May 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 - Set, backing, label complete
BOM (pink) quilted and bound -

1st -  Happy May Day!  This goal of trying to get my blogs all caught up is sure resulting in one heck of a lot of time clicking away at the keyboard.  I have been at it  ALL day again and somehow I lost four hours,  Yes FOUR!  How does that happen.  After racing around the house like a crazy woman (because the clock freaked me out), I manage to be ready as the DART bus arrives and take me to the train station.  Wow.

Mister picks me up and we are off to see Mom H. fora  visit.  After that --- woohoo -- dinner out with my sweetie.  We are trying I ❤ Pho for the first time and the name rings true.  It's very good.

A Day At The Beach - Introduction

Woohoo!  It's time.  Lift your glass in a "Cheers" and let's get started.  I am so excited that you are taking this journey along with me and have such high hopes that everyone will have some fun along the way.  If you are new to mysteries, please give this a shot.  I PROMISE it will not be too difficult and that the process will be enjoyable.

The past couple of years Ribbons of Love and Chasing the Sun produced so many absolutely beautiful quilts and I am humbled by the number of people who have sewn my design.  I thank you one and all.  Perhaps the greatest honor I have received is to sign or be photographed with the quilts made by those who participated in the mysteries.  I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

Are you ready?  I know I am.  Let's get started.

A Day At The Beach - Summary

Can you believe it's my third mystery!!  I am shocked at how time has flown and yet am super excited.  I hope ya'll have just oh so much fun with it and please, please, please share what you have done.  I can't wait to see each one.  The first clue goes live September 1st.  Yes, it is a week later this year, but I am traveling with my sweetheart the week before and want to be available to answer questions, thus the delay.

I am gathering all of my mystery posts and placing them here so that you can link up and find what you want easily.  They will each open in a new page, leaving you access to this post.  You can always find this page by clicking the tab at the top of the blog.  Please become a follower and you will always know when the new post is up.  Welcome to everyone and comments are always appreciated.

CLICK ON THE POST LINK BELOW TO GET TO THE CLUES!!!

Post 1:  Introduction
Post 2:  Strings (or not)
Post 3:  Bird in the Air Units and HST's
Post 4:  More Bird in the Air Units and HST's
Post 5:  Flying Geese and Sew and Flip Units
Post 6:  Sew N' Flips All Around
Post 7:  Album and Block A's
Post 8:  Long Strips and Block B
Post 9:  Block C and Big Block A's
Post 10:  Center Medallion and Reveal

Nifty Thrifty by Bonnie Hunter - Quilt-A-Long- Week Two

We are doing a Nifty Thrifty Quilt-A-Long.  The pattern can be found in Bonnie Hunter's Scraps and Shirttails book at quiltville.com.  The picture at the left is hers as well.

It's week two and in all fairness, I have to confess that I completed this step while at retreat this month.  It happened while I put the first Nifty Thrifty together and I simply used these strips as my leader/enders.  What that means is that I left retreat with this stack of strips all ready to subcut.  Today I will tackle that part of this clue.

Nifty Thrifty by Bonnie Hunter - Quilt-A-Long- Week One

When I cleaned out the studio last month, I unearthed TWO completely cut quilt tops.  I used recycled men's shirts and the Nifty Thrifty pattern by Bonnie Hunter.  I'm pretty sure I did this back in 2014 when I was making quilts for all the grands.  Somehow, I must have jumped ship and these have lain ever since.  It's time to resurrect them.  (Picture at right is of Bonnie's quilt)

Everyone knows that we all get more accomplished when someone else is either working along with us, or watching our progress.  With that in mind, I had a vote in our Facebook group for a quilt-a-long and Nifty Thrifty won.  How cool is that?  I think everyone just took pity on my but I don't really care.  They are gonna get done.

Brazos House Retreat May 2017 - Session 2

Session 2 is underway!  Since there isn't really a setup time, my camera is taking a break and we'll pick up at noon --  Come along and see how the weekend goes.

11th -  Yeehaw and round 'em up.  We are off to Babe's in true Western style.

I absolutely am thrilled when others play along with our theme.  We have such fun when we let loose a bit.

Brazos House Retreat May 2017 - Tweeners

It's TWEENER TIME!  When I do back to back retreats in February and May, I stay for the time between and Kay allows 1-2 people to stay with me.  Since Kitsey was sick in February, she is joining Val, Lydia, and I this time as well.  We may have one other too, but it's undecided yet.  Brenda and Debi are staying one extra night so it's a fun group today.

7th -  Once the house is quiet and the first group of retreaters have left, I want to go see the baby chicks that everyone is talking about.  Ooooooh, lookie, lookie.

Brazos House Retreat May 2017 - Session 1

It's the last big retreat of the spring and then we take a break until the beach in September.  For this round, I will be here 10 days and am going to enjoy it to the hilt.  My heart and soul rest easy here and this time should not be any different.  It's my birthday and that makes this even more fun.  Time to get on the road.

4th - I found out last night that Jen is switching retreats this weekend so my brain is flying during the drive down.  How to best set up with an extra person in the room?  I think I have it figured out and text Debi, who is already there, to hold off on creating her nest.  As soon as I arrive, we brainstorm some more and decide to switch sides of the room so that three people can share two tables and have a wee bit more on the side near the closet.  We get it all set up and I think I will just need a small section of the large table and Debi is willing to give up some of hers for Jen.  We are good to go and set up in no time.