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Saturday, July 20, 2019

Stringing Up the Serpentine Web!


And the girls came over to play the day away!

We met at the spacious and greatly air conditioned (thank heavens!) American Legion Hall in Bedford, Pennsylvania – our day’s mission? digging into the strings for some Serpentine Web from String Frenzy fun!

Temperatures came with a heat warning, and we were ever so happy to be inside stitching away the day.


Pittsburgh Fabric! Who knew!

And it’s a neutral!


Check out this awesome array of African fabrics!

(Getting so excited for Kenya!)


And always always always -

I so love the recycled shirt strings!


Alternating blues and blue on neutral – YUMMY!


Oh, I love the patriotic too!

I definitely see one of these in my future – my string bins overfloweth!


We had such a great time!


End of the day layout time – with feet!


Thanks for the awesome day, everyone!

While this class was easy for many, the whole idea of letting go and letting seams and points fall where they may was a bit distressing for some.  I get it! I do! 

Depending where your learning and focus has come from, the perfection hat may be a hard one to take off.  Less than perfect points, seams that do not match, fabrics that don’t quite go together – Some find it very fun and freeing, others find it making a statement of “not good enough” about their work which is connected to their life, their self esteem, their whole perception of themselves.  It’s often hard to give up control on the one thing in life we CAN control – our piecing.

Art was never about making something PERFECT.  There is no prize given for perfection in life.  Learning new things can be messy.  It can be uncomfortable to let go of things you’ve learned all along when it comes to patchwork.  The need for seams to always nest.  The need for points to be sharp and perfect and always meeting another equally sharp and perfect point. 

But if we don’t push our boundaries with new experiences, we will always stay in the same box doing the same thing.  I cheer these ladies on for their willingness to go beyond the comfortable and just HAVE FUN!


Shall we do it again today?

Workshop day 3 begins shortly with Narragansett Blues up on deck!

For yesterday’s fun – Click to Play:


Yep. I'm definitely going to have to make another one! Maybe two - as runners for the tables at Quiltville Inn?

The temp on on the dashboard of my van read 103 yesterday as I pulled away from the American Legion.  That was all the encouragement I needed to make another stop at The Penguin on my way back to Mary’s in Schellsburg.  Home cooked dinner, feet up and relaxation awaited.

I am giving an evening presentation also at the American Legion Hall in Bedford this evening  at 6:30pm, open to the public! 

Doors open at 6pm, admission is $20.00, refreshments included!  If you are within driving distance, I’d love to see you here.


On the home front:

Bathroom reconstruction has begun at Quiltville Inn!

It is always interesting to look at the “bones” of an old house when wainscoting and drywall are removed revealing studs and support beams.  Check out the old beam at the far right – original to the house, built in 1884.  That beam has stood the test of time.


Old lath & plaster -


Support beam with carved hole that once held another beam -


There will soon be a gorgeous walk in shower here!

And while we plan to cover up these beams once again – I’m wondering about the hands the first placed them here, not knowing what the future of this house would be. 

I am begging for more photos from home as the reconstruction progresses.  But you know what getting progress photos out of menfolk can be like!  Will update you as I can.


Quiltville Quote of the Day -

No matter how old you are, encourage yourself to learn and master new things!

If things feel uncomfortable, it means your boundaries are expanding!

(Or it could be that you ate several days of The Penguin in a row and things are just too tight..LOL!)

Have a wonderful Saturday, everyone!


11 comments:

  1. I love seeing the variety of colors the ladies chose! It really shows how different this quilt can look and I like that!

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  2. This is one of the most fun quilts I have made - and I have made 2 already. And now I see so many more great ideas, I want to make another! Loved the plaid shirts, the patriotic, the Christmas, neutral centers with blue, all of them....oh my, which one!?!?!

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  3. Awesome to help the Quilters free themselves while Stitching Strings. Beautiful combos. The Penquin sounds so Delicious. It's ok to indulge in an ice cream cone of fruity yumminess. Happy Saturday! It's a balmy 54° in Walla Walla this morning.

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  4. I am a Pittsburgher relocated to Cape Cod Ma. I saw the image of the Pittsburgh on your blog. Do you happen to know the manufacturer of the fabric? I love your quilts and the joy of life you bring to my internet world daily

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  5. Love. Love,this pattern. Have my template all ready and lots of blue fabrics.
    I live in a house built in the 1890's, we have horse hair in the plaster. Have done some remolding but needs more. Thanks. T.Johnson

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  6. The Pittsburgh fabric was sold at Karen Montgomery’s quilt shop, The Quilt Company in Allison Park, PA. Timeless Treasures is the company and the fabric came about through Karen’s relationship (former designer) and an architect who design the scene. Unfortunately, Karen closed her quilt shop earlier this summer.

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  7. I'm working on this quilt on the puzzle!

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  8. I have never been a perfectionist and I have fun making quilts all the time! LOVE that quote from Michaelangelo! Me, too.

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  9. Bathroom remodeling being done at my house too. One new tub with surround, tile and point (light blue) completed in the main bathroom. The master bathroom being converted to a roll in shower for my hubby. 88 degrees in Salem, Oregon at 6 pm. Here for a family reunion.

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  10. Having been diagnosed (by a psychologist) with a "perfectionist personality", I have this to say: I am not a perfectionist, I just want things done correctly. For some reason people laugh when I say that. However, my mantra is "don't let the perfect get in the way of the good". Like Michaelangelo, I am 70 years old and there is so much yet to learn: paper piecing, free motion quilting, woodworking, so much more. Thanks for the inspiration!

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  11. We recently remodeled our bathroom and found the original builders family name, date, kids names, and a little history written on the drywall. We added our own names, date of remodel and a note. I’m not sure when it will be read again, but it makes me smile! You should do the same at Quiltville Inn during your re-construction!

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