Crazie Mazie PDF Pattern Gift-Away!

Happy Mid-August, Quiltvillians!

It's finally time - Crazie Mazie PDF Pattern release time, that is!

If you have followed along with me even part of the 17 years this blog has been active, you will know of my unabashed and never ending love of string quilts and all of the wonderful things you can do with small scraps many folks find too small to bother with.

I say - bring it on!  There are so many wonderful ways to stitch up your strings into beautiful one-of-a-kind creations.

And what better way to kick off some Crazie Mazie fun than with a pattern and fabric roll gift-away!

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What's Sewing On?

Hello, weekend!

Why is it that some weeks fly by in an instant, and others feel like they've lasted a month?

I swear the best medicine is the gift of being able to hang out with like-minded, like-aged makers who are all going through the same thing.

Forget needing a 12-step program or support group - I've got it daily, with a different group each week just for the variety of it all.

These are all things I never even considered when figuring out if we could really make having a retreat facility work.

There are so many side bonuses that I never considered!

And through it all, I get to sneak next door from time to time and lose myself in my own projects with Lola keeping me company and letting me know whether she likes this fabric combo, or that one, or an immediately no on the other option.

Doesn't she look like she has the wisdom of the world in her eyes? LOL

Either that, or she is giving the entire world the stink-eye.  I get it!

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Embracing Some Shirt Plaid Love!

I spent some time at the cutting table yesterday afternoon!

These simple sawtooth star blocks have been calling my name since last week when they were re-discovered hanging out in a basket nested under another basket full of scraps.

You know how it goes! I'm sure you do!

After the August Quiltvillians headed out with their shirt hauls after shopping my creepy cellar shirt stash last week, all I can think about is getting back to these.

Now that there are six sets cut and ready to go, I am hoping I can spend some time at the machine later today while the TaDa girls head out to Wytheville for some quilt shop stash enhancement.

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Where Is My Hoop Now?

I've received messages over the past week of  "MORE!" "Broader view please!" in regards to my current hexagon hand quilting project.

For anyone who has taken on the long term challenge of hand quilting a queen sized quilt, you know as well as I do that though the process is slow, it is also meditative and quite soul centering in the simple repetitive motion of needle pulling thread. 

"I can't make out how you are quilting it." says another.

So hopefully these broader photos will clue you in a bit.

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Airing of the Quilts!

We had a bright beautiful day for the Over the Porch Rail quilt hanging!

No, not ALL of these quilts were made on retreat, many were brought to be placed on beds and slept under, and then shared with everyone during the photo shoot.

Some were started at the last retreat, and brought back finished to be shared.

Some quilts were brought with the intention of "Just adding binding" while here for the past week.

Some were made in the past year at home and brought on retreat.

Whether they be fully quilted and bound, or just tops finished while here - the variety of the display over the rain was inspiring!

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Little Miss Mabel Mayhem & More!

Last evening we returned home from taking care of a few things at the inn after dinner to find that Mabel Mae has developed a new skill.

Pickpocketing!

No lie - A few bills that were in my shorts pocket from the previous day were found on top of the bed, having been rooted out of the shorts pocket,  and a good portion of this twenty is likely to show up in her morning business.

What can you do but laugh, really?

And remind yourself that having a not-quite-two-year-old dog is like having a 3 year old child in the house at all times.

Whose fault is it in actuality?  Mine of course!

Let it be known that Mabel's new nick name is Mabel Mayhem.

Poor Andrew Jackson - if I take this to the bank will they exchange it for a new one? LOL!

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