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Sunday, June 14, 2020

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!


16 comments:

  1. What a fun, yummy post! A nice break from all the ugliness and I loved it!

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  2. Glad you are having this time and sharing it with us, too. Marilyn Marks

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  3. Can't wait to see the next leader ender project!

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  4. Good morning Bonnie! I’m enjoying watching you all enjoying each other’s company and sewing with friends! So happy to see Quiltville Inn up and running again. I hope to get there some day. Thanks for sharing and have a great day!!

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  5. Your blog is interesting and I love seeing the pictures of Quiltville Inn and all the lovely things that are accomplished there. Thank you for all the time and effort you put into everything you do!!!

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  6. I love reading your blog Bonnie.. I am glad your retreat is going well.. and I am glad you won thread chicken too <3 Kathi

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  7. Hey Bonnie! Great to see the girls! Ive missed seeing many of my quilting friends in person. BTW. The rope basket may be made with rope specially made from the Mountain Thread Co in Blowing Rock, NC. They sell kits and materials for sewing rope bowls. is also a quilt store

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  8. How did you do it? I don't ever win at thread chicken, always come up short! Thank you for your positive message to start my day. I am learning to ruler Quilt on my new sewing machine.

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  9. Thank you for a positive fun week of blogging. I really needed it. So glad the new quilt along will be just squares and rectangles! I'm filling my scraps boxes now!

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  10. Love the bowl design and the Driftwood quilt top! Both beautiful! May have to make the Driftwood for a friend moving into her new apartment. So soothing! Thanks so much for sharing everything. Can’t wait for the new leader/ender challenge. I’m actually still using Split 9 patch for mine...it’s working up to a king size quilt for out bed, so it has taken a while. I think I’m about halfway there, so it may have to be pushed to a main project. Have a wonderful last day of retreat!

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  11. My hope for you is that your covid-test weekend went smoothly and the results were just what you had hoped for.

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  12. Thanks so much, Bonnie, for sharing all your quilty goodness with us! The Inn is looking wonderful and ready for some real entertaining!
    I loved the Driftwood pattern so much I had to investigate Lisa's Etsy page -- Driftwood, and possibly a couple more patterns - Will be on their way to me soon!! I just need to retire so I have time for all the patterns and fabrics I have collected! LOL

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  13. Winner winner chicken dinner. Lol

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  14. Please make the leader and ender block with 2 inch blocks, I have tons of them. Lol

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  15. Wonderful projects!! What a lovely time you all have been having.

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  16. Such gorgeous quilts love that driftwood fabric so dreamy, and I’ve wanted to make a rope bowl for ages that one looks beautiful.
    I so pleased you all had such a lovely retreat nice that you could all get together and sew and natter.
    Stay safe
    Love and quilty hugs
    Anne xxx

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