Retreat Preparations

Hello Everyone,

It's been full steam ahead and all hands on deck here at the cabin over the past several weeks.  I'm getting ready for the first of three Sew'n Wild Oaks retreats at Snowflake Lodge.  The quilters arrive soon, and we hit the ground running on Monday, August 23rd.

Peek-A-Boo Pumpkins is going to be one of the projects I'll be teaching at the retreat.

The pattern is now available for sale in my Etsy shop by clicking HERE.

Our granddaughter was here last week and she helped me with the kits.  There's a lot of folding and cutting involved.  Right now the kits are only available for the retreaters.  I will try to get more made as I've had so many requests.

The retreaters are coming to the cabin for appetizers next Sunday night.  So.......that also involves a lot of cabin cleaning.  I can't say the cobwebs are part of my Halloween decorations!  I started tidying up my sewing room.....it was a mess.  It's starting to look a bit better now.  

I was so lucky to find this old, wooden mailbox cabinet a few years ago.  It is perfect to organize fat quarters and scraps.  I could probably make five quilts just out of this cabinet.  That would be a fun exercise when I have the time.....HA!

More cleaning and tutorial prep this week.  My list is a long one.

Soon,

Lynn

 

Retreat Preparations

 Hello Everyone,

I don't want you think that I've been just sitting around and not quilting.  But I have been sitting a lot working on applique and tutorials for the first of my three Sew'n Wild Oaks retreats at Snowflake Lodge.

One of the projects that I'm going to teach is Peek-A-Boo Pumpkins table 42" table runner.  I'll be teaching the applique part and the ribbon border.

I have all of the parts and pieces ready to teach the border.  

All of the parts and pieces are stored in baggies in a binder.  I really like to be prepared for class and have everything in order.  There's nothing worse than not being prepared, and looking like an idiot in front of a classroom full of quilters.  That happened to me one time.....the day I fell out of my chair in front of class.  Now there's a story for another day!  As soon as I'm finished writing the pattern, I'll put it out in my Etsy shop.

Another bear was on the deck yesterday morning.  This bear had better not mess with my Blackstone Flat Top!  I almost always get up at 5am, and I'm at my computer filling Esty orders, answering emails, or working on accounting for the company. I always open up the doors and windows to let in the cool morning air.  Yesterday morning was a different story.  I didn't sleep well the night before, so I was snoozing in my recliner in the great room.  I hadn't opened up the house yet, and it's a good thing I didn't.  In my half asleep stupor, I heard a thud on the deck.  I knew exactly what it was and grabbed my phone so I could snap a picture.   Normally the sliding door would have been wide open with only the screen door between me and this rather motely-looking bear.  It was a good thing I wasn't on my normal window and door opening schedule!

I spent another day this week packing quilts and adding to our "bugger out" box.  The gold star in the lower right-hand corner of the map is my little community of Arnold.  The dry thunderstorms earlier this month and week started several fires northeast of us.  I swear it seems like the entire state of California is in flames.  This time of the year always puts me on edge.  We get dry thunderstorms with thunder and lightning but very little rain.  The cars are both filled with gas, and a list of things to take with us is always at the ready.  Mazey is at the top of the list.  The quilts, computers, and external hard drives are second on the list. 

The large Tamarack fire just south of Lake Tahoe is about 60 miles away, and seems to be burning in a northerly direction.  The smaller fires are much closer.  I'm just praying they don't blossom into a full-grown beast of a fire.

I hope you all have a great weekend.  The weekends are rolling around faster and faster.

Soon,

Lynn

Summer Fun

Hello Everyone,

 Even though Summer has arrived, it's never too early to start planning projects for Fall.  I'm working on another Peek-A-Boo Pumkins tablerunner with a few changes from the first one.

Last year, when I was a Fabric Ambassador for Henry Glass Fabrics, I designed this table runner. Everything had to be done quickly, and finished before the next fabric shipment.  Because of the short turn around times, I never had a chance to write the pattern. Now this is becoming a pattern.

This is the one I finished last year.  The new one will be very similar but without the vine.  I love the little mice peeking out from behind their hiding spots.  This is going to be one of the projects during my three Sew'n Wild Oaks quilting retreats starting in August.  I'm making kits for this little cutie pie.

Our grandsons were with us for several days and spent a lot of time down at Snowflake Lake.  The weather has been so warm, and the water feels so refreshing.  We spent a wonderful 6 days with the boys, and I lost count of the many games we played.  The cabin is a "no phone zone" for the boys, much to the delight of their parents.  We played countless games of Monopoly, Parchessi, Sorry, and Fantan.  We taught the boys to play cards before their little hands could hold a full hand, so we bought them little card holders.  We treasure our time with the boys.  The oldest is headed to high school this year, and the youngest is going into 8th grade.  We know there will come a time, all too soon, when they will have so many other interest, that we won't see them as much.  The time to make memories is now.

Our collective Mother's/Father's Day gifts were a Blackstone Flat Top, and a smoker.  I fixed breakfast in our new outdoor kitchen yesterday.  We LOVE it!  We had friends over last night, and the flat top was the star of the show.  Mr. Joe smoked a pork shoulder all day yesterday.  We shredded the pork and made Cuban sandwiches for dinner on the flat top.  YUM!  Never in my life have I served sandwiches for dinner......but I would serve them again in a heartbeat.

Mazey has her new hair cut for Summer.  She looks like a different dog without all of her "feathers".  I'm sure she will be much more comfortable during our current heat wave.

 I began a new morning routine week.  I still get up at 5am and fill pattern orders, read and answer emails, and work on the accounting for the business.  Then at 8:15am I head out the door to a water aerobics class at Snowflake Lodge.  It is the best, and most refreshing way to start the day.  First I had to get over my anxiety of appearing in public in a swimming suit.  That is behind me now, and I totally enjoy myself, the other people in the class, the instructor, and I'm hooked!

When my grandsons were here, and riding up an down the hills on their scooters, they taught me a new phrase of scooter/skateboard lingo.  When they pick up too much speed going down a hill, their scooter gets "speed wobbles".  I get "speed wobbles" when I walk too briskly with Mazey!  I also experience "speed wobbles" when I'm doing the flutter kick in the pool.  I guess I could rename it speed jiggles.

So get out in nature today and experience a few "speed wobbles" and pick up the pace.

Soon,

Lynn

Peek-a-Boo Pumpkins

Hello Everyone,

 

I focused on my Peek-a-Boo Pumpkins yesterday and got it all together.  The only thing missing are the eyes and the whiskers on the mice.  So I guess if I leave them off, I could call this 3 Blind Mice!

 

I used a buttonhole stitch when I machine appliqued.  I hand-stitched the little mice.

Each of the mice are close enough to their houses in case they need to dash inside.

The littlest mouse is already tucked safely inside her house.

Here are a few close ups on how I get my vine to curve.  First of all, I use bias bars to make my vine.  I used the narrowest one I have.  If you look closely, you can see that I made a running stitch along the inside of the vine.  In other words, if I want the vine to curl to the left, I stitch on the left side.  If I want it to curl right, I stitch on the right side.

My running stitch was along about 8" of the vine.

Then I pull the thread, and the vine curls right up.  You have to kind of work with the gathers to get them evenly distributed.

The tutorial for the ribbon border is located HERE in my Patchwork Math segment on The Quilt Show.com

The size of the table runner is 20" x 42".  You can bet your bottom dollar I will NOT be putting the turkey platter on it next Thanksgiving!  Or the mashed potatoes, or any kind of food that may leak, or drip.

It is getting out of the 30's today, so maybe I can get this little cutie on my long-arm and start quilting.  Yesterday I checked on the temperature in the garage where my long-arm lives, and it was 42 degrees.  Maybe I can stand it for half-hour stretches before I have to come down and warm up in the cabin.

I have been receiving a lot of requests for this pattern.  As soon as I can come up for air, and finish my projects for Henry Glass Fabrics this month, I'll get this pattern together.  The fabric used in this table runner is called Best of Day by One Sister Designs.

I enjoy responding to all of the comments directly in the comment section.  I like the fact that sometimes you are responding to each other.  Great interaction!  It is easier for me to reply directly to everyone using this format.  It is much more inclusive.

Soon,
Madam Ambassador



 

Creature Features

Hello Everyone,

Just a quick post this morning to show you my little creature who lives in the pumpkin.  She will soon have eyes and whiskers.

I now have the three pumpkins done.  I'm working on borders that incorporate more of this wonderful Best of Days fabric line by Henry Glass Fabrics.  I'm turning to my Patchwork Math book for border ideas and calculations.

 

My plan is to machine applique the table runner.  I will hand applique the little mice in place.  All of the seams are turned under and ready to go.  I'm not a fan at all of raw edge applique.  My pumpkins are finished, but I do need to add another little mouse or three. 

 

Tonight we are expected to receive 8-12" of snow and more during the day on Thursday.  If the power goes out, our generator will be working overtime to keep me quilting. 

 

Maybe some of you noticed that I am replying directly to your comments in the comment area.  So many comments come from quilters that are "no-reply" status.  If I reply directly to your comment, then I can keep in touch with all of you, and everyone can see my response.  Throughout the day, I will be checking the comment area to see the activity and I'll try to keep up with it.  I don't always receive a notification when comments are posted, so I do not know when comments are left.  This way I can have a running dialog about each post.  Let's give it a try!

 

If you don't hear from me for a few days, just know that I'm probably snowed in.  Our Internet provider usually goes out the minute the flakes start falling.  Those pesky, overhead lines!

 

Soon,

Madam Ambassador

 

#henryglassfabrics

#janetraenesbitt

 #bestofdays