From Richmond And Beyond!

International Quilting day turned into international Quilting Week with the Richmond Express on retreat at Quiltville Inn!

Why have one quilting day on Saturday when they can have their whole stay to celebrate?

It was a marvelous retreat all the way around and even the weather cooperated enough to give us porch time and long walk time and so much sewing time.

Punkin Patch from String Frenzy followed by a beautiful pink and white quilt from GE Designs, and a Rough & Tumble finish.

Blended Nine-Patch and Emerald City from String Frenzy.

Double Delight was once of our first Quiltville Mysteries and is STILL found under the Free Patterns tab at the bottom where old mysteries lie.  Have you made one?

And of course, you can't go wrong with a gorgeous scrappy log cabin with a star in the middle!

Emerald city in Purple!  LOVE IT! and Christmas Lights, also from the Free Patterns tab where the oldest of mysteries still live.

Sweet baby quilt, another Emerald City (Next to the purple one barely seen!) I love it!

Lovely leaf table topper, Drunkard's patch, and Hamilton Gardens wafting in the spring breeze!

Thanks for a wonderful week, Richmond Express!

Everyone was out the door by 11am yesterday morning which meant - I could throw a couple of loads of laundry into the wash and take off for a girl's day out with a friend.

First stop - Chinese for lunch.  Yes, please!

Sometimes fortune cookie messages are just kind of meh, or don't apply at all - This one however was spot on.

The best things in life are worth WORKING for.  Not waiting for.  Working for.

And yes, they are. But some days, it's also worth taking a break from work and having some fun with a friend.

We wandered for hours in here.

We had the best time looking, touching, pondering over things - but you know what?

NOTHING CAME HOME!

We didn't see a single vintage sewing machine, and there was only one quilt top that wasn't that old and was made with a polyester blend.

I think we've already snatched up all the good stuff - there just isn't any left in antique malls anymore. 

We both realized that if you can't talk yourself into making a purchase from a booth where everything was 50% off, you just didn't need anything else to dust and there was nowhere else to put something on a shelf at home so just leave it.

It was a day of "Catch & Release."

We didn't come home completely empty handed, though -

We stopped at Batik's Etc. in Wytheville where 3 half-yard cuts made it home with me.  All neutrals.  All from the sale room.

Did I need them? Not immediately.  But I know I will!

Today - because I was such a slacker yesterday, laundry will resume.  

Easter falls on the first weekend of April this year, so the April Quiltvillians had to back up their retreat a week and are coming for the last week of March.

March and April are always kind of "shifty" because Easter be-bops around and is never a standard week like Thanksgiving or Christmas or Halloween. Groups know that if Easter week falls on their retreat week, they will be moved to where Easter was the year previous. It's like playing twister - "Right hand on blue, left foot on red..."

And on we go!

Today - I'm doing the stay-stitching around the Gretchen block quilt top, and perhaps starting in on more border units. They are also super scrappy and bound to use up more of the little bits I've been putting into this quilt.

What's up for your Tuesday?

And if you haven't yet, please pop over to the Gift-Away post and get your entry in!

I'll be drawing for 2 winners who will each receive a Brookgreen PDF pattern from me and:

A Caramel roll from  Cotton to Quilts!

We'll draw for our winners on Saturday, 3/28/26.

Introductory Pricing:  The PDF pattern for Brookgreen is currently 25% off in the Quiltville Store, no coupon needed!  Price good through 3/31/26.

Simple shapes and easy piecing create a stunning repeat of pattern and secondary designs, inspired by photo taken of vintage tile floors white traveling. 

Full color photos, Optional piecing methods, and directions to press for success!

I can't wait to see what you do with your own version, be it in these colors, or perhaps a color theme of your own choosing!

Brookgreen finishes at 80'' X 80'' but is easily customized by making fewer blocks for a smaller quilt, or more blocks for a bigger one.

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

Progress is a process and it takes time! Sometimes progress happens quickly, sometimes it takes longer. ⁣
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Slow progress is always better than no progress. ⁣
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Make *SOME* progress today!

Have a terrific Tuesday, everyone -