October 2020 Quilt Update

Ahhhhhh  ---

I am so doing the happy dance.  It's OCTOBER!!!  This is my favorite month of the WHOLE year.  The house is decorated for autumn and my heart is happy.

Journey - Clue 9 and REVEAL

Journeys often take routes that are unplanned, such as our trip to Arkansas or have unexpected events which alter one's idea of the planned outcome.  It happens.  It's part of life.  This mystery has taken on a life of its own at several times and I've had to adjust and reroute just as our daily lives have done the same.  If only the road could always be straight.

Have you enjoyed this journey?  Has the path been straight for you?  I hope so and that you have walked away with a positive experience.  I know it is challenging to blindly follow someone else's vision.  Thank you for having enough confidence in me to do so.

So, without further ado, this post is our REVEAL.  Yep, we're finishing it up.  It's time as my friend, Bonnie Hunter, has colors coming out for her mystery today and I want everyone to be able to focus on that if they choose to.  Let's get going and I would suggest reading all the way to the end first --- now, how many zipped to the end FIRST when they knew it was the reveal??  Come on, be honest.

Journey - Clue 8

Roads and more roads.  Have we journeyed enough so far?  Let's take a break and just look at the stars in the sky.  That's important too, right?  

Quilter's Cottage Spotlight - Eureka Springs

 We've been in Eureka Springs the last couple of days and are leaving this morning, but not without a stop at The Quilter's Cottage.  Come along for a fun stop and so much more.  As we walk in the door, our arrival is announced by the cutest Pomeranian that I have seen in years.  She is darling and her job is to let the owner,  Shirley, know someone is in the store.  She then comes over to say howdy to us with a quick sniff of the feet.

Piece of Heaven Quilt Shop - Mountainburg, AR

 Driving along during our vacation in Arkansas, right on the road in Mountainburg, I see Quilt Fabric on a building.  My sweet man is wonderful at accommodating me and quickly stops and turns the car around.  Yay!!!  The shop is Piece of Heaven and the owner is Patty.  Come along and peek in to see her own little share of heaven on earth.

Journey - Clue 7

Woah!!  I'm still out doing a bit of my own journey and enjoying time with my sweetheart.  Have you figured out where I am?  All I can say is that nature always provides eye candy to us and we are soaking it up.

Can you believe how far we've come on this journey?  I hope I've kept it low stress for you.  I LOVE seeing your progress photos.  They just make my heart happy.  We're about to begin week 7 and, as always, PLEASE READ ALL THE WORDS before starting.  It's a lesson I have to remind myself of quite often as well.

Sometimes, on our journeys, we come to a "Y" in the road.  Which way do we go? 

Journey - Clue 6

It's my anniversary!!!  Where am I?  Such mysteries abound, right?  After last week, y'all should be caught up and ready for some real fun.  We're going on fast forward this week.  Please make sure to READ ALL THE WORDS before starting and so on your mark, get set, READ.

Sometimes it feels as though life is just going in circles.  While traveling, we run into roundabouts now and then and this week, we're going to be circling.  Hey, it's a reach but a definite method of travel --- vultures do it all the time.

Welcome to French Silk Pie.  Yep, that's the name of our block.  Sounds yummy, I know.  Well, it is.  Even with fabric.

Block A - make 41

First up, we need to cut the center squares.  From 3 1/2" neutral strips, cut 41 - 3 1/2" squares.

Just like this, lickety split.

You will need Units 3 and 5 from previous clues.

Here is your layout --- gray squares in the corners, red bricks out.

I stack mine all up on a small design board so that I can just work one right after the other.

My normal method of putting together blocks is to web - however, this time I opted to work in rows due to REALLY watching my points.  I could turn the pieces the way that was best to see what I was doing all the time. Press top and bottom rows to the center piece  and the center row towards the outside --- I know, it stinks for the flying geese.

Now it's time to sew the rows.  Here is a HINT!!  In order to watch all three points as you sew the top row to the center, one has to be on the bottom.  I hold it up to the light so I can see just where that seam needs to go and pop a pin in there.  Yes, it takes time and I'm not usually this careful, but . . .  it does help.

The top and center rows are together.

Now to add that lower row.  I laid the new section on the bottom and did the same process as above.  There is NO hard and fast rule that the smaller piece has to be on top when we sew.  Press each row to the center - this time it stinks for the middle row geese, but there really isn't any way around it unless you prefer to press everything open and then you'll still have some interesting spots.

Measure time -- do you have a 9 1/2" square?

If so, have fun and create this lovely stack of beauty.  I'll see you next week and I hope to see you posting how much fun you're having.  If you haven't joined the Facebook Group yet, here is your LINK.  See ya on the 17th.

Up, Up, and Away Brazos Retreat

Retreat Season is BACK!!!  October is my favorite month and one of the best parts is that we get to start spending time with friends again.  Love, love, love.  We are still in the COVID crap, but life is going on and we are going to make the best of it out in the countryside.  I'm packed and ready to depart.

Blogger has once again changed the way the interface works and I can no longer moved pictures AT ALL!!!  You will be stuck with centered pics and how boring is that?  At any rate, a beautiful drive down, unloading stuff and I'm ready for the day.  Everyone else is setting up space as well and I make a pit stop by Mindy's and find that she has technology everywhere.  She has a photo album scrolling through her quilt pics and a moving banner that lights up as well as her phone ready to go.  Wow.

Journey - Clue 5

Oh Em Gee!!!  We have entered the October zone.  It is far and above any other month in my mind and definitely my favorite.  Always has been, likely always will.  I'm at retreat as this posts and am so lucky to be with friends once again.  My fingers are crossed for a trip upon my return, but as we all know, 2020 sometimes has other plans.  It throws us so many loops and turns that determining which way is up can be challenging, if not impossible at times.  This week, you are getting a break.  That leaves you time to either catch up or just enjoy the wonder of October in any way that you can.  Make it calming, peaceful, whatever eases your life a bit before the craziness of November and December descend upon us.  Now, having said all that --- take a moment to READ ALL OF THE WORDS before starting - even though this is an EASY PEASY clue.  Hugs to all and stay safe.