See this handsome fella in the red shirt?
This is Jeremy, the owner of Thimble Towne in both Visalia, and Bakersfield California.
More than just a quilt store –serving quilters is a way of life at Thimble Towne.
For over 20 years, Thimble Towne has been promoting high quality products, and services, and supplying the sewing community with everything they need to create stunning projects.
In addition to two wonderful quilt stores, the Thimble Towne Bakersfield location also offers an amazing 5,500 square foot event center! Open for public use and rental, this is the perfect space for events, retreats, and more!
And this is where I have been for the past 4 days of events.
Yesterday we gathered for the last workshop of this California visit to spend our time making Jamestown Landing from my book String Fling.
Of all the quilts in that book, I would have to say Jamestown Landing has been a favorite – and what’s not to love – simple string units and half square triangles all the way!
Oh, hello, Gorgeous!!
I don’t think there is anything as beautifully classic, or as classically beautiful as a SHINY black 301!! Guess where I chose to do my demo?? HA!
Making all those string blocks – fire up your engines, everyone!
That’s the way to do it!
Before too long, we were off into triangle land:
Many many many!
We were shooting for 4 string block units and 5 broken dishes units made from 20 triangles – and the object was to go for VARIETY, so don’t cut too many pairs of just one thing…..mix it up!
And they don’t have to be blue and white!
LOVE LOVE LOVE this black/caramel combo!
Looking great, girls!
It was such a busy stitcher day. Click to play:
Before I knew it the design wall was filling up with what you see above – all of the colors, all of the fabrics…
And I found many quilters running off into the quilt shop part of the center to grab MORE NEUTRALS! I don’t blame them, there is ALWAYS room for more neutrals and Thimble Towne had a selection of great ones to spruce up even the humblest of scraps.
So fun spending the day with these lovely ladies!
You’ll find the rest of our day in the video below. Click to play:
I am looking forward to the time we can plan another visit! Jeremey assured me that I've got an open invitation. I'm happy to come back!
Headed down the Grapevine toward Los Angeles!
The hills are still GREEN and will be for probably the next 3 weeks when they turn toward the golden brown of summer. SUCH a beautiful drive through this area, and if you were able to look closely you’d see beautiful patches of orange and purple where the California poppies and lupine are putting on their best show.
Early evening sun over Pyramid Lake.
We grabbed a yummy dinner part way to LAX at Claim Jumpers….and things got more “city-like” and congested as we neared the airport.
Morning view from my 11th floor window -
I spent the night near the airport and will be taking a shuttle shortly over to LAX to begin my journey home. My feet will be back in North Carolina about 11pm Eastern. Long hexie-stitchin’ day ahead!
I’ve made some wonderful new friends on this trip, and spent some time with some folks I already knew from before – and it has all around been a very positive experience.
Quiltville Quote of the Day!
Quilt shared by Rosa during our Bakersfield Workshops.
I don't know where I'd be if it weren't for my friends. Thank you for all you add to my life!
Phone a friend you haven't talked to in a while and play catch up!
Have a lovely Sunday, folks!
7 comments:
Thanks for sharing Bonnie. I'm so envious of everyone who gets to take a class with you. This one looks huge! Safe travels and I'm glad you get to be home.
I love the Jamestown pattern and have made three of them in the last year. String quilts are sew much fun.
Such a beautiful quilt! And how fun to see central coast girls having fun there in Bakersfield. Can't wait till you visit us here next year. Enjoy your time back home.
Claim Jumpers! Do they still have the dinner size piece of chocolate cake?? It’s been about 10 years since I was able to get to one since they don’t seem to have them in the east. Brings back memories.
Cant believe much the lovely ladies achieve in such a small sewing space I am way too messy and easily distracted by whats going on around me Maybe needto practicethis art lol
I love the video of the classroom where you can hear all of the sewing machines humming! It's music to my ears!!
Thank you Bonnie for being you. You have brought us all together from near and far. I am most definitely be finishing up some more starter quilts of yours before you come back our way. Your classes are so much fun.
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