Saturday, June 22, 2019

The Mailman Arrived

Hello Everyone,
 
Here is my $10 garage sale find.....complete with Rocking Chair Lodge.  Just perfect as a decoration at the cabin......complete with rust.
 

The woman that I bought it from wondered what in the world would I do with an old mailbox?  Well, display a quilt coming out of it of course!

 
I have the new (old) mailbox on display right next to two bricks.  The bricks are all that remains from our house that was destroyed in the Camp Fire in Paradise.  It is a sad reminder to so many happy years spent in our family home.  You can see that one of the bricks looks brand new, the other one is scorched.
 


I'm still getting ready for company. I'll be moving quilts around and taking more pictures.

Have a great weekend.

Soon,
Lynn

Friday, June 21, 2019

Housecaring

Hello Everyone,
 
I've been writing the pattern for Country Romance, and testing while I go.  Changing up the fabrics make a huge difference in the look of the block.  While pattern testing, I'm also making up my step-outs for my teaching binder.  It has been a nice, relaxing time to work on this.
 

 
 
Yesterday, I marked the entire quilt to get it ready for machine quilting.  First I had to decide what I was going to do, and now I have to quilt it!  I normally do not mark my quilts, but I wanted a very special border for this one.  Notice I didn't mark the inside of the block.  I will free motion quilt in each block.  

If I had the backing made, I would have loaded this one on the long arm yesterday. I can't wait to see how this one turns out.


During my TV time at night, I've been working on my Lucy Boston, Patchwork of the Crosses blocks.  This block has not been stitched together just yet.  All of the basting is finished, now it's good to go to be stitched together.


I've been cutting and packaging kits as I go.  It takes me weeks, and weeks to get ready for a show, so I start preparing way in advance.  I would like to have ten blocks, and 100 kits done before the show in October......wish me luck.....I have a lot going on between now and then.  It takes a ton of product to fill a large, 20' booth.


I'm going to have to put my quilting aside while I get ready for two sets of summer company arriving next week.  It's a good thing we have visitors, since it's the only time I really CLEAN the cabin.  I keep things semi-picked up throughout the day to lessen the burden of cleaning.  I like to call it "housecaring" which isn't as daunting as housecleaning.  My quilting room is going to take up the most amount of time.  I actually love to be in my favorite room organizing the chaos, I mean organizing my creativity.  I find all kinds of treasures that I'd forgotten about.

Soon,
Lynn



 

Thursday, June 13, 2019

Busy Times

Hello Everyone,
 
I was surprised to see that it has been two weeks since my last post.  Let me tell you that I haven't been idle during this busy time.  One of my first priorities was finishing the borders on Country Romance.

 

I decided to put a little checked circle at the intersection of the swags.  This covers my little indiscretions where the swags aren't in perfect alignment......and they are just plain cute!  I have a lot of circles to make and applique.


Last week I taught an applique class at Quail's Nest in Sonora.  Here is my little demo piece.  It is the birdhouse from my Party in the Garden pattern.


I also taught English Paper Piecing along with the applique class.  This is a Lucy Boston block, also called Patchwork of the Crosses.  This block is made from Rochester fabric by Di Ford-Hall.  I can see this block in a Spring/Summer quilt.


I'm putting more blocks together and I'll sell them as kits at my shows.  This is a scrappy, reproduction block from my stash.  I wouldn't put the two blocks together in the same quilt.  Their styles are just too different.


Last week was High School graduation day for our granddaughter.



This is our proud son and his family.

Harleigh graduated with honors, and received a scholarship from FFA (Future Farmers of America).  We are so proud of her, so is her boyfriend, Will.


Tomorrow I will be at In Between Stitches in Livermore for their class Preview Party. You will need to sign up for a time slot during the day. All of the teachers for the upcoming quarter, will be stationed at a table to discuss our upcoming classes. I plan on teaching Patchwork Math, Cute as a Button, and my monthly Sew'n Wild Oaks classes.  Stop by and visit us at the shop in their new location at 167 Livermore Avenue in Livermore.

Patchwork Math is my most popular class.  It seems that quilters enjoy getting back to basics and learn basic quilting math skills.  I try to dispel math phobias, and make quilting math fun, and easy to understand.


 

 I will also teach each version of Cute as a Button.  The little version, and the Country Courthouse version.




More busy days ahead.  I'll try to do better and post more often throughout the summer.

Soon,
Lynn