And Off They Went!

My life as an inn keeper has become a revolving door of hello, goodbye!

Or as the Beatles song goes: 

[Chorus]
You say goodbye and I say hello
(Hello, goodbye, hello, goodbye) Hello, hello
(Hello, goodbye) I don't know why you say goodbye, I say hello
(Hello, goodbye, hello, goodbye) Hello, hello
(Hello, goodbye) I don't know why you say goodbye, I say hello
(Hello, goodbye)

You are welcome for the ear worm! LOL!

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Late Summer Twilight -

My photography skills aren't that great in the nearly dark past dusk.

Yes, there are settings for cell phones for night time photography and low light situations - but - do I have time for that?  Nope!  

Instead - I go merrily on my way snapping crappy photos hoping to share with you just a bit of the joy that goes around here.

Life isn't found in the perfection of photos - but rather in the living that goes on out from behind the camera view.

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Quilts & Quilters All Around! (Free Shipping Sale!!)

It's  Stitch Mob invasion!  Of the BEST KIND!

And little do they know how I had to quickly toss stuff in bins and pitch things out of sight because - my studio is ALWAYS some sort of Creative Mess in Progress.  It's just the way it is.

Creativity is MESSY!  Are you with me?

This little visit happened yesterday after lunch, and it was so much fun.  And each of them made a pinky-swear when it came to showing the what is up and coming as far as pattern releases go!  Woopwoop!!

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Hanging With The Stitch Mob! (DRAWING!)

How does one nearly 60-year-old girl end up with nearly 14,000 steps by the end of the day?

She spends the day with the Stitch Mob, celebrating Jessica's birthday and more!

The last two arrivals came in after I was already home for the night - so there were two new faces to greet when I walked through the door.

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August '21 Quilty Box Gift-Away!

Good Morning, Quiltvillians!

Can you believe how quickly August is passing us by?

The August Quilty Box arrived on my doorstep a couple of days ago and the voice inside my head was saying things like "Wait! Didn't we just give away the July box??"

And then the other goodie loving voice that also lives inside my head was saying "Yay!  Bring it on!"

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Just One Block Left -

Do you find yourself and you thoughts hijacked by one thing, when you should be doing another?

I know I can't be the only one!

I had some time to clean up my cutting table at the QPO studio and was making good progress with it.

It feels so good to put things in order, to wipe things down and vacuum things up - and then.  SQUIRREL!

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And Off They Go -

This morning I am waving a fond farewell and wishing safe travels to the Naughty Room Quilters who have brightened everywhere they've been in the past week!

It has been WONDERFUL!

Usually with every group there is someone I've met on my way - either through teaching for their local guild, or a show, or a lecture - or perhaps even an international trip.

There are several of these ladies that I've known from other occasions in other places, and to be able to open this lovely old home for them has been such an honor.

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Naughty Room Quilters Through The Weekend!

Happy Monday, Quiltvillians!

I'm here so happy to report that NO RAIN washed out our fire pit for Saturday night!

We had a wonderful time winding down a very busy Saturday by sitting around the fire and roasting marshmallows - 

And I am shaking my head and laughing that NOT ONE OF US would dare roast the beautiful marshmallows with the imprint of Quiltville Inn on them.

We just could not stand to see those beautiful images go up in flames.

I guess we will have to eat them raw.

Or decoupage them.  Or something.

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Three Cheers For The Weekend!

Good morning from the Naughty Room Quilters -

Who weren't being very naughty at all - really.

Or in other words, "What happens at quilt retreat - STAYS at quilt retreat!"

We've been enjoying the cool bits of being outside as seen here by yesterday morning's breakfast on the porch.

August can be a bit stifling when the afternoon humidity builds - so the porch has found its most occupied times to be during breakfast, and late evening around dinner time when soft Appalachian breezes begin to waft through.

In the evening hours we roll down the wooden slat blinds to block that last bit of summer sun before it drops behind the mountain at evening fall.

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Naughty Room Quilters Inductee!

I found myself an honorary member of the Naughty Room Quilters yesterday at Quiltville Inn!

They took over the Quilting Quarters in Naughty Room Quilter's style - filling the place with raucously loud laughter, silly stories and a whole lot of camaraderie and friendship. 

Why do they call themselves the Naughty Room Quilters?  Okay members, correct me if I'm wrong but what I got in yesterday's explanation was:

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Wrong Way Round - Finished!

It's done!

The final stitches went in last night while adjusting to the new double love seats with recliners that have replaced my long time favorite comfy chair.

Isn't it funny how we are such creatures of habit - and want things a certain way!

In actuality - the old comfy chair was aging, the foam seat cushion getting a bit baggy and saggy (not unlike myself!) and looking a bit worse for wear.

The new situation?  Better!

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So Much Rain (And Quiltus Interruptus!)

Still photos of the rain rushing down the rain chain doesn't do any of tropical storm Fred justice -

But he roared through the Appalachians yesterday - and the rains got insanely hard around dark-fall.

I have NEVER heard the rain pound so loud - and so much water!

We were returning from a trip to Jefferson - the digital keypad lock on the kitchen door at Quiltville Inn had given up the ghost or some reason, and we needed something to lock it fast.  We couldn't leave it unlocked overnight.

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Rocky Road to Grayson PDF Pattern! (Gift-Away!)

Good morning Quiltvillians!

I know this post is a little later than normal, but we are going to ignore the computer issues that plagued me this morning and dive right on in!

It's all good - because today I am releasing the printable PDF pattern for Rocky Road to Grayson - a delightful mix of string piecing combined with sashing, stars and nine-patches!

August and September are just perfect for Sunflower Yellow!

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Quilty Days and Short Delays -

When afternoon storms roll in outside -

The quilters are cozy sewing inside!

I think we have ***FINALLY*** had rain 4 out or the last 5 days, with the afternoon humidity building up through the day and dumping it down in a cooling storm by late afternoon evening time.

This also meant that our plan for a Saturday night fire pit was washed out.  Whhhhaa!

It's only the second time that has happened this year - but we need the rain so badly I'm not complaining!

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Just Keep On Stitching On!

It's a flurry of patchwork and threads!

And I missed a good chunk of it due to my yesterday's escape to get a haircut - MUCH NEEDED!

I did stop and check in with everyone before I headed out - it was 9am and the machines were already humming.

Seeing busy sewists and full design walls just started my excursion day out on the best note possible.

Especially since there was plenty of cut fruit in the kitchen for breakfast - I didn't drive away hungry!

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All The Busy Things!

How do you start the day out right on a summer Quilt Retreat?

Get a good night's sleep (with many quilty dreams!) and start the morning with some fresh air on a long walk down a country dirt road!

I grabbed 6 of the Tada Quilters for a jaunt down Bear Branch road - 

And if there WERE any bears about, we surely scared them off by all of the talking and laughter we had along the way!

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Finishing Up An Oldie!

It was May 2019 when I accepted an invite to attend the Ashe County Quilter's retreat out at Laurel Ridge. Visit that post HERE.

My project?  Taking the leftovers from all of the blocks I made the wrong way - and replicating a quilt I made for my nephew Henry. 

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Porch Rails, Fond Farewells - and a Whole Lotta Rippin'!

Hooray for full porch rail quilt displays!

And hooray for the quilters who work so hard as evidenced in the quilts they brought and tops they finished on retreat!

And for those who asked - No - not all of these were made DURING retreat - most quilts take much more time than a few days to cut, piece, assemble, quilt and bind -

But one of the most fun things that has come out of asking everyone to bring their own quilt to sleep under due to sanitizing protocols (that would kill my quilts if sanitized on a weekly basis) was that we get to see more of the quilts made by each other!  And the variety is so inspiring!

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Quilters Out and About!

We explored a new dirt road this week!

A long and winding, not too steep, very green, covered with shade (for the most part) rural dirt road I had never walked before!

A road that runs along side a burbling creek.  A road where the only sounds were birds and a couple of mooing cows off in the distance.  And the hum of bugs - there is always that.

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Sewing Together!

I love being a 'fly on the wall" and seeing the Quilting Quarters at Quiltville Inn full of quilty activity!

These lades have been such a joy and I have loved getting to know them over the past 5 days.  We have filled up every hour with so much of EVERYTHING from quilting to playing games, to taking walks and hikes, to meal time on the back porch - it has been a fantastic retreat.

And we still have TODAY!  The August Quiltvillians are here until tomorrow.

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July '21 Quilty Box Gift-Away!

Lookie Lookie Lookie!

The July 2021 Quilty Box is HERE!

And I have been drooling over Victoria Findlay Wolfe's new fabric line, Astrid, since she first started sharing snippets and peeks through social media.

It's GORGEOUS! And not just fat-quarters in this box - but my FAVORITE - LONG 1/3 yards!  12'' x 40'' perfect for those of us who love to cut strips and want them long.

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Busy As A Boss! (Gift-Away!)

Take a look at THIS, you guys!

You know I am always searching for the PERFECT Busy Bag for my projects - 

Something with loads of pockets for all the STUFF we carry along with us on the go - keeping things within easy reach of my fingertips.

And something that is also easy to carry for grab and go.

And here it is!

For the bag makers and wanna be bag makers amongst us - you are going to LOVE LOVE LOVE the Busy As A Boss  tote designed by Gail Mayhue!

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Quilters Take a Moment 2021! (Gift-Away!)

Our Quilters Take a Moment virtual event is coming up on September 17-18, 2021!

That's SO CLOSE, you guys!

And I am so excited that the folks at Quilt Alliance have given me TWO tickets to give away to you - my readers!

What is Quilters Take a Moment? 

Quilters Take a Moment is a virtual fundraising event for the nonprofit Quilt Alliance, featuring captivating speakers, deep-dive interviews, joyful conversations, a quilt exhibition and moments of community for quilt lovers everywhere. 

Join us live on September 17 and 18 online, or watch the recorded content any time, anywhere!

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Bye-bye, July Quiltvillians!

I waved the July Quiltvillians off yesterday morning -

They stayed into August - it was time to go home! LOL!

This photo shoot happened on Monday evening after I returned from my eye doc appt in Winston Salem.  The end of a very busy day, but the light was JUST RIGHT on that side of the house to throw those quilts over the rail and dazzle the cars passing by.

These gals worked so hard on their projects - some of what you see here are newly finished tops, others are projects they have finished since the last time they were here, and they brought them to adorn their beds for sleeping.

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An Appalachian Sunday Drive -

That Martha!  (And as it's her birthday, I'll wish her the best one ever!)

She knows just where to take this girl and her passion for historic old buildings - be they restored as this little one room school house - or rough, but still lived in with hope of being restored, or those who have lived out their days giving all they can, but are bound to return to the earth.

This was our Sunday adventure!

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A Sewin' and Goin' Kind of Weekend!

There is a lot of quilty productivity happening in the Quilting Quarters!

But there has also been time for me to break away and find myself winding down county mountain roads along ridges I've never been on before -

Sometimes you have to step away from the machine and see all there is to see.

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