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Thursday, December 15, 2022

In The Assembly Zone!


The last time I took over the Quilting Quarters at Quiltville Inn was in the months before we even opened for retreats.

I used this space for the laying out and assembly of Winter Blues a few winters ago.

I have to admit, it's nice to have a space large enough to lay out a big quilt - and it is kind of fun to indulge in a solo-retreat by myself (at least during the day time - I'm home by dinner!)

The upside this time, is that I can also move tables around to provide more support as the quilt top grows through the webbing together process.

I started this with this arrangement - and as the quilt top began to grow, I added one more table later on.


Laid out on the floor -

All of those skinny sashings and cornerstones.

Getting this together is really going to take a while.


3 rows of blocks and sashings in - I can start to see secondary patterns emerge.


And of course, there is one long line of air sewing do deal with.

You are not a REAL quilter unless you have dealt with an "out of bobbin experience" on a regular basis.  LOL!


About this time I slid another table over to help support the weight of the growing quilt top.

You can also see that I've got my leader & ender squares at the ready.

During the making of the blocks for this top I was sewing on the Juki because I needed the thread cutter during the paper-piecing phase.  Short seams in the center of paper templates don't make for great chain-sewing so leaders & enders really haven't been employed during the block making process.

But now??  Watch out world - it's time to throw them back into the game!


Is there any redemption for these old, outdated and somewhat ugly fabrics?

YES!

I was working through a bin that had leftover 2 1/2'' X 4 1/2'' rectangles in it, and cut everything I could into the parts needed for these Triple Treat blocks.  

I know many have finished their Triple Treat quilts already, but for me it's a year-long challenge and we are only half-way through.  This will get there.

And I'll be incorporating newer fabrics soon to spread these oldie-moldies a bit further apart.


My latest obsession!

This tea is SO SO SO yummy, and tastes like Christmas in a cup. A girl's got to have what she's got to have to keep sewing!  Do you have a favorite?


All that's left.

I worked from about 10am to 4pm yesterday - and there is still this much to go to get the whole top webbed together. Once it is off the floor I can start on the cross-seaming which I can do from everywhere.

If some snow days happen - I can easily bring the webbed together top home and work on it from here - or move it back to the QPO.  It's just getting it off the floor that is crucial for now.

But I kind of like occupying the Quilting Quarters - gas logs burning in the fireplace, podcast playing from the sound bar - just me and my machine.  So we'll see.


More Chilhowie Part Three progress!

Looking great, Patricia!

Love love love that backing fabric!


More shares from our #chilhowiequilt and #quiltvillemystery tags on Instagram.  Looking great, everyone!

Tomorrow is Part Four release day - so you know that I'll be setting the quilt webbing aside at least until I finish the PDF and get everything ready for tomorrow morning.

Also - a guy is coming to remove my old CompuQuilter from my long arm machine - which means ALL of those string bins from underneath need to be moved again - I have a feeling I'll be spending some time dealing with the dust bunny population in preparation for that happening.

He's also going to do some machine maintenance while here - 

His planned arrival is either tomorrow afternoon, or first thing Saturday morning so - I'll plan for tomorrow just because.

I think that's enough for my to-do list today.  Oh, and it has been raining steadily since yesterday afternoon.

It rained all night long.  It was still raining (or raining again?) when I woke up this morning.

At this point I'm not ready for snow - so I'll take the rain.  But after the long arm is dealt with, all bets are off.


Quiltville Quote of the Day -

When I remember those early days of first apartments, hopes and dreams and scrambling to make ends meet I smile!
We really didn't think we had it that bad at the time, yet we would never want to go back!
Grateful for every step of the way.

Have a terrific Thursday, everyone!


 

16 comments:

  1. It's sew fun to watch your progress. My Granddaughters are coming today along with my daughter in love to make cookies! Sewing will be put off till tomorrow. As I am reading your blog, the sun came out--how did you do that? You do work miracles, have a wonder-filled holiday season, Bonnie.

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  2. I am always in awe watching you work! Had to comment on the tea - looks yummy. Right now I'm into Hot Apple Spice tea from Harney & Sons. I get my green tea from them and when this came up, it looked intriguing. Just smelling it makes me feel better! Hope the long arm fellow came in a timely manner!

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  3. As a small child I loved my Grandmother's quilts and loved to find pieces of my clothes in them. So this morning I was delighted to see the yellow fabric in the photo of "outdated and ugly" fabrics. I recognized it from your pattern Sister Nine Patch from one of your first books. I loved that yellow and I had a similar fabric and it is on my list of quilts to make. Thank you for showing this and now I will put that quilt to the top of list of quilts to make. P.S. to me there are no ugly fabrics!

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  4. Stash Double Chai Spice for me! 😊

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  5. you talk of rain and snow but I worry for you on the one you skipped........ ICE

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  6. Love your flowery mug, Bonnie. Where did you get it?

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  7. I love the quote. I am always grateful when I receive what I pray for. You look like you are enjoying the quiet time. I am ready for a few days of piecing and just being at the long arm machine finishing a few quilts as well. Enjoy the quiet! Also looking forward to the next clue tomorrow!

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  8. I agree any Chai tea for me especially at Christmas time!

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  9. Hope the Guy shows up sooner than later for you. ... your quilt is really pretty when layed out on the floor! Oh those skinny sashings!
    Your tea looks delish, I can almost smell it 😋.
    Is your tree up yet? Not like you have the time. Remember that year everyone posted a recipe for the holidays? I still make some of those. 😊
    Kisses for the fur babies.

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  10. I'm still trying to grasp the whole webbing process. I find it fascinating!

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  11. I got my supply of Cranberry and Apple Juice to make yummy drink with sprite for Christmas time. Hot Cocoa for a cold day. Caramel sounds yummy. Couldn't find the Kraft Caramels at the store. Happy stitching, love the secondary designs.

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  12. Hi Bonnie- I hope you are feeling better, and got over the stomach bug you seemed to have caught. You can have your rain. We dfon't need it now, as we have lots of snow to deal with. We just got over "Snowmagedden" 2ft in one dump. I finally got plowed out last night, after 4 days. Luckily neither I nor the neighbors needed to go anywhere, as I am their transportation this month, while their car is in the shop. I love the look of your Chartreuse, blue and white blocks. I am looking forward to your gift away. I so love the fine mist bottles. I donated two to our little quilt sewing group/ class at the shop we used to work at. I will have to look at the Country Faire shop for some of that tea. They are the only place that has that type. We just don't have the tea selections here anymore. I am looking forward to part 4 of Chilhowie!

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  13. you are blessed indeed bonnie...for some of us it's the opposite...we started out with much but have less and less as life progresses...

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  14. We ended up with an inch and a half of rain here in central NC from that storm. Your webbing is looking good. Can't wait to see the whole thing together.

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  15. Congratulations on getting the upgrade to the CompuQuilter. I cannot imagine another who will appreciate it as much as you will.

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