This was our lunch break outside yesterday!
I don’t know about you, but being a south-livin’ girl for the past nearly 20 years I can look at this photo and instantly smell sunshine on pine straw. Those of you who know pine straw know what I mean.
This is the fragrance of summer around the bend.
Temps reached about 85 degrees beyond the shade, but as the humidity hasn’t yet snuck in in early May, we made good use of the picnic tables outside of the church gym we were using as our fabulous workshop location for yesterday’s Jared Takes a Wife workshop with the quilters of Gwinnett County, Georgia.
It was such a fun gathering! 48 quilters, 4 more guild members with helping hands to press and trim and remove stitches if necessary – we had such a great time!
We were dwarfed by the size of this gym!
And loving every minute of stitchin’ it up with our friends!
In talking to the planning committee…it was revealed that the original workshop location had fallen through because the venue didn’t think they could handle this many quilters in their location. TOO MUCH ELECTRICITY! was the cry.
The guild chair scrambled and hustled to find a replacement location, and as it often turns out, the newly found space was even better than the first. The main challenge? Only 7 outlets in the entirety of this huge gym! (Evidently they didn’t consult the quilters before construction!)
We balanced the power as best as we could and moved all of the pressing to the big boards set up by the kitchen where irons could be plugged in to a different circuit. It worked! Power stayed on all day – and they got so much done!
The iron station complete with hot iron salutes!
I love the big boards owned by the guild….notice the table risers as well? These ladies were PREPARED with a capital P! Two people pressing per side…perfection in ironing station productivity! It’s the fast lane, baby!
Before long – wowza!
The original Jared Takes a Wife quilt is now 11 years old (or a bit more) and as I reflect on the lovely couple it was made for, I hope they are well and happy with a house full of kids by now. In the mean time, the pattern is still free for anyone who wants to make one – found on the free patterns tab at the top of the blog.
It’s a great way to work with everything cut from 2’’ strips other than the 3 1/2’’ square center. Scrap User’s System happy!
Thank you for the Signature 60, A&E Threads!
My last few guild visits through California and here into Georgia have been sponsored by the thread folks at American & Efird, based in Mt Holly, North Carolina! They have kindly provided mini-king spools of beautiful 3-ply Signature 60 wt thread for all of my students.
The best way to get someone to love a thread is to get them sewing with it!
If you can’t find it locally, please ask your shop to get it in. The 60 wt is available in 25 lovely colors. Stronger than imported 2 ply thread with less twisting and breaking or shredding, I am loving this thread for all of my hand work and machine work. It’s a USA product with more than 100 years of quality thread production to back it up – and so very close to home for me.
So many wonderful block variations made this day!
I had a blast! Thank you so much for inviting me out -
Catch the rest of our day in the video below: Click to play:
As always, this day flew by way too quickly!
But what a riot while it lasted!
Our evening was spent gathering at a member’s lovely home for a wonderful dinner and delightful conversation. I swear, I never laughed through a dinner so much in my life.
“As soon as I get my sewing room organized…….” came out of one quilter’s mouth, and we all broke into uncontrollable peals as we ALL know how THAT goes - Famous last words were never better spoken with a more wonderful group of women in attendance!
It was beyond 9pm by the time I crawled through my door at my hotel. There was NO WAY that any sewing was going to happen last night. But you know what? If given the choice and chance to spend time in the presence of real people, or spend more machine time – I’m going to choose PEOPLE – EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
People are what makes this whole quilting thing so very worth it.
This morning after this posts I’m back on the road – I’ve got a long drive home.
Tomorrow will be spent getting the mail order out that came in this week while I was gone, and Monday bright and early I’m off to Seattle. I knew May was going to be a KICKER of a month – I just never really knew how much until I found myself full force into it.
Quiltville Quote of the Day!
Big steps bring bigger challenges. Stop doubting yourself - you've got this!
Welcome to your Saturday, friends!
10 comments:
Drive safely and have a good trip
Great times with good people. That's the Quilter's way. Safe travels home and to Seattle. Lol, at the lady with an organized sewing room. Yep, Creative minds are Rarely Tidy. It's a Beautiful Mess.
I bet everyone enjoyed and learned at your stops this week... glad you could be outdoors to enjoy... wonder what weather awaits your trip this coming week? Glad you can drive home and sleep in your own bed tonite... and how nice to have that 60 wt cotton thread to share with all your attendees!!! Very nice of them :) Everyone's blocks look so nice and love their ironing station area set up!!! Have a good and safe drive.. not raining in southwestern NC yet so hoping it isn't raining on you as you drive home! Kathi
We LOVED having you here in Gwinnett County! What a fun couple of days of sewing and laughter AND learning. " As soon as I get my sewing room organized" HA HA Already working on my Jared Takes a Wife blocks this morning!
Safe travels and wave on your way through South Carolina!
As usual, now I want to make that quilt! I'll add it to the list, which is quite long. Yesterday , finding myself with a half hour before I had to leave for an evening event, I picked up my basket of unsorted scraps and started cutting parts for those cute diamond blocks from Quiltmaker. I must be firm as I have quilts with (self imposed) deadlines. These little gems must just get fit in somewhere. I so enjoy seeing all the groups of happy quilters in your workshops.
Bonnie, I am so very happy you enjoyed Gwinnett's guild. I was a member when I lived in Lawrenceville. It was grand seeing member's pictures of your escort for the visit. Thank you for sharing. Hope you enjoy some time at home.
I bought the thread at Red Rock before you mentioned it, but I looked it up in response to someone saying she couldn't find it. Service was fantastic and I received it in an almost unbelievable time.
Bonnie, I set aside time every day to read your blog. Where ever do you get your energy ? How do you do it ? Do you ever sleep ? Congratulations on your new retreat house venture. Hope some day to visit. You inspire me.
Bonnie I have a question. I have not been to any of your fun-filled classes, but certainly hope to attend one day. I am wondering about the quilt squares everyone puts together on the floor in the middle of the room. Is that so everyone can get an idea of what the quilt could look like? Or perhaps is everyone donating a square and the hosting guild quilts it up and donates or raffles it off. Just curious. Thanks for everything Bonnie.
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