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.

September 2020 Quilt Update

September has arrived!  Each month of this year becomes more challenging with my theme.  Sometimes I think I should just toss it out and start again --- something most people wish they could do with 2020.  At any rate, I think I have another version for you.  One of my favorite things in the whole world are waterfalls.  Have you been around one that ROARS?  The picture above sure makes me feel the word right through the screen.  How about Niagara Falls?  I've not been there (on my list), but I've heard tell that it does indeed ROAR.

Journey - Clue 4

Week four has arrived.   Are you well on your way?  I am so hoping you are having a great trip thus far.  Please READ ALL THE WORDS before starting in on this clue and with that --- away we go.

I am preparing for a retreat that involves me driving to a location in the country.  Country life - ahhhh, quiet and serene.  Yes?  I guess that means we can do a little more driving this week.  Roads and Crossroads.  Pillows, afghans, quilts --- they are always roads and crossroads.  The simple four-patch is perhaps the finest example of this and takes me back to elementary/junior high school when we would spend our breaks playing four-square.  Such an easier time, or at least it is in my memory.  At any rate ---- we are stripping our way to these cute little units.

Journey - Clue 3

How is your Journey going?  Has it been educational or for pure enjoyment?  Both are great - believe me.  I have absolutely loved working on this project.  I don't know if it is the colors, the units, or just the ability to tune out the rest of the world, but it has brought me joy and for that alone --- it is well worth the effort.

We are ready for another leg of our trip --- PLEASE READ ALL THE WORDS first, before beginning.  Sometimes the pictures are just not enough.

What method of travel should we use this week?  Since I've just returned from a trip to Montana involving flights, I think it's back into the air for a bit.  Doesn't this graphic remind you of wings?  What type of wings?  Insects that land on flowers?

Nope --- we are becoming "Birds in the Air" this week.  I used to think that it would be amazing to be a bird for a day --- to soar through the sky and be able to ride the air currents.  Perhaps I'm just fantasizing, but let's go with that this week.  We are going to soar like birds.

Journey - Clue 2

Welcome to week 2 of our mystery.  How is your Journey going?  Are there days when you feel as though you are going like this:


Or perhaps, more like this:


Well, this week we are going to go down a straight and narrow path.  A direct route to the end of the clue.  No flying --- just driving down the road.  Can you do this?  It's fun and I promise, if I can do it, so can you.  (Psst -- as I went through this step, my grin was bigger with each addition --- so very fun.)



Our clue 2 units look like this ----

Unit 2 - Make 9

Soooooo --- I posted in the group a last month for you to set aside fabric and I reminded again in the first clue.  THIS is where we are going to use it, so now you can make your own decision, but at least you are able to since we came prepared.  For our roads, I just think it would work better if the fabrics were constant.  You are, of course, always able to do whatever makes your heart happy, but at least you have the option.  And with that --- your reminder to PLEASE READ ALL OF THE WORDS before starting the clue.  

Here we go --- the fabrics I chose for my constants are shown below.  We are now going to get cutting.

WOF must be at least 42" usable.  If yours is less, please cut additional strips.

HINT!!!  - I am going to give some "must dos" for this part.  Your choice if you do them, as always.  Take your time and cut straight.  These units WILL be cut later on and if they are not straight, you will be unhappy.

Cutting:
Black - (1) From the piece that was at least 25" WOF - cut 9 - 2 1/2" strips (shown on far right in picture, and (2) From the piece that was at least 15" WOF - cut 9 - 1 1/2" strips (shown on far left in picture)

Neutral - From the piece that was at least 20" WOF - cut 18 - 1" strinps
Red - From the piece that was at least 20" WOF - cut 18 - 1" strips
Gray - From the piece that was at least 30" WOF - cut 18 - 1 1/2" strips

Set the 2 1/2" strips aside for now and let's use the other four stacks that you just cut.

Using a 1/4" STRAIGHT seam, sew one Neutral strip to a black strip.

HINT!!!   SET THE SEAM.  EACH TIME.  Do you know what this means?  Take your iron and press the seam as it is sewn.  This helps to set the stitches and will help keep the piece straight.  THEN, press as directed.  Do this for each addition.

Then we will press the seam one way or the other.  You are making 9 of these strips.  Four will press one direction and 5 will go the other way.  You can decide how.  All up --- All down --- I chose ins and outs which you will see below and which I will share.  For this first one, I pressed to the black and will do so for my first four, the other five will go to the neutral.

At this point - your strip should be 2" wide.

Now, add another neutral strip to the other side of the black.  You will naturally sew the opposite direction from the first seam and this will help to keep your strip straight as well.  Again, I pressed this one to the black and will follow the pattern as above.  You should now measure 2 1/2".

Looks good, right?

A red strip will go next and after it's addition and press to the red (for 4, to the neutral for 5) our measurement should be 3".

The other side receives another red strip as well.

Press in the same manner as the previous red and your measurement is now 3 1/4".  This is making me smile so much.  I LOVE it.

Gray is next --- Add one to the red strip.

It's almost there and we are at 4 1/4".  Press to the gray for the first 4 - to the red for the last 5.

Do you have a 5 1/2" strip now?

Here are my backs, showing to the two different pressing methods.

Continue until you have 9 beautiful WOF strips.  These are so much fun and you are going to LOVE what we do with them, even though it was scary for me.  However, that is enough for this week.  Just put them and the 2 1/2" strips away until next week.  Until then, happy sewing and take a minute to share what you have sewn in our private group.  Here is the LINK.

The Quilt Cottage - Libby, Montana

It seems like eons have passed since I've been able to be out and about and stop in at a new-to-me quilt shop.  We are actually up in Montana on vacation and enjoying a little day trip.  Upon our arrival in Libby, I mention a shop I'd like to see and my sweetheart happily follows directions and has us there in no time.  Yay!  Come along with me --- let's see what's in store.  First off, isn't this lavender building just super fun?  I LOVE it.  The white picket fence is perfect and everything screams, "Come in and stay awhile."