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Sunday, April 01, 2012

Smith Mountain in Moline --

First off ----I BOUGHT ANOTHER MACHINE!!!!!

Hahahahaha!! Maniacal Laughing!!!

:::APRIL FOOLS!::::

((Had you going there for a second, didn't I? Admit it!! But after spending the Day on the Deere Estate, I think I need one in John Deere Green! :cD))

This photo is of the OUTSIDE of the “garage” that belonged to John Deere’s Daugher --- the house was built for her when she got married as a gift from her father --- this is such a cool place!

The class room photos from the inside look dark because of the camera’s reaction to the back-light from the windows, but let me assure you, the natural light in this room is awesome! There are windows all around ----

Goodness we are having a great time. And these are some seriously fun quilters ---one gal drove all the way from Pennsylvania! She was in my class in Carlisle….and came all this way to play some more!

We have a couple of quilters from Indiana – who drove over 6 hours to come stay the WHOLE TIME I am here with me ---that’s 3 days of workshops, and a lecture ---

We have former student friends who came to see me in Storm Lake, IA last June ----who drove over 3 hours to come spend time here in Moline ---

All of these people who were strangers yesterday morning, are now enjoying each other, going out to meals with us and shopping locally while they are here, making friends, networking ---It’s like shaking up a snowglobe and watching all the good things happen , AND being in the midst of it at the same time! WONDERFUL!

After a yummy lunch, we broke for show and tell --- and some really great quilts were shown!

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This is June’s Virginia Bound! She acented the border with appliqued flowers and buttons….TOO CUTE!

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Here’s a close up of her corner detail --- she did big stitch quilting in this, and it turned out GREAT!

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In the pink on the left is our Pennsylvania Contingency, Debbie! She brought her Crabapples top to share with us…I LOVE her solid red sashings ---they frame those busy tree blocks so well!

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Jo from Jo’s Country Junction brought her crumb quilts for me to drool over! I love the alphabet in the border of this one! If you don’t have the Word Play Quilts book yet, it has the step by step directions to do the free-form letters --- find it HERE!

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Here is Jo’s latest crumb-fection Love the addition of the string parts in this! I was so encouraged to hear her tell us that when we first did neutral strings in Roll Roll Cotton Boll that she thought she was going to HATE strings --- and how she has graduated to LOVING them. Good….that’s one more crazy on my side! :cD This quilt is so fun up close because there is so much going on in it ---

Jo’s daughter Kelli brought some cute stuff too…but she was first to do show and tell, and I was a holder, so I didn’t get pics…..

Take a look at all we got up to yesterday! Smith Mountain Morning is a hard class to photograph --- many many units…..half square triangles, quarter square triangles, tri recs units ---and often 6 hours of workshop time learning to use new rulers and techniques while at the same time needing a lot of variety of fabrics in the units means that students are lucky to have a couple of blocks put together at the end of the day out of the little piles of pieces-parts they’ve been working on all day long….

Today we are playing with shirts again --- it’s a Virginia Bound day!

Happy Sunday, Everyone!

14 comments:

  1. Wonderful slide show! The blocks are wonderful and I've never seen happier quilters! Have another great day!

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  2. My long arm quilter has my Virginia Bound. We are all impressed by your scrappy border that I copied. Cant wait to get it back.

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  3. I love to see how the ladies are all heads-down in the first four pictures. These are serious quilters!

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  4. Anonymous9:16 AM EDT

    What a great sewing area and fun projects happening.
    Enjoy.
    Maryella

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  5. Hee hee. Another machine?!? I love the block and the quilt, especially in shirtings. Thanks for sharing.

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  6. This may have been a difficult class to photograph, but it was a fabulous slideshow to watch! I especially loved shots that showed stacks of fabric from shirts. (Why can't I find such lovely varieties?)

    It was fun to watch the block come together, to see everyone's fabric choices, and I especially loved the shot of the woman who was using herself as a "design wall" to display her block.

    --C.B.

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  7. Look at all those happy faces.
    Jo's crumbs are more than crumbs....I see lots of little
    blocks in there too....stars, nine patches, square in a square.....what a great looking quilt.
    You have to be so proud of all the quilters you inspire!

    Happy sewing

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  8. I am inspired!!!!! Only problem is that I am at work! Ugh.....but will head to my sewing room tonight! Thanks for the pictures. Looks like fun was had but all in an awesome space.

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  9. Anonymous1:10 PM EDT

    They are all beautiful. I really like Jo's. The idea is a wonderful concept, one I hadn't seen before. Congratulations to all the ladies.

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  10. What an inspiring slideshow! I especially love seeing the use of the fabric from shirts, since I haven't done that yet. The block with the shirt label in the center is a hoot!! I can feel the quilters' excitement from the photos. Thanks for sharing, Bonnie.

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  11. Oooooooo....I want to make the Virginia Bound quilt too! Where is the pattern for that one? YOu are going to be visiting our guild in two years, but I don't think I can wait!

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  12. Oh, aren't you the tease! Great looking blocks. I love this quilt. Fun to see what shirts others are working with! : )

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  13. Lovely blocks, ladies! And I love the BVU shirts, Jo and Kelli! :)

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  14. What a fabulous slide show! I loved seeing Jo & Kelli there with you, and such a wonderful workspace, too. I have the book to do SMM but I want to finish my Blue Ridge Beauty first, LOL!

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