There was much of this happening yesterday.
A full uninterrupted day of sewing in the cabin studio – making progress.
Isn’t it amazing how having a friend also sewing along can keep you on task? You think it would be the other way around, but Lisa and I were pedal to the metal, and she finished several projects while I putzed around on this one.
Okay – my pieces are smaller – and I’m making a big quilt.
Or am I?
After I went as far as I could go with these (I need to choose the last sashing from home stash) I had 4 blocks left over that just didn’t go with the others.
I would love to have a “small quilt” wall going up the stairs at Quiltville Inn – for color and charm, certainly – but also as a way to keep people’s suitcases from banging and marking the walls as they haul them upstairs. (That’s right – no bell hop here!) What better way to pad the walls than with hanging quilts?
OH hey! Remember these!?
Maybe you don’t, but I do! After making the string sashings for one of the quilts in my upcoming book, String Frenzy, there were some little left-overs that I trimmed to 1 1/2’’ wide with plans to use them for “Something. Some day.” well – guess what?
Someday came!
And there were enough leftover 2 1/2’’ neutral string strips to place them outside of a very skinny accent border. I’m so tickled with this!
A person could get addicted to making small projects.
What a quick finish!
I will quilt it up at home – I already dug through some “gotta go” fabrics here and found a piece big enough for backing. I’m sure I have a batting scrap that is big enough as well.
It’s about 26’’ square at this point. The quilting and binding will shrink it up some. I see more of these in my future as a way to use up some orphan and test blocks.
Down along the river!
We headed out to Quiltville Inn around 6pm to unload some stuff before dinner. The evening was just gorgeous, and I took Lisa on a little drive to show her where Big Wilson Creek meets the New River -hence the name Mouth of Wilson.
This kind of nature is just balm for my soul. Click to play:
Power didn’t come to Mouth of Wilson until the dam was built in 1930.
If Quiltville Inn was built in 1884, it was already 46 years old before power came to the house. That amazes me!
Our electrician was quite intrigued by the old electrical system, unplugged in the attic and unused of course, but still a testament to what was done and how they did it back in the 1930s.
From the dam, we drove back up toward Quiltville Inn, and took a little dirt road off-shoot that goes under the overpass along the river to get some photos.
And we found this guy! Click to play:
He/She is a Muscovy duck from what I understand, distinguished by the red mask around their little super-hero faces!
So lovely down by the river!
There was a family picnicking and playing on the “beach” and just loving the cool water.
Ahhhh, summer!
A favorite abandoned house across the road from the river entrance.
What's the story with this place? It's huge!
What's the story with this place? It's huge!
By the time we got back to the house, grilled up some burgers, ate them out on the deck enjoying the evening – it was 9pm! Time for some hand sewing….
Hand quilting some fans to Blue Bloods –and off to bed!
It’s a going home morning. My short 3 day 4th of July holiday has come to an end, and I’ll be back to the dining room table mail order fulfillment center activity hopefully by noon. I want all of these Quilter’s Date Keeper and Quilty Pencil Sets orders out before I leave for Michigan on the 12th so I’ll be ready for round 2 to begin when I return.
There is so much coming up so quickly – but we can do it, one day at a time!
Quiltville Quote of the Day!
Today: Let your determination manifest itself in extraordinary ways!
Have a wonderful Friday, Folks – why does it feel like a Monday to me??
Thanks for sharing the beautiful pics and fun videos. Where in Michigan are you headed? That's where I'm from before we retired to fl.
ReplyDeleteI love that little 4-block quilt. The string borders with the tiny blue just set it off so PERFECTLY!!! LOVE!
ReplyDeleteme too inspiration! can hardly wait for new book in December
DeleteBonnie, I'm sure you have heard about how in the late 70's or early 80's they planned to flood the whole area of Mouth of Wilson and make it into a reservoir. I remember there was quite a conflict about it. I am glad they decided not to do that.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness!! Oh, that would be so sad! No, I didn't hear that at all. I'm so glad. There would BE no Quiltville Inn!
DeleteOh my gosh! I thought that was a round quilt and Tom was a person sitting on the far side Quilting when I saw it on Instagram. What a hoot to realize I wasn't seeing what I thought I was. I don't know what I thought the wood was.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't locate my ruler! The half square triangle, easy peasy, starter/ender challenge ruler... was going to get on line and order another (no wonder i have so many duplicates) but then... exhale, in a drawer FULL of rulers... there she was!!! relieve (tri recs living there too)... so now it's a TIME OUT to re-organize that storage area, delete the duplicates and move on... I think my challenge is going to be of charms and bundles and i'll make a set of place mats, i have a nice collection of "What am I going to do with you?" so, now I have a "direction" and am ready to sort and stitch... am having such a vicarious thrill watching The Inn come together ... and it's not 'cabin fever' that gets you restless, it's the lure and call of The Inn... Life is Good -- Cats from Carlsbad, CA
ReplyDeleteNo scrap goes wasted in NC or Virginia! The mini will be so cute at the Inn! Beautiful side tour to the Mouth of Wilson. Still waiting for my mail...
ReplyDeleteLove your mini, great border and very inspiring. Looks like Tom S. is ready to stand up, walk over and help you quilt. LOL!
ReplyDeleteI have pretty much given up making huge quilts. I have one for our bed to finish but otherwise nothing larger than a twin. Our quild is collecting UFO's for an auction in November. I have donated one that was given to me that I don't want to finish, and now I am making decisions on some of mty others.
ReplyDeletePack for a heat sweltering week for your Michigan trip. We are having a weekend reprieve from 90s with heat index in the hundreds, but of course it depends on where you are going in Michigan but the lower peninsula has been very hot, Welcome to our beautiful state
ReplyDeleteI love your little quilt and the string borders look great.
ReplyDeleteA colleague many years ago found a muscovy duck frozen to a nearby lake and rescued it. The webbing had to be removed by the vet as it had bad frostbite, so my colleague took him home to look after - he had other ducks - but this one was his favourite.
ReplyDeleteAs for the old house - future plans for a self catering quilting cabin holiday for peeps to rent from you. Just sayin'. . . ;)
That neutral border adds so much to that little projects. I am definitely addicted to the little projects!
ReplyDeleteYour small quilt turned out quite nicely. And the tour about the area was refreshing. Thanks for sharing both.
ReplyDeleteOh I can totally envision all miniature Bonnie quilts running up the walls by the stairs.
ReplyDelete