Idaho Square Dance–Mountain Quilt Fest, Day 3!

Pam’s beautiful blocks!

How gorgeous in these colors!

She mentioned that this is the 3rd workshop she has taken with me, and I loved hearing how at first she was too afraid to leave matchy matchy behind and let the scraps in to play – she said that she is so happy with the freedom of being able to throw anything and everything in and how much more fun she is having!

It shows, Pam!  These blocks are wonderful!  I can’t wait to see your whole quilt.

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The Scrappy Bargello Dance–Tennessee Style!

Fast and furious sewing y’all!

Yesterday’s workshop was a flurry of strip piecing activity – and folks who had never made a bargello quilt before found themselves falling in love with how simple and fun this pattern is – and the ideas for what they can do with it were percolating!

How much can YOU accomplish in a 6 hour sewing workshop day?  These two are here to show you! 

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Mountain Quiltfest Day 1–Geese on a String!

Geese on a String!

I have been waiting for this workshop – my favorite things combined into one!

Four-patches & string blocks.  In fact, these four-patches are found in 3 different quilts in String Frenzy – yes, the Leader & Ender units live on always finding a place to land!

You’ll find them in Daybreak, Sand Castles AND Geese on a String.  Proving once again that “If you build the units the quilt will come!”

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Mountain Quiltfest or Bust!

i headed out southwest toward the Tennessee line yesterday -

This valley view is from the top of Grassy Creek Rd, about a  winding, climbing mile from the cabin. Blue skies, puffy clouds, an audio book playing -

Life is interesting in these parts.  There is ZERO GPS signal on my Verizon phone where I am due to the mountains.  So I have to go old school, watching the signs on the road pointing me toward Interstate 81 and figure the Walmart truck in front of me knows where he is going – and follow along.

And just as I had experienced a time or two before – the GPS will catch up with me and start working again within a mile from the interstate on ramp.  Tennessee bound!

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Is it Monday, Already?

I had such BIG PLANS for the past weekend -

And while I tried to make the quilt on the Design Floor my main focus – real life crept in, slowly ate up all of my available time and I didn’t get done.

But you know what?  What is more important?

Real life fun with friends for lunch and antique shopping or quilting?

Real life run back to Galax for a much desired church pew and ice cream out, or getting that quilt top done?

Real life Saturday going back AGAIN to Galax for lunch with The Hubster on his birthday and watch his eyes light up over the possibilities this vintage 1950s Carolina Pride stove holds for his workshop?

And movie night – Don’t forget movie night!

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The Quilting Day That Wasn’t!

This quilt hasn’t gotten any further along -

It is laying in the same place I left it the last time I was up at the cabin -

Sadie has been up here with The Hubster while the window re-do, roof fixing, gas range/dishwasher/microwave install has happened over the past couple of weeks.  I am the one that is out of town while he works remotely from here.  That’s the perk of his job – as long as he has cell data, he can do his job from wherever.

This quilt has been walked around, walked on, and evidently pet-surfed into a corner:

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Twice to Galax and Back Again!

I made my first foray to downtown Galax VA!

With Toni in Tow!

We’d been talking about it for some time.  Another girl’s day out where we could wander, shop, enjoy lunch and explore.

Last time it was the three of us – Martha, Toni and myself.  Off to Boone, NC we went and had a great time.

This trip however – Martha was enjoying the company of her son and granddaughter and we know how that takes precedence – so we issued her a rain check redeemable at any time with no expiration date and set out down winding mountain 2 lane highways – past Independence, VA and on to Galax.

I’d driven THROUGH Galax before – it’s an easy drive when coming from Eastern Virginia to Southwestern where the cabin resides.  I sort of knew where downtown was and always wanted to explore, but I was always coming through at the end of a long drive, shops closed for the night.

Yesterday was THE DAY!

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When Spring Comes Calling…

There are daffodils on the hillside -

Just beyond the back porch at Quiltville Inn.

Last year this time – we were still waiting to see if inspections would pass, if insurance coverage could be found, if a loan could be secured – all of those things that would allow this dream to take the next step into reality – which didn’t happen until the end of April 2018.

So I missed daffodils on the hillside.

But I found them yesterday evening as we drove over so I could inspect the new windows, the progress at both Inn & Post Office -

It’s been SUCH a crummy winter for so many, and we have had our share of it up here in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Southwestern Virginia.  But Spring is Springing!

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A Turkey of a Day!

Spring in the mountains = Turkey in the yard season!

This photo was sent over from The Hubster who has been up in Virginia overseeing work at the cabin and meeting contractors for estimates for the continuing renovation of Quiltville Inn – each little job getting us closer to our goal of opening for Quilt Retreats in the spring of 2020.

From what I understand Sadie didn’t know what to do with herself over the sight of this RAFTER of Turkeys in the yard.  Yes.  A flock of turkeys is called a RAFTER.  Thank you Google!

Yesterday was a day of many hiccups.  I won’t lie.  It threw me for a loop every time I turned around starting with the fact that both Facebook and Instagram were down for the count – not just with me, but globally, starting in the morning, and continuing into the evening hours.

At 8pm Eastern I could finally get a post through, but going live for Quilt-Cam was not an option.  Sorry folks.  It wasn’t me.  I tried!  I even put a bra on for this -

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