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Friday, November 03, 2023

Let the November Games Begin!


The November Quiltvillians are my last Quiltville Inn retreat group before  my own Thanksgiving break which starts WEDNESDAY!

While I know loads of folks who take the entirety of Thanksgiving week off - or start at Thanksgiving and go into the first week of December, I have to adjust things a bit because let's face it - Mystery season starts the day after Thanksgiving and traveling to visit family during Thanksgiving week is a complete madhouse.

How often have we seen news stories of folks trapped in places like Chicago because flights are cancelled due to snow?  Mobs of people.  Too many people.

So I have claimed the time between the second weekend of November and Thanksgiving as family time, and I'll be back in time to kick off the mystery on the 24th.

So we are ALL celebrating - and it feels like the week before school lets out.


And they backed pies to celebrate!

Actually, Lisa was in charge of last night's dinner and she prepared an entire Thanksgiving feast - turkey, stuffing, gravy, the works.

There were amazing mouth-watering smells coming out of the kitchen all day long.

It's a party, I tell you!


Can you guess what is underway here?

It's the beginnings of Silk Path!  Hooray!


And we already have a top completion!

Made out of uniforms with embroidery showing dates of tours, etc.  This is bound to be cherished by the recipient.


And if you think MY paper piecing is crazy small?

Check out these little houses!


Oh my gosh, I love them!


Look at the fussy cut cats! LOL!


Jacob's Chain in Christmas fabrics! Beautiful!


Chilhowie is on the wall and growing.

We all love that mango shade of orange.  Yummy!


This Chilhowie is getting a binding.

And I can't wait to see what happened over night.

I needed to cut my time short yesterday afternoon due to a Chiropractor appointment (Just maintenance but I'm not letting that slide) and had to pull myself away from all things going on in order to be there in time.

But there was more progress on my own Star of Hope top.


I finally got things webbed together -


And the cross-seaming done.

Yes, those extra half-stars at the border did the trick for me.  I needed the Stars Surrounding blocks to completely do what their name states - Surround the Star of David blocks.


Today - borders.

I'm envisioning a narrow light blue followed by a wider dark blue, but I haven't dug through the stash yet to pull options.

I know the piecing in the alternate blocks is kind of extreme for some - but I loved it. Loved digging through my smallest scraps, choosing each piece carefully and deliberately with intent.

As quilters - piecing is therapy. Someone once said something like "I tremble to know what this quilt knows about me."

This one knows it all.  Everything I've been feeling over the past month.

Maybe I can get it quilted over the weekend? If not, I'll do it when I get back from visiting my dad in Phoenix.

And I think that catches us up to here.


I want to thank everyone for diving in to Silk Path with me!  Holy Moly! Was that only last Friday?

There are going to be wonderful quilts happening over the winter as you make this project!

Silk Path is easily constructed from strip-sewn panels: Sliced, mixed and matched, rearranged and sewn back together! No triangles required. 

Introductory Special: I have placed Silk Path at 25 % off in both the digital pattern section of the Quiltville Store and in the Quiltville Etsy Pattern Shop

Full color photos, step-by-step instructions included.

Quilt Size: 84’’ X 84’’

Sale price good through 11/15/23.  Hurry now and save - no coupon needed!


And yes - I'll be drawing for 2 winners who will each receive a Silk Path PDF pattern from me, and a Facets of Brown Color Roll from Cotton to Quilts.

Enter to win on the Gift-Away Post!

The folks at Cotton To Quilts have sold out on these rolls every time they put more in the store.  They are also cutting as fast as they can for rolls in our Indigo Way Mystery.

This is a small shop in Louisville, Kentucky who is just celebrating their one year anniversary.

We are a rather large global quilting community and have descended upon them like locusts. That can be a good thing and a bad thing.

Let's show some support and cut them some slack if things are currently out, and check back often to see if more has been added.


Quiltville Quote of the Day -

Vintage Log Cabin quilt found in North Carolina.
I hope you find some time to spend with fabrics you love and quilts in progress!

Welcome to Friday, everyone-



 

17 comments:

sue s said...

Silk Road keeps calling my name! But I have a Christmas quilt I really want to finish this month so I can get it on our bed. It's been a 2-3 year project. So then we'll talk Silk Road. Like you, I find peace in piecing my quilts and I block out the world while I do.

Debra said...

Mmm.... I can smell the turkey now.
I'm drying fabrics for the mystery and maybe sew some sashings.
I took a hard fall yesterday in the basement. I'm sore all over.
Clumsy have a day
Blessings 💞🙏

cats said...

yes, yes yes! I'll have what she's having!" Celebrate the season, not the day! Mother's day is always a fubar! Too crowded, cranky kids, over stuffed and under staffed restaurants! We (family) celebrate a day or two 'around" the day! for most holidays, and it allows all parts of us tobe together at different "parties"..... having pumpkin pie for breakfast today!!! OVE LOVE LOVE the paper pieced houses.... oh my! God speed and safe travels, to all y'all and especially to our "leader" .... Bonnie! Cats in Carlsbad CA

Anonymous said...

I'm getting things ready at Williamsburg retreat center in Virginia where I work for our fall quilt retreat next week. We will be at peak leaf color at our 300 acre retreat. We will be having sew much fun!

Dallas D said...

I keep a baggie for tiny pieces that need to go in windows.

Wendy said...

Bonnie, your Star of Hope top is absolutely gorgeous!

Anonymous said...

Bonnie, you did an amazing job with the Star of Hope quilt. I too find peace in piecing. I just bought Silk Path. (even though I’m drowning in UFOs) not sure I can tackle the mystery this year. FranSak in Pa

Carol said...

II love the quilt blocks with houses. Is there a name to the pattern for those house blocks?

Tracey Honig said...

Our elementary school had their thanksgiving meal with the families today. Ours at the older campus is next week!! I can't wait! I love the weekend posts... there is always so much inspiration there! I am waiting to get the Silk Path, but I am definitely adding it to my list! Glad the Star of Hope is together, no better feeling than getting a top together! Almost done, ready to relax for the weekend! Have fun this weekend, ladies!!

Anonymous said...

Your Star of Hope quilt is lovely. Even lovelier is the fact that you created it at all, and shared the pattern. Your support is rippling far and wide.

Mary said...

Yes, sewing is so soothing. Getting the last border on Chilhowie with time to spare. Thanks for always making those tiny pieces fit together so beautifully!

Diane R said...

Love the little house blocks. Is there a pattern for them? I once took a class with my niece where we made a sampler wall hanging quilt of alternating pieced and applique blocks. Most folks used reproduction fabrics like the shop sample but we took a different path. She used batiks, I used scraps from all the bowling shirts I made for my hubby. I had purple trees with wild colored leaves made from tropical fish and a tiny house with a polar bear looking out the door atop his fish stoop. Added some other cuties snipped from other project leftovers as well. Thanks so much for sharing the journey.

Kim said...

Isn't it the sweetest thing they brought a picture of their group member who couldn't come with them.....love that. Quilters are good people!

Kim said...

Buy the pattern while it's on sale Sue :0) just reading the directions is inspiring and motivating. Happy Sewing!

Teresa said...

For those interested in the tiny houses, they are from Janeen at Quilt Art Design. There are 36 individual 6 inch houses. So much fun!

Ginny A said...

I love all of the inspiration I get every day from you. Those house blocks are really something! I sure wish someone knew the pattern name. I've been hunting for them.

Ginny A said...

For those looking for the patterns for the houses, I found them! here is the link - https://quiltartdesign.com/product-category/tiny-houses/

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