Taking a Break

 Hello Everyone,

It's been a whirlwind of a fall, and somewhere along the way I realized it was time to step away from quilting and blogging long enough to remember what my husband looks like.

                                            The House on Edgewood Lane

The craziness officially kicked off at the end of August with a Sew'n Wild Oaks retreat. Before I could finish unpacking, September arrived and I was hosting a retreat at Lake Tahoe. A couple of weeks later, my granddaughter's wedding took center stage, bringing all the excitement, joy, and last-minute details that weddings are famous for.

Then, just when I thought I might be able to catch my breath, I had a grand total of five days to prepare for my November retreat. At that point, my calendar looked less like a schedule and more like a competitive endurance sport. Between retreats, wedding festivities, Etsy and quilt shop orders, and endless to-do lists, quilting somehow became the thing I didn't have time to do.

In between all of the retreats and wedding, I was filling Etsy and shop orders, and began writing the directions for my new BOM pattern called Yuletide Memories.

Needless to say, a little break was in order.

There are so many retreat photos sitting on my computer that they could probably qualify as their own quilting exhibit. I had every intention of posting them, but between running from one event to the next and trying to keep my eyes open after dinner, the photos patiently waited their turn.

The good news is that I'm feeling wonderfully rejuvenated after taking some much-needed time off. I've spent many afternoons doing absolutely nothing productive, happily settled into my rocking chair by the fireplace... covered with a quilt, of course. It turns out that reading books, sipping coffee, and watching the fire crackle is an excellent recovery plan for anyone suffering from an overdose of retreats, weddings, deadlines, and fabric.

I'm happy to report that my batteries are recharged, my rocking chair survived the marathon sessions, and I may even be ready to tackle that mountain of retreat photos!

The presentation of the House on Edgewood Lane quilt (the picture at the top of the page) was undoubtedly the highlight of the retreat. Our dear friend Deborah, although unable to be with us in person this year, made sure she was there in spirit. Through a Facetime call, she watched as my sister Gail discovered that the beautiful quilt she was admiring was actually being given to her.

The moment was filled with love, memories, and a few tears. The House on Edgewood Lane was the very first pattern I ever designed, inspired by the home where Gail and I grew up in Paradise, California. Seeing that special quilt, lovingly made by Deborah and gifted to Gail, brought back so many cherished memories of our childhood and the place that will always hold a piece of our hearts.

It was a reminder that quilts are more than fabric and thread. They tell our stories, preserve our memories, and connect us to the people we love, no matter the distance. Yesterday, thanks to Deborah’s thoughtfulness, one of those stories came full circle. We love you, Deborah.

This quilt didn't just appear by magic. It took an entire quilting undercover operation worthy of its own movie!

First, I shipped the Timeless Stitches fabric off to Deborah. Deborah worked her quilting magic, finished the quilt, and then mailed it from Michigan to Diane in Livermore for machine quilting. But wait... the mission wasn't over yet.

Enter Secret Agents Madeleine and Paula. Disguised as ordinary quilters, they quietly accepted their top-secret assignment: finish the binding and the label without alerting the intended recipient. Working under the radar and sworn to secrecy, they completed the final stage of Operation Edgewood Lane.

Thanks to this highly coordinated quilting conspiracy, the surprise remained intact right up to the big reveal. It truly took a village, a post office, a machine quilter, and two undercover agents to pull it off!

Our weather is definitely making the transition from autumn to winter. Rain and snow are in the forecast for all of next week and right into Thanksgiving week. Perfect timing!

This year, our granddaughter has taken charge by suggesting we have Thanksgiving at the cabin. We usually spend Thanksgiving at our home in the Bay Area. Now my challenge is to see if I can orchestrate my granddaughter, into spending a few days in the kitchen while I supervise from a comfortable chair with a cup of coffee and offer helpful advice like, "That smells wonderful!" and "Are those pies done yet?"

After all, every great Thanksgiving production needs a director, a cast, and someone whose primary job is quality control.....that would be me.

Soon,

Lynn

The Wedding

 Hello Everyone,

Here's just a brief snapshot of the wedding of my granddaughter Harleigh, and her wonderful husband Dan at Calaveras Big Trees State Park. The colorful dogwoods were the perfect background for a Fall wedding. 

We call this our Wilder gene or gene Wilder picture. We are lined up in birth order from our two sons, our daughter, three granddaughters and two grandsons. Mr. Joe and I are the shrinking violets!

This is our first Wilder gene picture in 2014.  The little boys aren't very little anymore!

The kids were married at the base of the Sentinel Tree at the park.

They asked me to be the officiant. I made it through the entire ceremony without a tear.....a shaky voice, but no tears. With the wedding at the base of the giant redwood, I had a lot of good material about family roots, strength through storms and longevity. I compared their wedding rings to the rings of the tree, and how every ring is a sign of growth. 

Mr. Joe and me in my officiant jacket.

My two handsome sons. I always thought I was tall.....not anymore.

My delightful, loving grandchildren cleaned up real good!

My sons, daughter and Auntie Gail.

The reception was held at Blue Lake Springs in the same room where I host my Sew'n Wild Oaks retreats.

The table numbers were so cute.

There wasn't a dry eye during the father/daughter dance....it was then that I cried.

It was a day full of wonderful memories we will carry with us for a lifetime.

Soon,

Lynn

Blue Plate Special Pattern is Available

 Hello Everyone,

Between the wedding and preparing for my next retreat, I managed to cut kits and have the patterns printed for Blue Plate Special. The pattern is now available in my Etsy shop HERE.

This pattern has all the charm of a vintage diner favorite... comforting, classic, and impossible to resist. The graceful, scalloped design creates beautiful movement across the quilt, while the soft florals and geometric blocks give it a timeless cottage-inspired look. The quilt is made from my Timeless Stitches fabric collection HERE.

The wedding whirlwind is finally winding down, and pictures from my granddaughter's wedding last Sunday are starting to trickle in. I'll be sharing them soon. Much to my surprise, I managed to deliver the ceremony without completely dissolving into a puddle of tears. My voice may have wobbled a bit now and then, but I made it all the way to "you may kiss the bride" without requiring oxygen or a timeout.

The last of the company headed home yesterday, which means the cabin has officially transitioned from "wedding central" back to "retreat headquarters." Now my full attention turns to the upcoming Sew'n Wild Oaks retreat, which begins this Sunday. There are tutorials to organize, supplies to double-check, and class materials to wrangle into some semblance of order.

And, of course, I need to clean the cabin again.

I'm beginning to suspect that cleaning the cabin is less of a task and more of a lifestyle. Every time I finish, it seems to immediately enter a new phase of disorder. Perhaps there's a quilting gremlin living here, scattering thread, fabric, and pine needles the moment my back is turned.

Wish me luck. The retreat countdown has begun!

Soon,

Lynn