Get Out-a The House -- Ring Them Bells

A California friend and her D.H. are newly retired.  They'd like to move out of CA (for many reasons, not the least of which are the high taxes.)  She asked me if it was "hard" to pull up stakes and move to a new state / city.  

Yes, yes it IS hard.  We humans need "community".  That is the way we're made.  I have my sister here...my "you-have-to-be-my-friend-because-you're-my-sister" friend.  (And, until recently, I had my
dad...who never laughed at my ukulele playing.)  It would be harder still if I did not have/had her/them.

As time marches on, and I get out-a the house, I'm making even more friends and establishing my "community."  The key phrase here is ...
you must get out and about!  Don't just stay home and quilt, or play your ukulele, or garden or cook....Get out there.

Liza Minnnelli sings a song about a women who met her "Mr. Wonderful" when she was traveling around the world and it turned out he was actually her neighbor!  Liza sings "Open up the door and hurry out in the hall!"   HERE

So, on this Quilter's Day Out I went to Backyard Fabrics with my new friend, Betty.  (The introduction came through my B-I-L.  Alas, she won't be in Paducah long, her company is transferring her to the Pacific Northwest.  But, we're friends now.)

 

The place was bursting with shoppers and as promised, there were demonstrations and refreshments and good deals on fabric.  And, I gleaned additional quilting resources I cannot wait to check out! *

Our demonstrator was Cheryl Slaughter.

She demonstrated some very cool products as well as a paper piecing method where you don't actually sew the paper to the fabric...thus not having to rip it out later.  I like this method and made a little video to remind myself how to do it later.

 

And, LOOK at the quilt behind her!  I LOVE IT!

The Garden Party Down Under.  click HERE

This was a BOM for *TheQuiltShow.com
Check it out!! HERE
You could spend a fair amount of time browsing this site.

 

*Picked up a brochure for Kentucky Heritage Quilt Society.  Lots of programs and retreats!!
(Programs where Cheryl is a presenter.)

 

 

And one final thing:  there is a shop in Louisville that has full-day quilt till you wilt sessions once a month.  Cotton To Quilts HERE  Louisville is 3 hours from me, but for a whole day of sewing?  Could be worth it.  Maybe I'll check that out.

It was such a fun day. I came away with a lot of inspiration and some new friends.

Of course no day out is complete without lunch at the local BBQ restaurant.

 A&B BBQ in Mayfield