Thank You SEW MUCH, Ladies!

I’m back home in Wallburg!  My flights went smoothly, and my feet where touching down in Greensboro by 7pm.

Grab the suitcases, locate the car in long term parking – head home and crash.  Running the four-airport-gauntlet can just wear a girl out.  But it is the best kind of worn out, and as I look at this photo and all of the faces in it I am so happy that i got to spend 3 days with these wonderful, amazing, kind, funny, talented folks.

And I hope that some day we can do this all again.  And I’d come earlier.  And play LONGER!

Rows of busy stitchers.

So much creative productivity!

As I mentioned in a previous post, retreat with Alex Anderson has been going on for 19 years.  NINETEEN YEARS! And what started as a Thursday-Friday-Saturday and out on Sunday by noon thing has slowly crept into a Monday through Sunday thing….and we had folks from as far away as Florida and Hawaii, and this year – the first ever international retreater:

Oh, Canada!!!!!

In honor of this most remarkable event, unbeknownst to our Canadian Quilter, at the opening night banquet as everyone was introducing themselves table to table – when our favorite Canadian stood up to introduce herself EVERYONE pulled out a Canadian Flag and waved it around.  It was a sight to see.  So much fun.

That’s 50 Canadian flags waving wildly at dinner time.  Most memorable!

And as I write this post – I realize once again that the BEST PART of quilting has nothing to do with the fabric, the thread, the patterns, the machines, the tools, notions and geegaws – it’s the PEOPLE that it puts in our path.  The communities we form.  That’s the SECRET about happiness through quilting.  People.

It’s mothers and daughters who strengthen relationships through stitching.

It’s friendships – both old and new!

It’s trying new things and expanding our comfort zones.

Cutting, sewing pressing, laughing, talking and snacking!

It’s sharing the joys and the pitfalls of life.

And friends who keep you going!

And okay, it’s about the quilts too!

Click to Play:

These gals were so phenomenal! They have found a permanent place in my heart, and I do hope that many of them WILL make the cross-country pilgrimage to Southwestern Virginia and spend some time with me at Quiltville Inn.

And if you have a chance to attend Alex Anderson’s Fall Retreat – GO!

And long may the Shenanigans continue!

And with that – it’s Quiltmaker Bundle Drawing Time!  

We had 4656 entries – and this will go in the mail to someone!

In search of entry 338!

Gisele Landry!  This is your bundle!

Gisele – check your inbox for an email from me and reply with your mailing address. I’ll get your goodies right off to you.

Thanks everyone for participating.

Today?  A couple of appointments here in Winston Salem, and then I’ll be up in Virginia by dinner time.  It’s going to be a short week as I start my Kenya journey on the 15th!  Holy moly.  SO much to do.  And so excited.

Are you ready for your brand new week ahead?

Quiltville Quote of the Day --

My mantra as I tackle all of the things that have to happen this week.

But it also applies to life in general.

It's hard to let go, but if you start with the small stuff it is easier to work up to the big stuff.

Have a wonderful Monday, everyone!