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Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Squeezing In One More Day!

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This is Sadie’s impression of The Flying Nun when I asked her if she wanted to stay on the mountain “Just One More Day!?”

YES!

It cracks me up when she does this with her ears.  Her ears will tell you every little thing she is thinking and when they are flying like this, you know you’ve got her attention.

Oh, and this look? It really came when I asked her "Do you want a treat?"

Why am I staying?  Because I got an answer on the delivery of the Essential Triangle Tools.  They now say December 21st.  Which in the manufacturing industry is about as close to the targeted time frame of “Mid December” as we could get. Will they actually arrive at my location on the 21st? Who knows.

This is how pre-orders go.  This is how LIFE goes.  I remember a few years back when we had our kitchen remodeled and we were supposed to be all set to go by mid-December, but on Christmas day we found ourselves eating out at the local Chinese Buffet (Yes, very similar to The Christmas Story movie) because we had no countertops and no running water in the kitchen.

It happens.  And if this means that I fill orders all the way until the Post Office closes on Christmas Eve, so be it.  If it means I start filling orders the day AFTER Christmas until they are all out and on their way, I will do it.

But right now, there is nothing I can do because this is manufacturing.  And the manufacturer doesn’t answer to me, it’s my publisher who is having them manufactured so I’m way down the totem pole.  So thank you for bearing with me.

If you think YOU are stressed over your not having received a ruler yet –Honey, multiply that by 1,000 and you’ll have an idea of what’s on my heart.

Breathe, Bonnie – just breathe!

So instead of moping and fretting, I’m getting another sewing day in up at the cabin.  I’ll head home tomorrow, write Friday’s En Provence mystery clue from home on Thursday night.

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This happened yesterday!

These are the little friendship stars that will end up in my Dawn’s Early Light quilt.  I need a bazillion and a half, and I’ve gotten a good start on them.

And across the table from me sat Mona who came to sew on her string blocks for her String X Quilt. (Pattern from the Free Patterns tab!)  We were so busy sewing and chatting that I didn’t take a single photo. 

When that happens, you know I’m relaxed enough to not be worrying about the constant 24/7/365 pull of social media.  This is what December is good for.


I’ve been spending my evening hours with slow hand quilting and I’m loving it.  Progress is being made and I am moving my hoop 2 to 3 times within an evening, so good progress.

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Marking with a stencil.

*Disclaimer*  I have had this stencil more than 10 years.  The shop where I bought it is no longer in business.  I have no manufacturer information because it isn’t given on the sticker.  Just a price of $4.75 at the time of purchase. the size is 8 1/2’’ and it says it is a border stencil, but I’ve been using it as an edge to edge design on the quilt.

The yellow thing you see on the stencil is a Chaco-liner marker.  It’s a fine chalk wheel for drawing the lines. I trace one fan at a time, quilt it, trace another, quilt it, trace another.  My hoop is big enough to fit one section of fan comfortably.

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See?

The lines are nearly completely rubbed off by the time I’ve hand quilted the section.  I like the yellow chalk because I can see it across dark and light fabrics.  the only thing I can’t see it against is yellow.

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Working my way across this side --

This has to be finished in 2017!  It’s a 10 year UFO!

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Last night’s view from my hoop.

Along with writing our Friday clue on Thursday evening, I’ll also be doing the drawing of our Christmas Cozy Gift-Away bundle winner!  Did you enter?

And of course, our Mystery Monday Link-Up for Part 3 also ends near midnight Eastern Time on Thursday as well.

Folks, I have had to delete SEVERAL entries because they left the URL blank. 

A Link-Up is DIFFERENT than a Give-Away.  I don't ask for your URL with a Give-Away because it isn't needed.  

But this is NOT a Give-Away.  It's a LINK-UP. You CAN NOT leave the URL field blank.  That is where the address of your Blog post, Flickr post, Instragram Photo, Google+ post or Pinterest posts goes.  

If you leave it blank, your photo isn’t connected to anything and it doesn't go anywhere.  It’s just a thumbnail photo.  We are LINKING UP with each other so you must have one of the above accounts to be able to participate.  

DO NOT leave the URL field blank or your entry will be deleted. 

PLEASE read the Linky Tutorial found under the blog helps tab at the top of the blog.  It will show you what to do.  If you have any questions, please ask someone who does have it figured out correctly so they can tell you what to do.  We can help each other.  

Thank you for understanding.

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This morning’s sun on the mountains.

We have plans to go and do some more cabin hunting on Saturday.  I’m looking forward to what we will see, this time in a different area, across the Virginia state line.

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Quiltville Quote of the Day!

Vintage Log Cabin variation quilt found in North Carolina.

This quote made me start humming my inner Rolling Stones: "You can't always get what you want. But if you try sometimes, well you just might find. You get what you need!"

Have a lovely Wednesday, everyone!


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20 comments:

  1. oooh isn't hand quilting fun? gee glad to hear about yellow chalk...i read somewhere online by ? tim latimer or somebody that yellow does not wash out so i ditched my yellow and replaced the chacoliner with white...i'm quilting a wall hanging but it's small and one does not get into the rhythm like with a big project....

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  2. Love the quote of the day. I have a dear story that follows that quote! Thanks for all you do. No one will fall pieces without the ruler so don't worry and have a wonderful Christmas!!

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  3. Sorry about the manufacturing woes. Truly a problem out of your control. The silver lining is how much people want to try your new tool, of course. Quilters always find another way to accomplish something though. Your 10 year old UFO finally being quilted is a relief to me. If Bonnie Hunter has a 10 year UFO am I so bad? Thanks for the chuckle.

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  4. That reminds me also of the song that says "Thank God for unanswered prayers". I love the expression on Sadie's face-and those ears. Happy Sewing.

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  5. An extra Sew day sounds great! I'm mailing out the last Christmas boxes today. Candy included. Christmas is for kids and being a Grandma I still feel like a Kid! Happy Cabin hunting.

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  6. I had to chuckle how you gave EXACT info about your stencil and choice of marking tool and why for the bizzilions of people who were sure to ask. You know! Do enjoy, you and Sadie, your last quiet day at the cabin!

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  7. Ooooh! That picture of all those little stars just makes me smile. I love seeing your process as it happens.

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  8. Years ago, we ordered dressers for our boys. They were supposed to be in in 2-3 weeks. A bit over 4 months later, they finally arrived. No one had any control over when they finally came. Hopefully you don't get pressed by people, since you can't control any of it. Enjoy your 'relaxing' month.

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  9. Oh Bonnie, love those little red stars! And your Chaco liner is getting quite a workout. I pulled my blue one out yesterday to mark lines on Christmas stockings I am quilting for my Grand girls. Funny how I rarely use a tool and then Bam it is pulled out of hibernation and used for a project! Enjoy your days on the mountain with your friend Mona and your precious Sadie Jean. Currently being held down by a 6 lb cat. Oh the joy our pets give us. Merry Christmas from our house to yours! Joy

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  10. Ok, Sadie Jean stole my hert once again....she is a sweetie!
    Perhaps you are really supposed to be at the cabin today .. Stranger things have happened,
    Smilies
    JulieinTN

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  11. Another day in the mountains sounds wonderful! Those friendship stars are sweet. Social media can be a real time sucker without realising. I've cut right back on mine to blogs I like to read and pretty pictures of quilts and knitting on Instagram. lol Your hand quilting is looking just gorgeous.

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  12. Love love love love the friendship stars! Wonderful colors.

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  13. I am only one 6 inch maple leaf from finishing the hand quilting on an old ufo - it's at least 10 years old (but it could be up to 16 years!). Although the binding may end up on hold till next year :( due to other projects taking priority.

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  14. Rolling Stones: "You can't always get what you want. But if you try sometimes, well you just might find. You get what you need!"

    We sang this to our girls all the time when they were growing up and saying "I want..." Now we hear them singing it to others!

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  15. Have you considered that Sadie could be part boxer? I'm a foster mom for boxer rescue and have fostered a few mixes and in this photo she looks like she could be.


    Thanks for all you do for us, designing, blogging, facebooking, the fun projects, your books, your trips to guilds, etc

    Merry Christmas!

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  16. Anonymous2:53 PM EST

    Dear Bonnie,

    Among many other features on your blog, I love your quotes of the day. I just followed the "Dawn's Early Light" to view the blog post from May 5, 2016. Reading through the post, I saw the quote, "It took each and every situation you have encountered to bring you to the now. And it's right on time." I realized this is so very much like how I can explain my life up until now, and what I tell people who are in a challenging situation: "Whatever happens to you in life positions you for the next great thing." (For example, if I hadn't left my first husband when I did, I'd never have been in a position to end up with my second and current husband, who is for sure a KEEPER!) Have you ever considered publishing a compilation of your daily quotes on the quilt backgrounds, either in book form, or as posters, note cards, wall plaques, etc.? Or even printed on fabric to use in a quilt? I, for one, would be interested in buying any of the above. I'm guessing there would be copyright issues, but I thought I'd toss out the idea anyway. Meanwhile, keep up all the good work you do, and we will continue to be inspired by your creativity and enthusiasm! Wishing you a joyful holiday season,
    Lil Koster
    Wilmington, Delaware

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  17. Anonymous3:17 PM EST

    P.S. I did just notice the link at the top of your blog to the daily quotes on Pinterest, so I can see that all of the quotes are in one place. Can I print one or more of them for my personal use? I still think they would be great printed on fabric and used in a quilt. :-)

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  18. I see your stitches (hand quilting) are much better and smaller than mine. My friend who taught me to hand quilt told me my stitches would get smaller and better as I progressed. They still aren't small enough...but I decided years ago to just go with them and ENJOY THE PROCESS! Which I do..immensely.

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  19. Bonnie, I found out about your winter Mystery Quiltsd earlier this year and I'm very excited to be working on my first of your mysteries. Today I decided to check out your free quilt patterns. Imagine my surprise to find that through the years I have saved several of your patterns as "future" projects. Problem is I find more "future" quilts than I ever get around to! While reading these posts I noted where you talked about the pressing board you keep beside your machine. I started quilting in 1999 with a JoAnn's Block of the month, and thought it would be a good idea to make myself a square for laying out a block to sew from and then to press as I went. I found a square of fiber board, topped it with a layer of batting then a large piece of flannel. I wrapped the flannel around each side and tacked it down with upholstery tacks. I'm still using this same board. When the flannel gets soiled I untack it and wash it than tack it back in place. Now it is basically a pressing board. I'm going to guess it is abut 18" x 18". Don't know what I would do without it!

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