Quilters - Start Your Engines!

Yesterday was Winter Blues workshop day 1 with Nola's Bonniacs - and I am so tickled to have them here for the week!

Workshops at Quiltville Inn are scheduled much like a quilt cruise - Class instruction happens in the morning up until lunch time, with free time in the afternoon for each participant to continue working on what was presented in the morning - or if they wish, choose something else when they are feeling unit-weary and ready to switch to another project they brought along for the ride.

Breaking a workshop into several segments over the course of the retreat is a great way to keep folks making progress without feeling overwhelmed.

Reds!  Oooohhh!

I loved how projects were broken down on quilt cruises - days at sea were "class days" and days in port were free days to run off and do whatever you wanted.

Quilters at Work PLAY!

Class day 1 with tiny units means that there isn't a whole lot to show - just some repeption of units, and scrambled fabrics.

And I love it when quilters go their own way and decide to throw in an accent color - in this case, the gold is being auditioned in.

Some strategic green placement to turn Winter Blues into a Christmas concoction!

Of course, there is plenty of blue in production too!

Things covered in yesterday's segment:

Proper cutting - NOT using the lines on the mat, but the lines on the ruler with the line you are measuring by up ON the fabric for full strip width instead of strips coming out one line-width too narrow.  GAME CHANGER!

Also - short strip sets are your friend for the best mix up of variety in fabrics.

Nesting strip sets with right sides together before subcutting so they are in matched pairs ready to sew into block halves.  Then mix and match the halves to create variety.

We also talked and put into practice measuring for unit size, not just seam allowance by itself.  The proof of a correct seam allowance is one that brings you to the correct unit size!

Two members of the everything scrappy club!

Fun, fun, fun!

Blues with some aquas thrown in.  Yummy!

While some are working from strips - 

(Notice the short strip sets for variety!)

Some are working from individual squares to put that part of their Scrap User's System to good use.

Yes, quilting is messy - and I love every scrappy linty, thready bit of it!

Winter Blues may be my version - but there will be so many other lovely quilts with different names coming out of this group, and I can't wait to see their finishes next year when they bring them back for their Over-The-Porch-Rail photos!

Today - the group is taking a "Port Day" to visit Quilts on Main in nearby Galax, VA and then head up to Batiks, Etc in Wytheville after enjoying lunch out at a place of their choosing.

I can't wait to see what they bring back with them!

Workshop day 2 will commence tomorrow, with Workshop day 3 on Sunday.  We've got it all worked out still with plenty of time for groups to do what they want to do.

We even got in a walk along the New River down Roundhouse Road yesterday afternoon in the sunshine - likely the nicest weather day we'll have while they were here.  Photos of that to come.

How I spent my evening -

How I celebrate a day well lived!  Feet up, Ivy between my knees, Mabel on the rug next to the couch, and Zoey up beside me.

This is the 2nd side on the 3rd round toward the center.  Loving that texture!

So here we are at Friday - what are your plans for today and the coming weekend ahead? 

LAST DAY TO SAVE!~

Price reverts to full tomorrow morning when I wake up and come to the computer to change it on Saturday, April 1st.

New River Star PDF pattern is available in both the Quiltville Store and the Quiltville Etsy Pattern Shop.

The introductory price is already marked 25% off and is good through Friday 3/31/23 - no coupon code needed.

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

Keep your heart and your mind open.

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I love the vibrant colors in this one!

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Lone Star quilt shared by Siobhan.

Happy Friday, folks!