Quiltmaker Bundle Drawing Time!

Hello from beautiful and HOT HOT HOT Brigham City, Utah!

I was picked up at my sister’s house by Josephine, and she chauffeured me all the way up to Brigham City, talking about quilts and teaching and fabric and all other things quilty along the way.  We were here before I knew it!

I’m even lucky enough to have Josephine’s featherweight in my room and as soon as this posts I’m setting up for some stitching tonight.  Oh, I can’t wait!

I have promised myself not to stay up at it too late though, that 6am alarm is going to ring and I’ll be up and at it and ready for our Garden Party workshop tomorrow.

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Last Sister Standing!

Is there anything that brings back more memories than seeing cousins camp in the backyard – tent, sleeping bags and all??

I snuck up on these three early morning ---tiptoeing barefoot across the cool dew-wet grass, the cooler over-night temperatures making sleeping outside a highlight o f family reunion fun.

Yes, the girls gave up their beds for all of the old fogies like us!

When my boys were little they loved to sleep under the stars in sleeping bags thrown on top of the trampoline.

This brought back so many memories while in the process of making so many more.

Departures started after breakfast. 

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It’s Cooler in the Mountains!

It’s hot in Utah.  I can’t say that with enough emphasis.

It’s July.  It’s hot.  Desert hot.  But a plan was hatched for packing up something like 40 sandwiches and all of the fixings, chips, fruit, salads and anything we could shove into coolers and head off to the mountains where it is cooler for an easy family hike, a picnic in the shade, some family togetherness and gorgeous surroundings!

With this many folks, we tried to condense the number of cars for transport, and we ended up with a car load of 4 nieces and 1 nephew, the odd man out. 

Traveling with pre-teen and teenage girls is an adventure in itself.

Being a mother of boys, this is always so entertaining to me to see what I missed out on.

Oh, the giggling, the whispering, the mimicking – and the SINGING!

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My Big & Boisterous Family!

Everything is put a bit of delay as I take time to enjoy this big wonderful family of mine.

We ended up short only ONE sibling as my brother Rick had to work last night, but he will be joining us later to complete our crowd.

It’s hot hot hot in Utah, but the proverbial “It’s a dry heat!” does apply, especially in the shade.  We couldn’t do this in North Carolina in the humidity.  No way, no how.

It was a long travel night the night before, but we were able to sleep in and catch up thanks to staying at an airport hotel before heading to the happy chaos about to commence in Tooele at my sister Mary’s house.

The baby quilt was bound in flight!

We found out that it isn’t necessarily a BAD thing to arrive after midnight.  Our “standard” car rental proved to be a real bonus as they were out of standard cars long before midnight.  In fact the fleet was dwindling so low they handed us keys to THIS:

Baby Quilt on Bonus Ride!  Weeeee!

I have had the most amazing experience so far and we’ve only been through 24 hours!

When I returned from Pennsylvania and dug into getting all of the awaiting book orders out I came across one with a Tooele, Utah address.  A map search of the address proved that it was only a couple of miles from my sister Mary’s house.

A plan was hatched!

The great Salt Lake with Antelope Island in the distance.

[

Speedy Delivery!

This package was one that qualified for “free shipping” since its contents were over $75.00 and I decided to take that free shipping a bit further and make a personal drop off.  How fun!

So nice to meet you in person, Janiel!

I am also tickled to find out that Janiel will be in my workshop next Friday – Yay!

The beautiful view from Janiel’s porch.

And within 5 minutes of delivery we were pulling up into Mary’s drive!

Family, food, friendship and fun!

A post shared by Bonnie K Hunter (@Quiltville_bonnie) on Jul 22, 2017 at 8:57am PDT

More special delivery!

I’m not giving  lecture while here.  I had luggage space.  My closets are full, and my heart is even fuller. 

When the upstairs closet is packed with quilts after many books, it's time to get the quilts into the hands of family members who will love them and use them as quilts were intended to be used.

3 teen nieces singing in the back of the car on the way to my sister Joy’s for the night!

Mykenzie, Lucie and Addie sang us all the way home. Priceless!

I am wishing these quilts to be used as many blanket forts, many picnic quilts, lots of sweet dreaming, and many memories made over the coming years. 6 quilts for 6 siblings and their spouses, and one baby quilt for baby to be.

Pioneer Day bike parade & pancake breakfast!

Love my sweet niece Emery!

Pioneer Day is an important state holiday in Utah!  A bonus 3 day weekend this year as Pioneer Day officially happens the 24th of July.  What’s not to like about decorated bikes and scooters, riding around the track to the sounds of John Phillips Souza marches pouring from the stereo system of my sisters van?  So much fun!

Love these smiles!

Bro-in-law Mark, Sister Joy, Taylor and Emery!

As I type this quickly, family is arriving and we are planning a drive up to the mountains, destination Silver Lake to escape the heat, get in some hiking, some Frisbee throwing some picnic having and some memory making.

Quiltville Quote of the Day!

It's happy chaos when eight siblings, the spouses and children and grandchildren are thrown into the mix and I am loving every minute of it! Today's blog may happen tonight, and maybe not at all. Sometimes you've got to give it up for family.

Have a wonderful Saturday, everyone!

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July Quilty Box Gift-Away!

Shhhhh!

As this posts I’m likely sleeping!

You see, we left North Carolina last evening, with a planned time of arrival in Salt Lake about midnight local time, which made it about 2am North Carolina time.

This post has been written ahead, and during the writing it hit me that I had no idea what the itinerary would actually do, so I am grateful for the time I had to write this ahead.

As it was, I got a 2 hour reprieve.  I misunderstood.  I thought that the 5pm time was the time the flight left Greensboro.  But 5pm was actually the planned time of house-departure, so 2 hours EXTRA was a bonus!  And that contributed to the excitement and good feeling about this trip.  Let’s hope that I arrived in Salt Lake with all luggage intact and on time.

This month’s Quilty Box is full of color and fun stuff!

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Quilt-Cam 7/19/2017

Last night was a Quilt-Cam night via Facebook Live!

Did you sew along?

If you missed it, don’t worry.  I’m embedding it in this post, as well as sharing some of the photos sent in by those who were watching and stitching with me.

I love that we get to spend this time doing what we love TOGETHER, and that you share your projects with me.

This photo is from April who was with me in Bedford.

She writes:

Bonnie-
I'm working on Wonky Wishes blocks. I have about 64 done since Bedford, PA. 

I'm making the most of what is left of summer before I have to go back to school to teach. 

I am sewing on my sun porch with the fan on high.
April

Doesn’t that just sound blissful?  Enjoy your summer stitching, April!

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Some WV to NC Antiquing Fun!

in a little corner of West Virginia, snuggled in between Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia, lies the little sleepy town of Berkeley Springs.

As most places in New England and surrounding areas, its many claims to fame seem to echo those of others – “George Washington Slept Here!”

But this time, it’s true, documented, and celebrated!

A fountainhead of warm mineral waters frequented by Native Americans long before Europeans arrived in the New World, are at the heart of the mountain spa community of Berkeley Springs in West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle.

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It’s Punkin’ Patch Gift-Away Time!

Whoowhoooo!

Guess what was waiting in an EPIC pile-o-mail when I returned home last night?

I’ve been waiting!  Since JANUARY for this issue to arrive, and here it is!

The Sept/Oct 2017 issue of Quiltmaker is on its way to you, or will soon be at a news stand near you, if it hasn’t arrived already.

Yes, after 11 days on the road this girl is feeling a bit behind, but I’ll soon catch up!

As I’m home for just 2 days – leaving for a Family Reunion in Utah on Thursday afternoon –and teaching across Utah next Tuesday through Saturday, my planned post of all of the antique shops I hit on this trip will be postponed while I deal with incoming mail, outgoing mail orders, a suitcase full of laundry and an empty fridge.

(Okay, family – those two bananas that were on the counter when I left 11 days ago were STILL SITTING there when I arrived home last night.  What’s that about?!  Ewww.)

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A Wonderful Wonky Wishes Sunday!

We filled our days full until the end!

Yesterday was my last workshop day in Bedford, Pennsylvania hosted by Mary Koval of Mary’s Quilt Shop.

I love this event!  We’ve been doing this for several years now – the only year I didn’t make it was last year as we forgot to schedule it in and there was no wiggle room in the calendar.

I don’t think there is anything more fun and more freeing than improv piecing, leaving our need for perfection way behind.

“Pull out your inner 4th grader” I told everyone – The objective here is to PLAY!

And play we did.

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