With Christmas Red and Snow White -

Some red and white piecing has been going on!

Well, maybe the tan ones are dirty snow? LOL!

All of our snow is gone after this weekend's round of heavy rain, and a few days of temps in the 50s.  I hope that is the last I see of that white stuff for a while.

My favorite size of half-square triangle just happens to be the Bonus Unit size –measuring 2’’ and finishing at 1 1/2’’.  It’s the PERFECT size for loads of triangle punch.  They are not too big, not too small, and easily made with 2’’ strips from the Scrap User’s System so it is easy to pull in loads of variety – the more the merrier!

I had stitched these on a previous round of night time sewing, but they’ve sat for a while as my evenings have been hijacked of late.

My promise to myself of studio time meant that I could move on to my next step – simply sew these to neutral 2’’ squares.  I have a plan – but it’s a slow growing one.

Still – any step forward, no matter how slow is still measurable progress, right?

This also happened – not red and white!

I really don’t want Halloween to be drug into spring of 2019 – so I spent an evening of watching Lincoln on Netflix and telling myself to stop waffling with what I wanted to do for borders and just get in there.

Because what It really needed was a series of 4 borders – a pieced one (seen going on here) followed by 3 more rounds of solid borders to give it the finish that it needed:

And I’m happy with it!

There is still the issue of the problem longarm.  I’m seriously considering a computer upgrade once we move it to the Post Office- hopefully by spring.  

No, windows aren’t done yet – the severe weather and impeding holidays just keep dragging that farther and farther out – but at this time what does it matter?

My traveling schedule ramps up mid January with our big group of Quiltville Travelers heading off to Japan and the Japan Quilt Festival.  I stop in Phoenix on my way home – I’m teaching for a few days there so I’ll be in town a few days early to get over jet lag, rest up – and spend time with family.  I’ll teach, then come home.  

It made no sense to come all the way back to North Carolina from Japan to turn around 2 days later to fly back to Phoenix to teach.  This will work.

Besides – January in Phoenix is much better than January in North Carolina!

From there it is one event after another with so many exciting things happening over the coming year – The push to move into the Quiltville Post Office can wait.

In the mean time, I can piece a back for the Halloween quilt, and work on other tops for a while.

I’ve had several offers from folks who would love to long arm quilt for me – I appreciate each and every offer.  At this point there is no hurry, and when I show or publish a quilt, I like to be able to say that yes, I did the whole thing.  Maybe I’m quirky that way, but I know what I want and how I want it, and that is part of the process for me.

Some things are NOT waiting!

The Hubster had a dentist appointment in Jefferson, NC on Monday morning so he headed up to the cabin on Sunday to stay the night so he didn’t have to drive 100 miles on Monday morning.

Quite a bit of his job is telecommuting so as long as he has a WiFi connection, even through data on his phone, he is good to go and work from wherever he is.

And in between – he has taken over the job of installing the 7 ceiling fans at Quiltville Inn!  A big old house like this – 5 bedrooms, a top of the stairs landing and seating area, and a den – and there wasn’t a single ceiling fan installed in this house!  Isn’t that crazy? 

There are now TWO up and running.  This is bedroom number 1 – and bedroom number 2 is also complete with fan.

Let’s face it – women of a certain age?  We NEED that air to move!  There are 3 more bedrooms yet to receive fans, another fan to be placed in the landing/seating area at the top of the front staircase, and one in the den where the comfy chairs and hand stitching central will be happening. (I can hear the voices and chatter in my mind already!  It makes me smile!) 

Not a great shot of the wood stove, 

but to give you the idea.

To be in compliance with the insurance (I don’t know how the previous owners got away with this!) we have to greatly enlarge the hearth for the wood stove in the den. This one they had is WAY too small.

There are no pre-fab fire proof hearth things to put under wood stoves that fit these dimensions we were given – 12’’ from the back of the stove to the chimney wall, and 18’’ either side of the stove to the edge of the hearth – this thing is going to be HUGE.

So the consensus has been to build our own with concrete board as a foundation, and tile it with wood looking tile, and frame it out.

It’s going to occupy a significant amount of floor space in the den – but we will certainly have everyone warm. (And can cool it down with the ceiling fan if need be!)

I need a little Christmas – Right this very minute!

Other photos have come letting me know that the fall decor has been put away for another year, and out comes my little tiny Christmas tree in the vintage lard bucket.  Love it so much!

I can hardly wait to get up to the cabin on Saturday and start our family holiday for REAL.

In the mean time – there are still about 400 orders that need to head out the door -

Have you checked in on our Mystery Monday Link-Up for Part 4? 113+ entries!  Come see what folks are sharing.  It’s inspirational!  And there is still time to add your link as well. Instructions are on that page.  Entries will remain open until 11:55pm Eastern Thursday night in preparation for part 5 to go live on Friday morning.

Quiltville Quote of the Day!

Dear Santa, all I want for Christmas is more time in my studio!

Have a Wonderful Wednesday, everyone!