Away to Rochester!

Meet Joy’s friend Kathy!

The texts came to Joy’s phone:  “Is Bonnie still there?”  “She’s leaving in 12 minutes for Rochester”  “I’LL BE RIGHT OVER!”

And I’m so glad that she was able to come in a hurry – this was a beautiful family quilt that I wouldn’t have wanted to miss.

From what I gather, the top was pieced in the 1930’s era by someone in her husband’s family.  No one knows who – it could have been a grandmother, a great aunt, the cousin of a cousin – but it is a stunningly beautiful Ocean Waves top – Oh the tiny triangles!!

Oh how lovely!

We examined each piece – reflecting on the fact that during that time the maker likely only had a couple of cardboard templates, a couple of yards of utility muslin, scissors, pins, needle and thread -and a bag of scraps – and this is the result.

Such tiny piecing -

And I love how the orange ones bring in the punch!

Kathy’s plan is to add some borders to stabilize the edges and then get it quilted.  I’m so glad she is going to finish it and use it!

Quilts overhead!

Since Kathy came by, she got to see the quilts that Cheri had brought over to celebrate mom’s birthday, our quilting time together – and to surprise me with the quilts she has made from my patterns – I was so thrilled to see these!

String Spiderweb from the Free Patterns tab.

On Ringo Lake from our Quiltville Mystery 2 years ago.  Cheri laughed when explaining the extra geese in the outer border – “I made them twice – not knowing.  So I had to use them some how!”

Happily Scrappily Irish from my book Adventures with Leaders & Enders.

A Scrappy Mountain Majesties from the Free Patterns Tab -

Over the rail on the other side!

And that’s not all!  Check out what was on my bed:

Cheri’s Garden Party from the Addicted to Scraps book!

She used SO many garden themed fabrics in this quilt.

Just delightful!

And the quilty comfort didn’t stop here -

My Blue Heaven (in earth tones)  from the Free Patterns Tab for Gail

Jamestown Landing from String Fling for Mama!

It was a gift of sweet slumber – and I can’t thank her enough for all she did for our time together!  See you here in Rochester, Cheri!

I need this.

I took this photo as I was packing up to remind myself to FIND SOME!  It’s a simple little plug thing with an on/off switch.  The iron is plugged into it.  Simple.  If the light is on, so is the iron.

Since this is Minnesota – it’s likely from Menards. I think for Quiltville Inn this would be a much easier way to turn OFF the irons than to physically unplug and replug them all the time.

My chariot awaits!

We’ve planned this for months!  Doug Leko of Antler Quilt Designs lives a mere two miles from Joy and offered to drive me down to Rochester yesterday, as well as be the recipient of my many cases of books and merchandise being shipped ahead.  This was such a wonderful thing as I was not sure how I was going to get from here to there – do I rent a car?  Do I have mom and the girls drive me 90 miles each way?

We had the best time talking quilting and new housing projects and everything under the sun.  That was the fastest 90 minute drive of all time.

Tonight we are doing a joint book signing at Pine Needles Quilt Shop in Rochester from 5 to 7 pm.  If you are in the area, stop on by!

Downtown Rochester from my 7th floor hotel room.

Yes.  It’s raining.

After dinner time.

REALLY RAINING.

But the quilters will be INSIDE SEWING!

I can hardly wait to fill this space up with quilters this morning.  We’ve got Pfeffernusse up on deck from String Fling – it’s going to be a scrappy day of FUN!

It’s official!  I’m here with the Minnesota Quilters!

Quiltville Quote of the Day

Every day is an adventure, if we look at it that way!

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone!