Hello Sleepless, My Old Friend!

Hi Gang!  Guess who is home?

It's a long story of the "Neverending Night" of leaving Nairobi at midnight, flying 15 hours through darkness and not hitting dawn until we were just outside of NYC on Monday morning, landing about 7:30 am.

It's the longer story of my 12:15 pm flight being delayed until after 4pm including not just one, but TWO gate changes and having to call for a new plane to be made ready.

It meant at least an hour in crawling plane traffic on the runway inching up to our position for take off.

And when we were 2nd in line - there was a "hold all traffic" as Air Force One was coming in for important UN meetings in New York that started yesterday.  And I'm not complaining about that one.

It was quite exciting when the pilot announced "For those on the right side of the plane, look out your windows.  That's Air Force One coming in....."

My desire to get home where I could go horizontal and sleep the sleep of the dead seemed suddenly less important even to me.

The delay, of course had me missing my Atlanta connection....so what else is a girl supposed to do with another 4 hour lay-over than to treat herself to PF Changs for a REAL MEAL (after more than 24 hours of airport and plane food.  Bleh.) and just wait it out.

Me,  After figuring out with the time ahange tabulation that I had actually NOT been horizontal since awaking in my bed in Nairobi about 48 hours earlier....

But back to the photo at the top of this post.  Our farewell dinner was held at the world renowned Carnivore restaurant in Nairobi before we headed to the airport.

And we were minus 2 folks at this point.  Our fellow travelers Jenny & Bob had left earlier in the day on their own long journey home to New Zealand.  We missed them so much even a mere few hours later.

I had to get a photo with this statue in the hotel lobby before we headed out to the restaurant and airport.  I remember him from 5 years ago!

I also took nearly the same photo of this floor design 5 years ago.  LOL!  I had forgotten that I had already taken it. My how time flies.

What's not to love about quilty elevator floors?

I tried my best to post video/slideshow clips to Instagram, Facebook and YouTube while I was gone.  I hope you were able to check some of them out.

Head over ow and catch up in case you didn't know that I was posting about our trip while I was gone.

Our Twiga workshop was the perfect project after our trip to the Giraffe Center, and later our walking tour with giraffes!

Easy fun stitching - 

It was a great relaxing morning before we headed out again.

As I post these photos....I am missing these folks so much.  We really did form a family!

With our Nairobi guide, Joyce!

Click to Play:

We even made it to a fabric/yarn shop to pick up African fabrics to be used in the borders.  What fun!

Working my own project by the pool -

As autumn falls here in Virginia - it seems the leaves started turning in earnest over the past 10 days and I really did come home to the beginnings of autumn - I am planning our project for our January trip to Australia this coming January.  Have you signed up yet?

I'll be escaping the icy/snowy cold of January and heading toward some summer for my birthday.

I've finished the embroidery.  Now to decide on what to do for the borders.

And yes- the hexies even came out once the tulip embroidery was done.

Things are still a blur here...but yesterday I did make a catching up video:

I had promised myself that I would take it a bit easy and just edge myself back into life here little by little, but you know that thing about best laid plans?

I was in bed far too early last night...feeling the fade coming on.  Which meant I was up again at 3am this morning so.  It's going to take a few more days.

I have more to share....but not all at once.

And have you forgotten about this?

Thank you for the great response to my Diamond Tile release!

The Quiltville Store has been humming, and I've also heard from people who started their blocks when the pattern came out in Quiltmaker, but never got around to setting them and now they have ideas.

GREAT!! This gets me so excited to see you excited to dive in again and turn those blocks into something marvelous.

Introductory Pricing:  I have placed the PDF pattern for Diamond Tile at 25% off in the Quiltville Store, no coupon code needed.  Price good through 9/30/24.

If this is your first time downloading digital patterns from my store to a computer click HERE.

If you intend to download to an iPhone/iPad click HERE.

Scrappy Fun!

Simple blocks create strong diagonals! This pattern includes two different options for setting = 2 different quilts in one! Full color photos and diagrams.

Cover Quilt Size: 72’’ X 72’’

Attic Window variation: 88'' X 96''

Optional but helpful: Bonnie K. Hunter's Essential Triangle Tool and Simple Folded Corners ruler or Simple Folded Corners Mini for attic windows option.

Traditional rotary cutting methods are given for those who don't have access to these rulers.

And yes, there is a gift-away!

I'll be drawing for two winners who will each receive a Diamond Tile PDF pattern from me, and a Diamond Tile fabric roll from Cotton to Quilts!
I can't wait to see what you make with this one! Click back to the Gift-Away Post and get your entry in!

We'll draw for our winners on Friday, 9/27/24.
And since it's September -

Appalachian Autumn is 25% off!

No coupon needed!

Pull out all of those favorite fall colored scraps, strips, and strings! These beautiful leaves float on a background of stormy cloudy grey and warm vanilla custard cream!

Quilt finishes at 56 1/2'' x 56 1/2'' square.

I'll leave the price drop in place through 9/30/24.

Today?  The Shippenstitchers are arriving for retreat at Quiltville Inn this afternoon.  I'm nearly ready, but there are a couple of things that need tackling.

I'm still trying to catch up on emails. I'm telling myself to just take it a bit at a time and hopefully re-flip my body clock by the time we are through the weekend.

In the meantime:

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

Body clock readjustment struggle is real!

Is it really Wednesday?