Memorial Day

 

A grateful nation remembers.

Soon,

Lynn

Sunshine at the End of the Tunnel

 Hello Everyone,

Those of you who have been following my blog know that I change the quilts on my front porch often.  This is my Heartfire design that has been on the porch for a couple of months.

I change the quilts with the seasons, and just about all of the quilts have been on display at sometime in their life. Every Fall, October Magic is on display.

I also put unfinished quilts outside just to see how they look.  This is Leaf Peepers.  I love to have the quilts outside to greet our guests as they arrive.  It makes for a warm welcome to the cabin.

This is Heartfire now......

This is beyond repair.

This is the Chickaree that ate my quilt!  Now I won't know for sure if this is the culprit until the results of the dental records are confirmed.  No, no, no I wouldn't hurt a hair on his little pointed head, but I am mad at him.  I buy special feed for the Chickaree's, and enjoy watching their antics.  In the fall, I have been known to put out scraps of wool batting for them to make their nests more comfortable during the long winter months.  Perhaps they now have an appetite for wool batting, so it's my own fault.

So the question is.....what do I do now?  I may hang a little sachet of moth balls by the quilt on display.  We put them around the cabin to discourage skunks and it works.  If I put them on the front porch, our guests will think they are entering my Grandmother's closet!

I'll keep you posted as to what I'm going to do.  

Now to get you current on what I've been up to over the past two weeks.  I've been machine quilting the BOM quilt for Marcus Fabrics.  Sixty hours of custom machine quilting to be exact.  My friend Anne stopped by the other day and I showed her the quilt on the longarm.  I said there was a light at the end of the tunnel.  She said a light at the end of the tunnel just might be a freight train bearing down at a rapid clip!  Now that the quilt is off the longarm, and the binding is almost finished, I'm feeling that there is sunshine at the end of the tunnel.  The train has left the station and is gone!  I'm breathing a sigh of relief.

Next week, I've been given the go ahead to show you little sneak peeks of the quilt, and the gorgeous fabrics. By July, I've been given clearance to show you the full Monty!  

The other morning when I was working at the computer on the BOM, this bear stopped by to see me and get a peak at the design. I was inside watching from the dining room table. Luckily, my phone was right by the computer and I had the presence of mind to get a picture.  My heart was doing the Indianapolis 500 in my chest, and I was surprised this was in focus.  Quite often during nice weather, I will take my computer out on the deck and work.  I'll make sure to have my trusty bear-sniffing dog at my side every minute to warn me, and scare it away.

This is the last week of peace and quiet in the mountains.  The Summer People will descend upon us this Memorial Day weekend..  The shelves at the grocery store will be emptied, and the two gas stations will run out of gas.  The solitude of the mountains will not return until September. Sigh.......

Soon, 

Lynn

Extra! Extra! Read All About It

 Hello Everyone,

The latest edition of QUILTmania is out, and I feel so honored to have my Crossing the Pond quilt featured in their magazine.  

I love the way they choose to photograph my quilt.  The ship on the nightstand is a very special touch, adding so much interest. The fabric line is called Journey to America by Judie Rothermel for Marcus Fabrics.  Click HERE, and you will go to Judie Rothermel's online shop.

I absolutely love the quilt on the cover of the magazine.  Click HERE for a link to QUILTmania.  This edition has many, many beautiful quilts included.  It is real eye candy, and is fun to read cover to cover.  The magazine also includes the directions for the featured quilts.

We treated ourselves to a picnic lunch at Lake Alpine yesterday.  It was a beautiful day to be outside, soaking up the sun, the beauty, and solitude of the lake.  We were quite alarmed at the low level of the lake.  Yes, there is still snow around, but we would be surprised if the snow melt is enough to raise the level of the lake a measurable amount.  The lake level is what we usually see in August.....not May.

Talk about tenacity, these trees are growing out of this huge boulder.  How do they get their nourishment?  How can their root system hold on for dear life during the hard winter up at this high elevation?  It's a mystery.

Where we go, Mazey goes.  She loved watching the ducks float by, and the birds flying overhead.  She's an outdoor girl like her mom.

It's back to work for me today on the BOM for Marcus Fabrics.  The borders are on, the backing is made, and I need to load it on my long arm.  I will do minimal marking on it today for my machine quilting.  I think I know what I'm going to do, but I may change my mind when it goes under the needle.

Soon,

Lynn

Happy Mother's Day

Hello Everyone,

May you all have a wonderful day!

I think we are going to head up to the high country and go for a hike at Lake Alpine.  There's nothing like fresh mountain air, and beautiful vistas to make us appreciate where we live.

I hope you all have a wonderful day doing what you enjoy.

Soon,

Lynn

Mini Quilt Show

 Hello Everyone,

I get a huge smile on my face when quilters send me pictures of what they've created from my patterns.  My friend Lynnette, sent me this picture of her gorgeous Grammy Squares quilt.

Lynette added her own special touches in each of the corners.  This also showcases the excellent quilting by Dianne Schweickert.

I love the little bird.

This is a picture of Lynnette with her award-winning bikini that she made and presented to me.  She said she was tired of making the blocks, and needed to do something fun, so she made me a Grammy Squares Bikini!  I love her sense of humor.  I also laughed at the fact that I would need about twenty of the blocks to go around me!  Mr. Joe visibly cringed when he thought about me wearing this.  It is going to stay on the dummy, and I don't mean me!

Yesterday, I received a question about a pattern order from Sherrie, the owner of  Painted Pony 'n Quilts in La Porte, TX.  She made Country Courthouse after she saw it in QuiltMania magazine.  The quilt is now on display in her shop, and I asked her if she could send me a picture.  Her quilt is gorgeous!

Both of the quilts that I'm showing you today are an excellent use of your scraps.  You can mix, match and throw just about everything in the mix.  I always tell my quilters not to stress when making a scrap quilt.  Use it all, and they work beautifully together. 

News on the BEAR front.  Another bear strolled by during breakfast the other day.  My sister and our friend Paula were here to see it. This bear was a little shy about having a picture taken, but let me tell you that it was big, it was golden, and it was in our yard.  Note to self:  Don't forget to take the airhorn when I go out for my walks. 

Now, news on the BOM front.  The blocks are almost all sew together and it is really starting to look like something.  I'll finish up the rows today, and start on the borders tomorrow.  Then I'll make the backing and get this quilt loaded on my longarm.  I've decided my least favorite part of quilting is stitching the rows together.  It takes me an eternity!   My second least favorite thing of quilting is loading the quilt on the longarm.  That takes me an eternity also.

Let's hum a few bars of....If you go down in the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise.  Sorry for the earworm, but it's what I will be humming today.

Soon,

Lynn

Crossing the Pond is Home

 Hello Everyone,

Just a quick post today.  I'm off to my sister's cabin for a mini-retreat with a couple of friends.  I just wanted to tell you that my Crossing the Pond quilt arrived back from France.  She was photographed for the May/June edition of QuiltMania magazine.  It is always such a relief when the quilts arrive safely to and from their destination.

The fabric is called Journey to America by Judie Rothermel for Marcus Fabrics.  The fabric is available at Judie's online store Fabric Designer Judie Rothermel, Schoolhouse Quilt Shoppe  Judie also carries my pattern.  The patterns for all four of the quilts are available in my Etsy shop.

It was fun to hang some bright, Spring-looking quilts.

The quilt hanging over the bed is Country Romance.  The one on the wall is The House on Edgewood Lane.  The quilt on the bench is Spoken For.

It's heads down and full steam ahead with my secret sewing for Marcus Fabric BOM quilt.  There's a light at the end of the quilting tunnel.

Soon,

Lynn

A Hodge Podge of Activity

Hello Everyone.

So much has been going on here at Wilder's Last Resort that I've not shared with you.  It's been a busy, fun, and hectic few weeks.  First off, let me introduce you to Yogi who decided to check out our deck this week, during daylight hours.

There have been many sightings of this bear in my neighborhood.  I think Yogi was looking for a pic-a-nic basket on the table.  

Yogi also likes to do a balance beam routine on the deck railing.  I guess he is smarter than the average bear.....even though he's not wearing his signature green hat, white collar and tie.

I was in the dining room at the computer with my back to the windows, when I heard a thump on the deck.  All pattern writing came to a screeching halt, and my heart rate elevated off the chart.  I grabbed the iPad and started taking pictures.  Mazey was completely oblivious to the bear.  Some watchdog she is!  I think my next quilt has to include a Bear Paw block.

Our grandsons spent their Spring Break with us.  We took them over to a skate park in Sonora, and took them to lunch at Covers Apple Farm and bought a mile high apple pie.  I LOVE this picture of the boys, and Mazey.  Let me tell you they made quick work of that pie!  

They spent a lot of time playing in the woods and constructed a fort.  If they had been here to see the bear, they probably wouldn't have stepped outside the cabin.

We kept them so busy all week, doing outside activities.  No video games, not much TV except to watch the new Godzilla vs. Kong movie. I was not a fan of that movie.  I kept waiting for Fay Wray to appear on the Empire State Building......didn't happen.

We took them to two skate parks so they could ride their scooters.  I'm now fluent in skate park lingo. I know what a vert wall is behind a quarter pipe. I always thought a "kickout" is what an irritated horse would do.

We went kayaking at White Pines lake which is just three miles down the road.  I love to kayak and be out on the open water.  The hardest part is getting in and out of the kayak.  I'm very pleased to report that my entrance and exit from the kayak did not involve any flatulence.  That would have been just too embarrassing in front of my grandsons.  

We went kayaking with our granddaughter and her new boyfriend a couple of summers ago.  I was mortified when I disembarked and, you guessed it! Once the laughter starts, forget about getting out of the kayak gracefully with any sense of decorum.

 

Yesterday, we drove to Plymouth for an antique truck show to see a friends trucks on display.  I love this picture of his truck.  The red truck is so striking next to the blue sky and clouds from the approaching storm.

This Politician's Wagon made me chuckle.

It's a manure spreader.  That says it all, and expresses my feelings about most politicians.

Soon,

Lynn

A Gorgeous Heritage Quilt

 Hello Everyone,

I love to receive emails and pictures from quilters around the country who've made my patterns.  When I opened this email from Dena in Wisconsin, my jaw dropped, and I uttered an audible gasp.  This is her gorgeous creation of my Heritage pattern.  

Here's Dena's email:

I just wanted to say thank you for this beautiful quilt pattern!  It was very easy to follow.  It is the first quilt I have finished and kept for myself!  I tend to make quilts and give them as gifts.  Some I have gotten very attached to, but I would never have been able to give this one away!  The colors were picked by my husband and I together.  I made it approximately 100" x 100", and hand quilted the entire top in between other projects.  It was on my frame for nearly 3 years!  I have received so many compliments!

Well, I couldn't give this quilt away....ever.  Take a close look at her incredible hand quilting.  This level of detailed quilting would be hard to do on a long arm.

I'm not a bit surprised that she has received many compliments on this show stopping heirloom quilt.

I love to see my patterns made in different colors.  The selection of batiks is just perfect for this design.

Thank you so much Dena for sending me the pictures.

On another note, I've been receiving emails asking if everything is okay since I've been so quiet over the past few weeks. I do appreciate your concern.  I've been doing a lot of secret sewing, pattern writing, and shop guide writing for the block of the month for Marcus Fabrics.  Just as soon as I can show you what I'm working on, I will.

I'm also trying to establish some balance in my life, and spend more quality time with Mr. Joe and Mazey.  We still go on our daily walks and stay out a bit longer than usual.  Sometimes the walls of my sewing room start to close in on me, and I need to step away from the machine.

While I've been doing so much sewing, I've been listening to Podcasts.  My favorite podcasts are American History Tellers and History That Doesn't Suck. I was always a good student, but I'm surprised at how much information I didn't retain.  The two podcasts refresh my failing memory...I do have a lot of tree rings at this age! The narrators make history interesting through their storytelling format. 

So I'm off to my sewing room for the day after I fill my Etsy orders.  The orders have top priority every single morning. 

Soon,

Lynn

Happy Easter - Happy Spring

Hello Everyone,

I want to wish everyone a Happy Easter and Happy Spring.  I do get out of the cabin occasionally, and one of those trips was a visit to Ironstone Winery in Murphys.  The grounds provided a great photo shoot for Mazey, as well as a wonderful area for us to take a walk through the flowers.

Thousands of daffodils, of many different varieties fill the area and line the walkways around the winery and through the trees.

I was playing around with the camera settings on my new phone, and snapped a picture of Mazey staring up at Joe.  She is the perfect model.

In honor of Spring, I'm having a Spring Fling sale on my Etsy site.  All patterns are 20% off for a limited time.  This is Party in the Garden, the perfect quilt to put on display Spring through Summer.  Click HERE to go to my Etsy shop.  I made this one several years ago, in fact I made it twice.

I've spent the last two weeks knee deep, literally knee deep in the 86 yards of fabric sent to me from Marcus Fabrics.  I'm working on all of the blocks for the upcoming Block of the Month.  I'm working my way through my directions, and shop cutting guide for quilt shops who decide to carry the BOM.  This is a big undertaking and a BIG deal for me.  It has to be 100% correct and it is extremely detailed.

I've made many, many components for the blocks.  I can't show them to you for a couple more months.  When I can, I'm going to flood the airwaves with pictures of the new design.  I can only tell you the name of the quilt is.....A Ribbon Runs Through It.  Now I'll leave it up to your imagination.

Next week we are going to have our two teenage grandsons with us for Spring Break.  We want to cherish this visit for a couple of reasons.  We know as soon as they get into High School, we will not be able to spend this much time together.  They will get all caught up in sports, FFA, cars, and girlfriends...not necessarily in that order.  We feel so honored they want to be with us.  Our young neighbor said we must be cool grandparents to have teenager grandsons who want to spend time with us.  To that I said YES, we are!

Soon,

Lynn

Lovey Dovey Progress

Hello Everyone,

I'd forgotten just how relaxing it is to work on an applique project.  I had so much fun going through my stash of Betsy Chutchian fabrics, and finding the perfect fabric for each petal and ribbon.

The paisley fabric for the birds' wing couldn't have been any better.

Today is going to be a red-letter day.  I looked up the meaning of a red-letter day and it is; a day that is pleasantly noteworthy or memorable.  Today is noteworthy because the FedEx truck is going to deliver my production samples from Marcus Fabrics. I will turn the production samples into the production of the new Block of the Month for the fabric company.  

The only problem is.....I can't show the fabrics to you yet.  Take my word for it, you will LOVE the new line from Judie Rothermel for Marcus Fabrics.

I'm going to clean up my quilting room this morning, and get ready to revel in the new fabrics.  I looked up the word revel and it is; to enjoy oneself in a lively and noisy way, especially with drinking and dancing.  So perhaps revel is not the appropriate word here.  How about I say that I am going to immensely enjoy working with the new fabrics, and make my new design come alive. Drinking and dancing will be optional.  Maybe I'll dance like no one is watching.  

The birthing process begins today.  It will be a labor of love.

Soon,

Lynn