a little retreatin'

I went away for four days this week with no real expectations of getting anything accomplished.  But I did finish two quilt tops.  The one above is a Bonnie Hunter mystery called "Christmas Lights" that was published in Quiltmaker magazine a number of years ago.  I had the blocks done, but needed to assemble the blocks and add the borders.  Can you see where I made the mistake?  Yes - I did get out my stitch ripper the next morning and turned the block.  I couldn't live with THAT!

Next, I added a row of four patches to finish off this top that I created from split nine-patches.  I really like it.

The retreat was at a cottage on the St. Clair River, with a number of "quaint" details - including this rotary phone.  I forgot what it felt like to answer one of these puppies - - just about knocked myself out cold!  It must weigh a ton!

One more day off, and then it's back to the grindstone. I plan to spend tomorrow working on homework - - I have SEVERAL projects coming due for both of the courses I'm enrolled in.  

Quilting Night in Canada

Quilty friend Gail and I got together last night for some quilting. It was just the three of us - me, Gail, and THE CAT!

I finished up the second step of the Bonnie Hunter Christmas Lights mytery. We put the blocks up on the design wall to see if we could reckon how the final assembly would look. Here's what we came up with; I wonder if we got it even close??

Gibson was eager to be helpful to both of us. Here, he's holding the fabric steady for Gail, while she cuts out the pieces for a baby quilt. Gail very nearly saved me the cost of neutering Gibson, he was just so enthusiastic about helping her!

Next, I worked on my Sunbonnet Sue blocks.

This is as far as I had gotten last night - - but it's much closer to completion this morning.

I stumbled upon an interesting find at the Goodwill yesterday. There has recently been a lengthy discussion about quilting fiction on the Stashbuster group. (I've assembled quite a reading list, thanks to that discussion!) This, however was not one of the books mentioned:

The author of this book is a member of the London Friendship Quilters Guild --I was a member in'07-'08--and I was aware that Barb Attard was a writer, but I had no idea that she had written quilting fiction! I was surprised and pleased to find a copy of "Flying Geese" on the shelf at Goodwill for 99¢.

another Seven-Shirt Quilt (thank you Kim!) & A Quilting Day

Kimberly B. used my tutorial for the Seven Shirts quilt to make this quilt for Quilts of Valor. Good job Kim! I hope you enjoyed making it. (Thank you for sending me the photos too!)

Thank you Pat P. for organizing today's Midsummer Quilting Day! I enjoyed meeting Donna and Karen, and seeing all our "old" quilty friends. It was fun reconnecting with my old classmate Laurie too.

I got quite a bit done today -- I finished quilting my Sunbonnet Sue blocks. They are all ready to stitch together. I got a good chunk of the Part Two of Bonnie Hunter's Christmas Lights Mystery done too.

It can't be! Just five more days of vacay??

After watching quilty-friend Gail piece together Step One of Bonnie Hunter's Christmas Lights Mystery Quilt last night, I was inspired and spent the better part of today cutting, pressing, sewing holiday themed fabrics together. I'm all set for Step Two!

I tidied up my studio once this process was done; dusted, swept, put things away. Now I'm all ready to get to work on another UFO - perhaps?

I can't believe that I only have five days left of my very short holiday. WAAA!!!