By yesterday the snow was also “almost” gone – helped to melt away by the rain that fell on Saturday night. It’s amazing the difference “5 degrees warmer” makes when there is also no wind involved.
I took this picture of the entrance sign as I exited --- I was too excited to get there on Friday and didn’t stop to think of taking a picture on my way in. I was too blown away by the beauty of the area, and the many many deer grazing on the grasses as I drove up the winding road to the lodge.
I think I’ve decided that “Fall Back” weekend is the BEST weekend to hold a retreat! You can stay up late sewing on Saturday night, and get an extra hour of “sleep in” as a bonus before class starts the next morning!
Only about 15 of our 33 folks were taking the Pineapple Blossom workshop – many just wanted to continue working on their Smith Mountain Morning quilts they had started in class the day before, and several ladies had to make an early morning get away and end their retreat time early due to family obligations.
A beautiful purple/turquoise quilt in progress!
Some brought other projects to work on!
Beautiful Redwork!
Cheddar Bow-ties!
These were being worked as leaders & enders in between working on the Smith Mountain Morning blocks….I love that Thanksgiving one on the top of the pile….so cute, and right for the season!
And the few brave ones….spent the morning digging into not only the bags of crumbs that I brought…but look at these two HUGE bags that Maribeth brought for our use and digging:
And NO! NONE of this came home with me!
Here are the few but fabulous photos from those brave souls willing to paper piece very small:
For those wanting to try ---Pineapple Crazy is found in my latest book, String Fling!
Today is a “DESK DAY” for me. I’ve got to finish writing some pattern instructions so I can get the quilt off to Quiltmaker.
Speaking of Quiltmaker, TOMORROW is my blog hop day for 100 blocks, Vol 6! Be sure to stop back by, you don’t want to miss the Give-Aways!
Tomorrow I also start my journey to Florida – I’ll be hitting Columbia, SC at lunch time for a birthday lunch with my son, and then over to Augusta, GA for a fun sleep-over night with my friend Siobhan of Scraps & Threadtales. Lots of girlie giggles going to be happening there --- and then on Wednesday I’ll be making my way to Tallahassee!
But for now ---I’m chained to the desk, getting all that behind-the-scenes stuff taken care of.
The only way I’ll get sewing time is if we do QuiltCam tonight --- so look for me about 9pm! I may be taking a break from Moth in the Window –I’m feeling the need to treadle up some string blocks – come join me then!
Good morning, Bonnie.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that you had a great weekend with the bonus hour of sleep. Love the pineapple blocks. I can't wait to try one or more. But in the meantime I'm on my way to see and probably buy a 1870 Singer Model 12 treadle. I told you that you're a bad influence! Have a great day! See you tonight.
Wow!!! Great pineapples blocks. Makes me want to make another pineapple quilt, but one maybe all that's in me. Time will tell!!
ReplyDeleteJudy
Neat pineapple blocks and the Smith Mountain Morning quilt is beautiful in those colors! Is that a pattern or class you are teaching?
ReplyDeleteHi Bonnie! Love those purples! and the pineapple blocks.... they are both on my very long bucket list! LOL. How did you like Snoopers? I love that place... and the other mall right next door! I stopped there on the way home from Williamsburg and purchased my free-westinghouse bullet bobbin machine. I have it back from my favorite repairman... all lubed and timed. Will have to pull it out and give it a try soon.
ReplyDeleteJust finished putting borders on a pink baby quilt. Plan to quilt it today and sew the binding on it and another baby quilt finished recently. QuiltCam will find me sewing down bindings tonight! :<)
HMinTN
Safe travels down to Georgia! The guest room is ready and Michael has his earplugs handy so he doesn't have to listen to quilt talk all election night! Sio
ReplyDeleteI used to live in Augusta, GA...back when the ex was stationed in the area. Love the gorgeous trees there, but the humidity wasn't so good most of the year! Have fun!
ReplyDeleteWow! Beautiful blocks!!!! Great job ladies!!
ReplyDeleteI always love seeing the photos from the workshops. Thanks for sharing with us. I spent part of my retreat weekend working on my Pineapple Crazy blocks and my scrap basket left overflowing thanks to my extremely generous friends.
ReplyDeleteI have made so many of these blocks. I just loved making them.
ReplyDeleteI still have 100 or so all printed out and the tote full of my scraps. The quilt I made from the original blocks have some of your turquoise fabric in them. It will forever remind me of Shipshewanna.
XOXOXOO Subee
Looks like there were some really busy fingers playing with the pineapples over the weekend. I'm still doing spools for my leader/enders, but the bow-ties sure look inviting.
ReplyDeleteYea! Quilt cam tonight-I need to sit a while-have been refolding and straightening one of my fabric cabinets! My whole body is tired of lugging fabric back and forth-no wonder you were worn out over the weekend-you had how many cabinets of fabric??? (mine is also stored in totes and stashed here and there around the basement...) Got everything refolded to the way you did and couldn't make it fit back into the cupboard...???!!!! So, pulled it out again in stacks and refolded it into 3rds instead of fourths and then to shelf width.... Now it is fitting and I have a bit of extra room I can move some of the newer fabrics in (want to play "how OLD is that fabric?") :)
ReplyDeleteWhat did they do change the name? This was Hawk's Nest State Park right? Sorry I had to miss, last weekend Nathan was home before going to Fort Hood, TX for more deployment training. I am one sad Mom :(
ReplyDeleteMy daughter is stationed at Ft.Gordon, so wish you knew her as she needs a little Mom love right now. Have a safe trip this week and I will "see" you tonight on QuiltCam.
ReplyDeleteyou are going to have nice shapely legs when you use that treadle very much. Looks like fun! How much more of the basement do you have to do yet? What Singer model is in your treadle base that you are using?
ReplyDeleteJan in Gastonia, NC
Bonnie,
ReplyDelete(or anyone that has the String Fling book already!) Could you please tell me the size of the pineapple block? It looks like just the size I have been wanting to do, and if so it will push this book into the 3 quilt category. I try to make it a policy to only buy books if there are 3 or more quilts I want to make in them, and that way I feel like I get my money's worth.