Let It Rain!

The May Quiltvillians are quilting up a storm inside while the rain continues to fall intermittently outside...and that's okay!

There is plenty of food, and a plethora of fabric and projects to keep them busy through the weekend and beyond!

Projects are going up on the design walls, and there is color and inspiration everywhere!

Read More»

Mabel's Choice PDF Pattern & Gift-Away!

Happy Friday Quilty Folks!

It's finally here!

I've been looking forward to the release date of Mabel's Choice since I puot the last stitches into the binding a couple of months back.

I love everything about this quilt - the simple easy-to-piece blocks, the sweet reproduction 1930s - 1940s prints mixed with recycled shirt plaids - even the solid barely off-white background (Which is something I rarely do but was just right for this quilt) all the way down to the hand quilting stitches that hold it all together.

It's finally in PDF pattern format and ready for you to make your own!

Read More»

Time Out for Piecing!

And sew - it happened!

Beds were made, things made ready - and with rain falling outside, I took the opportunity to sit myself down at my machine and continue on with the string piecing of parts.

"But I HATE removing paper!" I hear some say.

Just make sure you use a paper that is easy to tear away.  Make your stitch length SMALL so the needle holes are very close together and the paper comes off easily.

I don't mind paper removal.  I actually find it rewarding and therapeutic.

It's all in your mindset.

Say you hate something enough, and you'll convince yourself that you do.

Read More»

At Halfway -

Halfway done - with the last block in row 4 which means I have reached halfway to complete on the hand quilting of my Ladder Star quilt.

I couldn't keep my eyes open long enough to finish that block so I could move the hoop to the first block in row 5 which would put me on the downhill side -

But that's okay.  There is more evening hand quilting time to come.

Putting that hoop in my lap is like saying "What a day!" to a good friend as I settle in for the evening to put some more stitches in.

Read More»

While Rhododendrons Bloom!

I know I posted about the rhodies blooming earlier -

And everyday more blooms are opening leading me to think that "Today must be peak!"

And then the next day it outdoes itself once again.

And I take more pictures.

Because the blooming season for this ancient bush is just not long enough.

All it will take is one big hard rain and all of the blossoms will be on the ground.

And.....that kind of storm rolled through last night in the wee small dark hours and I"m not sure what I'll find this morning.

Read More»

Short & Sweet (Weekend!)

These kinds of skies.

Impressive.

But daunting!

It's this kind of weather that says "Maybe it's not the best time for over the porch rail photos...."

But it also came at the RIGHT time.  Because the upstairs AC unit decided to go on the blink. 

Oh, it blew air - just not cold air.

Read More»

For Mother's Day -

Those of you who have been with me all of this time - (It will be 20 years next June that this blog started...really. 20 years!) will remember when I shared a previous visit to Idaho in 2014 and my post entitled Like Daughter, Like Mother.

I had started my mom on a hexie project of her own vision - she had picked up English Paper piecing while watching me as we sat in a dentist's office a couple of years earlier while waiting for my aunt.

If you want to know where my busy hands come from - this is it.

Read More»

Mother's Day Weekend Deals!

Happy Friday, Quiltvillians!

I'm putting this right up top so no once misses it.  It's our annual Mother's Day Weekend Digital Pattern sale!

Starting Today 5/10/24  and good through Sunday 5/12/24:  

All digital patterns in the Quiltville Store are 30% off using coupon code Digital30 at checkout. 

Code MUST be used for discount to apply.

Where to find the spot to type in your code in the Quiltville Store Shopping Cart:

Read More»

May In Bloom!

Oh, the lilacs!!

I could smell them in the drive as we arrived home from the airport after midnight on Tuesday - which I guess was really Wednesday morning.

But it was dark - so I didn't really come face to face with them until I walked out the door to head over to the inn to make things ready for the Muddy Creek Misfits who would be arriving after 4pm.

Oh!!  The lilacs!  I didn't miss them after all!

Read More»

Fill It Up With Family!

"I'll go to Idaho to visit family in May!" I thought. "Surely, the weather will be lovely in May? It's a week before Mother's Day..."

And nature laughed and placed the snow-capped Wasatch Front in view from my window seat as our plane descended into the Salt Lake valley.

One more flight to go....

Read More»