A Blue Ridge Mountain Day to BREATHE!

Can I just start HERE?

Spring is arriving a bit slower 100 miles away from “home” in Wallburg NC.  But green is slowly creeping up the hills behind Quiltville Inn and I found so much joy and peace in watching the mama cows and their babies wandering the creek from where I was standing on the back porch.

No worries of them coming up this far – there is a fence they can’t cross.  But I love seeing the signs of warmer months ahead creep in one day at a time.

Being here for JUST YESTERDAY was a bonus.  I am so glad that I came here instead of straight home to Wallburg.

Today I can rush to get ready for New Orleans tomorrow.  But yesterday – I just needed  TIME OUT.

Photos from Mountain Quiltfest in Pigeon Forge will continue tomorrow – but today. How about some Quiltville Inn updates?

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Back Trackin’ To Sand Castles!

Oooooh!  We had so much fun in this class!

This day was full to the brim with two of my favorite things – 4-patches and string blocks.  Is there anything better??

When events double down on the number of workshops per day – things get a little bit out of whack in the posting of class updates.

I had a wonderful time leisurely flipping through and editing the class photos this morning from our Sand Castles workshop. I always wonderful when releasing a new workshop if it will be the right one that students are happy to sign up for – or was there something else from the book that they would rather have me present instead.

I mean, after all – this is “just” 4-patches and string blocks, right?

But there is SO MUCH MORE that goes on in class!

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Days upon Days–Bringing on the Strings!

One of the great things about Mountain Quilt Fest -

Evening workshops for the working folks -

Or those who just want to take TWO workshops in one day because they can’t get enough!

You can take a short half-day three our workshop for a  perfect evening of “needle through fabric” time –and my Basket-Weave Strings workshop is the perfect way to get your feet wet with some very simple string piecing basics – but I know you won’t stop there.  Because once you start stringing, there is no stopping!

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Idaho Square Dance–Mountain Quilt Fest, Day 3!

Pam’s beautiful blocks!

How gorgeous in these colors!

She mentioned that this is the 3rd workshop she has taken with me, and I loved hearing how at first she was too afraid to leave matchy matchy behind and let the scraps in to play – she said that she is so happy with the freedom of being able to throw anything and everything in and how much more fun she is having!

It shows, Pam!  These blocks are wonderful!  I can’t wait to see your whole quilt.

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The Scrappy Bargello Dance–Tennessee Style!

Fast and furious sewing y’all!

Yesterday’s workshop was a flurry of strip piecing activity – and folks who had never made a bargello quilt before found themselves falling in love with how simple and fun this pattern is – and the ideas for what they can do with it were percolating!

How much can YOU accomplish in a 6 hour sewing workshop day?  These two are here to show you! 

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Mountain Quiltfest Day 1–Geese on a String!

Geese on a String!

I have been waiting for this workshop – my favorite things combined into one!

Four-patches & string blocks.  In fact, these four-patches are found in 3 different quilts in String Frenzy – yes, the Leader & Ender units live on always finding a place to land!

You’ll find them in Daybreak, Sand Castles AND Geese on a String.  Proving once again that “If you build the units the quilt will come!”

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Mountain Quiltfest or Bust!

i headed out southwest toward the Tennessee line yesterday -

This valley view is from the top of Grassy Creek Rd, about a  winding, climbing mile from the cabin. Blue skies, puffy clouds, an audio book playing -

Life is interesting in these parts.  There is ZERO GPS signal on my Verizon phone where I am due to the mountains.  So I have to go old school, watching the signs on the road pointing me toward Interstate 81 and figure the Walmart truck in front of me knows where he is going – and follow along.

And just as I had experienced a time or two before – the GPS will catch up with me and start working again within a mile from the interstate on ramp.  Tennessee bound!

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Is it Monday, Already?

I had such BIG PLANS for the past weekend -

And while I tried to make the quilt on the Design Floor my main focus – real life crept in, slowly ate up all of my available time and I didn’t get done.

But you know what?  What is more important?

Real life fun with friends for lunch and antique shopping or quilting?

Real life run back to Galax for a much desired church pew and ice cream out, or getting that quilt top done?

Real life Saturday going back AGAIN to Galax for lunch with The Hubster on his birthday and watch his eyes light up over the possibilities this vintage 1950s Carolina Pride stove holds for his workshop?

And movie night – Don’t forget movie night!

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The Quilting Day That Wasn’t!

This quilt hasn’t gotten any further along -

It is laying in the same place I left it the last time I was up at the cabin -

Sadie has been up here with The Hubster while the window re-do, roof fixing, gas range/dishwasher/microwave install has happened over the past couple of weeks.  I am the one that is out of town while he works remotely from here.  That’s the perk of his job – as long as he has cell data, he can do his job from wherever.

This quilt has been walked around, walked on, and evidently pet-surfed into a corner:

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