Crazie Mazie PDF Pattern Gift-Away!

Happy Mid-August, Quiltvillians!

It's finally time - Crazie Mazie PDF Pattern release time, that is!

If you have followed along with me even part of the 17 years this blog has been active, you will know of my unabashed and never ending love of string quilts and all of the wonderful things you can do with small scraps many folks find too small to bother with.

I say - bring it on!  There are so many wonderful ways to stitch up your strings into beautiful one-of-a-kind creations.

And what better way to kick off some Crazie Mazie fun than with a pattern and fabric roll gift-away!

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What's Sewing On?

Hello, weekend!

Why is it that some weeks fly by in an instant, and others feel like they've lasted a month?

I swear the best medicine is the gift of being able to hang out with like-minded, like-aged makers who are all going through the same thing.

Forget needing a 12-step program or support group - I've got it daily, with a different group each week just for the variety of it all.

These are all things I never even considered when figuring out if we could really make having a retreat facility work.

There are so many side bonuses that I never considered!

And through it all, I get to sneak next door from time to time and lose myself in my own projects with Lola keeping me company and letting me know whether she likes this fabric combo, or that one, or an immediately no on the other option.

Doesn't she look like she has the wisdom of the world in her eyes? LOL

Either that, or she is giving the entire world the stink-eye.  I get it!

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Embracing Some Shirt Plaid Love!

I spent some time at the cutting table yesterday afternoon!

These simple sawtooth star blocks have been calling my name since last week when they were re-discovered hanging out in a basket nested under another basket full of scraps.

You know how it goes! I'm sure you do!

After the August Quiltvillians headed out with their shirt hauls after shopping my creepy cellar shirt stash last week, all I can think about is getting back to these.

Now that there are six sets cut and ready to go, I am hoping I can spend some time at the machine later today while the TaDa girls head out to Wytheville for some quilt shop stash enhancement.

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Where Is My Hoop Now?

I've received messages over the past week of  "MORE!" "Broader view please!" in regards to my current hexagon hand quilting project.

For anyone who has taken on the long term challenge of hand quilting a queen sized quilt, you know as well as I do that though the process is slow, it is also meditative and quite soul centering in the simple repetitive motion of needle pulling thread. 

"I can't make out how you are quilting it." says another.

So hopefully these broader photos will clue you in a bit.

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Airing of the Quilts!

We had a bright beautiful day for the Over the Porch Rail quilt hanging!

No, not ALL of these quilts were made on retreat, many were brought to be placed on beds and slept under, and then shared with everyone during the photo shoot.

Some were started at the last retreat, and brought back finished to be shared.

Some quilts were brought with the intention of "Just adding binding" while here for the past week.

Some were made in the past year at home and brought on retreat.

Whether they be fully quilted and bound, or just tops finished while here - the variety of the display over the rain was inspiring!

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Little Miss Mabel Mayhem & More!

Last evening we returned home from taking care of a few things at the inn after dinner to find that Mabel Mae has developed a new skill.

Pickpocketing!

No lie - A few bills that were in my shorts pocket from the previous day were found on top of the bed, having been rooted out of the shorts pocket,  and a good portion of this twenty is likely to show up in her morning business.

What can you do but laugh, really?

And remind yourself that having a not-quite-two-year-old dog is like having a 3 year old child in the house at all times.

Whose fault is it in actuality?  Mine of course!

Let it be known that Mabel's new nick name is Mabel Mayhem.

Poor Andrew Jackson - if I take this to the bank will they exchange it for a new one? LOL!

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All in a Quilty Weekend!

Guess who is back to fire pit time?

The last time I was present for this event was the night of the tree swing accident - 

This time - all was well and we really enjoyed our evening time outside around the fire pit as the last of the summer fire flies did their thing.

They are much fewer and further between now, but they are still there.  Summer is hanging on.

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Quilting Up A Scrappy Storm!

Check out Christine's gorgeous Maymont blocks up on the design wall at Quiltville Inn!

There is another strip stash being sewn down in rapid fashion while in the company of good friends!

I just love seeing what everyone is working on.

And yes, there is a way to elevate the bad foot, and just enjoy some time visiting while others stitch around me.

What a fun visit!

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Of Birthdays & Creepy Basements!

Meet our birthday girl, Rebecca!  

We sang Happy Birthday to her on the back porch at brunch yesterday morning - she is here for her second time spending her birthday week with like-minded quilters and we are all the merrier for the opportunity to spend her birthday week with her!

I was ecstatic when I saw her placing her Sister's Choice blocks made with recycled shirt fabrics up on the design wall behind her. (Pattern found under the Free Patterns Tab.)

This sparked a whole new discussion of "Didn't another Quiltvillians group get to shop your shirt stash in the cellar?"

Yes.  Yes, they did.  Would you like to, too?

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Everything is Better With Chocolate!

Those in the know will understand this photo and the gratitude it brings.

There are very few things I crave in this world - and Sharon understood the assignment.  LOL!

Not only does she know of my adoration for dark chocolate with chili (oh, it's a delicious grown-up slow burn!) but the card with the puppy butt is bound to make ANYONE smile.

It was just what I needed to kick me into gear, armed with everything I need to spend some time at the machine and continue my progress on "something simple."

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New Sign Up - Blog By Email!

The past year or so things that we have counted on have been set to sunset mode -

One of the things that makes me really sad is that Blogger and Google are no longer hosting "receive blog by email" services that so many of my readers count on.

Months ago I was in a panic over your panic, and I was directed to Bloglovin by recommendation.

Over the past many months their service has been mostly non-functioning.  Links don't work, notifications don't come, and it always says their servers are overrun.

I am not one to go down without a fight, so - I've done a thing!

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All The Quilty Pieces!

Isn't it wonderful to see long-term projects make such giant leaps thanks to extended retreat time?

If you've made Jamestown Landing from String Fling then you know EXACTLY how long it takes to piece all of those wonderful neutral string units, not to mention ALL of those blue and neutral half-square triangles (Okay, I just mentioned them.)

I've watched this grow over the past week -  

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On The Mend, and On The Move!

Look who is in the kitchen and joining the July Quiltvillians!

Don't worry - I'm taking it slow and easy - 

I brought my scooter to get me from the van across the back walkway to the back steps.

There are 2 steps up to the back porch - manageable if I use a porch pillar for support and with a few easy shuffles I am in like Flynn!

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