2022 All The Way To The End!

I've been sitting at my keyboard for quite a while this morning, just trying to get my thoughts together.

The morning hustle and bustle of yesterday became instantly deafeningly quiet after the last of the December Quiltvillians backed out of the drive and made their way to their own homes.

That's it.  That's it for our 3rd season of so many wonderful retreats and awesome folks who made this all possible.

I usually don't get this introspective until the week between Christmas and New Years when there is no doubting that one year is ending and another is about to begin - 

But yesterday I was all wrapped up in feelings as the laundry spun and the dryers tumbled.

Left to Right: Straits of Mackinac from String Fling, Allietare, a cute fishy quilt, Pine Tree Point, and a Rolling Stone top in florals.

The thing that has struck me most over the past 3 years is that everyone comes from a different place.  We have different life situations, a multitude of different experiences that round out who we are, who we are still becoming.

We have different likes, dislikes, belief systems - and yet, quilting holds us all together!

Let to Right: Rhododendron Trail, Bear Paw, Fun with Bricks and Bricks & Steppingstones from the Free Patterns tab. (With new printer-friendly PDFs available!)

I get the "outside looking in" feeling sometimes - and I love being an observer of how other friendships work, how other groups treat each other, know each other, care for each other.

I love the laughing, the joking, but also the loving and uplifting that happens as we gather around those who may be going through a rough patch.

I've watched women who've been widowed for a while take new widows still reeling from their losses under their wings and encourage them into their new life ahead.

I've watched as grandbabies arrivals were welcomed, as kindergarten graduations, high school and college graduations were celebrated.  All with plans for finishing quilts for the recipients, of course!

Pineapple Blossom (Free Patterns Tab), Grassy Creek, Good Fortune, and Rhododendron Trail.

Most of all I feel so honored and LUCKY to be included in these groups and feel like I've made so many friends over the past year that I can't count them all.

And it's likely I'll remember faces, but forget some names before we open again in February.

I will miss the silliness!

Because within each of us lives a 13 year old girl who just wants to hang out and have sleep overs with her friends.

These shirts were made by Rebecca who used a photo of the inn taken by Toni on an earlier retreat to create an exclusive just for her group.

It was a bit chilly,  so here they are doing the Quiltville Inn Flash Mob.  LOL!

Such a great way to close out the 2022 season!

And now we'll be looking forward to February 2023 when we open for another year of retreat fun and memory making.

We are better together than we ever were alone.

Women need each other.

I need them.

Yesterday was a day of setting all things right for hibernation through the next two months ahead.

All of the extras are also in queue to be washed - mattress covers, pillow protectors, extra things that happen seasonally.

All mattresses have been flipped for resting over the next couple of months - even those "newer" style mattresses that are only 1 sided. Flipping them gives the padding a chance to go back to it's original state.

What's with mattresses you can't flip anyway? "Just turn it around" they say.  But your butt is always in the middle anyway, isn't it? Makes no sense.

Fridges are empty, cupboards are bare. Ice maker turned off to avoid one big iceberg forming in there.

And though you might think it's crazy - while the house was still warm I took all of the Christmas stuff and put most of it away, bringing the rest home to be enjoyed here.

Valentine's week is our opening week so yes - the Valentine stuff is already out and ready.

As soon as the remaining laundry is done all of the thermostats will be turned way down and we'll be locked up for the season.  

It flew by so quickly.

Now what to do with myself? I'm not sure!  We still have Chilhowie in full swing, so that will keep me busy for the next several weeks.

There are quilts to finish piecing.  There are tops yet begun.

There is an Intelliquilter installation happening early January.

But most of all - there is Christmas to be enjoyed here at home.

I feel the need to run to the store for some baking ingredients.

What do you have on deck for today?

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

Very important to know!

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Don't give up on your daydreams!

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone!