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Monday, January 13, 2020

Jill’s on the Mountain!


She’s here and sewing away!

This vintage Featherweight card table holds Jill’s sweet featherweight.

When she said she wanted to bring this cutie I mentioned that I had a card table so she could sew with her flat to the table surface.  I hadn’t pulled out the table to be used in quite a while -

The only problem?   I moved some things around, set up the card table and -


That’s like 3’’ too short!

What to do?

My first thought was SOUP CANS!  But those would be too tall, and not very sturdy. 

When you live this remote – resourcefulness becomes a necessity because it’s a half-hour drive to the nearest hardware store. You’ve got to make due with what you can find on the property:


Not pretty – but SO STURDY!

Two pieces of 2 x 4 screwed together, and a rubber chair leg cap screwed on to the whole – the table leg fits inside the chair leg and will not slide off!


And our table height is now even!


SEW MUCH BETTER!

At one time I had thought of refinishing the table top of the featherweight table – but I find I am much more comfortable when I don’t have to worry about scratching or marring a surface.

I have often thought of the little lady that once owned this table.  I bought the table (with a  machine!) from a gentleman in Roanoke, Virginia several years back.  It had belonged to his mother.  I’m thinking of all the things she sewed on that machine while using this table.


It’s not a pretty fix, but neither is the table.

But it WORKS!


The promise of spring-around-the-corner!

While waiting at Quiltville Inn for Jill to arrive – I took a walk around the yard.  The temps yesterday were amazing.  Low 60s – in January?? I’ll take it.  I’ll soak up every minute of the sunshiny warmth even if it means that the flies STILL DON’T DIE.

This is the Rhododendron bush below the front porch.  LOOK AT THAT NEW GROWTH!  It’s going to be full of beautiful blooms this spring and I can’t wait.

 

My stitching has finally started.

I’m loving the red/white/blue!


Two done!

It’s as far as we got – a bit of after dinner sewing following a Sunday dinner of pot roast, roast winter veggies, broccoli and salad.  Four of us at the table, Dave and I, our nephew Scott and Jill!  And there was football – LOADS of football as the guys were quite tuned in to the Green Bay Packers game last night.

There will be more Irish Courthouse blocks happening today – I’m going for a total of 9 for a wall hanging. 


Our January half-price PDF Pattern of the month -

I had a hard time deciding just which pattern to put at 50% off for the month of January.  Irish Courthouse won out for many reasons -

The biggest one of all being NO TRIANGLES! The pattern is only $4.00 and no coupon is needed.


Sew SO Scrappy, Sew Much Fun!

This Irish Chain variation starts with a simple 9 patch and grows from there! Easy strip piecing and full color photos. Fat Quarter Friendly as well! Quilt size: 93’’ X 93’’.
You’ll love making this quilt block-by-block easily from strips.  It’s fast, it’s satisfying, and destined to chase away those winter blahs that tend to follow when the holidays are behind us but spring is still far off into the future.


I will be making my nine blocks over the next few days while Jill is here.  Why not join me?  The pattern has all of the simple cutting you need to make your block kits and we can be sewing together.

I’ll be sharing my progress through social media using the hash tags #irishcourthousequilt and #quiltville on Instagram.  Please tag me @quiltville_bonnie so I can follow along with your progress too!


The “To Be Determined” no-name group drawn yesterday has chosen the weekend of July 23rd for their retreat! It turns out that this available weekend is also Chris’s birthday and she can’t think of a better way to spend her birthday than in the company of her friends stitching away for several days.  I am so thrilled to be welcoming them this Summer.

Those dates have been removed from the running list and we now have these dates available:

Mar 5-8
Apr 2 -5
Aug 13-16
Nov 12-15
Nov 19-22


And the Random Number Generator drew:


Group 3!  The Naughty Room Quilters!

(Laughing at this name!)

Debi, I have sent you an email containing the above available dates.  Choose your weekend, and get back with me so that I can remove those dates from the running and draw for our next group to choose their dates.

Our first retreats are starting next month, and as 2021 dates become available I will also be using the rally list as a waiting list to continue to book dates one year out.  I thank you all for your patience with this whole process!

If you have not placed your group in the running yet, click the Quiltville Inn Rally tab at the top of the blog and enter your group information into the form.  Groups not chosen to fill the 2020 dates are automatically in the running for the 2021 dates.


Ready to sew the day away!


Quiltville Quote of the Day -

Today is the day to pay it forward. Your small acts of kindness may go unrecognized, but that's okay. Just don't stop being kind.

You never know what it might mean to someone else.

Have an awesome Monday, everyone!
























17 comments:

  1. Many kind morning blessings! I am up and at clue 7, loving every minute.

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  2. I just purchased Irish Courthouse. Your red-white-blue convinced me I needed it. It will make a fantastic and different Quilt of Valor. Still waiting for our group to be drawn in the Quiltville Rally. LOL Have fun.

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    Replies
    1. I purchased the pattern to make a QOV also. It'll be a great scrappy QOV.

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  3. I think your solution is very intetesting. I too believe in improvising with what you have. Have a goid day. Still waiting on my package.

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  4. Ohhh lots of juicy info today! Love your fix for the sewing table! The touch of Spring to your area, while I sit in -36 winchill and snow on the ground! Laughed out a little too loud at "The biggest one of all being NO TRIANGLES!" On to completing Clue #8!

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  5. Your bright happy faces tell the story of two friends enjoying a great time together. The names of the quilt groups is fun to see - creative quilters.

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  6. What a great fix for the short table your hubs is Sutherland guy to have around.
    Loving your Irish courthouse blocks love the colours you have chosen they look amazing.
    The names of your quilting groups makes me chuckle some very inventive people out there.
    Enjoy your visit with your friend so much fun.
    Love and quilty hugs
    Anne xxx

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  7. I have to wonder at the striped blocks alternating with the 16-patches in the vintage quilt for the quote of the day. Was that the original plan of the designer? Or did she cut some strip sets too short, realized she now didn't have a long enough strip set for the extra seam allowances of a 16-patch, and decided stipes would do just as well!

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    Replies
    1. That quilt caught my eye too. I had an urge to scroll over to see more but that was silly as there's just that piece as a background to the quote.
      Bonnie is that a quilt in your collection? Is it vintage?

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  8. I took your Irish Courthouse Steps when you did it as a mystery in Bedford, PA. I was doing it in red, white and blue. I need to get back working on it. Love your blocks.

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  9. We used leftover pieces of 4x4 from a deck build. Mike cut them at 6" long, then drilled a hole to fit the legs about 1-1/2" down into each leg. Worked like a charm. We try to use what we have here before making a trip to purchase as well.

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  10. I am buying the Irish Courthouse Steps today! Love the red, white, and blue but have piles of scraps to use.
    patsystitch@gvtc.com

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  11. Jill on the Mountain sounds like a vintage quilt block design!

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  12. I used to be in the same guild as Jill! Glad she is able to visit you and have some quilty fun. Small world.

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  13. I thought I must purchase this pattern and it's a good thing I checked my patterns on the computer as I already have it. That must mean it's time to just do it

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  14. Debi Winchester??? Seriously, I'm laughing at that name, too! Tell my friend Debi Winchester that she better invite her friend Sandi Griepenstroh to join her if she gets to retreat at Quiltville Inn!!! lol!

    ReplyDelete

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