The Great Birthday Getaway!

If you want a really fun night out, take your husband, your friend, her husband, her sister, and her other two friends, one with the same name, and pile all into the van for an hour's drive to Boone for an evening at the Japanese Steakhouse!
And no, Dave and I didn't plan on matching outfits, but on a night like this, why not go raspberry?
We left our place at 4:30 pm KNOWING that on a Friday night this place may be slammed...and we were glad we arrived before 6pm because it already was.
But it was worth the wait!

My only complaint as a what some call "Young Boomer" or what I classify in correcting them as "Generation Jones" person - or maybe that it is that we are ALL older and post menopausal and don't have time for shenanigans like this -

I had to ask for REAL menus because #1  The QR cold menu assumes I brought my phone with me. #2 the QR code menu assumes that I can actually get it to freaking open and read it on my phone screen.

It's just not as welcoming as having someone hand you a real menu and make you feel welcome. Real menus hold all of the possibilities and choices of amazing options for your culinary experience at hand. Instead, we have to go through all of these machinations to pull out our phones, scan a QR code and attempt to read it on a small screen in a dimly lit room except for the bright overhead lights blaring over the cooking surfaces.

Thank you for the REAL menu instead of making me read it from a website, though I felt like *I* was the problem for asking for one.

However, the food amounts were massive, delicious, a great way to celebrate a friend's big number birthday - and I'll have leftovers tonight when I return from dropping Hubster Dave off at the airport.

Meanwhile at retreat:

The Brown Bird Bee is quilting up a storm!

I love this!  Peter Rabbit for a special child!

Getting the binding on to a magnificent paper pieced cardinal quilt - just gorgeous!

Something fun is happening with Hawaiian shirts here!

There are paper pieced pineapples happening -

Medallion quits in the making -

Kitted up block parts for:

Super cute and tiny log cabin blocks!

A special sharing of a grandmother's quilt made while in the nursing home - blocks being pieced from whatever fabrics were gifted to her during the making. 

I love this layout with the double blooms!  Have you seen this one before? Two rounds of the same fabric around the center yellow hexie.  Lovely!

It was wonderful seeing so much creativity at work.

More charm pack challenge stars are together here -

Download free PDF pattern sheet HERE.

And even more over here - 

I'm sure we'll have an even dozen by the time over-the-porch-rail photos happen on Monday!

I'm over the moon excited with the response to the Lahinch Pattern release and Gift-Away!

I'm so happy to see so many of you loving the idea of sewing with the season at hand!

Did you enter to win on the Gift-Away post? Click back there if you missed it.

Introductory pricing: I've placed the Lahinch PDF pattern at 25% off - no coupon needed -through 10/31/25. Hurry now and save!

Simple shapes and easy piecing create a stunning repeat of pattern and secondary designs – All from a photo taken of a vintage tile floor white traveling. Full color photos, Optional piecing methods, and directions to press for success!

Quilt size: 80'' X 80''

And yes, there IS a Gift-Away!

I'll be drawing for two winners who will each receive a  Lahinch PDF pattern from me AND:

An Atlantic Sky color roll from  Cotton to Quilts.  And yes, they have other rolls to enhance your stash as well:

Along with the beautiful Atlantic Sky roll, they've got other Ireland themed rolls in all of the rich colors you need from Golden Sand to Cliffs of Moher (Chocolate) and Autumn Heather (Pumpkin).And be sure to check out the neutral rolls as well!

Of course, you can envision your own color plan for Lahinch Just choose 4 colors that you like together and add a background where I used lighter sand.

We will draw for our winners on Monday 10/27/25.

Any plans for your weekend ahead?

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

Make what you love, love what you make! 


Vintage 1960s postage stamp quilt with awesome fabrics - 

This is something I've never done.  Just made a simple random, no pattern design, no placement of light/dark to create anything...just a postage stamp quilt.

Have you made one?  Just a random one?

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone -