Wild Rhodies Blooming!

While the big "domestic" rhododendron in front of the inn blooms around Mother's Day, I'm always asked "But what about the wild ones, the rhododendrons we see in the woods all over the place?"

By 4th of July is the reply.

Only this year they started showing themselves early!  They may be all DONE by the 4th of July.

I took this photo last evening on my after-dinner-drive-way-torture walk.

Yes. I'm still doing it.

The wooded areas are deep, and you can see little blossoms on bushes as far as your eye can see.

Baby lotion pink and so delicate for such a rugged area.

Really, it's only the UPHILL that is bad! LOL!

Zoey tagged along with me last night.

In her world there are so many smells....

It was the perfect way to put an end to a very good day!

I got a good report from the dentist.  A gold star day.  Hooray.

That little trip interrupted my sewing time in the afternoon, but I was able to make 2 more of the star blocks for my Romanian Remembrances quilt project.

I like how it is turning out.  It will tell me when enough is enough and when to stop, and so I continue.

Back at retreat, the ladies were getting as much done on their last day of sewing as they could knowing that over the porch rail photos were happening late yesterday afternoon. (I'll post those tomorrow!)

What was under their needles?

Lupine & Laughter became a wall hanging sized top!

Connie has a wall in her house that fits this size of quilt and she changes them out regularly.  There is no reason to make a bed sized quilt if you don't need a bed sized quilt.

She did the same thing with her Old Town quilt, making it to fit that wall space so she can change it out.  I love the black background and how it makes the colors burst forth. I wonder if she finished that binding last night?

Big star blocks!

In the morning there was one big flower on this wall.

By the time I returned from the dentist this table runner was hanging there!

Pattern is Daisy by Cluck Cluck Sew.

Beautiful in batiks!

If you know this pattern/designer please leave it in the comments below.

Can you guess what this is?

Abundance units on the wall!

This is looking like a summer garden!

I caught this photo of layout in progress on my way out the door toward home.

It looks like a great way to use large prints.

What's going on here? It looks vaguely Amish to me!

Oh yes! This is going to be cute!

Not all blocks end up in quilts.  Sometimes they become bags.  Or jackets! Or smaller things like table runners and wall hangings.

I also have an update of my own:

The completed diagonal row is ON ON ON!

And yes, tried and tested by Tula.

Now that this is done, I can work on the binding for Goose Feathers. After that? Looks like I'll be back to making hexie motifs to see if I can get this quilt finished.

Today is the LAST DAY TO SAVE!

Intro pricing:  The PDF pattern for String Rings is on automatic 25% discount in the Quiltville Store through TODAY 6/30/26 - No coupon code needed!  Discount applied at checkout.

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.

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I can't wait to see what you make with this one!

Update on the pinched nerve thing (scroll past if you hate this kind of thing...) Between the chiropractor the physical therapist and dry needling, the stretching exercises I have been given...I'm 90% better.

Today is chiropractor again, tomorrow - deep tissue massage.

I'm going to get past this thing. But let me tell you - pinching a nerve between C6/C7 is caused by forward/downward head.

I'm either always looking down at my machine sewing, down at my hand sewing, down at my phone screen.....So I am now fully aware of what I need to do to keep my posture better and to strengthen the muscles that are affected.

I've got too many quilts to make to be hurting this bad from doing what I love.

So here's to a healthier way of doing this so this doesn't happen again.

I'm headed to the inn to start in on retreat laundry.  Son Jeff is on his way with Casden (schools out! YAY!) and we'll have time together. Jeff is repainting the rusty section of the old metal roof. Big projects happen when we don't have retreats going.

There isn't a retreat this week because 4th of July is this weekend.

What are your plans for today?

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

When was the last time you put it all on hold and unplugged yourself for a while? 

I am unplugged for the next week.

Let's see what kind of quilty trouble I can find myself into!