Good Friends, Good Eats, Good Times!

I snapped this photo before everyone had made it to the kitchen to pick up their dinner plates!

Irene's Sewciologists are in the house!  Her shop  Cotton to Quilts hosts 3 retreats a year at Quiltville Inn - March, June and October.

If you or a friend don't have a permanent group and would like to attend - Irene proves lunches and dinners cooking for everyone herself.  Talk about being pampered!

She also has a newsletter, so head over to  Cotton to Quilts and sign up for the newsletter and use the contact information to let her know you'd be interested in future retreats.

Salads in the making!

Those strawberries were scrumptious!

Grilling on the back porch.

I wish you could smell this - Mmmmm!

There is a secret marinade recipe that stays within her family. The story goes that even if you are a family member,  you have to be married 5 years before the marinade recipe is given to you.

It's out of this world. 

We'll be having another meal this week with grilled chicken so she cooked ALL of the chicken at one time to give her more sewing time with everyone as well.

Back in the sewing room, projects are happening!

Sherry has pulled out her Orca Bay project from my book String Fling.

Here's one that Jessica Gunkel made and shared in a 2013 post HERE when she was 15 years old!

Did you start one and not finish it? Maybe it's a good time to pull it back out and fall in love with it all over again!

Jessica - if you are still out there, I'd love an update on how your life is now that you are 26! Are you still quilting? 

I spy the beginnings of a Wanderlust quilt from my Addicted to Scraps book.

These units quickly became:

Oh this is going to be so gorgeous!

One of the last times I taught this workshop was in Hershey, PA during Quilt Odyssey. Here are some memories - Click to Play

The little quilt who became a ghost!

To go with this book!  Such a cute story!

A whole lot of red, white & blue happening here!

(Even the fire extinguisher got into the game!)

Such a happy creative scene!

And we ALL know what this is!

Pam is making her Indigo Way for her son, enlarging it to KING SIZE!  (She deserves a prize!)

Rick Rack Nines from Adventures With Leaders & Enders is happening here!  Love these nine-patches!

Here's a photo of mine from 3014! Traditional scrappy quilts never go out of style! They just get better as they age!

It's a rainbow cloud burst!

I'm not sure the name of this pattern, but it's so cute!

Porch Happenings!

Sorry it's grainy - there was a lot of zooming in from the back door window. Flash is hanging around more, but he is still very shy and if you open the door he is gone.  In a FLASH.

Not sure if Tula is in there eating the food and he is waiting or what - 

Through the window screen taken by Sherry/

They are at the side of the garage. I'm not sure if they are siblings or not, but there were THREE dropped off more than a year ago.  One got hit by a truck and Dave buried that one.  Then Tula discovered life on the porch and we got her fixed and took care of her hurt leg.

Now it's time to live catch Flash and get him fixed at least.

He is so very feral. Timing has to be right.  I need an appointment, and then a good try at trying to catch him.

Sherry says "You'd adopt them all if you could!"  Well, at least get them fixed and seen to.

This morning from my yard -

Those trees are going to be sprouting leaves soon.  I'll enjoy the view for a few more weeks!

Big String Quartet Gift-Away!

Did you get your entry in?

Thank you so much for the wonderful response, everyone.  It has been so much fun to read the comments that you've already started in on making the string units - and for some of you this is the first time you've tried string piecing and have fallen in love.

The biggest tip I can give - okay two tips.  SHORTEN your stitch length so the needle holes do the work of perforating the paper for you so it is easier to remove.

Second tip - always piece a bit bigger than your foundation because shift happens.  This way you can slide your ruler around and find the best placement for trimming.  It will help you avoid those places where you fell short of the paper.

Big String Quartet. SEW ALL THE STRINGS!

Dig into all of your fabric scraps and turn them into a beautiful string quilt!

Perfect for beginners.  Entertaining and satisfying for everyone.

Full color diagrams and photos and step-by-step instruction provided. Sew Much Fun!

Quilt Size: 93’’ X 93’’

Introductory Pricing: The PDF pattern for Big String Quartet is currently 25% off in the digital pattern section of the Quiltville Store. No coupon needed.

Pricing good through 3/31/24.

And there's more! (Of course there is!)

I'll be drawing for 2 lucky winners to each win a PDF copy of Big String Quartet from me, AND a Rolling in Color rainbow roll from Cotton to Quilts!

Color rolls contain 20 fabrics measuring approximately 8 1/2'' X 21''. Perfect for enhancing your scrap stash and brightening up your own string collection.

Enter to win on the Gift-Away Post.

My Kiss Me, Kiwi! Stitchery pattern is also available. This was the projected we stitched during our New Zealand Adventure with Craftours.

While I used some abstract fabrics (and all kinds of stash scraps!) for my borders, my traveling quilters were more than happy to pick up fabrics in New Zealand to use to finish their own Kiwi projects the way they wanted, capturing so many memories of our trip together.

The pattern includes full color photos and graphics and instructions for using my Essential Triangle Tool as well as other options for making units for those who do not have access to my ruler.

The PDF pattern for Kiss Me, Kiwi! is currently 25% off in the Quiltville Store. No coupon needed.

Sale price good through 3/31/24.

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

Not every question has an answer. ⁣

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Sometimes, there is simply no explanation.⁣

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I find the unanswered to be a part of this beautiful journey. It’s very freeing to let go of the “NEED TO KNOW!”

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And go with the flow!

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Vintage bow tie quilt found in North Carolina.

Happy Friday, everyone!