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Tuesday, August 25, 2020

A One Track Monday!


Cut ‘em out, Sew ‘em up!

When Mondays are busier than we want them to be – sometimes the only chance to sew anything comes in that space between late afternoon and fixing dinner time.

But I’m not giving up!

As long as I can manage to do a little bit each day, I can get this project tackled to the point where I can share it -

It’s all the OTHER to-do type things that get in the way.

Yesterday was a busy day of USPS, FedEX and UPS all dropping off and picking up.  Grand central station as it was.

And for once – there wasn’t a drop of rain to be had.  That in itself felt like a miracle.  In a country where wildfires are raging out west – we have been wetter than I ever remember this area being.

Where temps are SCORCHING in other areas of the country, we aren’t even destined to leave the 70s this week. And I’m not complaining about that, seriously!

It just seems that Summer is about to take a turn toward fall – hence the impatience I feel for this project under my needle.


Last night’s 2-in-the-done-column.

I know I am going to need more string blocks – more WITHOUT stars to fill in the areas I see in my mind – how this is all going to come to full quilt layout status.  Soon.

And those baby ones?  The ones I trimmed out of the cut out middles behind the stars?  No idea for those yet.  But there is quite the stack here sitting next to my monitor.


And through it all – Ivy watches on!

She is such a pretty little thing.  And she has no problem living here in the basement as long as she gets visits through the day from The Hubster and Zoey – and I spend a lot of time down here while cutting, sewing, blog writing -

And she has taken to mewing at the bottom of the stairs when she is ready for attention to come to her.

For the first time last night she was actually at the TOP of the stairs curious enough about what was behind the door to greet us at the top for a peek.


I mean, if Zoey can do this?

Why can’t I be up there too?


Best friends in the basement!

In other exciting news – Our Son Jason FINALLY got his Oregon unemployment worked out.  He is immune compromised.  He was driving for Uber/Lyft.  He was owed so many months of back unemployment due to Covid, and the state of Oregon was SUCH a mess.  He hasn’t worked since March because of his condition.

He has stayed home, social distancing in isolation for the past 5 months.  He is currently on his way here – solo traveling.  Staying in campgrounds away from people all across the USA and is expected to be here Friday.  The 4 walls of his house were closing in and he needed to be out.

So he is traveling alone and sending photos and videos of things he sees along the way.  I can’t wait to have my son safely here. I haven’t seen him in a year.


Things are NOW Really REAL!

So you really want to know how to free motion quilt on your home sewing machine but, up until now haven't had much success?

Let HollyAnne of String & Story help you change all of that!

Your enrollment in
Free Motion Quilting Academy and instruction from HollyAnne will have you free motion quilting on YOUR domestic sewing machine and finishing those quilt tops into finished quilts in no time.

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Registration is open NOW but only for a limited time! ⁣

New student orientation starts August 31, 2020. The course runs through December 3rd. ⁣



Check out Caro’s finish!
More close ups on Instagram @carochristi

Caro joined FMQA in the spring, is working thru the course at her own pace, and is becoming an AMAZING free motion quilter!

She says: “TEXTURE TEXTURE TEXTURE. Do you like dense quilting? This piece let me dive right into free motion quilting that I had been learning through Free Motion Quilting Academy .

It gave me the nudge of having a project to finally practice the motifs quickly and jump right into using them. Other than a practice fat quarter this is my first foray into doing pebbles, paisleys, rainbows, spirals, loops, and loopy meander.

I previously had experience with meander, switchbacks, matchsticks, and wishbones.”

Huzzah! Ready to quilt like Caro? Register for Free Motion Quilting Academy!

FREE MOTION QUILTING ACADEMY (FMQA) IS THE FIRST COURSE OF ITS KIND THAT: ⁣

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️Encourages you to start with what you have, keeping supplies minimal and affordable, rather than urging you to buy a fancier machine.⁣

️Is ready when you are, regardless of geography or time zone, with on-demand, pre-recorded video lessons.⁣

️Offers you ongoing access to the instructor so you never feel alone or stuck and you can get near-real-time help during live streamed Q&A sessions.⁣

️Connects you to other rockstars-in-training arund the world so you can help and encourage each other.⁣

I have written much more about Free Motion Quilting Academy on Saturday’s Post – where you can also enter to win our August 2020 Quilty Box.  Click to THAT POST to enter to win (Drawing Thursday) and read more about FMQA and what it can do for you!


Quiltville Quote of the Day -

What will your one happy thing be today? ⁣

(Pieced baskets make me happy too!




Have a wonderful Tuesday, folks!


35 comments:

  1. Anonymous10:19 AM EDT

    With teaching from home, I find I can use breaks to go to my happy place - sitting behind my sewing machine. One of the advantages of remote learning from the teacher's perspective.

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  2. I’m enrolled and excited to learn. I did the launch and loved it. I love Holly’s enthusiasm and can do attitude. When I’m finished I’m hoping to have the confidence to tackle my Unity quilt. ❤️

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  3. Oh believe me Oregon isn’t the only state with issues on getting unemployment. Kansas is a mess our system is so old.

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  4. Celebrating 59 years of marriage to my best friend 💕💕

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  5. Sweet Bonnie, I'm glad that your son is making it home safely.

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  6. enjoy your visit with your son...a year is a very long time...

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  7. So happy you’re son is on his way to visit you! My happy for today is taking my ‘83 Necchi to the sewing machine spa guy before I leave for a nine-hour drive to Washington from Idaho to visit my 84 year old mother who lives at home alone and has essentially been isolating since March. Haven’t seen her since last Christmas.

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  8. So glad to hear Jason is coming home. Our son works in CA, so we haven't seen them since March 2019. So I feel for you. I hope he makes it home safely.

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  9. I can't imagine not seeing my son for a year. That would be so difficult. Glad he's on his way home for a visit! I wonder how Lola will react to seeing him. My grandcat lived with me for about a year until my son found a new place. I absolutely loved having her in the house. She was my quilting buddy and sat on whatever pile of fabric was available. I cried when she left even though she's only a few blocks away! Now when I visit she either loves me or is mad at me. There's no in between.

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  10. Your sewing is always exceptional, but I LOVE the cats and dog. That dog is just the best. Lucky to have her. I wish I could move like that.

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  11. So happy to hear the news that Jason is coming home! I could feel your excitement while reading your blog today! Thank you for always sharing news about your fur babies 🐈🐕. It's nice to see what you're all up to in this upside down world. Have a beautiful day Bonnie! ❤

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  12. My one happy thing today is to spend some time outdoors with my flowers. Our weather is spectacular, sunny and mild with a hint of fall, so it is gorgeous outside. Thanks for your reminder to be happy!!

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  13. I'm so glad your son is coming home. I feel much better when all my kids are home -- I feel like I'm more able to keep them "safe," whatever that means in the current environment!
    My happy thing today is I got up and walked this morning rather than leaving it to the end of the day when it may NOT actually occur. I'm trying to get back into the rhythm of morning walking and day 1 was a success. :)

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  14. I am excited for you to finally getting to see Jason, a year is a long time. I was going nuts when I couldn't see my family that only lives 20 miles away. I hope he can stay for a while and not have to rush home, I am sure have a lot of catching up to do.

    Safe travels for Jason.

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  15. Great news that your son will be there soon. A year is a long time!!!!!!

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  16. Your son has excellent timing to get home before the remnants of the hurricane come thru. Saturday will be a mess!

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  17. So happy for you that your son is coming home. Would love to win.

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  18. I am SO happy for you that you get to have your son home! We've gone that long without seeing our youngest son and it is too, too long. But you will have a great visit I am sure. zoo matter how old our kids get, (our oldest is 50) they are always attached to our heart strings. When they cry, we cry, and when they are happy it is shared joy. Everytime I see an upside down Zoey it makes me laugh!

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  19. Oh my, what is that darling quilt Ivy is sitting on? Love it! Has Sadie figured out she’s there now that she’s vocalizing on the stairs?!?
    So happy for you and Jason. How long will he be there?

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  20. So glad that you'll be able to see Jason soon! We are vacationing in West Jefferson and Asheville with my son and his girlfriend, whom we haven't seen since before Christmas last year. I can imagine how much you miss your son!

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  21. How wonderful that Jason can come home for a visit so his Mama can pamper him. I get so angry when I think about all the people who lost their jobs or can't work because of the virus and yet the Senate can go on a month long vacation and the President can golf every weekend. And yes, there are many states with antiquated Unemployment systems, New York included. At least Oregon is on top of things as far as mail-in voting is concerned.
    Pat

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  22. Oh gosh it’s wonderful he is coming home and oh dear how to keep him loved and safe
    You have worked it out for the animals you will figure it out for that human
    Safe travels for him and fun times for you all
    ❤️👵🏻

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  23. Bonnie, could you point me to the post about the lighting you have in the sewing room at Quiltville Inn? I am wanting to use that kind and I can't find the post. Thank you pam

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    Replies
    1. Check out the August 15th post. I think it's the left overs from the Blossom Time quilt.

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  24. Prayers for traveling mercies.I know you will be so happy to see your wondering chick. Thank you again for your FB page, and your blog. I relaxes me at the end of the day, and I really enjoy reading what you have done. Thanks for sharing your fur friends.

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  25. So glad that your son is on his way and you'll be together soon. A year is a long time. My son left for Vietnam in February just as COVID-19 was hitting. He left to be with his girlfriend and planned to return in 3-6 months. I thought THAT was a long time. Now with everything that is going on, he's saying he may apply for a 2-year residency. Who know when we'll be able to visit him. I miss him dearly. My younger son just left for Sacrament (Calif) on a medical strike-team to assist with the fires and COVID-19 hot spots. He'll be gone indefinitely. As someone else said, I feel much better when all my kids are home. So happy that you will see your son soon.

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  26. So pleased Jason is able to come home to see you , a year is a long time to not have a hug.
    I hope he has a safe journey.
    Stay safe
    Love and quilty hugs
    Anne xx

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  27. i sent out a zoom meeting to my children since like you i havent seen them for over 12 months we were supposed to go see them at easter well that didn't happen did it.Here in Australia we cant travel out of Victoria, at the moment we cant travel more than 5K, so dont know when we will see them and the grandkids again they live in Queensland so decided to do a family zoom meeting, did it with my brothers and sisters last week and they loved it. lets hope this goes well.

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  28. My son in NY (Upstate) is also immune compromised. He's back at work, but I can't go there and he can't come here because of the 2 week quarantine restriction after traveling to a "hot" state and North Carolina is on that list. Understandable, but heart breaking. It's been a year since I've hugged him. Breaks my heart. I'm so happy for you!

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  29. I enjoyed reading this today and also seeing Zoey and her kitty together. So sweet. I pray your son has a safe trip across the US and home sweet home to mom and dad. Is he feeling better now, after getting the covid? I hope he is well.
    Your blog is always inspiring Bonnie. I read it every day. All of us are going through this weird life together now.
    God Bless and let's keep sewing

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  30. Hi Bonnie! My husband and I just drove out from Minnesota to Oregon to settle my aunt's estate. We camped on the way out there and on the way back. We tented every night to stay Covid safe. Tell Jason about the Ultimate Campgrounds app. We used it every night. Its alot of US Forest Service sites and many that are free. There may be vault toilets or not. Many times no water. However, if you are prepared and just need a place to put up your tent, it worked great!

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  31. It will be great to have your son home safely. Traveling in the time of Covid is fraught with all kinds of perils, real and otherwise. We can conjure up things that may never happen, I am a world class "what-if-er." I'm also trying to do a little bit every day in my workroom. Those little bits of time add up to finishes. I just try to be patient with myself, and think about what the next step will be so I'm not wasting that time in the workroom. You'd think with nothing else going on that I could stay in the workroom for hours on end, but with cooking, cleaning and the other things we have going on, sewing seems to get shoved down the list of priorities.
    The kitty coming to the top of the stairs is so cute. She will soon be ruling the whole place, just watch!

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  32. I am soooo happy Jason is getting to come home!! Enjoy!

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  33. A little off subject. . .
    Every quilter I know has been making masks, even non-quilters who 'sew a little' are making them. A friend who fits the second category recently moved to Ohio to be with her grandchildren. (Boy will I miss her) She asked me for “a pattern” so she could join the bandwagon. I told her I’ve tried about 7 different patterns but the one I’ve used most of the roughly 180 I’ve made so far, is Bonnie Hunter’s. I started to explain how to make them when I realized I could just attach your wonderful 27 minute video to let YOU teach her, as you taught ME :-)

    A couple of days passed and I received a reply: "I watched the video. She’s funny, kind of the Julia Child of stitchery!”

    Thought you’d get a laugh. . . I sure did :-)

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