Sew'n Wild Oaks Class Was In Session

Hello Everyone,

 

The classroom at In Between Stitches was covered in creativity on Tuesday.  My girls have been busy again over the past month.  Carol has been working hard on her applique project....

 

.....and her Spoken For blocks.

The Seasonal Hexie table topper was the project for my retreat this year. Just begin with a pretty center and bring in complimentary strips of color.

Same fabrics in a different order.

Kristi was busy sewing her blocks together.  The blue dot in the middle is tape.  The next time you see this, it will be gone.

Madeleine is making the same blocks for her quilt.

Laurie finished her Homemade Holidays table runner.  This was the 2016 retreat project.  She added some really cute embellishments.

 

I took a new picture of my table runner.  I was never happy with the one on the front cover of the pattern.  Getting good pictures can sometimes be tough.  My runner looks a little plain compared to Laurie's.  I love her presents under the tree and the little garland of stocking buttons across the top.

 



 

Patty just needs to add a face, and her Checkerberry pillow is a wrap.

 

Jeanne has a couple of more baskets finished for her For the Love of Baskets quilt.

 

 

It has been wonderful being home for more than two days in a row.  I've been able to work on my Christmas decorations, and fill my Etsy orders right here on the table in front of the fire.  I can see TV, and enjoy the cozy fire when I'm writing my personal notes on each order. My pattern business is a real cottage or "cabbage" industry.  In the morning, Mr. Joe takes all of the orders down to the post office.  Mazey gets in on the act too, because she knows a car ride is involved when she sees a stack of manila envelopes.  She loves to hang her head out of the window and sniff the air while her jowls flap in the breeze.  Many times that big nose of hers is met with the aroma of eau-du-skunk!

 

 

Over the next couple of days I'll post pictures of my decorations at the cabin.  It has been different and fun.

Soon,
Lynn

First Snow of the Season

Hello Everyone,

 

The first, gentle snow of the season provided a wonderful backdrop to the partially decorated tree.

 

I'm supposed to venture out to my quilt guild meeting this morning.  Not sure if that is going to happen.  I don't want to leave the fire and the coziness of the cabin.  Someone has to stay home and drink a hot chocolate!

Enjoy your day.

Soon,
Lynn

Let the Holiday Preparations Begin

Hello Everyone,

 

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  We celebrated the weekend before Thanksgiving with the entire family.  After our dinner, we cleared the table and played a new game called Scrawl.  I laughed so hard, I actually hurt the next day!

 

Here's an update on Country Sunshine.  

 

 

 

I've added a few more blocks to my design wall along with the sashing.

 



We brought our granddaughter back to the cabin with us for a few days.  Her request was a walk through Calaveras Big Tress State Park.  This park is only three miles from our cabin and we love to go for walks through the big trees.  While walking in the park, we saw Madeleine, a quilter from Livermore and her family!  Small world. 

Thanksgiving is a time for reflection on the loved ones who are no longer joining us at our Thanksgiving table. 

While I was out walking with Mazey yesterday, I got this hair-brained idea to move most of the furniture around in the cabin to make room for the Christmas Tree.  Mr. Joe hates it when I start a sentence with, "I have an idea......."  I decided to put the tree in the dining room, and the dining table in the great room.  I love the reflection of the tree in all of the windows! This was an unintended consequence which absolutely thrilled me. 

 

I'll resume my Wilder Moving and Storage job today and work on decorating the cabin during the football games.  Half of my decorations are at the city house, and the remainder are here.  I'm not quite sure what I have until I open the boxes, and I'm going to make-do with what I have. 

 

One thing this move taught me was that we have way toooooo much stuff that we can live without.  Simplify, simplify, simplify is going to be my new mantra.  Except when it comes to quilting.

 

My little Etsy store has been keeping me busy filling orders.  It has been fun, and I think I've picked up a few more Sew'n Wild Oaks followers to add to my groupie list.

 

Have a great weekend!

 

Soon,

Lynn 

 

 

 



Happy Thanksgiving

Hello Everyone,

 

I truly wish you the happiest of Thanksgivings.

 

 

 

I am very grateful to all of you for reading my blog, following me in my travels, and quilting adventures.  You have all given me so much, and for that I am thankful for YOU! 

May your blessing be many today and always.

Soon,
Lynn

Country Sunshine Version #2

Hello Everyone,

 

In between naps and reading by the fire, I spent a fair bit of time in my cozy sewing nook and worked on a new version of Country Sunshine.  I LOVE the rust and teal together.

 

It all begins with the fabrics......Crystal Farm by Laundry Basket Quilts.  I'm using the bottom half of the stack.  Most likely the top half will end up pieced together for a backing.

I'm pattern testing as I go by following my cutting directions and placing the pieces on my block layout sheet. First I make a few components, in this case I made four flying geese and four double flying geese and placed them on the layout.  I get a good feel for how this block is going to come together.  I know what you are thinking right about now.  I can hear you thinking out load about how many pieces it takes to make this block.  But, the end result is a beautiful block that looks much more intricate than it really is.

 

Here are a couple of close ups of some of the blocks.

 



The blocks will be on point when sewn into the quilt.  This will completely change the dynamics.

This is my reward for the past few days of quilting.  By focusing on the darker side of the palette, I think this quilt is going to be perfect for Fall.

 

This is the original Country Sunshine in Rachael Remembered fabrics.  It still needs to be quilted.  I can blame our move to the mountains on the fact that this quilt still isn't finished.......nor the pattern.

 

I'm feeling much better this morning.  The tea, chicken soup, quilting, and rest is just what the doctor ordered.

 

Soon,

Lynn



Patchwork Math Workshop

Hello Everyone,

 

This is a picture of a fun group of quilters from the Pine Tree Quilt Guild in Grass Valley, CA.  We are in front of the best design wall EVER!  It was a room divider which we converted to a design wall.

 



Once the girls made some of the components, they started to play.

They were a great group of women.

Each of them went home with a pile of components and hopefully a brain full of quilting knowledge.

I've been a bit slow posting all of my latest activities.  Both Mr. Joe and I have a bad head cold.  Mine has taken up residence in my chest.  I couldn't attend my Sew'n Wild Oaks class on Tuesday.  I don't think I have missed a class in the last 9 years!  I missed spending a fun day with "my girls".  I hope to be up and functional soon, and have my normal voice return.  Right now I'm doing my best impersonation of a lusty Lauren Bacall in between bouts of coughing.

We have a fire going in the wood-burning stove on this wonderful raining day in the mountains.  It sounds like we are going to be in for a barn burner of a rainstorm tonight.  It's going to be cozy inside while listening to the torrential rain.

I haven't been doing too much sewing.  When I feel like it, I've been working on my Etsy site.  I'll be migrating all of my patterns to the site under the name of Sew'n Wild Oaks Designs.  I get so many emails from quilters who want to buy my patterns, now it will be much easier for them......and me.  It takes me awhile to load in all of the pictures of each quilt and the pertinent information.  My goal is to add one or two patterns per day.  First I had to figure out how to set everything up.  When you have been popping tons of cold medications, your brain isn't always hitting on all cylinders.  I think I finally have this figured out and my storefront is ready for business.

Enjoy your day and the weather in your neck of the woods.  My neck of the woods is pretty soggy, which is just fine with me.

Soon,
Lynn

Annie's Star Quilt Show in Chico

Hello Everyone,

 

I'm so far behind with my posts!  It's been almost a week since I've logged on my blog.  I'll be backtracking a bit over the next few days to get you, (and me) caught up.

 

The following mini quilt show is brought to you by the Annie's Star quilt guild.  There were over 250 quilts in the show the first weekend in November. 

 

This quilt was made by my friend Jo.  The ribbon you see is Best of Show!  Jo took my Patchwork Math class a couple of years ago, and she applied the formulas to the different components in this quilt.  Well done Jo! This picture doesn't hold a candle to the quilt.  It was spectacular and well deserving of the ribbons.

 



One very lucky person won the guild's opportunity quilt.  Gorgeous!

The challenge was a tree.  There were all different seasons of trees represented.  They were all so different and inspiring.

Beth also took the Patchwork Math class and applied the formula to make the components in the border. 

Applique was well represented in the show.

After a flurry of road trips, it has been delightful to be home in the mountains.  We've been stacking wood, raking pine needles, and preparing for winter.  The sky has been crystal blue with crisp mountain air.

In the morning when Mazey and I go for a walk, she explores all of the scents of the animals that passed through in the night.  I think of it as her time to "read" the morning paper with her nose.  If she could only talk, and tell me all about it.  The bears seem to be quieting down for the approaching winter.  There haven't been nearly as many sightings as there were throughout the summer.  The little chickarees or pine squirrels have been so busy at the bird feeder.  They must have a million nuts stored away for the winter.

Time for me to begin my day.  I've been gone for so long, the emails, and paperwork is really stacking up, just like our woodpile.  More pictures tomorrow of the Grass Valley lecture and workshop.

Soon,
Lynn



 

Annie's Star Quilt Show in Chico

Hello Everyone,

 

I only have time for a quick post this morning.  Here are some pictures of my booth at the quilt show in Chico.

 

 

It was a great show with over 260 quilts.

 



The guild members were so attentive to all of the vendors.  Coffee and treats in the morning, and throughout the day the goody basket would pass by.

I demonstrated Patchwork Math until I could no longer speak.

Gail and I met many wonderful quilters.  We have a great time chatting with all of you.  I am always amazed and very humbled when quilters tell me they drove 100 miles to come meet me.  You have no idea the profound sense of gratitude I feel when I hear your words. 

 

Grammy Squares was the big hit in my booth.  There seems to be a real resurgence making hexagons.

I had a huge space that I have no trouble filling to the brim.

 

 All of my little props take up so much room in the car, but they add so much to the booth.

We drove home yesterday, Monday.  We unpacked the cars, then repacked the quilts and a few things to take with us to the Pine Tree Quilt Guild in Grass Valley.  I'm speaking tonight, then doing a Patchwork Math workshop on Wednesday.  Then guess what folks, I'm done traveling for the rest of the year!  I'm staying home to reconnect with Mr. Joe, visit with the kids, and work on my quilting projects, and deck the halls for the Holidays.  Home Sweet Home until the travel begins again in January. 

I'll post quilt show pictures on Thursday, after my nap.  I have so much to share with you of my travels over the past few days.  New quilts shops, and new opportunities for me to expand into other regions of the state.  It is all good.

Soon,
Lynn