Summer retreats were made for this!
I'm so glad the weather *mostly* cooperated this past week and many meals were able to be enjoyed out here.
May they long continue!
The porch is a great place to relax and break away from the hum of the machines even during in-between meal times. There are places to sit and relax, do a bit of quiet hand stitching, or even catch your grandson's ball game by video.
Irene's Cotton To Quilts Sewciologists love her retreats because she prepares lunches and dinners for them.
She must love to cook, because she is in the kitchen probably more than she is at her machine! And the food is fantastic.
As it was the last full day of retreat - the gauntlet was thrown and the quilters dug in with even more determination to get things together.
Anyone recognize this?
It's Bricks & Stepping Stones from the Free Patterns tab. Have you made one? It's quick, fun, easy and a great way to use a myriad of scraps!
Four Patch Fun is becoming a top -
This one will be set on point. Love it!
And I love the sweet featherweight just chugging along.
Similar, but different!
This is Carolina Chain from my Addicted to Scraps book. This one is set on point in the book, and that is what inspired the Four-Patch Fun on the other side of the room to ALSO try on point.
Something fun and easy happening here!
At first these blocks looked like little wrapped presents to me.
Apple Cider by My Fabric Addiction.
These are really popular kits for retreats - they come precut!
More beginnings - any guesses to what this is?
Twirl Around from my Addicted to Scraps book..
I pulled this photo from the blog archives to show you what it will be.
She has chosen to even add a pieced border...can't wait to see it!
Bricks in the Barnyard from
I dug back in the archives all the way to 2016 when I taught this as a class..so much fun. Check it out HERE to see all of the different setting options!
Do piles of chain piecing in progress make you giddy?
The do to me!
Anything log cabin also makes my heart smile.
Every once in a while I just need to dig into another log cabin.
This one is using all Kaffe fabrics...so fun!
The pattern is from Fons & Porter's Love of Quilting May/June 2009
You may be able to find digital copies somewhere.
The quilt is called OPAL. The log cabins are paper pieced from really skinny strips. I love it!
And while this was all going on - I was doing THIS in the QPO Studio:
As far as evening hand stitching went - No hexies were sewn last night.
Instead - I had two cat toys to mend.
Tula loves these little catnip mice more than any other toy I have tried with her. She will play with them for hours.
So yes, sometimes quilters WILL mend. For the cats.
Did you see this happen? Did you get your entry in?
I'll be drawing for two winners who will each receive a String Rings PDF pattern from me and...
A Rainbow Remix Color Roll from our friends at Cotton to Quilts!
Color rolls consist of 20 different pieces each 8''X 22" and are great stash enhancers - be sure to also check out their Notable Neutral rolls - you can never have enough fun neutrals on hand.
I think we've got all of the details out there - are you ready to enter?
Enter to win on my 6/17/26 Blog Post. Winners will be drawn 6/29/26.
If your stash is overflowing with strips and scraps, String Rings is the answer! Full color photos and graphics and multiple construction options for piecing the way you want to piece. A scrap lover’s dream!
Includes string piecing on foundations, traditional rotary cutting with options, and foundation paper-piecing options for the connector "B" block.
Quilt Size: 101” X 101”
Optional but helpful: Essential Triangle Tool.
Traditional rotary cutting methods are given for those who don't have access to the ruler.
Includes string piecing on foundations, traditional rotary cutting with options, and foundation paper-piecing options for the connector "B" block.
Quilt Size: 101” X 101”
Optional but helpful: Essential Triangle Tool.
Traditional rotary cutting methods are given for those who don't have access to the ruler.
Intro pricing: The PDF pattern for String Rings is on automatic 25% discount in the Quiltville Store through 6/30/26 - No coupon code needed! Discount applied at checkout.
Do not use auto-fill to make your purchase which will automatically fill inn your shipping details! Just fill in your name and email address ONLY.
Place the item in your shopping cart and then go to the cart page to check out choosing either your credit card option or Paypal. Shipping addresses should not apply as this is a digital pattern purchase.
I don't know why it works this way, but it does.
Today: I'm waving off the Sewciologists on their ways toward home. I understand there is quilt shop hopping on the way - because, why not?
It's rainy....so between flipping loads of laundry and getting the retreat ready for tomorrow's Mississippi Stitchers arrival You'll find me in the studio happily quilting away.
What's up for your Tuesday?
Quiltville Quote of the Day -
Anyone anywhere near my generation will definitely understand this!
I keep thinking of when my grandmother was my age. I thought she was ancient. I don't feel that way....Most Days!
Have a terrific Tuesday, everyone -
I hate the wheel of dates, takes forever to get to 1959!
ReplyDeleteYou were not the only one who did toy mending over the weekend. My Grandson has two bunnies that came with adorable striped suits made of regular fabric. They had heads and paws made of a low nap plush that has lasted for about ten+ years. The suits need replacing every few years, so this was the weekend for that to happen. I have streamlined the process by making a pattern for the "clothes" so the old ones can be removed and discarded and replaced, but it still involves a couple of hours of hand sewing to complete the task. Sometimes quilting has to wait.
ReplyDeleteIrene is so nice to cook! We have a potluck. Everyone brings a favorite. Love thecstarts on the last day. Go ladies!!
ReplyDeleteso true when my grandma was 75 she was old....that's not old these days....
ReplyDeleteLove the quote for today!! So true! :-) Beautiful stuff coming from the retreat, as always. The Bricks & Stepping Stones is a favorite of mine. I did one with the bricks all purples. I need to do another one truly scrappy! :-)
ReplyDeleteToday I am working on my shadow box quilt top and about ready to sew it together.Hopefully soon it will be another flimsy waiting to be quilted. Happy sewing!
Sometimes that wheel seems to spin forever! LOL
ReplyDeleteI remember several years ago talking to a coworker about my Grandmother and her sisters teaching me to play Canasta! I said, "Those little old ladies were cutthroat!" Then I stopped and realized they were about my current age when the lessons occurred!!! Full circle moment of awe!! LOL
Anything for sweet Tula!
Beautiful quilt design. Thank you for all of your fabulous ideas! PS. Your hairdo in the video is very attractive.
ReplyDeleteI am catching up with Bonnie's Blog, & was thinking it was too late to make a comment, but seeing you have mentioned her hair, I will post my agreement! I was very impressed with your latest style Bonnie, you look stunning.
DeleteI love your new finish! It really is amazing. All I can do right now is live vicariously through you and others who are making the beautiful quilts. I have a physical problem that has shut me down with no sewing for 3 weeks now and I am going a little crazy and trying to get better. So keep on sewing so I can see it!
ReplyDeleteWhen I read this post and came across the "Mississippi Stitchers Arrival" I read it as "Mississippi Squirrel Revival" - thought you might get a kick out of that as it made me lol when I realized my mistake! Wow - talk about aging myself. lol
ReplyDeleteHazel grooming her backside is a classic cat move! I love it that she lives in your studio now.
ReplyDeleteI’m catching up on your blogspot emails after several weeks of “no time to read this today..”. It struck me with your Goose Feathers quilt that you and readers may be interested to know that my community has a Goose Day holiday, unique to us! The actual Goose Day is Sept 29th, but depending on what day of the week we may get 2 weekends of hilarious & scrumptious Goose Day events! Nearly every restaurant in our area serves goose dinners, sandwiches, pot pie, and a local winery even makes a “Goose Tears” wine suited to the occasion. It is proclaimed that eating goose ON Goose Day, ensures good fortune in the year to come. There are lots of fun activities for all ages as well. Why? It is legend that a young man from England came to this area to be a tenant farmer to a local land owner, with rent for the year due on 9/29, which is also St Steven’s day where the lad came from, with the tradition of eating goose that day ( similar to our tradition of turkey on Thanksgiving). So at the end of his first year the lad took his rent to the landowner, along with a goose under his arm and shared the tradition of eating goose on that day with his landlord, in anticipation of prosperity in the coming year. In a short time, the tenant farmer realized prosperity by obtaining the hand of the landowner’s daughter in marriage. For more information & a list of events to celebrate Goose Day in our beautiful & historic Central Pennsylvania area, visit the website for Juniata River Valley Visitor’s Center. We are also the only area with three distinct Amish communities identified by their white, bright yellow and black topped buggies, plus many other Anabaptists. And of course, we have a quilt shop in the area too. We are about 1 hr west of Harrisburg, our state capital. Hope readers will visit! Lydia
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