Yesterday’s Impromptu Side Trip!

Yesterday afternoon I needed to run to town for supplies – and when I say run to town, I mean it.

It’s a 25 minute drive from the cabin to Wilkesboro to get to the closet minimart/gas station for anything.  You may as well go a few miles farther and get to a regular grocery store.

My options were to go up toward Boone and head to West Jefferson for the Lowes and the Walmart there, or to go back down to Wilkesboro –but then I’d feel like I was back-tracking because I’d have to go back UP to the cabin again to unload my haul.

Besides.  There were a couple of antique places that open at 1pm on Sunday in West Jefferson---hmmmmm!

Don’t you like this cute outside wall décor?  It’s a pallet painted like a flag…CUTE CUTE CUTE!

My only apprehension in getting this is that it isn't flush with the wall, it’s dimensional, and up here on the mountain where winds can howl, this would blow right off the outside cabin wall.  But I love it!

There were other Barn Quilt Blocks as well…

These would hang flatter on the cabin side and if we really secured it, the wind wouldn’t be able to take it down.  I took some measurement's –the one on the chair is 36” square, which is going to make it just under 54” on the diagonal if I hang it that way ---need to measure the spot I’m thinking of. 

I’ll definitely be back to this place, they had cool stuff for inside AND outside!  

Other goodies found:

Davis vertical feed, no cabinet, in very rough shape.

Sort of not really a New York Beauty!

No where to really lay it out!

I wish I knew the story behind this one.  I took photos and sent them off to Bill Volkening AKA Willy Wonky who is a collector of New York Beauty quilts ---we agreed it is a variation, but a more countrified one…This one is very indicative of turn of the 20th century North Carolina quilts with wide home-dyed sashings and primitive fan quilting.

We could call this one Appalachian Beauty ---hardworking hands with definite skills in working with needle and thread and small pieces put this quilt together with limited resources in fabrics used. Wonderful!

The poor thing was so shredded it didn’t come home with me….I didn’t think it would survive a washing and it sorely needs one!

The spool cabinet came home!

I really don’t like this end table in the living room but it does serve a purpose.  The spool cabinet fits on top and adds a bit of interest to that otherwise boring corner.  I may use it somewhere else later.

And yes, the old rotary phone works.  I love to hear it ring.  Usually when it rings, it’s just telemarketers even though we have this number on the do-not-call registry.  To have DSL we had to have a phone line up here, and since we have a phone line up here, if the power goes out, the rotary phone still works even when a digital electrical phone does not.  Sometimes simplest is best.

So this morning I am headed down the mountain.  Stopping for a massage on my way home, getting excited about Mickey’s visit on Wednesday.  I cleaned, I organized, I made ready!  The only thing left is groceries and I passed on those yesterday because I didn’t want them sitting in the car while I went antiquing.

The sewing nook is spotless!

I set up an extra cutting station!

Piecing to Cedar Cove!

For those asking WHAT I’m going to do with the pink or the green spider web blocks, or that you are disappointed that I changed direction ---I didn’t change my mind to mess up YOUR plans.  I need to do what I feel is right with my projects, and I have plans for those, just not yet.  

This is how I create.  I am not one of those who plans everything out in EQ before beginning and then never wavers from her road map all the way through.

I try this, I try that, if it doesn’t work, I try something else ---I have to have the freedom to work the way that works best for me, and that doesn’t mean I’m junking the whole thing but I have to be flexible and I hope you understand.  

You have to follow YOUR quilting muse, and I must follow my own if I’m going to be happy with my finished quilt.

It's not very often that I ask other people's opinions on my current projects, because I know I am going to get a plethora of opinions ((We all have them)) but some come so strongly that I start to doubt myself.  Yet I know me.  I know enough to listen to myself best, and drown out the other voices and make the quilt my way for me, not to please anyone else.

Every time I post options I should know better!  Half may like it, half my not ---and boy do you let me know!

And yes, I do read the comments on the blog ---just so you are aware.  I might not take the time to reply to each and every comment, but I do what I can.

Have a great Monday, everyone –brand new week! What are you going to accomplish with it?

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