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Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Maryland Road Trip!



So here I am in Edgewood, MD, kind of half way between Churchville where my workshops are, and Bel Air, where the guild meeting and my lecture was last night. I'm tucked in all cozy, and though yesterday was crazy busy with a workshop that ended at 3, and a dinner that started at 5 and a guild meeting that started at 7, getting me home about 9:30, all is good!

Before I left NC on Sunday, there had been a few emails flying back and forth that a group I've met with before was also having their retreat this coming weekend, just a couple days after I finish here in Bel Air!

So, just to be prepared....I packed a couple extra projects ;c) One must be prepared, you know? I will be retreating with the Southern Comforters of Bowie, MD this coming weekend! They have their retreat at the West River UMC Church camp which overlooks the river and is just lovely. I'm looking forward to some sew time and me time! ((Thanks for letting me crash the retreat, girls!! LOL!))

The driving up here was beautiful...in NC and Virginia, the colors were still radiant and I was amazed at how everything glowed against a crystal blue sky and a warm autumn sun. Temps were about 70! This is so nice for November!

I stopped in Richmond at the Fine Arts Museum to see the Winterthur collection. Oh man...there was one quilt that blew my mind! My pics aren't great..but...I couldn't help myself!



I just fell in LOVE with this quilt!



AUUUGHHH!! I could have stood there for hours and studied it!



So much work and perseverance! There were other delicious quilts too...several white on white beauties that really showed needlework skill. I've never seen stitches so tiny. I wish I could just sit and watch someone sew like that..see how they managed it. I know I try to get my stitches small and even, but maybe my hands are just too big? Hand quilting is like your own signature, you might not quilt like your neighbor...but I wish I could quilt like that!



The museum gift shop had this book for $40, but I also had my phone with my amazon app, and found it was only $26.00 on amazon with free shipping....so...I promptly ordered it from amazon, and it will be waiting for me when I get home. There is a huge difference between $26 and $40. A girl has to draw the line somewhere! I can't wait to read it and find out more about the quiltmakers!

I've been set up in my hotel room, but other than Sunday night ((I arrived about 5pm and had a few hours before bed)) I haven't had much time to sit and sew! But I've sewn a few pineapples while watching Law & Order and Bones :cD



I brought the janome because I am paper piecing and I need NEED the thread cutter feature for these projects, so because I was driving, the big beast came along! I'm glad I also brought my not-quite-ott-light because the lighting in hotels is dim at best!



This is the bin of crumbs I am working with! It's chock full of goodies and snippets....and I also found myself digging through people's cast offs and trimmings at yesterday's Sisters Choice workshop! It's amazing how far those little corner triangles can go with these blocks, and the more variety the better!

I better run or I'll be late for today's crumbs workshop!

13 comments:

  1. It's deja vu all over again for you Bonnie! LOL! Thanks for sharing that awesome quilt, too. Have a ton of fun at the crashed retreat! Hugs from here to there!

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  2. Bonnie, you were so lucky to get to see that exhibit and take pictures! We saw the same exhibit in Milwaukee but there was no photography allowed and the guards watched us closely. You'll enjoy the book.

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  3. I had completely forgotten about your super-tiny pineapple blocks. How far are you now?

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  4. Thanks for mentioning the quilt exhibit. I live in Richmond and hadn't heard anything about it! My friends and I are going on Friday.

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  5. I watch Law & Order and Bones too!!! And it's great that you are going to the retreat!! Love the hotel set-up, I have heard of one woman who used the drawers as her table - she had something made that fits in the drawers and becomes her sewing table!! She was a garmet sewer and would make herself new outfits while on the road doing a tour~ so you have great company in the sewing department AND it gives you some down time, so you can relax. Not always easy when in a strange room in a different city away from home.
    Enjoy your new book when you get it. I do the same thing, look for a better price if I can find it and buy where it's a better deal for my pocket book. A penny saved is a penny earned after all! Have a great class and enjoy your retreat!!

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  6. I can see why you like that quilt so much! It really resembles the one you're working on!! I have seen that book. It's on my wish list.

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  7. Have fun in MD withw orkshop - and later at the retreat! Just wondered if you were successful in getting the fabric bleeding out of the quilts that got wet on your Michigan trip...

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  8. Wow- my son was born at Aberdeen Proving Ground- we lived in Aberdeen and Havre de Grace-a nice little town as I recall from 40+ years ago!
    I will check out that book on Amazon as well- it looks fabulous.
    Looking forward to the start of the mystery this week as I'm sure everyone is. Tho I'm heading for Vietnam till Dec 17th so who knows when I will get to start it!! Thanks, Bonnie- I love my big Janome too. I got the AQS 25th anniversary edition last year and love it for piecing. It has a lot of the features of the big one- tho I am not sure of the thread cutter as I never use that...

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  9. Love the hexagon quilt....I suppose it is hand quilted?
    How funny it must look to non-quilters/sewers that we should quilt whereever we are!

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  10. You sure know how to make your travels interesting.....thanks for sharing the great pictures.
    You'll be in my old stomping grounds.....I graduated from Bowie Sr. High in 1970. :0)

    Happy sewing

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  11. Anonymous11:21 PM EST

    Lucky you, Bonnie. I'd love to see the Winterthur Collection, have heard of the quilts before and hope they come to the New England Quilt Museum sometime so I can see them a little closer to home.

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  12. Anonymous7:21 AM EST

    I picked up Quilts in a Material World last year at my wholesale distributer...fantastic book!

    Terri

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  13. Here's to you for getting some retreat time and getting your blog redone at the same time. Automatic postings...too cool. Yet you still manage to bring your own wonderfull personal touch to all you say and do. I may stay up all night to wait for the first clue.....
    And I love the new blog design.
    XOXOXO Subee

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