iPhone-o-Gram!! Live from Bedford!

This was supposed to post this morning and I just saw that my phone never sent it!

So here you go, as a goodnight post instead of a good morning---

George Washington may have slept here, but he certainly didn't have as much fun as we are in our Jared Takes A Wife class!

More show and tell to come!!

Sew Many Hexies!!

I’m sitting here resting my bones and going through today’s photos – oh my goodness did we have a lot of fun!

One of the things I love to do is have a “show and tell” right at the end of lunch ---there are always Quilters who bring stuff they know I would love to see, and of course we ALL want to see, so it’s become a fun way of seeing what others have made, and getting to know more about each other while we finish up our lunches and rest ourselves from all of the power sewing we’ve done all morning long.

Today I was blown away by three friends (( Two are cousins-in-law – they are married to two guys who are first cousins with each other )) and another friend of theirs who have been working on hexie quilts with 3/8” hexies!

MAN!

These are TINY!!

This little one is simply pieced with no worry about what goes where…just a sampling of favorite fabrics sewn into the tiniest little cutie ever! I wanted her finger in the photo to show just how small these hexies are.

You thought MY hexies were small? They feel like hub caps compared to these! Look!

Here are MY hexies draped over one of these wonderful minis….See what I mean? That’s the difference between 3/4” ((Mine)) and 3/8” ((Hers))

And just so you can see her whole piece…..are you WOW-ING Yet?!?

Closer yet --- there is my thimble placed by one of the rosettes. These aren’t the tiniest hexies ever, but I liked the size…I liked that even though they were small, there was somewhere for the seam allowance to go without it being super duper thick, and that I could still see just what each print was. You get too small, and things get bulky and print detail is lost.

One gal, inspired by the center panel of a medallion quilt, pieced her entire mini in shades of as many double pinks as she could find, with yummy random neutrals as the paths and centers. This week is STILL brought to you by the color PINK! :cD

Yep! You can still see what each and every print is! I’m betting you are looking to see if you have any of these in YOUR pink stash too, aren’t you? See my thimble there at the top?

This medallion is still under construction, and she is working at it in color rounds….and yes, my thimble is there too!

Don’t some of these fabrics look neat when they are cut small? And yes, some of them ARE fussy cut!

And since we are in a Hexie mood, I can share with you one of the quilts that Mary shared with me the first night I was in Bedford --- Oh you guys…look at this!

Wowser Wowser Wowser!

1930s & 1940s prints in color rounds with spokes! How she used her fabric is so interesting, I love how the planned parts fade out in the randomly placed fill in areas!

Doesn’t that final white edge look like rick-rack?!

I also love how the deep scalloped yellow border finishes everything off and gives a place for all the scrappiness to be contained, but still the scallops provide a softness, a gentle finish instead of stark straight edges. What a great quilt!

Mary is still at the shop. I’m just resting JUST A BIT --- and I’m not sure what we are doing for dinner tonight, but all the hard part is done. Tomorrow is a “Day Off” for both of us, and there was some mention of going to Bedford Springs Spa for some girlie time…Oh I hope we do!

My time in PA is passing too quickly, and I haven’t sewn a stitch! Maybe tomorrow would be a good day to do some sewing too ----hopefully you’ll be able to get some time in as well!

Enjoy your evening, Everyone!

Mary’s From Every Angle --

Our lecture was such a great experience last night.

I have to say that I’m very honored that one of the clubs at Mary’s Quilt Shop has dedicated themselves to making charity/donation quilts using the Scrap User’s System and can boast of the fact that they made over 200 scrap quilts to comfort others in the past year. TWO HUNDRED! And their oldest member is a spry 91.

Y’all. They have a BONNIE HUNTER CLUB. Which I find completely hysterical…..you should have seen my face when I walked into the shop for the first time and saw this sign?!

I mean, what would you do if you walked in somewhere and your name was all over the place announcing a club in your name?

When they first asked/told me they were going to do this I said it was a great idea and they could use any of the stash organization ideas, and any of the free patterns from the website as that is what they are meant for. I spent many years in several guilds throwing myself into the charity quilt arena. That’s where my heart is at --- and if my day job suddenly stopped, that’s where I’d be happiest. Back at the machine sewing my brains out on scrappy charity quilts for those who need them.

Here the quilts all find a home within the county, either with policemen, firemen and other rescue services who give them to people in need, or a local hospital where they comfort and warm chemo patients receiving treatment. I love stories like this!

But a Bonnie Hunter Club? My family cracked up and said “REALLY!????” Well, stranger things have happened!

I posted a couple of pics from my phone the other day, but I wanted to give you a better tour of this quaint and delightful shop! Bedford is steeped deep in history – George Washington actually slept here – yes I know, the guy slept EVERYWHERE, but Bedford is a very historically significant town and proudly has many wonderful colonial buildings right on its main streets. History is EVERYWHERE in this place!

Remember “THAT GREEN” I told you about? Look at the check out counter, and check out the fat quarter bins! That green goes with EVERYTHING! And it sets off the beautiful antique green in the quilt hanging behind the cash register. Want a closer look? OOoooohhh…I had to get up right close and personal to it..it’s a doozy!

Lest you think “Oh, that’s such a nice small wall hanging ---“ THINK AGAIN! Look at the size of my books right beneath the quilt…now do you have an idea on the SCALE!? 1800s quilts were often quite large, and 1830s buildings had high enough ceilings to display such graphic quilts on the walls ----Oh, I love this quilt!

Antique quilts adorn many walls, as well as newly-made-to-look-old reproductions, as that is what Mary specializes in – her lines of reproduction fabrics are found in her shop! I love the scalloped edge and the deep blue of the sashings and border on this fan quilt! I also find the blue sashing that matches the 1/4 circle at the center of each fan makes for an interesting secondary design when set with the white cornerstones…..do you see Dresden Plates first? Or 4 quarter fans in a block? This one could fool ya at first glance!

Everywhere you turn bolts of Mary’s yummy fabric beckon to be unwound and petted! This cabinet holds an array of reproduction patriotic fabrics.

As a colonial landmark, you will find flags a-plenty on the walls.

((Oh yes, and the soft green looks great with those too!))

Quilters tools of the trade are readily available near other sample quilts ready to inspire!

Fat Quarters & Kits above – Browns and Pinks below…yes please!

Come prepared to spend some time. The staff is friendly and engaging and will make you feel right at home!

Today is our Jared Takes A Wife workshop –and we’ll be down at the American Legion Hall because we need the extra room for 27 students, more than the shop classroom can hold. I’m looking forward to today, especially on the coat tails of last night’s lecture. It feels good to be up and at it again after a couple weeks off with the Family Reunion and the trip to Sisters for the Quilt Show.

Have a great Saturday everyone! Where DID this week go anyway??

iPhone-o-Gram! Only in Pennsylvania!

I love hitting different regions of this beautiful country and fun discovering uniquebrandnames and food items that I've never seen or tasted before!!

Have you ever experienced "Frozen Run Birch Drink??". I'm told it's similar to root beer---we will have to give it a try!

And how bout "Nibbles with Gibbled" Red Hot Chips??!!

You just might need the "Frozen Run Birch Drink" to cool your mouth down when you eat them. They've definitely got a kick to them!

Herr's Jalapeño chips complete with oozing cheese did NOT end up iny grocery basket!

We are set up for tonight's lecture.

The retreaters are checked in to their rooms above the shop.

We are ready to set this long awaited weekend into full swing!

iPhone-o-Gram! Shopping with Mary!

Mary and I have discovered more things in common!

We live discount stores and shopping at Sams Club!

I've found some cute tips for traveling to Bali next month and a really cut white sweater/shrug for layering with sleeveless or short sleeved tops and dresses.

Mary found some good stuff too!

The rest of the cart? That's for the lecture tonight and the yummy lunch for tomorrow's workshop.

It's still raining in PA and I am loving the cool wetness!

Mary’s Quilt Shop & Retreat Center!

Before I go any further I’ve been reminded that I forgot to post where I was in the sending of book orders.

I was in such a hurry to get out the door yesterday that I didn’t check exact invoice numbers, but it’s pretty safe to say that if you placed your order in the month of June, it’s on its way.

And that’s all the updating I’m really going to be able to do this trip. I know I run myself ragged, and it’s starting to take a toll ---aka the bulging disk in my back pressing on the nerve, causing leg pain that I just force myself to work through.

I may or may not be able to spend extra time sitting to mail out while on the road. Something tells me I should be laying on my frozen peas more. This morning my doc is sending a prescription to a local pharmacy here to help with the pain until I can get the epidural injections.

Boy is that a downer note to start this post on! Let’s switch gears, because I have something SO SO neat to show you!

When Mary & her hubby Joe bought this lovely old 1830’s brick building to refurbish as the home of Mary’s Quilt Shop --- it was a, well – a MESS! So much restoration to do, but Joe is the right guy to do it, and I caught their vision as we toured the inside while under construction. I remember Mary explaining to me “The Quilt Shop will be on this side…..and on THIS side – there will be a bakery. And upstairs….((Imagine this as we are climbing rickety stairs to what seemed like an attic above)) is going to be the retreat center ----"

Now, there is history behind the retreat center ---the upper floor was originally above a bar/saloon – oh, it had been many things in it’s 180+ year history ---and this upper floor had been known as the local “Bordello”. In fact when I toured it with Mary, you could see that the area was divided up into 8 closet sized “cribs” ---just large enough for a single cot, and a pole with a peg for hanging your clothes!

Let me tell you, it does NOT look like that anymore! It’s beautiful!

There are two floors of newly remodeled retreat space! This is one of the common areas – a lovely sitting place that bids you to gather with friends and new quilt-acquaintances.

The sitting area boasts the original brick, freshly painted white and opens up into a lovely kitchen/eating area so you have all the comforts of home as you stitch! This soft green around the door frames and windows and shutters has become my new favorite color. It looks so fresh! And it’s not a new color, it’s actually historically correct for the time period this building was built.

Imagine breakfast at this table! The retreat center has room for 11 – you and 10 of your closest quilting buds!

Who’s going to take turns making meals?

((If you don’t want to cook there is a very cool pizza joint right across the street!))

Off the main sitting room is a lovely large room with lots of natural light that can easily be turned into a King Sized suite ---it has it’s own beautiful bathroom attached. I caught this room before the vintage quilts were put on the beds for today’s guests who are arriving this morning! The retreat center is full for my visit in Bedford. 11 lucky ladies get to stay above the quilt shop. FUN!

Brand new bathrooms with sparkling fixtures, all the comforts of home!

A gorgeous stair case will take you up to the retreat center from the quilt shop below.

The upstairs rooms have a beautiful shared bath –it even has TWO showers so the “waiting in line” is shorter – but it’s RETREAT time! Who is going to fight for the early shower? Not me! I’m a jammie girl!

Cozy rooms with comfy beds, adorned with Mary’s beautiful vintage quilts. Which one would you choose to sleep under? Lovely 1930’s applique, all hand quilted?

More vintage patchwork! Flying Dutchman in the foreground, and Goose in the Pond by the window ---

Lovely quilting! What was it I said just yesterday about PINK!?

((I’m still seeing pink everywhere and loving it!))

Close up detail on the Goose in the Pond. This is hand quilted, folks! The wreaths in the cornerstones are so intricate! And I love how she has quilted the patched blocks too! This is circa 1930 also, all solid fabrics.

There are small vignettes featuring quilts made from Mary’s own fabric lines –and favorite items from “days gone by” that really add a personal touch for history lovers.

Another bedroom boasts a lovely sunny window seat, and a bed with more applique and a deep scalloped border.

Who wouldn’t have sweet dreams under this lovely?

A large center basket in applique is the focal point of this vintage quilt!

Who’s hands worked so diligently to stitch this beauty? It’s magnificent!

Room for Three!

You and two friends can share this room, all adorned with antique blue and white quilts! Which one would YOU choose?

Do you see that this sunflower quilt has spots of pink in it here and there?! Pink “IS” the new white, you know? :cD Oh, I love this…the quilting is SO intense!

A dramatic “Robbing Peter to Pay Paul” and a Classic Double Irish Chain complete the trio of quilts in this room, both of which make me itchin’ to be stitchin!

I know the ladies staying here for Tonight’s lecture and tomorrow’s workshop are going to have a ball in this beautiful new space. If you are ever near Bedford, PA --- contact Mary’s Quilt Shop about booking the retreat center for your next get together!

And if you are anywhere near here tonight, I want to invite you to my lecture and trunkshow, being held at the Bedford American Legion Hall --- it starts at 6pm! I hope to see you here!