April Quilt Update

Welcome to the Monthly Update.  What does that mean?  Well, it's just little ol me trying to recap what took place during the month so that I can keep track.  I kind of use it like a journal.  Please sit back and enjoy a peek into a month of my life.

Any links that you click in this post will open in a DIFFERENT window, allowing you to continue reading this without losing the page.

The previous 2017 monthly update links are located at the end of this entry.  I hope that you make it that far.

Goals:

Easy Street (ES) - quilted, bound -
Garden Party (GP) - quilted and bound - 

Midnight Flight (MF) - blocks made
BOM (blue) quilted and bound -
BOM (Thimbleberries) set, backing made, label made, quilted and bound -
BOM (pink) quilted and bound -

1st -   It's a fly day!  I am going home.  Am I happy about it?  Well, to be truthful, yep.  I miss my sweetheart.  Speaking of Mister, he managed to get me an earlier flight today and that makes it even better.  I do have a bit of time in Montrose before I need to check-in and I take advantage of it by stopping in at a local quilt shop.  You can find that post in this Ladybugz Link.

And with that, I am up, up, and away.  Look at all those contrails.

Rolling a Quilt for Storage

I always folded my quilts and then to my wonder and amazement, Bonnie Hunter taught me how to ROLL one for storage or shipping.  It eliminates so many of those horrid creases that tend to follow along seam lines.  I mentioned this last month in my update (you can find that post HERE) and Sherry M. commented that she would to learn how to do this.  Well, with all credit to my friend, Bonnie, here is a quick tutorial on rolling a quilt for storage.

It seems appropriate to use one of Bonnie's quilts for this so here is Razzle Dazzle all laid out and ready to roll.

Cleaning the Studio

Every now and then you just have to do it.  Right?  It may not be fun, but it is required occasionally.  Today is the day for me.  I have literally DUMPED for three months in my studio.  Grab and go was the mantra.  Now, I have to pay the piper and clean it up.

First - some BEFORE pictures!  Those are always good since they show progress when all is finished.  Yes, I have truly buried sweet Annie, my vintage 301a mocha longbed.  She's in there somewhere.  This picture doesn't even really show that where the chair goes, more stuff is piled.

Bonnie Hunter Pineapple Blossom Class - Stitchin' Heaven

Good morning.  We are off to round two at Stitchin' Heaven and Bonnie Hunter.  Today's class is Pineapple Blossom and I literally prepped for this in two hours time.  Let's hope it works out.

We spent some time in the hotel lobby last night marking our flip and sew squares and my fingers are crossed that we did it right.

First up, though, is to begin our courthouse steps block.  Sides and then top and bottom.

Bonnie Hunter Jamestown Landing Class - Stitchin' Heaven

We are at Stitchin' Heaven in Mineola, TX for day one of our classes with Bonnie Hunter.  Today's class is Jamestown Landing and yes, if you remember, I have done this before.  Way back in 2013, I took this class in Dallas.  The parts and pieces have not really changed much since then, so I am a remedial student today.  You can see the original post HERE.

It's great fun to sit and string and just watch the little stacks build up.  I do enjoy this method of piecing as for me it is pretty mindless and the perfect time to just visit.

Stitchin' Heaven in Mineola - What a Fun Shop!

I have finally made it to Mineola, TX and discovered for myself why so many people enjoy Stitchin' Heaven.  I had my first interaction with them while in Houston at the International Quilt Festival last November.  You can take a trip down memory lane and revisit that trip by clicking on THIS LINK.  And if you visit, make sure to say hello to Gus, the longhorn who stands as a sentinel in the classroom.

Brazos House Retreat - April 2017

It is April 6th and that means I am back at Brazos House for another weekend of fun with my quilting sisters.  After dropping Mister at work, a quiet hour and a half drive has me here and ready to roll.  Within an hour I have the room ready and start in on my own little corner.  There are 15 of us this weekend so I have gone back to one of the original setups and my table is now set so that I can see everyone most of the time.  Only the "charm" table puts my back to everyone.

Ladybugz Quilt & Company - Montrose, Colorado

It seems as though each time I visit Montrose, I am being rushed to Telluride so quick that stops at the quilt shop just don't happen.  Once, two years ago for the Row X Row, I asked the shuttle driver to let me stop just long enough to pick up kits for everyone in Dallas.  That was a literal run in/out as he was waiting for me out front and only could do that because I was his only rider at the moment.