A Valentine’s Day Stitch Fest!

I don’t remember when I spent the last Valentine’s Day home, either!

It makes me think of the good old classic movie “Holiday Inn” a favorite around the Hunter Household.

While Holiday Inn sets its premise on being ONLY open on Holidays, leaving the rest of the year for Bing Crosby to sing “Lazy, I wanna be lazy….”  I think that blocking off the holidays on ones calendar if possible and making them special for yourself, is definitely a gift!  I know it doesn’t always work out that way, but this was nice!

And to set the theme for the day, I set in to some theme sewing as soon as I was back from my valentine morning visit to the doc and my yearly poke, prod, question and check out of check up activities.

Things were in high Valentine’s Day spirits at the doc’s as well. A plethora of festive heart themed scrub tops, vases of flowers sent ahead by well meaning significant others adorning the ledge at the reception area.  Boxes of chocolates being passed around.  “Happy Valentines Day!” was the greeting as I approached the counter.

It would be.  As soon as bloodwork was drawn and I could eat something – I’d had no food since midnight the night before and it was 9:30am.  My tumbly was rumbly!

One flu shot and 5 vials of drawn blood later I was sporting a Valentines Day Band-Aid and a smile.  I’m done for the year other than a mammogram, appointment in the near future.

Once back home the studio exploded in a flurry of Valentine Festivity. 

I keep a note book to jot down ideas and diagrams of things that come to mind, and they come to mind often.  Funny thing about that – when I go back to those drawings - sometimes months later - I realize that I have forgotten what the original vision was  and the diagrams make no sense. 

Note to self – must SLOW DOWN and be more specific!

This day, I didn’t jot notes ahead.  The best ideas come when you just get in there and let things evolve as you work on them with no road map.

This is my result – and my beginning:

Be Mine!

From here the ideas are flying in all directions in a flurry of “What if?!”  The only problem being that there are several other projects on the FRONT burner, and now that Valentine’s Day is behind us, this will have to stay at the back for a while, yet hanging in a place where I see it often.

It all started with some string blocks left from the red ones I had been recently piecing for the current in-progress red/neutral project.  The aqua/turquoise were trimmings from my own On Ringo Lake Quilt. Neutrals were already at hand for the current string blocks that I am still plugging away at.

Getting a breath of fresh air this morning!

Though the studio was calling loudly as I awoke still dreaming of the possibilities for this quilt, I knew I needed to get out and pound some pavement, get some steps in and BREATHE.  We had some rain overnight, just gentle spring rain, and I love how it  smells.  Things are waking up around here.  Things will start to go green (Oh, how I miss green!) and already the peeper frogs are singing their song in the creek behind the house. 

Piper came to join us on our daily jaunt around the neighborhood!  Click to play:

A post shared by Bonnie K Hunter (@quiltville_bonnie) on Feb 15, 2018 at 5:20am PST

Such a cutie!  I’ve often thought of bringing two leashes with us when Sadie and I leave the front door, anticipating that somewhere on our walk Piper will come running between the houses to join us.  She isn’t our dog.  I don’t know her owners.  But I worry about her chasing cars.  I’d hate to see anything happen to her.

She followed us home for a treat, and then I sent her on her way back home.

TODAY!  I’m packing the van (I really need a van wash first! ) in anticipation of tomorrow’s road trip to Lynchburg, Virginia.  Woot!  This trip will last about a week, returning next Thursday after spending time with quilters in Bedford, VA and Fredericksburg, VA.  Virginia is a lovely state for road tripping, and I KNOW where the good antique malls are.  Fun, fun, fun!

And because it is a longish trip, I will have my projects with me and hopefully get quite a bit of hotel room sewing time in.  Who knows.  If the hotel Wi-Fi is good enough we might even be able to work a Quilt-Cam in while on the road.  That would be fun!  It will likely be an un-announced impromptu affair as I really can’t schedule it ahead of time as I don’t know how I’ll feel at the end of a long teaching day.  But…I’m thinking about it!

And now for the extra fun part of my day.  Mona is bringing her mom over for lunch!

Mona’s Carolina Crossroads from Scraps & Shirttails!

Wonderful finish, my friend!

This girl has just taken off in all directions, and is no longer scared of on point settings or small pieces!  4 years ago she uttered the words “This looks like fun, but don’t think you will see me doing this sewing thing…” to NOW!

I told her I have some pieces of blue that she can use to piece a scrappy backing and it will be a win/win.  Some of my fabric will find a place to land in Mona’s quilt, and I’ll get to have lunch with my friend and her mom.

Now back to that exploding sewing studio?  I’ve got some cleaning up to do around here!

Quiltville Quote of the Day!

Vintage quilt found in North Carolina.

I keep this posted where I can see it often. Quilting is more than a simple home-dec item or a bed spread for warmth.

It is an expression of who we are.

Go express yourself with fabric and thread today!