot of Mt. Rainer. It gives me a smile when I look at that basket

    Reply
  35. Kayln Stokes says:
    March 6, 2018 at 3:48 am

    There was always grandma, cousins, aunts and food that would be considered today to be too high in fat to be healthy (thanks to grandma) We need to bring back the old fashioned picnic, children need to sit in the grass with bare feet, casually brush off a stray ant or spider without worry, and eat under the open sky with friends and family! NO ELECTRONICS ALLOWED!

    Reply
  36. Colleen Richter says:
    March 6, 2018 at 5:37 am

    My favorite picnics were the annual family reunions with my maternal grandmother’s family. We always had the event at the same great park, and there were cousins by the dozens! We swung across the creek on rope swings and waded along the banks. We played every game kids could think of – and then some! It was a chance to ‘catch up’ with cousins we only saw once a year. And the food! Icy lemonade in big crocks and SO much food.
    Still one of my favorite growing-up memories!

    Reply
  37. Mary Jane Nostrom says:
    March 6, 2018 at 5:38 am

    July 4th was a big family gathering when I was a child. We’d gather at an aunt & uncle’s for a noon pot luck, softball & games were played in the afternoon, & then
    homemade ice cream with goodies were eaten. When it was dark enough, a couple
    uncles would go into a field & shoot off fireworks they had purchased (out of state
    at that time!). I can still hear the o-o-o-s & a-a-a-h-s from the little ones. The older
    cousins would wait for the bangs! There would be an occasional parade in a nearby
    town either in the morning or afternoon, weather depending. I remember eating watermelon in my winter coat, it was so cold outside, one year! Great memories!!

    Reply
  38. Megan Chapman says:
    March 6, 2018 at 7:06 am

    Hidden away at the top of a junk shop shelf (or “treasure shop” as my son calls them) was an old picnic basket. Exactly what we were looking for. We filled it with PB&J’s, grapes, and homemade brownies. The hills of Kentucky are woven with beautiful trails that were once home to Native American tribes. My family and I climb to the top, find our purch with an amazing view, throw our handmade picnic quilt on the ground, and enjoy the bounty… belly and soul.

    Reply
  39. Denise says:
    March 6, 2018 at 9:52 am

    My all time favorite picnic memory is from back in April 1983.
    We were military and stationed in Honolulu.
    My husband was getting ready to leave for a 6 month tour to the Pacific.
    We were out taking our little ones for a ride and decided to go to Diamond Head and walk around. The only thing we had with is was snacks for the baby and 2 yr old. But we just ploped ourselves down and enjoyed what we had while took in all the beauty around us and played with the children. It is one of my best memories of our time there and while he had to be away.

    Reply
  40. Laura B Owen says:
    March 6, 2018 at 11:41 am

    I have raised 6 kids to adulthood and now have 2 grandchildren. We did many traditional picnics at the park near our home and in our backyard, pretending to be pioneers. However, their favorite memories of all time began with my childhood. Sunday nights we would have a tablecloth dinner in the den so that we could watch the Wonderful World of Disney. This was a precious time for my parents and my brothers to be together. As I began my family I wanted to continue this tradition with our Tablecloth Dinners. Each child had a week that they could pick the movie and I would set out to prepare the perfect dinner. Fruits, vegetables, dips, little smokies, cut up cheese squares, pepperoni, cream cheese wrapped in ham, “fancy” crackers, just basically whatever we could afford – we ate with toothpicks which is the best! I always served them on those huge divided trays. My adult children have carried this into their homes – some as far away as Latvia. I am now continuing this tradition with my grandchildren when they come to stay at Grandma and Papa’s (any adult children who are around join in too). These traditions bring us closer together and are just fun! I also still do the “traditional” picnic with my grandkids too, sometimes just in the yard, but precious times are worth the little extra effort.

    Reply
  41. Eric Hendrie says:
    March 6, 2018 at 12:55 pm

    It would have to be the first picnic with our three children. Seeing there faces and how much they enjoyed it was and is priceless.

    Reply
  42. Brendalee Campbell says:
    March 6, 2018 at 12:56 pm

    Beautiful!

    Reply
  43. Joyce says:
    March 6, 2018 at 12:56 pm

    My favourite picnic memory is not just one, but a series. One Spring/Summer, every Sunday after church we would take our picnic and visit a different ocean beach, provincial park or riverside for a picnic. Many happy memories were made that year, as we enjoyed getting to know our province better (we live in a small province, so we were able to go to almost every one!).

    Reply
  44. Kathleen Freel says:
    March 6, 2018 at 12:56 pm

    My favorite picnic memory was on a cold windy beach in Northern California where I tried oysters for the very first time. I was in college and was with many good friends. Oysters with butter and garlic; delicious.

    Reply
  45. Julie Banigan says:
    March 6, 2018 at 12:57 pm

    My favorite picnic was a winter about 15 years ago, when my girls were small. It was a cold, snowy day outside, so I laid a blanket in front of the wood stove in the living room. I made fruit salad and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. We toasted marshmallows and made s’mor. It was divine.

    Reply
  46. Ruby Spohrer says:
    March 6, 2018 at 12:57 pm

    I remember Momma making a picnic basket for us to eat on the way to either my grandmothers or my uncle’s house. We would stop at a roadside park and spread our goodies and eat. It was always fun, but we never knew how much trouble Momma had to go to make those special picnic’s. She is a special woman at almost 90 years old and still going everywhere!

    Reply
  47. Peggy says:
    March 6, 2018 at 12:58 pm

    Thinking back over the years, I don’t believe I’ve ever been on a picnic. I believe I’ll need to change that.

    Reply
  48. Heike says:
    March 6, 2018 at 12:59 pm

    Lots of good picnic memories from when I was child, my parents always found a flowery meadow, a creak, or a lake for us (we lived in the city).

    But my favorite memories are NOW. I love when my kids (now 20 & 16!) and us go the river or drive to the ocean and picnic. I simple family day, and it is rare that we are all off together. When we drive the 1.5 hours to the ocean, we always stop at my favorite bakery in Chinatown first to get lotus cakes :). I cherish this time with my family, no phones, no distractions. Just good food & us :).

    Reply
  49. Susan Boysen says:
    March 6, 2018 at 1:00 pm

    Some of my favorite picnics have been on a quilt, on the family room floor, inside, in the wintertime with a good movie!

    Reply
  50. Hollie Feickert says:
    March 6, 2018 at 1:01 pm

    Our favorite picnic is a family tradition on New Year’s Eve. While the winter winds howl outside, we set up a picnic blanket in front of our Christmas tree in the living room and make a huge, yummy spread to enjoy (mostly things we’ve canned from our garden from the previous summer!) It will be fun to see if our four sons continue this tradition in their own families when they are no longer under our roof.

    Reply

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Author Portrait: maryjane

Winner!!! Giveaway: MaryJane’s Ideabook, Cookbook, Lifebook

Posted on February 21, 2018 by maryjane

The winner of our MaryJane’s Ideabook, Cookbook, Lifebook giveaway is Jeannie Keeffe, who said in response to our question, “Tell me what at MaryJanesFarm has inspired you … magazine, books, products, chatroom, or journal”:

“Am hoping not to be judged by MY cover, too.

I’ve been a country girl (a red-dirt girl) all my life. Growing up with parents that grew their own rabbits & chickens both for the freezer, show, and of course, eggs. Some years we’d have a cow for milk, but the goats were easier to keep, would eat the poison oak, and the milk … MmmMmm good … oh, and they loved to show off at the fair. Pigeons for squab which I thought everyone ate until later in my life. Ponds to swim and fish in, horses to ride & show, 1/4-acre garden where dad would be found sitting and watching—a place I would enjoy a one-on-one with, a place I learned to eat fresh foods that tasted so marvelous (before cooked by mom, who often cooked things to death). Looking back at my life with Mom & Dad is heartwarming. So a book with an Old Look that is filled with surprises would be wonderful to have.”

Congratulations, Jeannie! Watch for an email from the farm.

Thank you to the 325 women who responded with such lovely comments. I thoroughly enjoyed reading them! Continue reading →

  1. Lisa Bell says:
    February 21, 2018 at 4:48 am

    Congratulations! Most definitely a very special book. ❤️ Enjoy 🌞

    Reply
  2. Barbara Criss says:
    February 21, 2018 at 8:05 am

    Mary Jane–you truly deserve all the wonderful comments you received. I first heard of you in a magazine article several years ago and I was instantly hooked–especially by the aprons you wore. I began to wear them too and I now make my own. It’s a very special wonderful look. Keep up the good work. You are an inspiration to so many.

    Reply

  3. Pingback: GIVEAWAY: MaryJane’s Ideabook, Cookbook, Lifebook | Raising Jane Journal

  4. Deborah Fischer says:
    February 21, 2018 at 5:01 pm

    Congratulations Jeanne, it is a wonderful book, you will love it!

    Reply
  5. Paula Leyva says:
    March 6, 2018 at 8:35 am

    Way to go! all will be well!

    Reply
  6. Lisa Beaubien says:
    January 2, 2019 at 3:39 pm

    I am very excited about this new book “A HoneyBee Heart Has Five Openings”! I had the unique and whimiscal experience of having a honeybee land outside my car window a few years back! I watched with amazement as the bee did a honey dance for what seemed like a long time, but in retrospect maybe a minute! I was gifted a book shortly that experience called “The Shamanic Way of the Bee”

    Reply

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Author Portrait: maryjane

GIVEAWAY: MaryJane’s Ideabook, Cookbook, Lifebook

Posted on February 8, 2018 by maryjane

Thank you for dropping by my Raising Jane Journal to participate in my giveaways! We’ve chosen a winner for this giveaway already (click here for details), but don’t be afraid to leave a comment anyway. I love reading them. And stay tuned for more great MaryJanesFarm giveaways.

This copy of my first book, MaryJane’s Ideabook, Cookbook, Lifebook: For the Farmgirl in All of Us, was in our store window and ended up with a sun-faded cover.

But its insides are like new, and as every farmgirl knows, it’s never good to judge a book by its cover. Better to judge it from some of its online reviews, like this one from Amazon’s “Never Enough Books”:

“I’ve been a farmgirl, citygirl, tried the Mother Earth News route years ago, so it was with some skepticism that I checked out this book from my library. Don’t be put off by the reference to “Martha Stewart of the West” because the only similarity I can see is that both Martha Stewart and MaryJane Butters are hard-working women. I don’t think I have ever before read any non-fiction book as closely and with as much pleasure as MaryJane’s Ideabook, Cookbook, Lifebook. I couldn’t be satisfied with the library’s copy, but had to have my own, plus ordered one for my daughter-in-law. The pictures are beautiful, from antique implements to happy people. The verbal sketches of family, friends, and helpers is uplifting.

What struck me most about Butters was her positive attitude. She advocates organic farming and living, but rather than trying to force others to conform to her way of thinking and doing, she found ways to work with local farmers. In using local products, she has connected growers with consumers and built a business for herself, family, and friends.

I’d rate this right up there with Aldo Leopold and Sand County Almanac.”

To lay claim to this (sun-faded) copy, tell me what at MaryJanesFarm has inspired you … magazine, books, products, chatroom, or journal. We’ll put your names in a basket and pull out a lucky winner sometime soon. Check back to see if it’s headed your way.

Continue reading →

  1. Jodel Guerrero says:
    February 7, 2018 at 12:15 am

    I am a care taker for my mom in law so my life has become a lil isolated with Maryjanes magazines and blogs I am able to escape for awhile and breath while learning so much for my gardens and chickens too

    Reply
  2. Lisa A says:
    February 7, 2018 at 3:59 am

    I first discovered your magazine and find inspiration in every issue. I’d love the sun-faded copy!

    Reply
  3. Jane Westbrook says:
    February 7, 2018 at 4:06 am

    I really enjoy your posts about activities/lessons with the kids. It’s exactly like reading about activities I have with my grandkids. Not only do I have to keep them on task, I also have to keep myself on task!

    My older 3 grandchildren are 2 girls & their younger brother, so you can imagine the eye-rolling & difficulty taking turns! The younger ones are 3 little stair-step brothers who now live with us most of the time, so I’m always saying “Hands!” to remind them to keep their hands to themselves, or not to grab, or just injure any of us in their excitement!

    Thanks for the morning smiles 😊

    Reply
  4. Ashley says:
    February 7, 2018 at 5:41 am

    It will have to be the gardening and self suffency. I am just getting started in that area, and MJF has been a tremendous help! I now have more confidence in myself an feel like I can weather the storm, so to speak. Thank you for all that you do, an for everything you continue to do, for those just starting to dip their feet in the self reliance pond!

    Reply
  5. Lisa Bell says:
    February 7, 2018 at 6:08 am

    The magazine has been a total inspiration. It made me realize to grow where I am planted…and so I am on our just under 4 acres. Thank you-your magazine has breathed life into me.
    That book would be an absolute treasure. How wonderful! Keep up the good works! ☀️

    Reply
  6. Denise Sexton says:
    February 7, 2018 at 6:08 am

    your magazine and also your emails. I love seeing the photo you send out each day, it calming for me.

    Reply
  7. Martha says:
    February 7, 2018 at 6:43 am

    Many years ago, I picked up the second issue of Mary Jane’s magazine. I was inspired! I was hooked. (I have every issue except the first one.) Since then I have tried so many things. Gardening (love garlic!), bake overs, learning to knit and sew (I am still looking for a treadle machine), pickling, and so many more things. And now my kids are following! I think our next project will be repainting a bookcase. Thanks Mary Jane!

    Reply
  8. Deb Ritchey says:
    February 7, 2018 at 7:06 am

    Mary Jane’s Farm magazine has inspired me to try new things I never would have if I had not read the magazine. I read every one from cover to cover. I love the last page and always take away a lot from that article!

    Reply
  9. Deborah W. Moore says:
    February 7, 2018 at 7:29 am

    MaryJanes takes me back to the “Golden Days” when children were children and adults worked hard but lived life to the fullest!

    Reply
  10. tammy kavich says:
    February 7, 2018 at 7:40 am

    I first discovered your magazine in the hospital while my mother was in ICU. I clung to your magazine. It is what kept me grounded in a very bad situation. I did order my own subscription & have just ordered your magazine for one of my daughters. There is just so much good information, recipes, things to inspire you. Thank you MaryJanesFarm.

    Reply
  11. Arlene Wilder says:
    February 7, 2018 at 7:56 am

    There is so much each month in your magazine and even when readers send in a letter. A lot of learning and ideas. Also it extends to others in crafting, websites, gardening especially with recipe’s. I love all of it. I look forward to this magazine every month and so does my sister Shirley Moreno.

    Reply
  12. Diane says:
    February 7, 2018 at 8:03 am

    I am inspired by all of your products. First found you through books. Was enamored with the Vegetable Ball.

    Reply
  13. CJ Armstrong says:
    February 7, 2018 at 11:26 am

    Everything about Mary Jane and the Farm inspire me. I LOVE the magazine!!! Mary Jane writes the BEST books. I LOVE being a part of the Sisterhood and all that I’ve learned there, the friends I’ve made, the fun I’ve had. Visiting the farm and meeting Mary Jane and some of her family and staff was AWESOME! Meeting her again at the store in Coeur d’Alene with some other farmgirl friends. At that time around the table with breakfast snacks I remember someone asking Mary Jane why she did/does all the things she does. Her response was “because no one ever told me I couldn’t”!

    Reply
  14. Julie Conrad says:
    February 7, 2018 at 12:04 pm

    Your dairy and cheese book is the best! I have taught cheese making classes and use some of your recipes and references. I highly recommend your book to all of my students. The photography alone is beautiful and really represents the art of being a dairy maiden!

    Reply
  15. Winnie Nielsen says:
    February 7, 2018 at 1:58 pm

    This book was my first book of MaryJane’s collection that I purchased and I bet I read it cover to cover at least five times!! It is full of great stories, things to make, delicious recipes to make and lots of ways to live off the grid and grow your own healthy food. Whoever wins this book is going to love it and I hope they will find ideas that will enrich their life. I know I did!!

    Reply
  16. Merry Jayne! says:
    February 7, 2018 at 2:13 pm

    Absolutely love the magazine and have been a subscriber for quite some time. I must confess to checking the back page first as a quick read…love Rebekah’s insights. Yours is a magazine to look at over and over until the next one comes, then save to pull out a pile of back issues on a cold snowy day. Would love your first book. I’m sure it would be a treasure.

    Reply
  17. Barbara Criss says:
    February 7, 2018 at 2:36 pm

    I love this book. I do not need this copy as I purchased one several years ago when it first came out. I learned a lot from it and it is still among my most prized possessions. I also love your magazine and I keep them all.

    Reply
  18. Julie B says:
    February 7, 2018 at 5:22 pm

    One of my favorite Mary Jane products is her glamping book. One day my girls (2 and 1 one the way) and I will definitely go on adventures in our very own glamper!!

    Reply
  19. Susanne says:
    February 8, 2018 at 7:55 am

    I received a couple of yummy food bars, 3 magazines and a one year subscription of MJF for Christmas one year way back in 2004 (I think) and have so thoroughly enjoyed them since. I’ve made many recipes, crafts, knitted from patterns, been inspired in gardening and preserving and have been educated on many different topics. I have checked this book out from the library but would love to have a copy of my own. Thanks for the giveaway!

    Reply
  20. Leisa Joan says:
    February 8, 2018 at 9:36 am

    My mom got me this book for one of my birthdays, saying “this looks like your kind of book” well I’ve been a Mary Jane fan since I opened the book.

    Reply
  21. Kelly says:
    February 8, 2018 at 9:01 pm

    I am continually inspired by Mary Jane’s Farm Magazine. I read it from cover to cover and can’t wait for each new issue to come out. Why am I so taken with the magazine? After all, I am a single mom working 2 jobs in suburban Northern Califirnia, not living on a farm at all.However, Mary Jane’s Farm transcends such superficial distinctions and makes me feel like I am 10 years old again with the assurance that anything is possible. I may not technically live on a farm, but I can sit on my front porch swing and dream that my life could be a bit more farm girl-like and with the inspiration from Mary Jane’s farm, I can begin taking steps to find my inner farm girl and let her run through the fields of my imagination, bringing together the free-spirited girl that I was with the free-spirited woman I would like to become.

    Reply
  22. Joanne Vanderheite says:
    February 9, 2018 at 5:41 am

    We had moved to the country to start our farm and while shopping in our local farm and tractor store I found your magazine. I was hooked , being the Mom of a special needs child you don’t get much relaxation so when I bury myself in your magazine it is a respite for me and it brings much comfort, restores my ambitions and gives me so many ideas to fordge forward with. I LOVE it….!

    Reply
  23. Lori Foote says:
    February 9, 2018 at 6:08 am

    Like the quote from Amazon, I found Mary Jane’s approach to life the thing that was most pivotal for me. Her descriptions of how to make an apron or make a hat that is functional yet beautiful, is just the tip of the iceberg. In reality the mindset of choosing to do with less, to reuse, to consider not only functionality but beauty, to consider the ways our actions impact others… All of these and more arise from reading this book. It really did change how I live my life. I now recognize that I need to decide when enough (stuff) is enough, and I consciously choose to support businesses that are in line with my own thinking. I find myself more resource full these days, enlightened by a growth mindset which was seeded in Maryjane’s farm.

    Reply
  24. Deb F says:
    February 9, 2018 at 9:47 am

    I enjoy every article and look forward to each issue. My mother-in-law was raised on a farm and the magazine makes a wonderful gift subscription for her.

    Reply
  25. Lori Morton says:
    February 9, 2018 at 7:42 pm

    I am soooo inspired by Mary Jane’s Farm Magazine!!! LOVE everything about it! Had subscription for long time..got my daughter hooked as well. Now she gets subscription for us both! 🙂 would love to win your book!! Thank you for the chance! 😀

    Reply
  26. Heidi says:
    February 11, 2018 at 4:44 am

    I first picked up a MaryJanes Farm magazine because the cover promised lots of recipes. I actually didn’t realize MaryJane was a real person until I discovered this book! I was heartbroken to return it to the library and was thrilled when my husband bought this book for my birthday. This book has inspired me to make take more steps toward self-sustainability, and the daily blog journal provides a regular dose of farm girl life to this city girl. I was hoping to give this book to a girlfriend who has recently taken the plunge and moved from the city to a hobby farm. Thank you for all the inspiration!

    Reply
  27. Denvalee Corff says:
    February 11, 2018 at 6:51 pm

    I have really been enjoying your magazine,so I share it with a friend and have gotten my daughter a subscription. I am inspired to try your homemade recipes, learn about oils, use your crafts for gifts and decorating….I can hardly wait to get my next issue…thank you!!

    Reply
  28. Joy says:
    February 13, 2018 at 1:24 pm

    I love everything about your magazine.

    Reply
  29. Marilyn says:
    February 13, 2018 at 1:25 pm

    I have been inspired by all of the stories from the ladies involved in the magazine.
    Marilyn

    Reply
  30. Betty pries says:
    February 13, 2018 at 1:25 pm

    The magazine and blogs

    Reply
  31. Hillary Maxwell says:
    February 13, 2018 at 1:25 pm

    I find so much comfort in the magazines and books, after a hectic day in the world! Thanks for keeping simplicity a thing of value.

    Reply
  32. Bev Read says:
    February 13, 2018 at 1:27 pm

    I LOVE all the craft ideas and down home “Like my Mama, cooked recipes!!!!” Your magazine is like a breath of fresh air, each time ,my new copy arrives…. Such a BEAUTIFUL magazine(I wish it came out EVERY month, hint hint!)

    Reply
  33. Teresa Page says:
    February 13, 2018 at 1:27 pm

    It was this book that first acquainted me with Mary Jane. I was enchanted with the bag a friend had made from a calendar, and she referred me to this title. I’ve read and enjoyed all the books. I am now a subscriber to the magazine as well. I’d love to win the book!

    Reply
  34. Jeretta Bliss says:
    February 13, 2018 at 1:29 pm

    I love Mary Jane’s magazines, I love her books. I love everything about her.’

    Reply
  35. Dori Umphreys says:
    February 13, 2018 at 1:30 pm

    I first found out about MaryJane’s Farm years ago when I read a magazine article in my doctors office. I was excited a couple weeks later to find an issue at our Natural food Coop. I was so fascinated with it that i read it cover to cover in one sitting and then re-read it again later. I’ve been reading and collecting issues every since. I think what has helped me the most is that I knew I was a farmgirl at heart but just had never known how to put it into words before. I just skim other magazines but with MaryJane’s farm I just find every single page interesting and I’ve learned all kinds of new skills from reading it over the years. My husband knows its the one thing I treat myself to i buying every issue. I haven’t been able to read the books yet but I’d so love to!

    Reply
  36. LynB says:
    February 13, 2018 at 1:30 pm

    I love the magazine and I really love the Milk Cow Kitchen.!

    Reply
  37. Lori Starling says:
    February 13, 2018 at 1:30 pm

    I first came across the MaryJaneFarms magazine In my little tractor supply company store And have been inspired ever since ! The magazine even inspired me to buy my first sewing machine and join the sisterhood!

    Reply
  38. Barbara Wenkel says:
    February 13, 2018 at 1:31 pm

    I read it cover to cover and love it.

    Reply
  39. Lorena Washburn says:
    February 13, 2018 at 1:31 pm

    Oh my, a sun-faded copy to match my sun-kissed skin! I’d love to indulge myself and enjoy the recipes, stories and what-not! Please place my name in the hat 🙂

    Reply
  40. Janice Woods says:
    February 13, 2018 at 1:31 pm

    Love your magazine! I plan to retire on Dec 31, 2018! I am so looking forward to doing all the things I’ve dreamed of doing with my large parcel of land my home is on! Chickens might be in my future along with a raised vegetable garden and loads of flowers…I will have enough time to cook for my family and “put up” garden items to achieve a healthier lifestyle. This book will help me plan and dream even bigger that I have already!

    Reply
  41. Kelly says:
    February 13, 2018 at 1:32 pm

    I love the recipes!

    Reply
  42. Josie Davis says:
    February 13, 2018 at 1:32 pm

    I love the crafting articles and recipes!

    Reply
  43. Ruth Turner says:
    February 13, 2018 at 1:33 pm

    I LIVE for your magazine to arrive each month! I can only imagine how much time must go into each glorious issue! The pictures, articles, stories … ALL magnifique! I was raised on a farm that has been in our family since the 1700’s – a land grant from the King of England. We have been the last family to farm it. My dad started leasing it out to farm when he was no longer able to do so, as my brothers were interested in other pursuits. We lost him to Parkinson’s 2 years ago. So, our farming history is long and rich. SO much very hard work, so many wonderful memories. Work ethic?? WE’VE got it in spades! All of this to say that your magazine is all the more special because I can relate to so many things in them. They’re a gift…

    Reply
  44. Kate Lane says:
    February 13, 2018 at 1:33 pm

    I was at the library back in 2008, looking for.something new to grab me. MaryJane’s Ideabook, Lifebook, Cookbook grabbed me just by the photos on the spline! I had been feeling like something was missing in my life. After reading the book cover to cover twice, I made the choice to buy a farm and “simplify” my life. Thank you MaryJane Butters, for helping me find my dream!

    Reply
  45. Annie Trexler says:
    February 13, 2018 at 1:34 pm

    Your magazine is the only one ever that I read cover-to-cover and have kept every copy I received over the years. I share it with everyone!! Thanks so much for continuing to do such a great job!!

    Reply
  46. Rebecca M Jankowiak says:
    February 13, 2018 at 1:35 pm

    The magazine itself. I look forward to seeing it at my local Tractor Supply. Love all the ideas inside.

    Reply
  47. Dee Larson says:
    February 13, 2018 at 1:35 pm

    I grew up on a farm in the 50s, but I have lived in the Twin Cities since finishing school. Your magazine is like a trip home (even though home isn’t there anymore) I can feel the warm sun, the crickets singing and the sweet smell of warm earth in the spring. The stars at night that are not visible in the city at night, the early morning sun and smell of the fresh cut hay as work to turn it into bales for winter. I see my mother in the farm girl in every issue standing on the wire wheel in her plaid shirt and sweet smile.

    Reply
  48. Laura Anderson says:
    February 13, 2018 at 1:36 pm

    My husband and I are planning our retirement to our ranch in South Texas and Mary Jane”s farm will be my guide! I have been saving my issues so I will have a great library and reference guide for all things we deal with in farm life😊

    Reply
  49. Amy says:
    February 13, 2018 at 1:36 pm

    I love the visual’s! There are so many wonderful ideas to look at! I love getting new ideas to share with my family. Thanks for the chance to win this book.

    Reply
  50. Staci McLarnon says:
    February 13, 2018 at 1:36 pm

    MaryJanesFarm magazine is my ultimate favorite read! I love the recipes and the creative ideas for crafts! My chickens and gardens are thriving from things I’ve learned.
    I ❤️ the rural lifestyle and am so happy to have found this magazine!!

    Reply

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Author Portrait: maryjane

Winner!!! Giveaway: MaryJane’s Stitching Room

Posted on January 18, 2018 by maryjane

The winner of our MaryJane’s Stitching Room giveaway is Susanne, who said in response to our question, “Tell me why you’re a farmgirl”:

“Even though I’ve lived in town for over 30 years now, I’m still a farmgirl at heart and dream of living on a farm again someday. There’s just a deep satisfaction in going out to milk on frosty mornings, picking fruit from your own trees and storing it for later, harvesting loads of veggies from the garden, making meals completely from homegrown ingredients, and enjoying the beauty of creation all around me. In the meantime, while waiting for a farm again, I enjoy my little garden beds, herbs, and flowers outside, and sewing, knitting, and cooking from scratch inside. I’d love to have this book to create from! Thank you for the giveaway!

Congratulations, Susanne! Watch for an email from the farm. Thank you, everyone, for your lovely comments. I thoroughly enjoyed reading them.

Continue reading →

  1. Winnie Nielsen says:
    January 17, 2018 at 6:35 am

    Suzanne~ Congratulations!! This is one book you are going to love and will read and re-read it many times. It is not only useful and informative, it is just plain beautiful and inspiring to look at the photos. Enjoy this new Farmgirl must have!

    Reply
  2. Krista says:
    January 17, 2018 at 10:58 am

    Congratulations Suzanne! You will definitely enjoy your new book and find so many wonderful things to make and do!

    Reply

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Author Portrait: maryjane

Winner!!! Giveaway: “Seamwork, I’ll Be Home”

Posted on January 1, 2018 by maryjane

In the Dec/Jan issue of MaryJanesFarm, “I’ll Be Home,” I led you here to my daily journal for a chance to win a FREE one-month, premium Seamwork membership (Seamwork.com). Seamwork is all about designing and creating your own wardrobe, piece by piece, with approachable patterns that match both your style and your schedule.

seamwork-2017-07-medium

The winner of my “Seamwork, I’ll Be Home” giveaway is …

Carol, who left this comment in response to “Tell me about one of your favorite sewing projects.”

“I was the girl in high school who made many of my own clothes. Now I’m a quilter and a thrifty clothes shopper. BUT, I think I should revert to my earlier self. At my age (59, no really, I am 59), I am finding it harder and harder to find clothes that are ME. I would love to give this a try. My favorite project was all the clothes I made for my trousseau in 1980.”

Congratulations, Carol! Watch for an e-mail from the farm. Thank you, everyone, for your lovely comments. I thoroughly enjoyed reading them.

Stay tuned for more magazine-related giveaways. If you’re not yet a subscriber to my magazine, MaryJanesFarm, subscribe here for $19.95/year.

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Author Portrait: maryjane

GIVEAWAY: MaryJane’s Stitching Room

Posted on December 28, 2017 by maryjane

Thank you for dropping by my Raising Jane Journal to participate in my giveaways! We’ve chosen a winner for this giveaway already (click here for details), but don’t be afraid to leave a comment anyway. I love reading them. And stay tuned for more great MaryJanesFarm giveaways.

This copy of my book, MaryJane’s Stitching Room, was in our store window and ended up with a sun-faded cover. But its insides are like new, and as every farmgirl knows, it’s never good to judge a book by its cover. Better to judge it from some of its online reviews, like this one from Elaine:

“Awesome book filled with tons of crafts and sewing ideas. I bought this as a gift for someone who loves lace and she just loved it. I have been getting MaryJaneFarm magazine for years now and this is a more in depth look at things she crafts.”

To lay claim to this (sun-faded) copy, tell me why you’re a farmgirl. We’ll put your names in a basket and pull out a lucky winner sometime soon. Check back to see if it’s headed your way.

Continue reading →

  1. Marlene Laverty says:
    December 27, 2017 at 12:27 am

    Why I am a farmgirl? For me there is a deep satisfaction of doing things for yourself. From sitting down to a breakfast of food that you grew, gathered or even raised yourself to going to sleep under a homemade quilt at bed time and the life that I lived in between. It Just feels good to be a farmgirl and to share my farmgirlness (is that a word?) with those that I love.

    Reply
  2. Colleen K Maki says:
    December 27, 2017 at 4:02 am

    “Farmgirl” is me, because that is the way my grandparents and parents taught me.

    Even though they never lived on an official farm, they gardened, canned vegetables and fruits, hunted wild game and processed it, fished for dinner, made their own clothes, curtains, quilts, gifts, etc., and hung their laundry on the clothesline (after using a wringer washing machine and metal washtubs). They cut their own grass, repaired their own problems, and were quite self-sufficient. I yearn to be as much like them, as I possibly can.

    Reply
  3. Michelle Kirby says:
    December 27, 2017 at 4:21 am

    I’ve always been a farm girl.

    Reply
  4. Deb Ritchey says:
    December 27, 2017 at 5:48 am

    I was born and raised a farm girl. I still live on the same farm and always. There is no better place on earth.

    Reply
  5. Winnie Nielsen says:
    December 27, 2017 at 5:50 am

    This was one of the first books by you that I purchased after reading the Ideas book. I have used it many times for simple sewing projects and as a reference for things like basic embroidery stitches. All of my Farmgirl Swap crocheted dishcloths are made from your basic stitches shown in this book too. Like all of the MJF books, this Stitchery book is also a beautiful book of photography and creative ideas that are timeless.

    If I become a winner, I know just who I will gift this book forward too.

    Reply
  6. Barb Miller says:
    December 27, 2017 at 6:13 am

    Because sunrises are more valuable than gold, animals more loving and patient than most humans, silence is a great gift.

    Reply
  7. Robin Gerardi says:
    December 27, 2017 at 6:32 am

    I have always been a farm girl, but now at age 60, I’m really going to live my dream after retiring from owning and operating an alterations shop for 39 years. We are leaving Rhode Island and moving to South Carolina where we can have a huge garden, I have a new huge kitchen and of course a new sewing room where I will continue my art of sewing. I was raised by farmers and its in my blood. I love nothing better than creating, especially getting my hands in the soil. God has blessed me with gifted hands to create and help others. I praise Him for the life I have had and will continue to have. And you, Mary Jane are always an inspiration. Thank you.

    Reply
    • MaryJane says:
      December 27, 2017 at 7:00 am

      Congratulations!!!! Our Carrie Jo is now working in an alterations shop here in Moscow, so we don’t see as much of her as we’d like. But she enjoys doing alterations. Merry gardening and merry sewing, dearest Robin. I’m happy for you.

      Reply
  8. CJ Armstrong says:
    December 27, 2017 at 7:06 am

    Brought home from the hospital after I was born to a farm where I grew up and learned SO MUCH from my farm parents. After college I got married, and after a few years in Arizona, we moved back to Colorado, built a house on some farm acreage my dad deeded to me and here I am.
    I’m a farmgirl because it’s in the genes . . . and the jeans! The dirt is under my farmgirl toesnails and fingernails!
    Wouldn’t change it for anything!!!

    Reply
  9. Deon Matzen says:
    December 27, 2017 at 7:55 am

    Being a farm woman is probably the most satisfying part of my life. I grew up on a small farm, moved to the city and forty-five years ago managed to return to a small farm. Life is quiet, rewarding (eggs, veggies, meat and more), educating, hard work which keeps me in shape, self satisfying but not in a self-serving way. Fortunately, I have a husband who likes this type of life too and we are growing old together in a place that gives us peace and happiness in a world that isn’t always that way.

    Reply
  10. Arlene Wilder says:
    December 27, 2017 at 8:45 am

    I am a farm girl because it is in my blood, ancestry of famer’s from North Dakota, Minnesota, France, Russia and Mexico. I used to visit the farms when I was a child. So when I moved to Texas where I met my husband we ended up finding 5 acres and started growing our own food, fruit trees, canning and more. We have 6 dogs all strays. I learned to rehabilitate wildlife and squirrels and I have one squirrel that could not go back out due to injury she is 17 yrs old I love her dearly as I helped her she has helped me I am 57 yrs old and overcome 13 surgeries. So I am a tough Farm Girl. God Bless Arlene Wilder Conroe Texas

    Reply
  11. Leisa Joan says:
    December 27, 2017 at 9:49 am

    I’m a farm girl in spirit…I love gardening, cooking from scratch, hanging my laundry outside (or indoors on drying racks in the winter) and bird watching in all seasons.

    Reply
  12. Melva Vick says:
    December 27, 2017 at 11:08 am

    I am a farm girl because I love farm animals, gardens, a country house (with a porch), reading Mary Jane’s Farm magazine, etc…..
    I take the time to stop and visit with someone each day. (No “texting”!)
    I always have time to Care for others….

    Reply
  13. Krista says:
    December 27, 2017 at 12:19 pm

    This is such a wonderful book. This book is how I learned to crochet and I plan to use it to learn many more crafts. It have found it useful even when I need a refresher on something that has slipped my mind. I hope this book finds the perfect home!

    Reply
  14. Diane says:
    December 27, 2017 at 6:17 pm

    Being a farm girl is in my heart, mind and everything I do.

    Reply
  15. Deb Morris says:
    December 27, 2017 at 6:23 pm

    I am a farm girl because I used to be….I used to wake in the mornings listening to the birds instead of traffic… I would play in the sunshine and wind without fear of bad people and horrible things…I could look up and out and see nature in its finest, the color, the sounds, the joy…today I live near Chicago where this no longer exists and I pray that some day I will go back to the days of long ago…

    Reply
  16. Lisa Von Saunder says:
    December 28, 2017 at 9:19 am

    HI Maryjane , I already have this book and its one of my favorites as the only crafts I decent at are the sewing kind.
    I have always been a farmgirl at heart and have been fortunate enough to live that life several times in my life.

    Reply
  17. Lorraine says:
    December 30, 2017 at 6:36 am

    My dad grew up on a farm, my mom was a city girl. My heart belongs in the country. My husband and I lived 30 years.on 10 acres surrounded by farm land, raising 3 children, various animals and a large garden. Due to my husbands health issues, we now live in a small Wisconsin town nearer to shopping and the hospital and clinic. I still have a large vegetable garden, herb garden and flower gardens plus my allowed 3 hens. We spend as much time camping as possible in the spring, summer, and fall. You can take the girl out of the country but, you can’t take the country out of the girl no matter how old she is!

    Reply
  18. Daizy says:
    January 2, 2018 at 7:17 am

    Hay there.

    I have been a life long Farm Girl and don’t ever want that to change. As I get older the work gets tougher but I have hopes that my littles, that are full grown now, will one day take over and I can finish out my life right where I am now. I have this awesome book and enjoy opening it up and finding new projects and information each time. Sun fades or not it is a great book of inspiration. If I am lucky enough to win it I will be gifting it to my daughter who is a seamstress and alterator at a shop in the next town over. She loves what she does and is very good at it. She makes me proud. Best of luck to everyone.

    Hugs and prayers,
    Daizy FarmGirl #1093

    Reply
  19. Verna Studer says:
    January 3, 2018 at 6:43 am

    Touching the textures and admiring my small collection of fabrics that I dream of turning into whimsical, quirky clothing, is something that I love doing. Just yesterday, I was playing with my fabric and finally made a mug rug so that I could see a sample of my fabric every day while I drink my herbal tea in my sweet little white farm house. I am approaching retirement and eagerly waiting to spend more time in my garden, my kitchen, and my sewing room…I love “making things from scratch,” and cannot wait to be a full-time farmgirl, sharing my skills and life of simplicity with my young grandchildren!

    Reply
  20. Susanne says:
    January 3, 2018 at 8:39 am

    Even though I’ve lived in town for over 30 years now, I’m still a farm girl at heart and dream of living on a farm again someday. There’s just a deep satisfaction in going out to milk on frosty mornings, picking fruit from your own trees and storing it for later, harvesting loads of vegies from the garden, making meals completely from homegrown ingredients and enjoying the beauty of creation all around me. In the meantime while waiting for a farm again, I enjoy my little garden beds, herbs, and flowers outside and sewing, knitting, and cooking from scratch inside. I’d love to have this book to create from! Thank you for the giveaway!

    Reply
  21. Summer says:
    January 3, 2018 at 3:03 pm

    I am a farmgirl because why not!

    Reply
  22. Rebecca M. says:
    January 4, 2018 at 7:02 am

    I’m a farmgirl without the farm. I grew up on a farm, but now I live on a 3/4 acre lot that I’ll filled with apple trees, blueberry bushes, flowers, honey bees and raised garden beds. I’m adding chickens in the spring. There’s just something satisfying about digging in the dirt and growing your own food.

    Reply
  23. Vanessa Ferrell says:
    January 6, 2018 at 9:02 am

    My mother is my influence to be a farmgirl. She was born in Latvia and brought traditions from her homeland. She sewed clothes for us, planted a garden and froze and canned the veggies. We would walk in the woods and she would look for mushrooms. She and my dad made dandelion wine before it was cool. She could fix anything, do anything. I want to be more like my mom.

    Reply
  24. Lori Morton says:
    January 7, 2018 at 2:13 pm

    I’m a Farmgirl because it’s just how I am..lol We have a farm..rent most to a sweet farmer we call “Our Farmer”! 🙂 We hacve a Peach Orchard we sell at 3 Farm Mkts, can em for us, and can from our garden, 🙂

    Reply
  25. June says:
    January 9, 2018 at 5:53 am

    I’ve always been a farmgirl, though I went through a period in my 30’s of trying not to be. What a waste of time that was! I’m happy to be in the country tending to my animals, garden, and humble home. That’s real life.

    Reply
  26. Sandi says:
    January 12, 2018 at 9:04 am

    Once a farmgirl, always a farmgirl, no matter where you end up. I grew up on a small 17 acre farm in upstate New York and I loved it. I have precious memories of my siblings and myself playing in snow covered fields and looking for blue racers under rocks in the summer. After I was married we lived for a time on a hog farm and I fed and watered them every day and made pets out of 2 of the smaller ones. I don’t have a farm now, but I still have the heart.

    Reply
  27. Holly Perdue says:
    January 13, 2018 at 1:13 pm

    I am a farm girl because I adopt children who have troubled beginnings and where better to heal than on a farm. Our first foster daughters have significant communication issues. When we bought our farm it was with both of them in mind. We have plenty of space to run and work through issues. We have animals who listen and do not talk back and judge. We later adopted sons who need places to build and roam away from the TV. It is important to have space to talk to ones self with out any one else butting in.

    We also bought this particular farm because there is water in the barn.

    Reply
  28. Cindy Jacobson says:
    January 16, 2018 at 2:32 pm

    I am a farmgirl, because for me there is no other way to be. I much prefer taking care of and talking to the animals versus driving in city traffic. I feel very fortunate to be able to live a lifestyle where my hands get dirty in the garden and I eat poultry and beef we have raised ourselves.

    Reply

  29. Pingback: Winner!!! Giveaway: MaryJane’s Stitching Room | Raising Jane Journal

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Author Portrait: maryjane

GIVEAWAY: “Seamwork, I’ll Be Home”

Posted on October 19, 2017 by maryjane

Thank you for dropping by my Raising Jane Journal to participate in my giveaways! We’ve chosen a winner for this giveaway already (click here for details), but don’t be afraid to leave a comment anyway. I love reading them. And stay tuned for more great MaryJanesFarm giveaways.

In the Dec/Jan issue of MaryJanesFarm, on newsstands Nov. 7, you’ll find a feature about a great website and online magazine called Seamwork (Seamwork.com). Seamwork is all about designing and creating your own wardrobe, piece by piece, with approachable patterns that match both your style and your schedule.

seamwork-2017-07-medium

A monthly membership to Seamwork offers patterns, hacks, ideas, and inspiration to help you craft the clothes you want to wear. For a chance to win a FREE one-month, premium Seamwork membership, tell me about one of your favorite sewing projects in the comments below (I recently taught my grandgirls how to use an electric sewing machine and they made doll blankets–I loved every minute of it). I’ll toss your name into a hat and draw a lucky winner sometime mid-December.

Stay tuned for more magazine-related giveaways. If you’re not yet a subscriber to my magazine, MaryJanesFarm, subscribe here for $19.95/year.

Continue reading →

  1. Colleen says:
    October 18, 2017 at 5:00 am

    Although I’ve made everything from clothing, to sleeping bags, to prom dresses, to tents, probably my favorite ones, so far, have been the Halloween costumes I have made for my children. Even though they are adults now, I have saved some for them to show their own children someday.

    Reply
  2. Deb Ritchey says:
    October 18, 2017 at 5:56 am

    I made fabric baskets to use for gifts.

    Reply
  3. Winnie Nielsen says:
    October 18, 2017 at 6:29 am

    Thirty to forty years ago, I sewed all of my clothing and made clothes for a friend’s little girls. However, once I started a nursing career and had my own family, I never had the time or energy to keep that going. Today, I still have the little Halloween dress that I made for my first daughter when she was 18 months old and my second daughter wore it until it was too small at age 3 1/2. I get it out every year and hang it in the family room for fun.

    Reply
  4. Deon Matzen says:
    October 18, 2017 at 7:41 am

    I loved to sew and make hand designed clothing for myself, but I think that the quilted coverlet that I made four our queen sized bed was my favorite all time piece. I had three weeks off at Christmas and started and completed it during that time. The entire piece was made from recycled fabrics. I used tablecloths, curtains, fabrics and dresses from the thrift store. !00% cotton and mostly patterns with yellow backgrounds for one side and with white backgrounds for the other.

    Reply
  5. Elisabeth Perkins says:
    October 18, 2017 at 7:53 am

    My favorite thing I made was a sleeping bag, for when we go traveling. It can double as a picnic blanket. I actually just made it like a quilt and Instead of using a zipper for the sides I used Velcro strips. I used Monaluna Organic fabric and also some organic cotton batting.

    Reply
  6. Lynnia says:
    October 18, 2017 at 11:05 am

    My all time fav sewing was my first time and I can remember like it was yesterday and it was 54 years ago. I made my daughter a pair of shorts and a long sleeve top out of cotton duck. Shorts were yellow and top was striped in different hues of yellow . Cut out a big giraffe of the yellow and sewed it on the top with a small zig gag stitch. Amazing how good the outfit turned out for my first time ever!❤️

    Reply
  7. Krista says:
    October 18, 2017 at 11:39 am

    My favorite sewing project was the green and white quilt/blanket that I made in my high school sewing class. It took me a long time and lots of hard work, but still to this day I am so very proud of how it turned out. I remeber my fingers were so tender from all the needle work and tying of ribbons. Later on I decided to make me a matching pillow with the left over fabric.

    Reply
  8. susan b says:
    October 18, 2017 at 12:15 pm

    Probably my favorite was the first quilt I did for my first grandson. I machine quilted it and ended up with a tiny hole where I got “jammed up” in the center. I put a little ladybug applique over it and was told no one would notice it. My grandson will not leave that ladybug alone – he has picked the feet and some of the body loose with his teeth!

    Reply
  9. Jacqueline Ferri says:
    October 18, 2017 at 12:58 pm

    I can’t say it was my favorite but I was proud of this project. My eldest daughter ,when she was ten ,was going to Savannah, Georgia to the birthplace of Juliette Low, Founder of Girl Scouting in this country. She and her fellow scouts were to wear the uniform of that time, 1912. It was like a sailor outfit and blue, it had a long skirt, a top with long sleeves and a shawl collar that ended in a tie . That was the challenging part! Everyone had to make this or find a friend to see it! I was happy that it came out well! Whew !

    Reply
  10. Elaine O'Connell says:
    October 21, 2017 at 4:52 pm

    My favorite project was my wedding dress. Saved a lot of money and it was a one of a kind.

    Reply
  11. Elizabeth Greeley says:
    October 21, 2017 at 7:36 pm

    One of my first sewing projects remains one of my favorites. Being a kid who grew up in a rural ranching coomunity, when one graduated eighth grade from the one-room schoolhouse, one had to go “out” for high school. I boarded with with a friend of the family for the first two years, but when my brother was also old enough for high school, my folks rented an apartment and we kids and my mom spent the week in town and weekends at the ranch.
    One weekend, i stayed in town for a school event and decided I was going to make a skirt. I gathered up up all the spare change in my desk drawers and counted up what remained of my allowance and headed downtown to the Idaho Department Store to peruse the pattern books and fabric options. After carefully considering all the possible choicess, I chose a back zipper, fly front straight skirt pattern and a navy blue fabric printed with red, white and yellow stylized daisies. I went home, cut out the pattern (paying no attention to grainline), and started stitching. Things went along pretty well until I got to the zipper; somehow my efforts were not matching the pictures in the directions. I pressed on and managed to get it in, even though both sides didn’t quite line up at the top, and there was a curious little bubble at the bottom I had to stitch and press flat. I decided that a perfect length was 18 inches. This was, after all, the era of the first mini-skirts. Monday morning, I proudly wore my new skirt down the stairs, topped by my best Granny-style white blouse and a red leather headband. My mother looked up from preparing our morning eggs and pancakes. Her eyebrows shot up to get hairline as she asked,”Are you going to wear THAT to school.”
    I proudly said, “Yes.”
    She tsk-tsked and shook her head, but didn’t say anything else.
    I felt extremely stylish, and was so proud when my girlfriends asked where I’d gotten the new skirt, and I said, “I made it!”

    Reply
  12. Leisa Joan says:
    October 23, 2017 at 9:52 am

    as a stay at home mom, I used to make all my girls Halloween costumes, my favorite being her Tiger Lily dress, from Peter Pan, confused with Pocahantus…I also made a dinosaur for my youngest girl, and a monkey. I’ve passed them down to various nieces and newphews.

    Reply
  13. Honey says:
    October 25, 2017 at 3:24 pm

    My granddaughters love to twirl and love skirts or dresses that float away from their bodies as they do so. I found the perfect pattern and have made 4 skirts that already shown signs of wear because they always have one of them on.
    Is there anything better than taking a twirl with skirt that adds to the experience?

    Reply
  14. Patty says:
    October 26, 2017 at 5:30 pm

    One Saturday when I was in high school (over 50 years ago) I decided to make something to wear to the dance that night. I went downtown, got some bright green print fabric to make a short jumpsuit, with a long back zipper. Managed to get it finished in time to wear that night.

    Reply
  15. winnie Jackson says:
    October 27, 2017 at 3:54 pm

    I think this book would be wonderful in any home that sews or creates or loves being inspired in the craft/sew world. I am a sewer/quilter/crafter/fiber lady and love to see
    what other ideas are out there. I hope to win such a book for my home.
    thank you for this offer. Winnie

    Reply
  16. Margaret says:
    November 1, 2017 at 7:13 am

    I always wanted to learn to sew.
    My mother could do buttons, cross stitch and crochet, but she didn’t have a machine.
    My oldest sister in law helped me sew my first dress when I was a preteen.
    we found the pattern in the local newspaper.
    it didn’t have a zipper, and only 2 seams
    I couldn’t understand the armhole facings.
    the dress slipped on over my head.
    it was a great first project
    and so much fun in getting to know the newest member of our family.
    thank you and rest in peace, Mary Lou

    Reply
  17. Christina Burnham says:
    November 1, 2017 at 10:37 am

    I think the best thing I ever did sewing was to make my own apron without a pattern. Just by taking measurements of myself. Cutting and piecing the fabric together then ultimately Ewing it into my favorite apron by far. Now that my 13year old daughter saw what can be done she has asked me to teach her how to sew.

    Reply
  18. Starletta Schipp says:
    November 2, 2017 at 4:45 pm

    My favorite project I’ve sewn so far is the First Communion dress I made for my Goddaughter

    Reply
  19. Barbara Gordy says:
    November 5, 2017 at 11:56 am

    My favorite project is the pink and white gingham apron I made in HomeEc in 7th grade around 1969. It was awful! But I was so proud of it. I proudly gave it to my Mom as a gift. I never saw her wear it and later she even threw it away. But it didn’t dampen my enthusiasm. Thank goodness my sewing improved over the years!

    Reply
  20. Cindy Foote says:
    November 6, 2017 at 6:15 pm

    I love to sew and look forward to learning how to build a wardrobe that is easy to sew.

    Reply
  21. susan b says:
    November 7, 2017 at 7:00 am

    My favorite sewing project was the first quilt I made for my first grandson. I still love the back of it – I used a cream toile with woodland animals (at that point we didn’t know if he was a he!). I wish I had bought the whole bolt of that material so I could use some on his little brothers’ quilt that I’m currently working on!

    Reply
  22. Krysti Carlson-Goering says:
    November 7, 2017 at 8:11 pm

    My favorite sewing moment was when my grandmother taught me how to sew on my great-grandmither’s Treadle seeing machine. Previously i had learned to sew in an electric machine so the treadle was weird. It was hard to control at first and my grandmother chuckled as he i tried to get the right speed. She also taught me to crochet which i still do today.

    Reply
  23. Summer says:
    November 9, 2017 at 7:27 am

    My favorite sewing projects are teeny vintage barbie clothes! If I need a break from the tininess, I sew period-correct american girl clothes.

    Reply
  24. Toni Coplan says:
    November 9, 2017 at 6:15 pm

    One of my favorite sewing projects is making a baby quilt. I have made at least 15 of them over the years, often using the same tried and true pattern with different fabric themes, everything from Beatrix Potter designs to circus scenes, and cowboy flannels. I like to use high loft batting which is easy to hand tie. A flannel or Minky backing is cozy for babies and toddlers. This always makes a baby gift that is very happily received!

    Reply
  25. Denece Vincent says:
    November 9, 2017 at 6:20 pm

    I used to do a lot of sewing all kinds from baby clothes to my daughters’ silk wedding gown. But I think the things i’ve Enjoyed making and using the most were a Bimini top for our sailboat and a little red canvas purse I made with all kinds of pockets, zippers and catches.

    Reply
  26. Chris Thayer says:
    November 18, 2017 at 8:27 am

    My love for sewing came from greataunt Margie. I lived in Denver and was blessed to spend the summers at their ranch in Wyoming. She had an antique gown I adored. She helped me sew a replica of it with scrap material and homemade pattern. I cherish that memory and will do the same with my granddaughters. I still have and adore my special replica.

    Reply
  27. Chris Davis says:
    November 27, 2017 at 2:32 pm

    My fave sewing project is the flannel Christmas quilt I made with my mother.

    Reply
  28. Sabrina says:
    December 1, 2017 at 4:56 am

    I have made reenactment clothing (but with a machine not in the original hand sewn fashion) and love doing that. My absolute favorite to make was a doublet for my husband. It turned out beautiful!

    Reply
  29. Cynthia says:
    December 4, 2017 at 3:59 pm

    I am in the process of making a wedding quilt for my son and his fiance, such fun

    Reply
  30. Carol says:
    December 5, 2017 at 11:35 am

    I was the girl in high school who made many of my own clothes. Now I’m a quilter and a thrifty clothes shopper. BUT, I think I should revert to my earlier self. At my age (59, no, really, I am 59), I am finding it harder and harder to find clothes that are ME. I would love to give this a try.

    Reply
  31. Stephanie Herdman says:
    December 8, 2017 at 8:53 am

    My favorite thing to sew has been anything that actually fits when I’m done. lol

    Reply
  32. Heather Majernik says:
    December 10, 2017 at 2:40 pm

    So far, I’m mostly a pillow and basic curtains sewer but I would love to be better at making clothes.

    Reply
  33. Susanne says:
    December 11, 2017 at 7:58 am

    Some of my favorite sewing projects the last several years have been cute little reusable gift bags. They’re quick and easy which is what fits into my life right now. But I have also really enjoyed sewing half circle skirts and peasant blouses for my girls. Most of my sewing now days tends to be mending but I have bins of fabric waiting for more time. =)

    Thank you for the giveaway. This looks like fun!

    Reply
  34. Marguerite Bonniwell says:
    December 11, 2017 at 4:32 pm

    I have been sewing since I was about 9 years old. I enjoyed sewing for myself, but I loved sewing for my children! I think my favorite item was the quilt I made for my daughter featuring her favorite colors and her favorite theme of polka dots.

    Reply
  35. Nikki Hurlbut says:
    December 11, 2017 at 4:35 pm

    My favorite sewing project was actually my bridesmaids dresses for my wedding!!

    Reply
  36. Kim says:
    December 11, 2017 at 4:35 pm

    I love most projects from quilting to sewing a skirt. I’m so limited with time in this phase of my life that I’m just thrilled when I do get to sew!

    Reply
  37. linda gardner says:
    December 11, 2017 at 4:37 pm

    My mother was a seamstress and I loved to watch her create. My mom and I designed my wedding dress and successfully made the whole thing. A dress I’ll cherish forever. Not sure she will with all those little buttons down the back. Now I’m teaching my granddaughter how to sew. Maybe we will share the same memory in our future.

    Reply
  38. Lori Starling says:
    December 11, 2017 at 4:38 pm

    I recently began sewing and my first project was a hot wheel car holder for my three-year-old son. I made it out of Batman fabric and he about died when he saw it! He actually sleeps with it as it holds his favorite cars.

    Reply
  39. Bobbie says:
    December 11, 2017 at 4:38 pm

    I love sewing! I make a lot of my clothes. Right now I’m making my son in law a shirt. We don’t live in the same state so it has taken me 12 months and 5 muslins to get it to fit. I can’t wait to finish it for him. I am also looking forward to making my daughter a vintage Simplicity coat pattern out of left over hot pink wool fabric that my grandmother made a suit out of in the 70’s. I’m excited to do it and she’s excited to get it.

    Reply
  40. Candace says:
    December 11, 2017 at 4:39 pm

    My very first sewing project was a quilt my mother showed me how to cut, piece and sew. Next I learned how to sew my own doll clothes. Never looked back.

    Reply
  41. Celeste Kizer says:
    December 11, 2017 at 4:44 pm

    I learned to sew from my Mom and I feel a special connection every time I sit down at my machine! My newest family tradition is to make I Spy quilts for my grand kiddos 2nd birthday! Need to get started soon on #7’s special quilt

    Reply
  42. Janice Miller says:
    December 11, 2017 at 4:48 pm

    My favorite project is any one that I can take an afternoon , shut myself in my sewing room and create.

    Reply
  43. Jennifer says:
    December 11, 2017 at 4:55 pm

    I enjoy making matching tops for my dog and myself.

    Reply
  44. Heike @ goddessinthegroove says:
    December 11, 2017 at 4:58 pm

    A few months ago, I found 3 fabric chickens at an estate sale. I fell in love with them right away, and only later discovered that they were pincushions! I gave one to my friend. This same friend asked me to teach her to sew, and together we made a pattern from these fantastic chickens! She was sewing her own in no time :).

    I now sell chickens made from this pattern, filled with buckwheat & lavender (I call them Zen Chickens!) and smaller ones that are ornaments, filled with cloves. All are sewn from vintage fabric I find at estate sales.

    At the same time I found the chickens, I also found a vintage sewing machine at the thrift store for $19. I cleaned it, oiled it, replaces some parts, and now it runs like a machine! All of this is inspiring me to sew my own clothes again, especially dresses with pockets!

    Reply
  45. Barbara Burch says:
    December 11, 2017 at 5:03 pm

    Been sewing since I was about 12!! If it can be made out of fabric, I’ve made it! My favorite projects are sewing for my grandkids!! I’ve made five PC Popples!!

    Reply
  46. Jennifer Blanton says:
    December 11, 2017 at 5:07 pm

    I love to sew dolls for all the girls in our family and for the little girls at church. It is such a blessing to watch their eyes light up when they get the little dolls to play with and carry around.

    Reply
  47. Norma Jean Brilliant says:
    December 11, 2017 at 5:11 pm

    Enjoyed sewing for my toddlers….many years ago.

    Reply
  48. Lorita says:
    December 11, 2017 at 5:11 pm

    I think my favorite memories of sewing projects were making curtains for my children’s rooms. I still remember the green, yellow, and orange curtains and how the light lit them up. Right now I’m making fleece throws for my grandchildren for Christmas.

    Reply
  49. Cynthia Weaver says:
    December 11, 2017 at 5:12 pm

    One of our quilters brought her granddaughter along when we were quilting. I showed her how to thread a needle and gave her some scrap fabric. She loved it! Then I heard she was taking sewing classes and she really loved designing clothes. The next year when we were quilting, she started sewing quilt pieces together on my Featherweight. She also proved her ability when she would crawl across the table and move the quilt fabric around when we were designing the quilt top. I think she is hooked and perhaps destined for greatness!

    Reply
  50. Donna says:
    December 11, 2017 at 5:12 pm

    Found chairs at a thrift store and made new bottomand back cushions for them , just repurposed fabric from a sofa cover into pillows fro my living room. Love to use fabric to change your decor!

    Reply

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Author Portrait: maryjane

photo-of-the-day

Posted on September 5, 2017 by maryjane

farm-romance_0214

Continue reading →

  1. Winnie Nielsen says:
    September 4, 2017 at 1:35 pm

    Those cute bird condos look like they are in Florida with those bright and fun colors!

    Reply
  2. Ann Gee says:
    October 5, 2017 at 4:55 pm

    I enjoyed getting your pictures daily, they were so refreshing and a wonderful way to start the day, but somehow I don’t seem to be getting them anymore.
    What can I do to remedy this?

    Reply
    • MaryJane says:
      October 5, 2017 at 6:29 pm

      With another book sent off just today and the next issue of the magazine also today, we haven’t had time to send out very many mailings. Just a time thing. Hopefully, after we all recover from a month’s worth of long days and too many sleepless nights, we’ll get back in the saddle and have time for some of our more routine work again. Happy to hear you missed them!

      Reply

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