A Saturday of Quilty Play!

And with her Opening Season -

Quiltville Inn may be starting a new tradition!

Sylvia brought her fabric de-stash yesterday – and we set it out in the foyer on the tall cutting table we had set up for Friday’s Blue Ridge Beauty workshop.

Oh the frenzy!

Prices were low and the grabbing was high!

There was everything from kits to fat quarter stacks, yardage on bolts, patterns, charm packs, jelly rolls and more.

This was TOO MUCH FUN!

(And yes, I bought some too!)

And through it all – we were laughing that Sylvia was de-stashing to fund her fabric buying habits!

A certain few of the group had left in the morning to head over to Batiks, Etc in Wytheville, and were missing even this greater sale!

Don’t worry, there was still plenty left to dig into when they got back!

We moved the table from the foyer to the dining room -

And shopping continued to happen.

I’m not exactly sure when some neat-nik couldn’t stand the aftermath and decided to straighten it all up.  It sure looks pretty and I’ve got my eye on that bolt on the far left for a backing. Hmmmm…will it still be there when I get back this morning?

Now I’m thinking it would be fun for groups in warmer weather (if they are those driving not flying) to host a porch sale – or exchange.  Fun Fun Fun!

While this was all going on -

The front brick walkway was getting hand rails installed.

In all of the photos I’ve seen of the house from earlier decades, there has never been hand rails here.

In February when i watched the Quilts of Valor ladies try to ascend the steps (because it was raining and muddy out back so they were coming in the front) I knew we had to do something to help those of us of a certain age.

We took a good look at the rail on the steps up to the porch, and saw that it was just galvanized pipe with a certain kind of bendy elbow joint.  A google search found a company in Ohio that makes those joints that can be angled to any position you need them to be – and voila, a plan was hatched.

Stabilized by rebar and metal posts that go deep into the soil -

These new rails are STURDY!

We are going to stabilize them a bit more, and paint them black so they won’t be glaring in the summer sun.

Last night’s run to Galax, VA -

Lowe’s again!

It has been discovered and pointed out that though we have two 50 gallon hot water tanks and will never run out of hot water, it doesn’t do any good if there isn’t enough water pressure to run 3 showers, 3 toilets, a dishwasher,  4 sinks and a washing machine at the same time.

The well can only pump 10 gallons a minute. 3 showers running at once use more than that and water pressure was minimal at best.

We called around – the closest place we could get a water pressure tank the size we need was at the Galax Lowes, and they only had one so it was purchased on line and since it was a weekend and we could go, we headed over to pick it up. 

86 gallons ought to do it!

Martha’s hubby Don is going to help The Hubster Dave get it installed while I am in California over the next couple of weeks and the next group that comes in April won’t have to stagger showers and wait for the well pump to catch up to the water usage in the house.

In the 136 years that this house has been here, I don’t think there has been the need for so many showers all in such a short span of time – there were bath tubs, remember? And only two of them!

Last night’s round of Right Right Left!

Click to Play:

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A post shared by Bonnie K Hunter (@quiltville_bonnie) on Mar 8, 2020 at 5:25am PDT

It was fun to have Dave here with me so he could really SEE what is happening with this groups of quilters on retreat.

I think he gets it.  He said “That house is sure happy tonight!”

Yes it was. 

Martha left the following reply on facebook to my post:

 

This house is feeling the love!  And that makes me so happy.

There was much more to yesterday – I just can’t fit it all in!

Yesterday afternoon I returned from a late afternoon 2+ mile hike up Blue Ridge mountain dirt back roads with 2 of our gals - one from Chicago and one from Pennsylvania. We stopped to chat with a local farmer to ask him what kind of trees were planted in his pasture -  He exclaimed "Oh, YOU'RE the Quilt Lady!" when I told him that I have the house at the corner of 16 and 58 and we were walking his road because it is safe and scenic.

Word gets around in these parts.

We also spent time playing with block layouts and all of the possibilities for their Blue Ridge Beauty quilts – so awesome to see their wheels turning!

And I am so happy that they are staying until tomorrow – I have more time to enjoy them today.

Temps should be reaching the mid 50’s here which is warm enough for the stalwart to hike up to the Appalachian Trail and see if we can find the ponies.

I’ll be getting photos of the group and their projects off the porch rail today – it’s the nicest day since they arrived on Thursday -

And there will be more making of plans for when they are back next year.

Can’t stop grinning!

Thank you, Rebecca for the wonderful T-shirt and counting me as one of your group as well. (There is a denim shirt to match!)

This weekend has been such a great experience! To watch these 12 retreat guests who did not know each other in person until they arrived form such an instantaneous bond has been so awesome.

They have opened their hearts to each other, helped and encouraged each other, lifted each other up, laughed, talked, connected in every way possible over the past 3 days. And they are here until Monday-

They are already planning and plotting their next visit in 2021.I can't wait to welcome them back.

Life is just so dang good!

It’s a Spring-Forward Sunday – did you change your clocks?  I only have a handful that are not digital and have to be changed manually.

Lighter at night is all so right! (And the packages move one to the right! LOL!)

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

Attitude is more than half the battle!

How is yours this morning?

Have a wonderful Sunday,everyone!