Sewing in the Slow Lane!

Muriel’s Retreat finish off the front porch at Quiltville Inn!

We all cheered when Muriel finished adding the binding to her most recent finish - Charleston Carriage! Pattern by Winston-Salem designer, Lee Monroe of May Chappell.

We all loved how it looked on her bed in Bedroom 4!

Quilting by Lisa Alley of Bear Hug Quiltworks.

Yesterday was a day of deep quilt construction – and a day of not stopping to take many photos.  Just the way a retreat day Saturday should be!

We also bid farewell to Leanne who headed out in the morning to go meet up with family, and then Muriel who left mid afternoon as she is heading out on a camping trip this coming week in their new camper – handwork and other items at the ready for several more relaxing days in the mountains of Western North Carolina.

But before leaving -

She gave us a demo of rope bowl making!!

I forgot to take a photo of the finished product, but it is at the inn, left as a thank you gift for retreat.  I’ll get a photo today, because she finished it off SO CUTE!  What a talented lady.

I love that she kept most of the bowl natural, and only wound on pops of color to add a bit of interest to the design.

Lisa is cranking on meeting deadlines!

As it goes for most of us in the quilt design industry – those deadlines don’t sleep, and they wait for no one.  Lisa designs for Hoffman as well as others, and they sent her the fabric for this one called Tidings.  She will get it quilted, bound and sent off in the nick of time, crossing another deadline off her list.

You can find the pattern for Tidings on her Bear Hugs Quiltworks Etsy Shop. The pattern is shown in traditional Christmas Fabrics – but look how gorgeous it works up in alternate colorways as well!  What colors do YOU see this quilt made in?

Tidings top finished, Driftwood was Lisa’s next project in layout phase!

Those muted beach tones are so soothing!

As for me -

Those last 24 Shoo fly Shoo blocks are going down!

I am nearing the finish line but called it a day and will return to conquer today.

I have loved this year's Leader and Ender challenge project and can't wait to reveal our new challenge in just a couple of weeks!

This next challenge comes with the promise of NO TRIANGLES and I will present the block in 2 sizes.

Are you game to play along? The year-long challenge has very few rules and you decide how big or small your project finishes.

The main objective is to get you to make a free quilt from Scraps on hand in between the lines of piecing other things!

In my right hand....the end of the thread.

Under my needle....just a couple inches of seam to go.

Did I win at Thread Chicken? YES!

Such a great day.  And it will continue today, with just 4 of us in attendance until the gals pack it up and head back home.

My hopes for today is to see that Shoo Fly Shoo Variation 2 finished – and be well into borders (As of yet undecided – may just go with yardage, not pieced.) by bedtime.

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

Sometimes you've just got to slow down and recharge your batteries!

Not everything worthwhile happens in the fast lane.

Have a wonderful Sunday, however you spend it!