A Busy Deb in Dallas!

I met Deb a couple of years ago when she came to take the classes I was teaching at Fabric Fanatics in Plano over New Years!

I just love her bubbly fun personality and of course her love of vintage machines and all things scrappy – she is a girl after my own heart.

And I envy her beautiful red hair!

She recently sent me some photos along with this mail to share with you.

She writes:

In April I was the lucky recipient of 4 tubs of fabric for the incredible price of $4.00.  A gentleman had brought 65 boxes of fabric into the local thrift store after his wife passed.  (Perhaps there is a lesson there in us using what we have but I digress and shop). 

Tubs of Scraps!

After sorting for laundering, I came across several bags of blocks that this lovely quilter had made.  Feeling as though I needed to give honor to her in some way and show my thankfulness, I decided to make a quilt centering on her blocks and using all items that were in the tubs.

I started with basic 9 patches using some of the brown that was in her stash and working the small units I found in.  I was able to make 28 blocks – 14 with 4 units, 14 with 5 units – and had 5 units left over of which I saved 4 for corners and one I used in making the label.
 

Wonderful!

 It went together nice and then I decided to sash with some off-white and yellow/cheddar cornerstones.  Only 24 blocks fit well on the front so I saved 4 for the back.  I pulled more fabrics from the tub for borders and the quilt top was complete, including the 4 corner units. 

Fabulous backing!

It was time for the back and I put the 4 leftover blocks into a square complete with sashing.  Now what?  All large yardage that she had really blessed me with is in the form of plaids.  That is what I would have to use but didn’t want to try and match plaids on all four sides of the square so decided to turn my square into a full length strip. 

I went back to the box of orphan blocks and found 8 basket blocks – 4 blue and 4 brown.  Putting these together and adding some leftover border from the front was just what I needed and the back came together nicely.

I have never felt more guided in a project.  With each step, the ideas came out of nowhere and used only items from my beneficiary.    I quilted it on my 301a and bound with more from the tub.
 

 

Somewhere along the way I decided to name this quilt “Gratitude”.

 
Here is where you come in.  I would be so very remiss if I did not express my gratitude to you for the confidence and understanding of quilts that you have taught me.  I saw a post earlier from you about whether you felt as though we were learning anything.  Well, I am here to testify to you that I, for one, am. 
 
EVERYTHING in this quilt became a reality because of what you have taught me the last couple of years and I will forever be grateful to you  for that. 
 
I LOVE what I am doing each day of my life now and with each stitch I take and each new task I take on, I feel more and more confident.  You are an awesome teacher and don’t let anyone ever tell you differently.

Hugs,

Deb in Dallas

This is AWESOME how this quilt came together from all of these bits and parts and pieces that came your way!
 
And I know you said there was a lesson in stopping the shopping and starting the sewing with what we already have, but look what you did for this quilter!

There are days when I feel guilty about the amount of fabric that is in my basement sewing studio.  Seriously.  And then I see how much joy it brought you to receive someone else’s stash after they have passed –and I feel guilty NO MORE!

I know that someone will be the recipient of my “stash scholarship”.  And maybe we can live on and piece on in the fabric through the hands of others who will in turn make quilts to comfort others and feel the joy of just what it is to live this life as a QUILTER.
 
I’ll never say NO to the fabric.  It’s the gift that keeps on giving!
 
Thanks for sharing Deb!  I can’t wait to see what you come up with next!
 
I am home from the mountain.  It was close to 100 degrees outside and about 150% humidity.  BLAHHHH!!  I wish I were back up on that mountain right now!
 
Sadie was happy to see me, and after the massage I had this afternoon ((New therapist, awesome gal and I will be seeing her again in a couple of weeks, my tired over hiked legs approve!)) Sadie and I curled up under the cool of the ceiling fan and the a/c and crashed for a couple of hours.
 
I’m now into “countdown mode”.  I need to get everything done tonight and tomorrow to be ready to leave on Wednesday.
 
I’d LOVE to do Quilt-Cam tomorrow night – and we can plan on it, but let’s keep fingers crossed that I get everything done so we can.
 
Love from the Basement!


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Yesterday’s Impromptu Side Trip!

Yesterday afternoon I needed to run to town for supplies – and when I say run to town, I mean it.

It’s a 25 minute drive from the cabin to Wilkesboro to get to the closet minimart/gas station for anything.  You may as well go a few miles farther and get to a regular grocery store.

My options were to go up toward Boone and head to West Jefferson for the Lowes and the Walmart there, or to go back down to Wilkesboro –but then I’d feel like I was back-tracking because I’d have to go back UP to the cabin again to unload my haul.

Besides.  There were a couple of antique places that open at 1pm on Sunday in West Jefferson---hmmmmm!

Don’t you like this cute outside wall décor?  It’s a pallet painted like a flag…CUTE CUTE CUTE!

My only apprehension in getting this is that it isn't flush with the wall, it’s dimensional, and up here on the mountain where winds can howl, this would blow right off the outside cabin wall.  But I love it!

There were other Barn Quilt Blocks as well…

These would hang flatter on the cabin side and if we really secured it, the wind wouldn’t be able to take it down.  I took some measurement's –the one on the chair is 36” square, which is going to make it just under 54” on the diagonal if I hang it that way ---need to measure the spot I’m thinking of. 

I’ll definitely be back to this place, they had cool stuff for inside AND outside!  

Other goodies found:

Davis vertical feed, no cabinet, in very rough shape.

Sort of not really a New York Beauty!

No where to really lay it out!

I wish I knew the story behind this one.  I took photos and sent them off to Bill Volkening AKA Willy Wonky who is a collector of New York Beauty quilts ---we agreed it is a variation, but a more countrified one…This one is very indicative of turn of the 20th century North Carolina quilts with wide home-dyed sashings and primitive fan quilting.

We could call this one Appalachian Beauty ---hardworking hands with definite skills in working with needle and thread and small pieces put this quilt together with limited resources in fabrics used. Wonderful!

The poor thing was so shredded it didn’t come home with me….I didn’t think it would survive a washing and it sorely needs one!

The spool cabinet came home!

I really don’t like this end table in the living room but it does serve a purpose.  The spool cabinet fits on top and adds a bit of interest to that otherwise boring corner.  I may use it somewhere else later.

And yes, the old rotary phone works.  I love to hear it ring.  Usually when it rings, it’s just telemarketers even though we have this number on the do-not-call registry.  To have DSL we had to have a phone line up here, and since we have a phone line up here, if the power goes out, the rotary phone still works even when a digital electrical phone does not.  Sometimes simplest is best.

So this morning I am headed down the mountain.  Stopping for a massage on my way home, getting excited about Mickey’s visit on Wednesday.  I cleaned, I organized, I made ready!  The only thing left is groceries and I passed on those yesterday because I didn’t want them sitting in the car while I went antiquing.

The sewing nook is spotless!

I set up an extra cutting station!

Piecing to Cedar Cove!

For those asking WHAT I’m going to do with the pink or the green spider web blocks, or that you are disappointed that I changed direction ---I didn’t change my mind to mess up YOUR plans.  I need to do what I feel is right with my projects, and I have plans for those, just not yet.  

This is how I create.  I am not one of those who plans everything out in EQ before beginning and then never wavers from her road map all the way through.

I try this, I try that, if it doesn’t work, I try something else ---I have to have the freedom to work the way that works best for me, and that doesn’t mean I’m junking the whole thing but I have to be flexible and I hope you understand.  

You have to follow YOUR quilting muse, and I must follow my own if I’m going to be happy with my finished quilt.

It's not very often that I ask other people's opinions on my current projects, because I know I am going to get a plethora of opinions ((We all have them)) but some come so strongly that I start to doubt myself.  Yet I know me.  I know enough to listen to myself best, and drown out the other voices and make the quilt my way for me, not to please anyone else.

Every time I post options I should know better!  Half may like it, half my not ---and boy do you let me know!

And yes, I do read the comments on the blog ---just so you are aware.  I might not take the time to reply to each and every comment, but I do what I can.

Have a great Monday, everyone –brand new week! What are you going to accomplish with it?

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Meet Claire of the Burgundy Mini-Van!

Do you remember THIS POST where I explained how I had been  flagged by a drive-by quilter who was stopped at a red light in her burgundy minivan and asked me “Are you Bonnie Hunter??”

((This was like such a twilight zone moment..have you ever had that happen to you?!?))

A recent email let me know that her name is Claire, and she wants to share her quilts with us!

She writes:

Hi Bonnie,
I'm the woman in the burgundy minivan who flagged you down in front of the Stone House in the Manassas Battlefield.  I live down the road in Centreville and was driving through the battlefield that morning on my way to Fredrecksburg. 

I had read in your blog that you were going to be there that morning and as I drove down Route 29 I thought "maybe I'll see Bonnie Hunter." 

As I approached the Stone House, I saw a woman taking photos and thought it looked like you.  Then I realized it was you but figured I wouldn't get to say hi because the light was green.  As I approached the light, you came to the corner and the light turned red!  The timing was perfect -- who would have thought!

I have been a Bonnie Hunter fan since I read your column on the scrap user's system.  Then you came to speak to my guild -- Centreville Quilters' Unlimited (Centreville, VA) and I was off and running. 

We are kindred spirits.  I have always had a scrappy style -- the more fabrics the better.
 

 

Claire’s Easy Street from MORE Adventures with Leaders & Enders in Sunny Yellow!

 

I have attached photos of my 3 Bonnie Hunter quilts.  I first made Easy Street.  The border print was chosen to match the room I was redecorating for a quest room and the rest of the fabrics came from there. 
 

Celtic Solstice by Claire

((who obviously has a great spot for taking quilt photos!))

 
I love mystery quilts so I had to do Celtic Solstice but I used your colors this time.  Those colors spoke to me because my husband and I had also just come back from Ireland and Scotland. 
 

Oregon or Bust from Scraps & Shirttails II

 
After I purchased Scraps and Shirttails, I started collecting men's shirts from the Salvation Army (my husband says he didn't see that coming!).  I made Oregon or Bust from some of those. 

The best part is that almost everything for these quilts came from my scraps/stash!  My husband definitely likes that.
 
You are an inspiration to me.  I can't wait to do your next mystery quilt and I have a number of quilts from your books on my to-do list.
 
All the best,
Claire Morson

Claire, I’m delighted to meet you once again through email.  Your quilts are lovely, and your color choices..YUMMY!  I can’t wait to see what you send next!

Update from Quilt Villa:
 
I wish I had more to report on my progress over here, but unless you want progress on sweeping and mopping, vacuuming and laundry, and setting up the sewing area so that it is ready when I bring Mickey up here on Wednesday ---you are out of luck!
 
The un-stitching has been accomplished..and this is where I am now on the String Spider Web Redo Undo:
 

 

I do like the yellow. 

 

The amount of SMALL SCRAPS as in bits and crumbs this uses is amazing.  The basket I brought is about down by half. Heaven knows there is more where that came from, so I shouldn't have trouble getting 80 blocks done that I think I need.

 

I just need more yellow.

 

That is on the list for Wednesday’s Mary Jo’s run.  PLEASE BE THERE, YELLOW!

 

All is ready ---and so tonight, I can mess it up a bit and sew some more.

 

Love from Buck Mountain --

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Sunday Morning on the Mountain

Another beautiful morning in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

I thought I could sleep in, but no ---the body automatically wakes up the moment dawn hits…maybe it’s the birds, maybe the little bit of light coming through the closed slats of the wood blinds that cover the bedroom windows.

Maybe it’s just me needing to get up to the restroom, but whatever it is, there is NO going back to sleep once I’ve opened one eye to peek at the clock and see what time it is.

It’s time to get up, to get moving, to not waste a minute ---

I love people, I love being around people, but after giving everything inside of  me to a houseful over the past week, this is when I recharge my batteries.  I need alone time.  I need to retreat into solitude where I don’t have to use my voice to talk to anyone, or my ears to listen to anyone or to worry about filling anyone else’s wants and needs but my own.  I retreat.  I hermit.

Even as a child and into my teenage years, when my battery ran low, you'd find me locked in my room with my nose deep into a book just being SOLO.  When the battery is charged, out I come ready to be amongst the living again!

And hermiting on the mountain means we take long solo morning walks and fully take in the beauty of simple things like Queen Anne’s Lace on the roadside:

So delicate and lacy!

Take in the pink and purple in the dawn sky.

Take in how the  morning humidity leaves smoky wisps  filling the nooks and crannies of the Blue Ridge.

Take in the colors of nature --I love this shade of fern green!

Evening Solo Unsewing Time!

Last night I took back possession of my favorite sewing chair and began disassembling the spider web blocks I had already stitched together.

My nighttime Netflix choice?  Cedar Cove. Perfect chick flick material.

Yes, I am solo and in charge of the remote.

At this rate I may end up with a whole series of Spider Web quilts.  I am removing the yellow sections from the pink center that will likely become a baby quilt at some point for some little girl.  The green?  Well, who knows where those blocks will end up….

And truth be told I still LOVE my original drawing:

But I want SMALLER blocks and I want the strings to be ALL NEUTRALS!

And then I think to myself…maybe the solid areas should be string pieced too…and then I realize I have way too many projects I want to do and not enough time to do them.

But what  life to live right?  I am certainly NEVER BORED!

Back to the yellow blocks….catch you later!

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