A Dry Run for the Trip to Alaska

Hello Everyone,

 

I'm posting tonight while I can, when the generator is running.  The power is supposed to be out until noon tomorrow......and we are running low on propane.  Conservation is the word of the day. Just got an update from the power company......it won't be back on for two days.....until Sunday.  This is Friday!

 

I've been working on my Glacier Bay blocks.  I'm loving them.



 

I put them out in the snow today (no, the backdrop is NOT batting!)  I liked this picture so much...

 

.......I decided to line the Aurora blocks up for their photo shoot.  I was afraid the entire block of snow was going to fall off of the railing.  Then I would have been scrambling to find the blocks twenty feet below!

 



Eagle's Nest and Black Spruce wanted to get in on the act too. Where to put them?  In a tree of course!

My birdfeeder resembles Marge Simpson's hairstyle.  The birds don't care.

Mazey is loving the snow.  She runs, and runs, and runs.

 

It looks like I will be doing a lot of cutting and prepping on the Alaskan quilt over the next couple of days.  I've been working on pattern directions, walking in the snow, and shoveling the snow.  It has been a fun change to my normal cabin life.  If you don't hear from me, I'm going to be right here with a good book and a hot toddy.....with or without electricity.

I'll post more when I can.

Soon,
Lynn

Country Sunshine Class Was In Session

 Hello Everyone,

Yesterday was a great day in the classroom at In Between Stitches.  The room was filled with sunshine......Country Sunshine blocks.

Here is Gail's first beautiful block.

It started it's life out on the block layout sheet.

 

I love the check in this one in the center of the double flying geese.

 



It all begins with a pretty center.

......and it grows into a beautiful block.

Valery's quilt is going to be all scrappy, and all in batiks.

It all begins with the center.  I LOVE seeing all of the different variations of this very versatile block.

 

In reviewing my pictures, I have to apologize to some of the girls since I missed some of your blocks.  I'm behind the 8 Ball again!

 

Here are pictures of my two quilts.....one quilted.....on not finished yet!



I'm back in the classroom today with my Sew' Wild Oaks girls.  They will be bringing their own sunshine into the room on this very rainy day.

Soon,
Lynn

P.S. My Country Sunshine pattern is available HERE on my Sew'n Wild Oaks Designs Etsy site.

Alaska Here I Come

Hello Everyone,

 

It has been nice to string a few days of quilting together to work on the quilt that I'm teaching on the cruise to Alaska in July.  The following blocks are called Aurora.  Did you notice the background fabric has stars?

 



Each Aurora block has a beautiful center.  I think the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights, is the crown jewel of the heavens, so each block begins with a gorgeous center, the crown jewel.

I key off the colors in the center when I'm selecting the rest of the fabrics for the block.

My blocks alternate in value to make it look like they are twinkling or undulating.  I know it's a real stretch of the imagination. Maybe I'm spending way too much time up in the woods!

 

 The next blocks in order of appearance are called Eagle's Nest.



 

 

Then I have Black Spruce.  Do you see where I'm going with this theme?  I'm starting at the heavens and working my way down to earth.  Now you know there are going to be some flying geese passing through!

 



 

Aurora, Eagle's Nest, then Black Spruce.  Each block is going to feature components directly out of my Patchwork Math book. More blocks to come as the theme continues.  I am really excited about this quilt!  So excited that my sewing room looks like a bomb exploded.  I've sequestered myself away for days selecting the perfect fabric for each block.

 

 

My vision has been focused directly down my nose to the needle on the machine.  Mr. Joe thought I needed to focus on the "Alaskan" landscape outside for more inspiration.  He packed up a picnic lunch along with Mazey, and we headed to Lake Alpine.

You can walk for hours along a groomed snowmobile trail.  This is Highway 4 which goes over Ebbetts Pass and is closed for the winter.  Mazey LOVES to go on this walk.  She runs in the snow for hours.  I guess she is practicing for the Iditarod with her best mushing skills to pull me along.  The elevation is about 7,500' and the air is thin and cold.  The wind was blowing through the trees and we were bundled up.

Lake Alpine is the flat white surface in the distance.

 

Today I'm switching gears away from Alaska to prepping for my Country Sunshine class at In Between Stitches this Monday.  Mazey, the ham, loves to pose for me.

 



It's fun to quilt in sunshine or in snow.  I hope you all get to play with fabric this weekend.  I'm off to straighten my sewing room up just a bit......only to mess it all up again!

 

Soon,

Lynn