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Saturday, February 24, 2018

Let’s Draw For This (and More from the Mountain!)


Did you think I had forgotten?

No!  But I did adjust the drawing day just a bit because I ended up driving to the cabin, arriving on Thursday night too late to do it.

I simply thought Saturday Morning would be a good WEEKEND kind of way to celebrate.

I have finished reading my own copy of Margaret Goes Modern by Frances O’Roak Dowell, and I know you are going to love this one too.

In fact, I got a message from Frances stating “Within 24 hours of your posting it, sales of both of my books skyrocketed. I'm so thrilled and so appreciative.”

THANK YOU for purchasing this book, and for sharing your love of it with others.  The little things we do may seem insignificant, but you are making someone’s dream come true, one book at a time.

And we want to KEEP her writing!

Remember we are drawing for THREE lucky winners, all to receive a signed copy of Margaret Goes Modern from Frances herself.  Whoowhooo!

Our of 3,157 entries I have drawn:

1178


1178 – Sandy O!

399

399 – Judy Domke!

2525

2525 – Rita Davidson!

I have sent all 3 of you emails – get back to me with your mailing addresses and I’ll pass the info on to Frances who will be sending signed copies of Margaret Goes Modern directly to you!

Also up coming – our February Quilty Box Gift-Away is happening a bit late this month as it arrived last week while I was already on the road.  Be looking for that this coming week.  It’s a good one!

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10 red string blocks short!!

My goal for this weekend is to take an inventory of units and quilts-in-progress and see just what needs to be finished to get things ready for top assembly.

This one came up to 10 red string blocks short.  Not a problem, except I don’t have red strings with me, and rather than make some from fabric here, I just put it all back into the project box and back out into the van – those will be easy for me to sew from my red string bin at home.  Divide and conquer!  (That seems to be a catch phrase that is cropping up quite a bit in my busy life lately!)

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This doesn’t look like much but it is 27 blocks worth!

I’m headed to teach at Empty Spools Seminar at Asliomar, Pacific Grove, California on the 28th.  I have one class for 5 days straight!  And my evening time after class will be perfect for pulling out a project and sewing along with everyone else.  It IS a retreat, after all! 

So I spent yesterday cutting out and kitting up these blocks that will fit easily into my suitcase for quilty travel.  And there are hexies – always hexies – should I run out of something to stitch, heaven forbid.

All the while this was going on, I was listening to the sounds of manly productivity outside of the open screen door (The weather has been spectacular!)  Click to play:



The man shed is taking shape!  and yes, there will be skirting around the foundation in time – we don’t want to rush things, we need this to keep him busy for as long as it takes, get my drift?

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This morning I’ve switched to this!

There is something about fresh mountain air that makes me more tired at night, ready to go to bed at an earlier hour. 

Could that be relaxation creeping in?!

Or could it be that there was no hand-quilting happening because I left the spool of thread I need at home, not knowing I would be here this weekend?

That would be a yes.  If I don’t have handwork going, just watching TV puts me to sleep.  Now you know why I stitch and watch.

The Checkerboard Rails leader/ender challenge quilt is coming along.  This morning I was laying out units figuring out how wide I wanted to go, and where to start decreasing the rows. I am working with half blocks and quarter blocks for sides and corners, it’s a design as I go process.  I only know that I want this to be rectangular, not square.

And while I was stitching this was happening outside of my sliding glass door, also open a crack to catch morning air through the screen.  Click to play:



This lazy Saturday ahead will also include some errands to town shortly.  I know there will be a run to Lowes – isn’t it wonderful when you start seeing all of the gardening stuff being put on display?  Smell the fertilizer and the mulch and see the plants ready for spring/summer color?  I do!

By afternoon I’ll be back here going over some book edits – I gave myself yesterday before diving in.  I just needed a day between driving from Fredericksburg, and tackling desk work.

See what I mean about divide and conquer?

In other news – this was a complete surprise to me until someone notified me through Facebook!

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Thanks for the shout out, The Quilting Company!

I’ve been writing for Quiltmaker for 10 years.  WOW!

Read more HERE.

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Quiltville Quote of the Day!

And all at once it hits you, it's time to leave the rat race and simplify and reconnect with those who really matter.

Orca Bay quilt from my book String Fling made by Kevin Womack and shared during our Bedford, Virginia workshops this week.

Have a restful, pieceful Saturday, my friends!


8 comments:

  1. I wish it was spring where I live so the hubby could go outside, and leave me alone. Really hard to measure and cut accurately when he keeps interrupting me.

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  2. I'll be at Asilomar tomorrow, sorry to miss you by a week. Bring a sweater! its been chilly in CA the past few weeks.

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  3. Well I'll be!! How exciting. Thank you Bonnie and Frances!!! I love hubby's man shed with his covered shooting porch. My hubs has the same off his man cave. :) And to hear the deer on a quiet morning!! How awesome.

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  4. Nice to see my friend Judy D won a copy of the book. Sorry you forgot your Thread and Red strings back in NC. The man cave is coming along. Will Hubster gives us a Tour later?
    Snowy again, so it's a SEW day

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  5. Love the picture out your door. CA has been cold for this time of year. San Jose is low 40s at night high 50s during the day. Coast is colder. Last week ice in the water bowl a few morning. Bring gloves and hat. Enjoy your day.

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  6. It’s so important for our men to be happy while we’re happily sewing away. Always felt a bit guilty playing in my sewing room, leaving hubby to find things to do. I had asked him to make a barn quilt for me. Took him awhile to do it, but once he did, he loved making it! So now, I’m quilting upstairs, and he’s happily busy with his new hobby, making barn quilts. Win-win!!!

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  7. Traveling from T3xas to Indiana. In Hot Springs, Ark. Just had the spa treatment at the Buckstaff Bathhouse. Wonderful. The floors, I did not get pictures (dduh) were all hexies and orginal to 1912. If you are ever here do this. I am going to take a nap now, I am bushed. A man and his chainsaw=a quilter with her machine.

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  8. Those Checkerboard Rails are just glorious!! You NEED to stop showing them so that I won't continue to be tempted with starting another project. My UFO List is already a mile long!!

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