October '21 Quilty Box Gift-Away!

It's October Quilty Box Gift-Away time!

And yes, I admit I squealed when I opened this package of pretty!

You see, I am kind of hooked on anything that has sewing machines on it - especially VINTAGE sewing machines - and that includes fabric!

Come see just what is in this box!

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Turns Out - You CAN Have Both!

If you are wondering what the title to this post means - read on down to the end and you'll find out!

I'm starting off with the continuation of my "Make One Thing Better" challenge.

You know - those little chores or things we keep putting off because they aren't really bothering anyone, and there are other things we'd rather be doing?

I had previously posted other quilts that Sadie had chewed when she was still new to us.  She eventually stopped chewing quilts, but it took a while before she felt comfortable enough with us to unlearn that habit!

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Random Photos And More!

Isn't this dish the cutest thing?

It was painted by my mom many years ago and it is now living at Quiltville Inn, holding all of the wooden sock darners I've collected over the years.

Finding places for things that I've decided to keep is still on-going.  Some furnishings are shifting, some things being rearranged and repurposed to fit.

I have always loved things with old advertising logos on them, and mom loved to paint them when she was still able to paint.  These are the things I cherish.

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Pam's Scrappy Sisters - Over the Porch Rail!

I'm so glad that the Scrappy Sisters had beautiful weather while retreating at quiltville Inn!

They sewed, some took quilt shop runs, some took long hikes - the weather was spectacular for late October.

That all changed YESTERDAY!

In fact, this is posting a bit late this morning - I was awakened just after 6am with the Generac turning on due to the power going off.

It didn't stay off long (Thank heavens for Generac and knowing it works!) but I was unsure of the power situation at the inn and QPO.

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Autumn Round Here!

Saturday morning! Oh, so many leaves!

But isn't it gorgeous?

There is something about fall - it even smells wonderful.  

And I remember something I learned while in China a couple of years ago and applied it to here.  In China, October is known as "The Golden Season"  and it really is!

My world is golden -

And as leaves fall, I'm beginning to see the mountain ridges in the east from our yard.

Saturday was also our last Midnight Flight workshop day with Pam's Scrappy Sisters!

Pieces became units, units were joined to become blocks, and it was wonderful to see how each color selection came together in the style of each maker!

Oh, these are looking good!

Added upon and added upon!

And there was plenty of time for visiting, chatting and laughing!

Those greens and golds capture our "Golden Season" just perfectly!

A bit of our scenery after lunch!

My amazing realtor friend Jen drove up with some papers for us to sign, and I had a great time showing her around the inn, and the cabin area on her way too short visit.

(I still am pinching myself that we had offers in 24 hours, and a contract in less than 36!)

Beautiful fabrics in Pam's blocks!

She got all the way to here!

Her colors were gleaned from a wonderful floral print that will be her backing - she just happened to have enough yardage for the backing in her stash, and chose her colors from the colors in that print.

So many beautiful variations!

Love the purple chains!

Looking good!

Beautiful!

Ooooh!  I always love aqua with red!'

So pretty!

I'm loving this!

Two friend's blocks - side by side!

You'll find the pattern for Midnight Flight in MORE Adventures with Leaders & Enders.

And with that - there is something else we need to do this morning!

I am drawing for one winner who will receive the printable PDF pattern for Boxy Bow Ties for themselves AND a friend, along with this for both:

A This & That Fabric Roll from Cotton to Quilts!

Who is entry 2447 of 7505?

Linda Menkes!

Linda! Please reply to the email I sent to the address your provided with your entry!  I'll be getting your Boxy Bow Ties pattern out to you and your friend, and your fabric rolls will be coming from Irene at CottonToQuilts.com!

For those who were waiting until AFTER the drawing:

You'll find Boxy Bow Ties in the digital pattern section of the Quiltville Store! And to kick this excitement into gear, I've placed it at 25% off through 10/31/21 at only $9.00, No coupon required!

For those following along - my Sunday MAKE ONE THING BETTER happened here:

BEFORE

You guys.  It's been so hectic that as long as the drawers shut, and I knew where things were in there, I kept putting this off.  And Off.  AND OFF.

It didn't take long to fix it - honestly!

I sorted.  I pitched.  I purged.  I found things I forgot I had. I found things I wondered WHY I had them - I have empty drawer space as you can now see.

I also tossed junk scissors - dead seam rippers - and other items.

And someone tell me why the stickers on drawer organizers are impossible to remove?

Did you make one thing better over the weekend?  Please share in the comments below as it will inspire us all!

This also happened yesterday!

Son Jeff came up to help his dad with some heavy jobs. He stayed through lunch time, so I got to hug on my son and fill his belly - what could be better?

They are shown here in the Hubster's workshop - a space he loves as much as I love my sewing studio.

What waits for me today?

Inn laundry! LOL!

The October Quiltvillians are checking in on Wednesday and staying until Tuesday.

That means they will be in the house for Saturday's Quiltville Winter Mystery introductory post, AND for some Halloween fun on Sunday.

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

Spread the kindness around, and lay it on thick!

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No need to be skimpy as the more you give, the more there is to give.

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The day you make better for someone may be your own!

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Have a wonderful Monday, everyone!

 

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Midnight Flight, Day 2!

A ruby red 301!  Isn't she gorgeous?

Sometimes ALL the feels come when I see a machine that matches the project being sewn.

Or is it the project matching the machine?

You can believe that I gave this sweetie a pet or two throughout our workshop day!

I got to start the day by checking in with everyone and seeing how they had done with their Day 1 homework - 

And then we were off and rolling to our next unit, half-square triangles using my Essential Triangle Tool, cutting from strips already matched right sides together.

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Get Ready For This!

There's not just one mystery quilt coming soon, but TWO!

My hope is that you'll find yourself jumping into BOTH!

First off - we've just over a week until the introductory post for this year's Quiltville Winter Mystery is released.

Be looking for that on Saturday, October 30th.

And then, while you are in a frenzy of fabric pulling for that one, make sure your subscription to Quiltmaker Magazine is up to date -

Starting with the Jan/Feb 2022 issue which should hit news stands 11/23/21 we will be combining my favorite Addicted to Scraps blocks from several issues - ALL YEAR LONG - into an amazing mystery quilt!

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Nothing That a Bit of Scrappy Won't Cure!

I finished the quilting on Cherry Crunch!

The best part?  Giggling at all of the weird fabrics that went into it.  They span decades!

Amongst the favorites?  The Cat in the Hat in the reds, and some Kellogg's cereal prints in the neutrals.

There is even Pittsburgh Steelers fabric in here - not because I am a football fan, but because it came in a scrap box sent by a friend.

And I'm constantly continuing to test that whole "If it's still ugly, cut it smaller!" thing!

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It All Started With Crumbs!

Another quilt reached its recipient, and just in time for Utah weather to turn toward winter cold!

Crumb Jumble was started while I was still living in Irmo, SC  like so many other quilts with blocks languishing in baggies until the overwhelming desire to turn them into "Something" kicked in to gear -

And once that "IN GEAR!" thing happens - watch out world, there is no stopping until done!

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Barely Time to Quilt!

Lola, evidently holding the quilt top center from sliding off the table to the floor - 

I've been working on this project mostly off, less on, for the past several months.

It all began when I unboxed a bunch of cut red half-square triangles that were left in a bag - remnants of my Hunter's String Star.

Leftovers.  There are always leftovers!  And sometimes it is just what I need to kick me into the next gear.

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A Mid-October Weekend!

I am surrounded by glorious color!

That's The Hubster's shed you see front and center, and the colorful trees as backdrop are just magnificent.

They are quickly losing leaves and I have a feeling we've passed the peak of the season, but I'm so glad we got to see them against a beautiful blue sky - they appear so much more vibrant than against a cloudy grey.

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Capturing the Last Warm Fall Days -

Muddy Creek Misfits - enjoying what may be our LAST fire pit sit of the 2021 season!

It was unbelievably warm this week.  Temps near 80?  Mid-October?

Well yes, we are the south - but at this high elevation, the mountains are not usually this balmy!

We soaked it up like the troopers we are, declaring it was too hot for an afternoon walk, and enjoyed the porch with much hand stitching instead.

Because one must not waste gifted days like this, right?

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Boxy Bow Ties - Release Day & Gift-Away!

Happy Friday, Quiltvillians!

Can you believe we have reached the middle of October?  Halloween is only 2 weeks away.

The time change is coming - many of us will be "Falling Back" an hour soon!

And as temps get colder and turn toward winter in this hemisphere, we are gearing up for snow days and loads of quilting in our cozy spaces inside.

If you are looking for an easy project with a big WOW factor - and NO TRIANGLES - my new printable PDF pattern Boxy Bow Ties may be just what you need!

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QPO Re-Do!

The view from where I now sit!

Remember that big trailer unloading that happened on Tuesday?  I'm dealing with the aftermath, and it will take me a while!

However, I am reminded of what I've held on to for most of my adult life: "Just take one thing and make it better today."

Be that a drawer, a tub, a box, a tote - ONE thing makes a difference.

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A Little More Red, Please!

I've been gravitating toward red for what seems like ALL. MY. LIFE.

I love the vibrancy of red, and what it can do to tie a whole mass of other colors together.

Red is magic.

It has been my go-to, first thought for a long time.

So much so that I have to force myself to try other options.

Such was the case with my 25-Patch quilt, recently finished and still waiting hand stitching.

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Sew Long, Sewciologists!

We had the most glorious of October days yesterday at Quiltville Inn!

The ladies continued to work on their Straits of Mackinac blocks and units, but the pull of the OUTSIDE was strong!

Just LOOK at this display over the rails - fantastic!

In fact, it was so beautiful that we even had a car stop, pull into the parking lot behind the QPO (where I am standing to take this photo) and ask if these quilts were for sale, and just what was going on here.  LOL!

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All The Weekend Fun!

Irene's Sewciologists are STILL having a great time at Quiltville Inn!

Saturday was a continuation workshop day for our Straits of Mackinac quilts from my book String Frenzy.

Just how many ways are there to make half-square triangles?  We discussed MOST of them, and I am sure there are more - everyone having their favorite method.

And you are welcome to use any method you wish, as long as you keep in mind the unfinished and finished sizes so they fit with the other units we've already made.

How many half-square triangle units do they need to finish the quilt?

Only 500+!

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