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!