Another Pieceful Day

Last weekend I had two entire days to sew with my friends. Not as a shop owner....just as BrendaLou, quilter. It was so much fun! I've mentioned Pieceful Day before. It keeps me sane. I got the top put together for a quilt we are donating to Arcata Christian School for their Spring Auction. I'll post a picture after it is quilted.

I made this awesome blue/purple batik purse project for our cruise.

I got the handles put on Tuesday. I'm making some accessories to go with it...I made a case for my glasses, a zippered bag and I'll make another.

Here are some of the fantastic things some of the gals were working on...don't I have a bunch of talented friends?

Judy brought in this quilt for her son. She'd gotten to the blue border. Her son wanted more blue so she was going to applique the 3 blue bordered blocks on top of 3 random blocks. After we all critiqued it and tried to talk her out of the applique, someone came up with the idea of dropping them randomly on top of the quilt. Awesome!!!!!! Then added another row of blocks. This quilt rocks.

Patti with her blue stars.
Paula's---don't you love the borders?
I think this was Pam's quilt.
Angie stopped by with Cade! Everything stopped...who can resist a cute little guy? He gave me a kiss.

And here's Robin....she designs patterns for Charm squares and Jelly Rolls. She has an awesome blog. Click here to read.

And tomorrow our retreat begins. So much to tell. Later.

A "Pieceful Day"

Last weekend I spent my day off at Pieceful Day. I've blogged about it before but I can't tell you how special it is for me. You'd think since I own a Quilt Shop I'd spend most of my time quilting. WRONG.....I think Quilt Shop Owners sew very little....at least this one is usually teaching, helping customers, ordering fabric, cleaning up the store, putting fabric away, writing newsletters, blogging, researching the latest trends, and whittling away at the mountains of paperwork a business generates in order to run. So once a month I try to make it to one or both of All Washed Up's Pieceful Day. A day in the Victorian Town of Ferndale, CA is so much fun. We sew from 9 am to midnight, stroll the town and buy out the little shops. I always stop in at the candy store and buy Mr. Scottie Dog a few truffles (alas, I failed to do that on this trip! Sorry honey!).
Here are my table mates....Bridgette, Paula and Katie. We were all working hard (at having fun!) on our projects. It just feels so good to be able to be the "quilter" and not the "shop owner" once in a while.

Angie and Weezie made an announcement about mid-day that had us all gulping and speechless. They need to concentrate on their families more right now and try to refocus on their pattern business (Just Can't Cut It, Sparkling Cider to name a couple!) and so this would be the last Pieceful Day. Crystal to the rescue! Our dear friend and teacher in the store, Crystal said that she'd take over management of Pieceful Days through July. Yay/Yahoo/Wohoo!!!!! Of course we'll all help her out. Thanks Crystal! You've made this shop owner very happy.

Pieceful Day

About once a month Angie and Wiezie from All Washed Up host "Pieceful Day" in the tiny Victorian Village of Ferndale just 20 minutes south of Eureka. It is my one chance to just be a "quilter" instead of a "Quilt Shop Owner." Here in pictures is my "Pieceful" weekend. They set up long tables, cutting stations, ironing boards and everything a quilter could ask for. Everyone brings snacks to share (there goes my diet!). I bring Nellie Belle (my trusty featherweight sewing machine named after my maternal Grandma who taught me to quilt so very many years ago), my ott light, hobbico iron, Gingher scissors and I'm ready to sew. I worked on several projects.....Liz got me organized long ago....bring each project already cut out and in a vinyl project bag. I finished several tops all ready for quilting.
This one is a baby quilt for a young gal I used to do day care for nearly 30 years ago! I cut the diamonds on the AccuCut machine and it went together quickly. I put two borders on and after Liz quilts it (green Oh So Soft! on the back) I'll sew down the darling green check "Ruffle Rack" trim. It's from Michael Miller and we've got it in several colors and fabrics.
This red, pink, black & cream Tumbler top was also cut on the AccuCut machine (imagine cutting a queen sized quilt in only 10 minutes!). I am going to straighten up the edges, add a tiny black flange and border it with one of the fabrics....just don't know which one yet. There are always quilts up for inspiration.
Jackie (L) poses with her Lone Star she made in Geri's (R) class. They used QuiltSmart pre-printed interfacing to make it in a snap.
Pam looks on as a proud Cyndee shows off her Lincoln Logs quilt from the book "Laps from Fats." Show and tell is half the fun!
This time there were so many people we had to have tables set up in two rooms! So much creativity in one place. It's awesome.
I sat next to my friend Darlene. She brought her Rag Jacket (pattern by Ami Simms), AKA Michigan Mink. The jacket is beautiful and quite flattering I think. I love these greens.
Linda finished her "French Roses" quilt she started in a class of mine. I love the applique border she added! I'm going to "borrow" this idea for the 2nd one I'm working on. It's for Sydney's big girl bed at my house.
Here's Karen posing with her Lone Star and teacher, Geri. The smiles say it all. The entire weekend was a blast. We ate out at the fabulous Curly's Grill for lunch one day (and I ate the other half of my sandwich on Sat) and dinner the next. Shopping was great too. Ferndale has the cutest shops and art galleries. What fun! Can't wait till next month.