Let Freedom Ring!

One of those Freedoms is the Freedom to wander.... The long holiday weekend found me wandering up to Las Vegas to visit my nieces and nephew....one of them my quilting niece, Desiree.

Part of the wandering plan was to visit a few quilt shops along the way. 
There are very few, as it is all hot, dry desert between So. Calif and Vegas with mostly Joshua Trees and a few small towns. 

But, there are a few shops listed on the internet which made me rather excited! 
Haven't visited an actual quilt shop in nearly two years.

The Mariposa Quiltworks in Yermo, the Quilt 'n Home in Ridgefield and Gram's Treasures in Barstow....I had the presence of mind to call first.  ALL CLOSED!  Maybe there were not enough desert dwellers who quilt or maybe it was the pandemic....whatever the reason, it was disappointing and a bit sad: Another brick-and-mortar shop bites the dust.

 

 

But, No Worries....This is the perfect way to spend the Quilting Auntie Nyla's birthday weekend-- quilting with the Quilting Niece.  Auntie was there with us in Spirit.

After all our hugs and hellos, we spent the first evening gathering up and unpacking all her quilting stuff which was scattered all over; cleaning and oiling machines; getting ready to put the pedal to the medal for a few days of catching up and creating beauty.

The Quilting Niece, Dez: Nyla and Miss Ellie all set up and ready to roll.

 

BTW, Judy Brown of Just Get it Done Quilts has a great video on how to resurrect long-neglected projects. HERE

 

Next Day: After a Starbucks stop for a fancy coffee drink we made a trip to Sew Yeah Quilting for a few supplies.  A couple hundred dollars later (and not much in the pile we actually went for...) we headed home.

This shop has really grown up since my last visit about 4 years ago.  Very, very nice.  If you are in Vegas, go visit and tell them "Charlotte said 'Hi'."

While I actually did take a bin full of scraps to sort, press and cut into 2 inch squares in preparation for my next Leaders and Enders quilt, I purchased not-one-but-TWO Layer Cakes at Sew Yeah.  I just could NOT help myself.

Violet Hill

Feeline Good

 

And just like that TWO new projects are born!

  

 

 

 

What can you do with a Layer Cake? 

I found Salt Air Lattice on the Internet.
 

This is not really a free pattern, but HERE is a blog tutorial.
Apparently I missed the quilt a-long by only 9 years.

None-the-less, I've made a good start.

 

 

We sewed, we ate, we solved all the world's problems...throw in a lot of visiting with nieces, nephew, sisters, fireworks and even a water fight! So, sew, much fun!

The progress for the weekend:

Charlotte's new layer cake project.
Of course, now I must buy some
yardage to finish this lap quilt.

Desiree's resurrected UFO

 

 

 

The Quilting Niece made good progress on her UFO; only three more blocks. 
It's hard to see the sashing and corner stones, but they are there if you look close.

All too soon it was time to say goodbye and head back across the desert to home (where thankfully it is about 30 degrees cooler!). 

It was good medicine to see my family, laugh, celebrate and quilt.  Auntie Nyla would be so happy that the next generation is embracing her favorite sport.

 

Meet "Nyla"

 

        

     A little side note, Dez's Janome once belonged to the Quilting Auntie* . 
    Now she has a name.

* The "Quilting Auntie" mantle has been passed down from Auntie Nyla to me by the Vegas peeps.

A Different Kind of Road Trip

Gathering up a van-load of paraphernalia and two young-uns; off we went, driving to Santa Rosa up the coast via Hwy 1.

Taking a snooze in the car
under a lap quilt gifted by Miss Nancy.

 

 

The plan was to meet Auntie Ana from Portland, OR and play in the Santa Rosa area for an entire week.  

 

With Auntie Ana

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the play destinations for me was to be Meissner Sewing and Vacuum Center.  Unfortunately we played so much I totally forgot until late on the last night, and by then it was too late.....I was so disappointed.

 

We did have a totally fun time, however:

 

 

A day driving further up the coast and spending time on the beach near Bodega Bay.  The Northern California coast reminded me so much of the Oregon Coast.  Made me a bit homesick.

Safari West:  This zoo is arranged so pleasantly with both a walking tour and a jeep tour.  We rode on top of the jeep and were nearly able to kiss a giraffe!

At the end of the ride was a nice, delicious dinner.

 

 

 

The final day we relaxed with swimming and kayaking on the Russian River.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The River's Edge in Healdsburg rents river's-edge spots with all the amenities (except the margaritas.)

 

All too soon it was time to pack up and head for home.

I guess Meissner's will have to wait until next time.

Collections

 I try not to collect.  It can become a compulsion....if I have one...I MUST have them ALL!!!  So, I try not to collect.

There is my sewing machine collection. (down from five)

 

And now, there is my ukulele collection!!!

Introducing the newest member of the Ukulele family, Jolene (the Banjolele.)  Isn't she beautiful?

Three and Three.
The universe is now back in balance and I can stop collecting.

Mustgo

In preparation for a holiday with The Babes beginning this Sunday, I created a menu.  (We will be traveling to the Northern California area - think Red Woods - and staying in a hotel with a kitchen.)  Next step, make a shopping list so we can hit the market when we arrive. 

The last night in the hotel before heading home, dinner will be Mustgo...everything in the fridge Must Go.

 

Applying that to quilting: Leftover blocks Must Go.    

Last evening in the Studio (aka The Mezzanine Room) Miss Nancy and I were chatting about left over blocks and what to do with them.  An orphan-block quilt has been on my mind, so I pulled out all those-kinds of blocks from the back of the cupboard.  And low and behold, I found some crumb blocks I made ... when?  Can't rightly remember.  One of those occasions when a body just needs to sew...something....anything.

Now, what to do with them ?????

First option:  A piece of mostly-white fabric for sashing with dark corner stones.

Second option:  Red Grunge sashing with white corner stones.

I really thought I'd like the red better....but I don't think I do.

 

I can't say I LOVE either one of them.  I'll leave them up on the design wall for a while.  Or, these blocks may need to go back into the archive until the mood strikes; I'm just not feeling it.

And that, quilting friends, is how UFOs are born.
 

National Sewing Machine Day

 

There might be a National day for just about anything you can think of.  HERE is an example. There is something to celebrate EVERY SINGLE DAY in June!  (Philosophical question:  if every day is a celebration, when do we start our new diet????  Inquiring minds want to know.)

It is kind of fun, however, to celebrate the things we love, even if it is a celebration strictly in our mind... like sewing, quilting and sewing machines. (Not to mention ukuleles:  National ukulele playing day is February 2, in case you wanted to know.)

Read the History of the sewing machine, click HERE.  

We've come a long way, baby.

How many sewing machines do YOU have?

I am down to three. Miss Ellie, Ma-Moo and Millie. 

 

Millie gets the most use, as she is Thoroughly Modern.  However, Long Time Gone is being created using Miss Ellie "as we speak."  Ma-Moo has not really been used since  receiving her as a gift from my BFF two years ago. (Miss Peggy rescued her from a thrift shop in Tahoe.)  But,  there are big plans for her!

Have you seen the Flynn Quilting System?  Click HERE.   You'll see "Flynn" at quilt shows doing his demonstration.  (He's a really nice man, you should stop and talk to him.)  I bought this so long ago I don't even remember exactly when...it has moved with me from Oregon to California almost 9 years ago and it is still in the box.  But, dagnabbit, I'm going to learn to use it!

I've been pondering this for a while now, especially since I decided to keep the Carolina Chain quilt. My immediate thought was it would be a good quilt to finally set up the Flynn Quilting contraption and give it a whirl. 

Flynn makes it look so EASY.  Click HERE.

 

 Perhaps that goal will be accomplished by the next National Quilting Day? 
Don't laugh,  miracles have been known to happen.

 

Fountain of Youth

 The Fountain of Youth is a mythical spring that restores the youth of anyone who drinks or bathes in its waters.

 

Research tells us (or so we've read on all the FB advertisements promoting....(something that will cost us $$$ and promise us youth....) that one of the ways to keep our minds healthy and young is to keep learning.....and working on a Jen Kingwell pattern will make you think! (...thus keeping your brain young, unless it drives you to the nut house...)

Next LTG* block is the Churn Dash.  Twenty-one blocks...finished size is 3" !
Those are some teeny-tiny pieces to work with.

Organization is the key....and not looking too far ahead.  Slow and steady wins the race.

21 blocks all organized.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Still 3.5" unfinished is a small block.

 

When these Churn Dash blocks are finished,
I'll be half-finished with the blocks.

 

 

 

 

 

There is one boo-boo but I decided to leave it.

 

 

 If you're wondering about the Plus Star block, yes, it is finished.
There were more than a few sessions with Jack**, but it's done.

I'm pleased with the outcome.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 *Long Time Gone
**Jack the Ripper

 

The World Woke Up!

The last few weeks my day-job has been so darn busy!  It's like the whole world suddenly woke up after months of sitting at home .... waiting .... waiting ....waiting .... for the government to say "OK, you can live again."  (I know this pandemic was serious, but .... whew!)  

This past week was 12 hour days .... too exhausted at the end of the day to do anything but eat a few morsels and fall into bed.

BUT THEN THE WEEKEND! And, I didn't HAVE to do anything!  I didn't even start my car!

 

 

 

And, that is pretty much exactly what I did all weekend .... throw in a few naps.

FINISHED!

Jagged X bound and ready for gifting.

Cat Walk bound and ready for gifting.

 

 

 

It feels good to get things finished and marked off my list.

 

AND!   A cute little something for the Little Miss for her half-birthday.  Kewpie has her own little quilt.

 

Laura Coia of Sew Very Easy has a YouTube video featuring this Kewpie doll gift box.  (HERE)  When I saw this earlier in the year I decided I MUST have it and make it for the Little Miss.  I'll gift it to her along with the above quilts for her mom and big sister.  We'll have a PARTY!

 

It's early June and I've totally finished five lap quilts this year and one quilt top (not yet quilted and bound.)  Plus a few fast, fun projects thrown in for good measure.   I'm feeling pretty smug.

(Better be careful...pride comes before a fall.)