April: Where has it gone?

 Today is the last day of April and I wonder where the month has gone.  I was sick (I bet my family is tired of hearing me say that!)...a nasty virus that just held on and on and on.  I did get several quilting projects done though.  This one is from a pattern called Pandora by Whirligig Designs and made with a Stonehenge Jelly Roll and a few little extras.  I really like it...simple to make too.  The border fabric is part of Maywood's Serenity line of fabrics.  I'll be teaching a class on it next month.

 

Another fun thing this month was the wedding of two of my favorite people.  Dale and Tina Lloyd sure do know how to put on a fun (!)  wedding.  Tina danced down the aisle in her lace dress and red boots and hat!  We were told that no one needed give this bride and groom advise on marriage....between the two of them they had 92 years marriage experience.  Lovely to find love again in the golden age of life. Can't tell you how much we love them.  Thanks Dale and Tina for sharing your special day with us.

 

I heard that Patty has received my doll quilt for our Monthly Doll Quilt Swap for the month of April, so I can show the whole quilt now.  We both love Civil War fabrics and went to town for each other.  I have no idea why this photo sets sideways....I've told Blogger several times to turn it.  But you get the idea.  I had fun making it and I hope she likes it. You can pop over to the Doll Quilt site and see her much better photo of the quilt.

The store has been hopping the past few days and yet I've still gotten a few things done.  I made a bag last week. I'm going to teach a series of Bag Lady classes....a new bag each month.  Also I've started a baby quilt...new grandson coming this summer.  When it's done I'll post a pic.  Off to fix dinner, Mr. Scottie Dog is on his way home.

My Monthly Doll Quilt Swap

 A few months back I began to participate in the Monthly Doll Quilt Swap.  You can connect with them using the Button on the Sidebar of my blog.  I've had so much fun.  Of course it's really nice to receive a quilt you didn't make (and I've received some really neat quilts!) but it has been fun to create a quilt for someone else....someone you haven't known and to spend a bit of time getting to know them.

Last month I got to know Karen and I decided to fore go the suggested theme of "animals" and go with SPRING.  I had an idea for a daffodil quilt and was quite pleased at how it went together.  Here is a pic Karen just sent to me of the little quilt with her own vase of daffies and a pic of her grands.  Looks pretty good, I think in its home.

This month Patty and I were teamed up and since we both like Civil War Reproduction fabrics we went with that as a theme.  This blue bordered quilt was made by Patty and sent to me.  Isn't it wonderful?  I love the fabrics and the little baskets of poseys.  I shall treasure it.

Patty hasn't yet received my quilt yet (it's in the mail.....!) and I'll post a full photo when she receives it.  But here is a tiny sneek peak.

I'm taking a break for the month of May (super busy for me), but I'll be back in June.  I enjoy the making, sending and receiving of these gems.

Sewing Day in Ferndale

Today I went to the little Victorian Village of Ferndale for "Pieceful Days."  This is a wonderful quilting/sewing retreat held monthly by my dear friends, Weezie and Angela.  They are a great Mother/Daughter team and remind me of Liz & me.  I was picked up by my friend Geri....she had a blended Chai drink for me waiting in the car.  What a great girl friend.  The drive to Ferndale takes about 20 minutes. Once you cross Fernbridge over the Eel River the landscape turns to dairy lands....cows and lush green grazing lands.  Down the road is Main Street full of colorful Victorian storefronts.

 

Mostly I worked on a quilt I'm making for Shiloh.  I'm using a Row by Row pattern I found here.  It's from Bee In My Bonnet Blog.  Just click on the sidebar button on her page that says, "Bee In My Bonnet Row A Thon."  There are many more rows that I may or may not use.  I adapted the house row with the addition of Shiloh's name in wonky letters and the little trees.  The bottom row of "Asterisk" blocks is my addition too.  I also made a row of mugs/cups today.

 

 

See the great portable design wall my blocks are on?  I know, it looks just like a piece of gray flannel.  But it's really quite slick the way it just pops together to hold my blocks on.  I've wanted one for a long time and now we sell them in the store...great, huh?

 

Judy and I walked to the quaint Ferndale Grocery for a deli sandwich at noon....mine was so big and wonderful I could only eat half....which meant I had dinner too! About 7:30 it was back to the grocery for ice cream bars!  Some of the gals walked to some of the restaurants for lunch and dinner....me, I was there to sew!

 

This next photo is just a sneak peek at the little doll quilt I made for my my partner in the monthly Doll Quilt Swap.  When I know she has received it, I'll show you the whole thing.

So that's it....a day in the life.  Sewing from 9 am until 10 pm.  A dream of a day.!!!

Retreat Time!

For a quilter nothing could be better than spending a long weekend with other quilters.  In just a few minutes I'll be leaving for a Thursday-Monday Retreat with the staff of Redwood Sewing Center.  What a great bunch of women!  We have rented a house in Oregon on the coast and will sew, eat, laugh, walk on the beach and quilt some more.  We will giggle. We may play cards and watch movies and sew some more. We may even wear our PJ's all day!  I've brought several projects and my camera so I'll be sure to take some pictures.  I'm off!.