Pioneer Quilt Guild

 Hello Everyone,

What a week this has been!  I spoke to the Pioneer Quilt Guild in Rocklin, CA on Monday.

What a fun group of quilters who laughed in all of the right places during my lecture.

Here's just a small sample of their creativity on display during their show and tell.

Take a close look at the machine quilting......incredible!

I spy a gorgeous Ribbon Runs Through It!

Here’s just a glimpse of the creativity bursting out of my Lucy Boston class for the Pioneer Quilt. What a day of laughter, and fussy‑cutting frenzy. I’m pretty sure half the room was officially bitten by the Lucy Bug. Symptoms include uncontrollable block making, excessive fabric petting, and the sudden belief that every print is “perfect for fussy cutting.”

My friend Nancie has made a lot of blocks and is still going strong.  I tell you these blocks are addicting!

My friend Candy brought three quilts to show me that she made from my patterns.  This is her beautiful 'Spoken For'. 

This is 'Madrigal'.

The center basket of flowers was amazing!

Diana made my 'Lil Orphan Scrappy'.

Candy made 'Grammy Squares'.

I love seeing the quilts made from my patterns.

This trip was a little bittersweet, since it marked my last guild lecture and workshop. Don’t worry — I’m not disappearing into a pile of UFOs. I’ll still be designing fabric, creating patterns, and hosting retreats where the laughter is hearty and the seam rippers are busy.

My sister and I have loved our quilting road trips — two women, one SUV, and approximately fourteen tons of quilts and patterns. We've driven thousands of miles from California to North Dakota. We have many funny stories to tell and special moments to relive for the rest of our lives. My vehicle's navigation system got us lost countless times and we found ourselves traveling in circles through multiple states. And then there was the time I drove into a bank's outdoor teller to order a vanilla latte! I learned a lot about my sister and discovered she has a lead foot and loves to drive 80mph through Montana. We’ve met wonderful quilters everywhere, but let’s be honest… hauling bag after bag of quilts from hotel room to car and back again is starting to feel like an Olympic sport. I’m ready to retire from competitive quilt schlepping. Now I will have more time to design and keep all of you extra busy!

Soon,

Lynn 

May You Find Paradise.........

 Hello Everyone,

I spent three days in my old hometown of Paradise, California last week for a guild lecture and workshop.  I was a bit apprehensive about going, as I hadn't been to Paradise since the town was almost completely destroyed by fire in 2018. Eighty-five people lost their lives in the fire.  153,000 acres were burned; 18,000 structures were lost including 11,000 homes.  My family home was one of the homes lost.

The original welcome to Paradise sign was destroyed in the fire and has been replaced with a new one.

My apprehension grew the closer I got to town. Did I really want to see my hometown almost totally gone?

My sister, Gail and I drove around town.  This is what is left on the lot of our home.

This is what it used to look like, and it is the memory I will always hold.  The woods where we used to play have been totally replaced by tacky apartments.

As we drove around town, there were no longer any landmarks left for us to find our way around.  We completely missed the turnoff to our grandparents' old home.  Paradise used to be covered in towering pine trees, and now they are almost all gone.  BUT, the cemetery is still completely intact.  Every tree is still standing. 

We drove up to Paradise Lake where I spent many happy hours fishing with my dad.  The fire got close to the lake, but fortunately it was still the same lake I remember. The one remaining memory left intact.

As we drove around the area, I became more and more emotionally detached.  I was sad but not overcome with emotion as it wasn't the town I remember with great fondness.  

The rebuilding is picking up steam, and we saw new construction after new construction everywhere.  The phrase 'Paradise Rising' is all over town.

Tuesday morning, I spoke at the Ridge Quilters' Guild.  I love to see the show and tell and this one didn't disappoint.

My friends, Laura, Tina and Laura surprised me by each making my Leaf Peepers quilt design.  Each so different and all so pretty.

Here are just a few of the many beautiful quilts.

Monday night, Gail and I had dinner with a friend I hadn't seen in 30 years, and we had a lot of catching up to do.  Teri lost her home, but she still lives in the area.

On our way back to the motel after dinner, I took a detour to view the sunset over Butte Canyon. Years ago, Mr. Joe and I came very close to buying a home on the canyon to be closer to my parents in their later years......that home is now gone too.

Wednesday morning, I taught my Patchwork Math class at the recreation center.  

As soon as I returned to the cabin from Paradise, we headed to Livermore to attend our son's 50th birthday party with family at friends at a local restaurant.

Here are the loves of my life, my three children.

This week, after I finished filling all of the Etsy orders, I started preparing for my class and trunk show in Loomis, California for the Pioneer Quilter's Guild.  I'm teaching Lucy Boston blocks for the class.  My dining room table is filled with kits and blocks. This quilt has been my ongoing, travel project for the last 15 years!  Of all my UFO's this is the one I want to finish first.

This is my last quilting road trip of the year and possibly forever. It's hard work preparing for a trunk show and class......in fact it's exhausting. I really enjoy meeting and being with the quilters, and I will miss that interaction.

As soon as I get back, I'm heading to Livermore to go to my granddaughter's wedding shower.  My daughter and DIL have been busily making table decorations and planned the entire celebration.  I just need to show up the day before and help decorate.  It's so nice to have the youngun's take over while I step back and enjoy the day.

The night before the shower, our grandson is a participant in the Rowell Ranch Rodeo, so we are going to have a fun-filled weekend with family!

Soon,

Lynn

Timeless Ruffles

 Hello Everyone,

It's been ages since my last post so I will try to get you caught up on what is going on at Wilder's Last Resort.

I've been working on a prototype for a new block for a quilt I'm calling Timeless Ruffles using my Timeless Stitches fabric line.  I made a block, then 'framed' it with a striped, applique frame. It's very easy applique without any small pieces or sharp points and it could easily be stitched using a decorative stitch on your sewing machine.

Here's a rendition of the quilt from EQ software. The design is very delicate and sweet. I love the secondary design the blocks make in each corner.  My good neighbor Jean stopped by the other day and I showed it to her.  She wants a kit as soon as I can get it pulled together.  

I had to laugh when I saw this sign on FB the other day.

This is a picture from our critter cam. This made me laugh too!

The bears have been out in full force this summer with many sightings on our camera and the neighbors' cameras.  We are always warning each other when a bear is lurking around our cabins. The neighbor in back of us lives in the Bay Area and will send me messages when their Ring camera is activated.  There have been some BIG, BIG bears hanging around! The video below is from our critter cam.

I've been designing a new BOM for Marcus Fabrics with my new Christmas line which I can't show you yet.  I've been spending many hours each day at the computer tweaking and re-tweaking the design.  It takes months to bring a new fabric line to fruition and many more months to create the design, the pattern and ultimately the quilt. 

Have you been watching Little House on the Prairie on Netflix? In the opening scenes, Mary's dress is made from my dark blue fabric from the Gentry's Mill line. We've only watched two episodes so far......I want to take my time watching all eights episodes.

Marcus Fabrics is releasing a new line called Life on the Prairie. I'm planning to purchase the line and will add it to my Etsy shop.  You can see the entire line on the Marcus Fabrics website.

I have two trunk shows and workshops scheduled over the next couple of weeks.  I will be spending time with the guilds in Paradise and Auburn, CA teaching Patchwork Math and Lucy Boston.  I have to update my presentation and add my new designs and fabrics.

We've been going to the Bay Area for two days a week so Mr. Joe can get a gel shot in his knee.  So far, the injections have had little to no effect on his knee pain.  He gets one more shot this week, and then it could be 4-6 weeks before we know if this is going to work. Our fingers are crossed the shots are going to 'kick in'. 

My duties on my HOA board have been expanded, and I was elected as board secretary yesterday.  As an officer I will now have more duties and more meetings.....sigh.  My goal and legacy on the board are to bring more technology to the operation.  I have a good list of helpers/neighbors, so I'm not doing this on my own.  I retired 20 years ago, and technology has changed so much!  It's a good thing I have some younger blood helping out. Just keeping up with technology is challenging for us from the older generation.  

As you can see, I’m keeping busy and staying mostly out of trouble. Every morning I hit the ground running with a long list of things to do—some fun, some not-so-fun, and a few that probably qualify as character-building exercises. My dance card is completely full, although I have to admit some of my dance partners have two left feet and seem determined to step on mine! Still, it keeps life interesting, and boredom doesn’t stand a chance.

Soon,

Lynn