Quilting Over the Fourth!

My Leader & Ender  project has been growing on the side while working on other projects (Soon to be seen, read on!)

The large triangles in my Jewel Box Stars blocks are from the scraps of Tie One On fabric by Banyan Batiks that Scott Hansen of Blue Nickel Studios sent in the mail!

Check out the grumpy cats (upside down!) as neutral to the batik print.  SO MUCH FUN.  That was also a gifted piece while in Mississippi.

I spy an Alabama ROLL TIDE in that same block in the upper four-patch.  Keep going up to the top block and you’ll spy a four-patch square of millennium as a neutral.  (Will this stuff ever be used up!?)  And there is also a Sloth fabric – far bottom right corner, given to me by my friend Jamie after my visit to Napa, California this past April.

I love the memories being sewn in with every patch!

Flowers bloom at Quiltville Inn!

That mail box post needs a new paint job, but it is too dang hot to want to do it now.  We will have it touched up before we open – it will be a quick fix once we are touching up porch rails as well.

Why was I here at the Inn?  I met with the Window Guy who came to measure for window estimates for the post office.

And as is custom in these here rural parts, he brought his wife.

It turns out that she is a realtor, and has been in business in this area for something like 29 years and has ALWAYS loved this house.  So I asked her – “Would you like to see inside?!”  And she took me right up on it, telling me the story of her grandparents and other relatives who had lived in this area since the beginning of time.

She remembered her grandfather putting his goats on an island in the middle of the New River to graze during the summer months.  And one year – it rained and rained and rained, and when they went to check on the goats, they found the island was no longer there (under water) and of course the goats and floated away.

I just love the stories that spring forth from folks as I get to know who is who and their backgrounds.

IN the post office!

We found this desk on Facebook Marketplace – and it will be perfect for my office space in the Quiltville Post Office!  Windows have been measured for and we now just wait for estimates.

This post office dates likely to the 1940s – 1950s.  These windows have been there that long, and it makes the building look more like a jail than an office space.  Government facility?  Bars on windows? Old inefficient glazing falling off and breaking away?  Single pane glass –air leaking between the cracks?  The windows are definitely first on the list of things to fix before I can move into here.

4th of July Happiness!

This box was waiting for me on the porch when I arrived to meet Window Guy.  OPEN BEFORE THE 4th OF JULY!  Looks like I just made it!

This brought tears!

Donna Johnston in Florida, I can't thank you enough! Even more important to me is the long handwritten letter you wrote telling me your story and how quilting has changed your life. I am forever grateful and hope I get to meet you face-to-face to thank you at some point!

Ermagerd…guess where I'm spending the next few days sewing my brains out! @quiltville_bonnie #quiltvilleinn #quiltretreat #donthate

A post shared by Bear Hug Quiltworks (@bearhugquiltworks) on Jul 3, 2018 at 3:13pm PDT

We are sewing through the next couple of days - crazy woman finished not just one, but TWO tops last night!

Sewin’ at the cabin!

Quilt top photo to come!

This is what’s happening for me.

Diamond Tile blocks are getting an attic windows treatment -

And I am considering using this deep red/orange as my final sashing.  The jury is still out.  But the attic window setting adds a 3-D effect, and makes an easy way to see that all blocks are the same size, and I can get by with fewer blocks instead of making more.

This afternoon’s plans are to head on down to Boomer for a cook out with friends Rick & Mona, which means Sadie gets a play date with Beanie and Max.

Quiltville Quote of the Day!

"It is easy to take liberty for granted, when you have never had it taken from you."

Grateful for the freedoms we enjoy!

Happy Independence Day, America!