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Thursday, March 05, 2009

From TN to AL!

Hey everybody!

I'm so excited...when I logged in I see that I have gone from 290 something on "follow this blog" to over 312!!! I am so tickled. Thanks for taking time out of your day to follow along in my crazy life.

I have been in TN since Monday, and had a wonderful time staying with Chris in her beautiful home, and was in complete awe of her management skills as a mother of 9 children! 2 may be grown and gone, but there are still 7 at home. Add two parents, me, and Quilt Diva Julie who came for some visiting fun, and Chris had a very full house for a few days. Not to mention all the neighbors and other visitors that are constantly coming in and out and across her threshold, I'm thinking she should have simply installed a revolving door in her front hall, or maybe one of those "auto open" "auto close" doors like you find in front of Target!! *LOL*

An extra bit of side-fun yesterday....During lunch time for the workshop, Chris and I ran to subway..to split a footlong (turkey on whole wheat with the works! YUMMY!) and there in the parkinglot was GOODWILL!! Oh yes...yellow tags were all 99 cents! We did quite a bit of damage on shirts and pajama pants to be recycled into quilts. Wahooo!

Chris, I am amazed at all you get done almost so effortlessly, and am so blessed to consider you as a friend! Thank you for your hospitality!

And Quilt Diva Julie, it was a real treat to spend two evenings and all the time in between that we could talking quilts (what else?!) and getting to know you in person after having known you for so many years through our online quilting ties :c)

I have a fun fun fun video to share with you of Diane at her treadle at Tuesday's Sister's Choice workshop!



DianeTNtreadle.MOV

Diane, it was so great to meet YOU after these many years too!

Diane was wearing a "Quilt Green" t-shirt..with a treadle machine on it. She sews by people-power exclusively. She also spent time going over my hand crank machine and tuning him up for me so I can be people-powered too. I really REALLY want to do this, and watching her treadling away has me all fired up to get my treadles in working order too. Thanks Diane!

And if you are treadle-intrigued, Here is a link Diane sent me of her friend ANNIE doing free motion quilting on a treadle machine....WOW!!!

I love to consider that there has been machine quilting as long as there have been machines, but I don't think anyone has made treadle quilting into as much of an art form as Annie has.

I got an email from Lucy saying that our articles are out in the latest Quiltmania Magazine!! Congrats Lucy!! I need to find where I can get my hands on a copy of the issue.

And a little fore-warning for those who have subscribed to Irish Quilting Magazine, there is an article amd more coming up in a future issue!

I'm in Pelham AL now, drove down here last night and was met by Terry, who showed up with the most GORGEOUS gift basket!! I tell you, I am overwhelmed with the open arms and the gifts and comforts that are shown me everywhere I turn. You give me far more than I can ever hope to return and I am so blessed to be on this road with you all!

I don't have to speak until tonight, so today has an errands list for me, which is always fun in a city I've never been in before. I'm off to the gym that the hotel gives access to (gotta work off all the quilter's goodies!) and then find a place for an oil change, and tire rotation. Then off to find ANOTHER place to find out and fix why I don't have a passenger front side door speaker working. I've got one sided music in my car, and that doesn't make for a happy traveling quilter.

I've got a ton of bookwork to do which I can do with my laptop in the hotel, and just use today as a "down day" to get ready for the rest of the week.

22 comments:

  1. Thank you Bonnie for letting us know we can sign up to follow this blog. I check your blog daily but didn't know I could sign up. Now, your up to 313! Yeah!!!

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  2. Bonnie, I just LOVE your blog and your website full of fabulous info and patterns! I have spread the word about you. Now if only I could go on the road with you and experience all the fun you have! (I'd be willing to share all that chocolate with you as well!) LOL
    dsb448@att.net

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  3. ... and you claim to be in awe of others who "get it all done"? I'd say you're most definitely in contention... Now, the matter of nine children is another thing altogether... but, I've always heard that the more work there is to do the more that gets done! I'm sure that's the case in the household you visited. ~safe travels~

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  4. I learned to sew on a treadle machine and have one. I know how heavy they are! How do these ladies get their treadle to the workshops?

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  5. I have two hand-crank machines and a treadle that I brought back from England with me. I need to pull those out and find out how they are working....Glad you are having a fun time! (You can get the magazine at Borders....)

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  6. Bonnie is NOT exaggerating about Chris and her hospitality, folks ~ it was WONDERFUL!!! Thanks, Chris ~ Thanks, Bonnie ~ IT WAS AMAZING!!!

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  7. Awww....you are only two hours away from me! Glad you are having a good trip! Drive carefully!

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  8. Sounds as if you are having fun, as always and I'm so envious of you having time with Julie.

    Wooo hooo - Quiltmania is out! Must get down to the presse and grab a copy before Bonnie mania hits Le Belle France. Any sign yet of your workshop dates next year?

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  9. Bonnie you can get quiltmania at Stonehouse Publications (they are actually in Canada) www.stonhehousepublications.com

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  10. Quiltmania arrived at my door mat a few hours ago, but is still in plastic. I better go and open it NOW...

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  11. Amazing work with the treadle! I'm with Cbar though, how do these women being these machines to a class?

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  12. it seems you have a busy life, but lots of fun:o)
    Have a great weekend:o)
    Laila

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  13. sounds wonderful. Equilter.com carries english-language Quiltmania but they don't have the most recent issue yet. mine should be coming in the mail - woohoo!

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  14. Wow Bonnie you seem to have such a wonderful time, i just love the patterns you have on your site and the wonderful quilts, so envious. Sally

    http://running-stitches.blogspot.com/

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  15. Congratulations on the article in Quitmania. It came out really nice with nice pictures of your quilts and of Lucy´s. i am sure the people at quiltmania will send you a copy.
    And thank you for inspiring me and my mum to make some nice scrappy quilts.
    Take care.

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  16. I'm just loving watching the video with Diane and her treadle machine. It's super fun to see her using 'people power', but also so fun to hear you and your accent. I could listen to you all day long!
    *hugs*
    Tazzie
    :-)

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  17. Dear Bonnie,
    I was surprised and proud that you linked to my blog of D'Annie quilting on her treadle machine. Her work is just awesome isn't it? I enjoy your blog also, keep up the good work.
    If anyone interested in learning more about 'people powered machines' my favorite place to go is www.treadleon.net

    Nancy Drew
    www.2knitwits.blogspot.com

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  18. Any woman that can effectively run a household with 9 kids gets a standing O from me!! I don't think I could even keep straight that many names! LOL

    The treadle is cool...I remember my dad having one in his store when I was little. Kind of wish I had one for those days when the power goes out like last Monday!

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  19. YUMMY!!! I see M&M's in that basket. LOLOL

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  20. oh Bonnie isn't it fun. We both published in the same issue! That's what we never thought when our friendship started 5 (or is it 6) years ago)

    Lucy

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  21. Anne's treadle machine quilting was wonderful! I hopped on over to give it a look. She makes it look sooo easy! Hmmm, makes me wonder if maybe I need to start using my treadle! Not just to hold a lamp in the living room!
    Hope that you didn't eat all that chocolate at once! Wouldn't want for you to be sick! LoL... yeah, right, sick of chocolate! Like that will happen!

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  22. Nice to hear about your travels and adventures. It often feels like we are there with you. Have fun!

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