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Friday, July 23, 2021

Winter Blues in July!


With Chris's Christmas in July group fully moved in to Quiltville Inn - we started in on our Winter Blues workshop day one.

Can I just say how rewarding it is to teach a group of 12 over the course of several days as compared to cramming it all into 6 hours divided amongst 50 students?


Some are sewing with blues and neutrals, just as I did.


Some are changing colors, but staying with the same size block as I did.


Some have increased the strip width to make bigger blocks in other color ways!


And some have gone bigger still making quilts to cover big beds!


We are holding the class over the course of 3 days - working on either the main block (yesterday) or the alternate block (today) and day 3 we will be tackling things like pieced setting triangles and braided borders.

No one is feeling overwhelmed from having to do it all in 6 hours.

And there is plenty of time to step away from this project and work on something else to clear the cobwebs before getting back to it.

No rush.  No pressure.  Just retreat fun!


My favorite "white noise"?

The hum of 12 machines!


And since we are talking about Winter Blues  - check out this gorgeous purple/grey version by Ceci Charles shared to our Quiltville's Open Studio group on Facebook!  AWESOME!!


Tall tree quilt made last year!

This retreat's theme IS Christmas in July, and things are feeling festive!  The group made this tree banner last year while here, and it is now hanging between the pressing stations and will be decorated through the week!


Gift exchange items - ooohhh fun!


Lola getting sassy with it

I walked into the QPO Studio after workshop time was done to find this.  LOL!  She is on top of the "Attack Cat" panel that I am planning to piece into a scrappy backing.

It's as if she is claiming that SHE is the one and only Attack Cat.  On the roller bars of my long arm machine.

Silly girl!

(You can also see piles of things I've been sorting and cutting down into Scrap User's System strip widths.)


In my home hours -

There hasn't been a lot of time for sitting and piecing. I'm spending most of my time between the Inn and the QPO.  But I got several of my 25-patch blocks kitted up, and when I do have a few minutes I can make a block or two and stick them up on my design wall.


They look pretty good here!

This is a project with no deadline, and I don't even know how I'll set them yet.  It will all come in time.

The main objective is to whittle down that strip drawer.


Any short ends of strips after kitting the 25-patch blocks are going into this basket for making our Fish School Leader & Ender challenge blocks.  There is another basket set by my machine where the little Fish School blocks are ending up.

There will be no more short strips left around here!


Are you jumping in on the Fish School challenge?

These blocks are shared by Martha Perry Davis - to our Quiltville's Open Studio group on Facebook.

I love seeing your photos - keep them coming!

Just to catch you up - we have TWO Gift-Aways currently running here on the blog.

I finally received the June '21 Quilty Box after it got lost in the mail.  It features beautiful fabrics by Anna Maria Horner.  You can enter to win ON THAT POST.  Drawing to happen next Tuesday, July 27th.

Our Rockabilly Swing PDF pattern Gift-Away incudes a gorgeous Jumble of Color roll by Cotton to Quilts.

Did you enter on THAT POST?


Fabrics from 1980s all the way to today -

Scraps in all colors, in every genre and variety.


You cheered me on as I made block after block after block in this adorable size - and watched as it was assembled, quilted, and bound.

And now you can start your OWN Rockabilly Swing journey with my PDF pattern which includes the printable paper foundation template.

The introductory price of Rockabilly Swing has been placed 25% off at $9.00 through July 31, 2021.  No coupon code needed. 

Rockabilly Swing is paper foundation pieced.  I have used Carol Doak's 8 1/2'' X 11'' Foundation Paper with much success.  It is available in the Rulers, Notions & Tools section of the Quiltville Store. (Limited supply)

You can also find it in the Quilting All the Time category of the Quiltville Amazon Affiliate Store  Direct link HERE.

You can also use 8 1/2'' x 11'' newsprint, though it doesn't like some printers. (I get jams occasionally on mine)  It is also available HERE.

If this is your first time downloading digital patterns from my store to a computer click HERE.

If you intend to download to an iPhone/iPad click HERE.


This morning will begin with a walk along Round House Road at 9am, and then we will jump into today's Winter Blues  workshop session. 

If you have started Winter Blues and it is just sitting there, why not join us over the next few days and make some progress on it?


Quiltville Quote of the Day -

I love this quote so much.
May we all be so busy working on ourselves (and our projects) that we have no time to criticize or compare ourselves to others.
Other than the quilting side of things, I find myself stepping away from reading comments on social media due to all of the arguing and hateful rhetoric. ABOUT EVERYTHING!
I'd rather be sewing!
Putting other people down does not elevate us higher.⁣
Walk away - go sew something! ⁣


And have a wonderful Friday, everyone!


 

16 comments:

Kathy said...

Bonnie, this is precisely why I avoid social media in favor of positive and uplifting bloggers like yourself. Thank you for being YOU.

Leah said...

Lola, you're a hoot. Yesterday I found one of my two outdoor/indoor cats sprawled on my work table, in the middle of a throw I was binding - TWICE. Yep. Out you go, buddy. Not cool.

I like how Martha Perry Davis has a few oversized fish in her school. Fun! Also really love that vintage quilt w todays quote. Hmmm... plans and ideas!

Mary J said...

I couldn’t agree more❤️

Ceci said...

Thank you for sharing my purple and grey quilt! Already giving some thought to a multi color version!

Margacat said...

I used the Attack Cat panel as the center of a backing, also. Mine is surrounded by various and many cat pillow panels, then finished off the edges with a brown scroll print. I didn't want to trim any kitties in half when I added the binding. LOL

Linda Garcia said...

I recently bought an accuquilt cutter just like yours in the first picture. The riser behind the cutter is interesting. I never thought of something like that. I just stand at the end and hang on the the die as it comes out of the cutter. Thanks for the idea.

MissPat said...

What a great quote. Wise words to live by.

Unknown said...

Bonnie! I so appreciate that you can enjoy quilters using their own colors and creativity in your patterns! Several years ago, I took a class where the instructor used "Civil War" fabric. I used her pattern but in bright colors. She was not happy!! I even asked her a question later and she walked away from me- not answering. Really? To tell the truth, I was so upset about the whole deal, I just now finished that (beautiful) quilt last month. I had put it away and let it sit! I am over her now but it stung a little. Thank you for your open mind and eyes big enough to see the possibilities!! Refreshing!

Joan said...

Oh my gosh! I love, love, love that red and white quilt the gift exchange boxes are sitting on. What an eye catcher!

Donna Endresen said...

Bonnie- Today's quote and your comments are
GREAT and so right. I am so busy trying to get my greenhouse, berry area and gardens set up, a little sewing in between, that there is no time for anything else. People ask about my getting my TV booster's set up, simce I discontinued Satellite TV several months ago. I told them I have no time. My gardens are my priority right now.

Take care and Have a Wonderful weekend!

Donna Endresen
Kasilof, AK
Where the rains are to finally subside for a few days, we are to get warm up again and Sunshine! Things can grow again!

Jennie said...

Just want to say thank you for all you do and share <3

TerryAnn said...

Me too!

Becky said...

"Whatever is good.....whatever is lovely, think on these things". Just another way to say avoid the negative. Thanks Bonnie for all your reminders to think on and sew lovely things.

Unknown said...

Me too!!!

Janet said...

I haven’t seen any posts of Ivy? How is she,she is still around. Right?

QuiltGranma said...

Winter Blues looks so pretty!

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