Country Sunshine

 Hello Everyone,

This image of Country Sunshine popped up on my memories yesterday on my computer.  I thought it was very fitting for this time of the year here in the Sierra Nevada mountains.  We all need a little sunshine in our lives.

I should rename this quilt Mountain Sunshine.  The sun has been very elusive up here, and another smaller storm is on the way for a short visit.  If I get one more winter storm warning on my phone, I think I'm going to scream!

We took Mazey in to see her Vet again yesterday for the third time this week.  She is perking up a bit, but she is still hiding away for most of the day.  Yesterday, she actually showed interest in a squirrel as she came out of the bedroom and bedded down by the sliding glass door.  She is also eating little bits of chicken and rice in chicken broth.

Our little Mazey was diagnosed with masticatory myositis.  The masticatory muscles are the muscles used in chewing.  The word myositis means muscle inflammation.  So, this explains why she was not eating or barking.  She is now on steroids and the Vet gave her a steroid injection to jump start the medication and get it in her system quickly. 

So, our early warning bear notification system is no longer working.  All of these bear tracks came out of the woods and circled around the fire pit.  Then the tracks led right up the stairs to our deck, without a peep out of Mazey.

Today I'm going to finish up everything I need to do on our taxes and get them to the accountant.  This has been such a drag and so uncreative.  I guess I could have gotten creative with the numbers......but I won't.

So, my readers, you are going to have to be creative for me today.

Soon,

Lynn    

  

Updates

Hello Everyone,

My sister, and our friend Paula have been up here in the mountains this week for a very mini quilting retreat.  Paula is working on my October Magic pattern, and is making this pattern her own with many special touches. I love her dark background, and leaf fabric in the foreground.  

This is Paula's very special reverse applique ghost.  I love to see my patterns changed, and in different colorways.  I always say to make it your own.

Here's my original pattern.  It's a fun one to make, and I enjoy having it on display every Fall.

My sister has her Country Sunshine quilt almost all together.  The picture doesn't do this one justice at all.  She has her border cut out, and she's ready to have this flimsy in the finished column.  Gail selected this colorway to match her couch and her living room.  It is very rich looking.

I've made this quilt twice in two different colorways.

Gail also has her Once Upon a Vine quilt together.  Again, I love to see quilters put their own spin on my patterns.

Her blocks are always very precise and perfect!  This is a fun block to make.

I have an applique center in my original pattern featuring bunches of grapes.

This quilt has a lot of open space that can be filled with beautiful quilting.

Here I am last Friday at my QuiltMania magazine signing at Quail's Nest Quilt Company in Sonora.  It was so much fun seeing so many of you!  I really appreciate you coming by to see me.

You may think I've been "bone idle" lately, but that is far from the truth.  There are many wonderful, quilting things swirling in the background that I can talk about soon. 2021 is stacking up to be a very busy year for me in the quilting world.

Soon,

Lynn

Country Sunshine

Hello Everyone,

 

I only have time for a quick post this morning.  I'm off to spend the day again at In Between Stitches. I follow Scrap Quilt Enthusiasts on Face Book and saw this beautiful version of my Country Sunshine pattern.  It is very striking!  I contacted the maker, Susan, and she graciously consented to let me post a picture of her creation.  I love everything about this calming beauty.

 

 

Here is my version using Laundry Basket fabrics.

 



Here's another version that I made with Rachael Remembered fabric by Betsy Chutchian for Moda.

Here is a breakdown of the block.  Yes, there are quite a few pieces as you can see on the block layout sheet which is included in every pattern.  As you complete each component, you place them on the sheet.  So you can see immediately if you've made the component correctly, and put them in the proper perspective on the sheet.  This sheet helps you keep organized and lessens mistakes.

On another note, last week Mr. Joe and I did a little Christmas shopping in a neighboring town.  We always shop local first, before we resort to the Internet. 

As we were heading out of town on the way back to the cabin, we passed a "store closing" sign and the entire store was 50% off.  I went inside while Mr. Joe and Mazey snoozed in the car. The store was an odd, eclectic mix of people clothes and pet clothes.  It took me a minute to figure out that I'd started shopping in the pet section.  I was looking for presents for my 17-year-old twins who are a size 0-1.  I swear I was never a size 0, and that includes the day I was born! 

Anyway, the shop keeper came over to me and told me, the Diva sizes are over there on the wall.  Then she proceeded to direct me over to the Diva area. Thank God she didn't take me to the Saint Bernard section!  I came sooooo close to suggesting maybe that was why she had to close her shop!  But, I didn't, and chose to exit stage left.

Mr. Joe has been calling me Diva ever since, once he stopped laughing.

Soon,
A Voluptuous Diva

Classes in Colusa

Hello Everyone,

 

I just returned from my 5-day road trip beginning with a workshop in Stockton, CA, and ending with two classes at Friends Around the Block quilt shop in Colusa, CA.  I taught Country Charmer and Cute as a Button in Colusa.

 

Cute as a Button was first up on Friday.  There are lots of little 9-patch sections to this little quilt. It all begins with cutting strips......lots of strips.

There were many 9-patch blocks born during class.

Then they started coming together.

The classroom at Friends Around the Block is very large, and the lighting is wonderful.

Saturday, was Country Charmer day.  Some of the girls worked on their Gold Rush blocks for my Romancing Alaska pattern, and some worked on the same block for Country Charmer.  I include a block layout sheet for my patterns that have a lot of pieces.  I call it the map to your success.  You begin by laying all of the pieces on the sheet, then take the sheet next to your machine and start stitching.

 

Mary came into the shop to show me her Country Sunshine quilt.  I taught this quilt in November in Colusa.  The fabrics she used were very directional.....and she has everyone going in the correct direction.  Well done!

My sister Gail was determined to get her Zinnie's Choice quilt together and into flimsy status.....and she did!  She had all of the parts and pieces made, she just needed to stitch them together.

Great attention to detail.  No "points" were lost in the making of this quilt.

Tomorrow I'm teaching an applique class at Quail's Nest in Sonora.  This is the block that we are going to work on from my Party In The Garden pattern.  If the class doesn't want to make the entire quilt, they can turn this block into a small wall hanging or a pillow just in time for summer. 

It feels good to be home with my dog and husband.  I think Mazey missed me the most.  She just about turned herself inside out when I walked through the front door.  Mr. Joe was a bit more reserved.  If he jumped around as much as Mazey did, he would now be in traction.

Soon,
Lynn

P.S. All of the patterns that are featured in this post are located in my Etsy shop.  Just click on the word ETSY toward the top of the blog post to enter my shop.

Another Country Sunshine

Hello Everyone,

 

I haven't had time to quilt, yet I feel the need to post quilting pictures.  I asked Heike for her permission to repost her images of her beautifully finished Country Sunshine quilt.  Thank you so much for making my pattern Heike.  I love everything about it!  Your piecing is pure precision.

 



The fabrics are called Rachel Remembered by Betsy Chutchian for Moda.

The quilt was beautifully quilted by Renee at Log Cabin Quilter.

I love the way Renee quilted this design in the setting triangles....

......then carried it into the border.

Each pattern includes a block layout sheet which makes your life easier when you are assembling the block.  The pattern is available HERE in my Etsy store.

More preparations for Christmas today.  More check processing for my fundraiser today.  More of everything today!

Soon,
Lynn

Country Sunshine Class was in Session

Hello Everyone,

 

I spent a delightful day teaching Country Sunshine in the classroom at Friends Around the Blocks in Colusa last Saturday. So many beautiful blocks were born during the class.

 

All the blocks begin life on the block layout sheet.  This keeps you organized during construction.

 

My Country Sunshine pattern is located HERE on Etsy.  Here are pictures of my two Country Sunshine quilts.

Julie brought in the blocks that she'd made for a scrappy Heritage quilt. They were so gorgeous!

 

A customer brought in this heirloom quilt.  We were all amazed at the level of detail in this quilt all made by hand.

 

I am so lucky that I get to surround myself in such beauty day after day.  Not only do I get to spend time looking at beautiful quilts, and blocks, I spend my days with wonderful people. 

 

I've been researching how to conduct an online raffle of one of my quilts to benefit my friends who lost everything during the Paradise fire.  Oh the red tape to even begin! Which is nothing compared to the red tape the survivors are going through. I may have to link up with a guild since I am not a non-profit organization. I will keep you posted. 

 

The tales of heroism and horror are on our news every night.  Except for one, all of my childhood friends lost EVERYTHING in the fire. How can an entire community be erased?  It is incomprehensible.  The statistics this morning are staggering. 

 

56 souls perished,  The authorities are going house to house looking for bodies.

296 are missing....many on the list are elderly.

8,800 structures have burned to the ground.

 

This is too much suffering for a small community to manage.  The fire in Paradise is on my mind when I go to bed, and it's my first thought when I wake up.

 

Here is a picture of the church where our mom taught Sunday School. Craig Memorial Congregational Church

 

 

 

 

 This was were I went to Elementary School. 

It's going to take years to rebuild the infrastructure.  There's no water, electricity, or any type of services available in town.  It could be weeks before we are allowed in to the witness the area and see what is left of our family home and community. 

 

I've had a heavy heart for days.  While preparing for Thanksgiving, my thoughts return to my roots.  I'm thankful that I grew up in Paradise and have many wonderful memories.  I'm thankful the community gave me my sense of self, sense of place, and made me who I am today.  That cannot be erased.

 

Soon,

Lynn