Lucy & Ethel Quilting Adventures Part 4

Well, I believe it's time to "wrap up" our fun time at the quilting workshop.  It was bittersweet to pack up our sewing machines and say goodbye to Bonnie Hunter and all the other new quilting friends we had met.

As Marianne was driving back to our hotel, she asked if I would like to stop at the local quilt shop in Wellsboro, PA that we had heard nice things about...before they closed for the day.  Well, OF COURSE I wanted to stop by the quilt shop....why would I pass up an opportunity to look at fabrics!! LOL

As we walked down the sidewalk and neared the shop door, we noticed an antique baby buggy outside filled with bolts of fabric.  What?????  Does that little sign say "CLEARANCE"?!?!?!?!  I don't know who made it to the baby buggy first, me or Marianne, but soon our arms were loaded with NICE fabrics marked down at least 75%. :)

We found a couple more sale items inside the store, enjoyed "dreaming" of future projects in which we could use these new fabrics, chatted with the sales staff and all the other quilters we already knew.  (Yes, Marianne and I were first, but a slow trickle of ladies started entering the shop that had been at the quilt workshop....I guess all quilters think alike....or maybe we just all love to shop!:)

Once we were back in our hotel room, Marianne caught me smelling my new fabric. 

Yes, SMELLING my new fabric.  I do that quite often! LOLOL  The smell of new fabric makes me happy!  I honestly don't think at that point in time that Marianne had ever thought to do something this weird. 

But later that evening, when she thought I was doing something else....I caught her sitting on the sofa doing the exact same thing....so glad I had my camera in my pocket!

Does it smell good Marianne????   LOLOLOLOLOL

As this saga comes to an end...I will leave everyone with photos of the quilt blocks made by others attending the workshop.  I always enjoy seeing how different everything looks based on the fabrics we choose.

The workshop saga may have ended, but this blog certainly has not.  So continue to check in with me and see what is keeping me busy! :)

Until next time.....happy quilting!!!!

Lucy & Ethel Quilting Adventures Part 3

At this point in our adventure, we've survived being lost, being late, learning helpful tips, sewing, a fire alarm, evacuation of the building, lunch in the sun and more fun.....

As the afternoon progresses, I grabbed the first opportunity that presented itself to have a picture of me and Marianne taken with quilt guru Bonnie K. Hunter.  I would have really been upset if we had forgotten to do this in all the chaos happening. :) :)

And we certainly didn't want to forget to have her sign the quilt labels (as designer) for the backs of our quilts when we finish them.

Once all the "important" stuff was taken care of, we made our way back to our sewing machines with the intention of sewing up a storm on our blocks the rest of the afternoon.

The steady hum of a couple dozen sewing machines was so relaxing.....

Until.....

Not again!!!!......

FIRE ALARM (for the second time that day!!!!!!!)

Seriously!!!  No one wanted to leave the building this time, but the "powers that be" insisted!  Don't these MEN understand that we're wasting precious workshop time!!!!! 

Ok....so I wasn't really scared, just frustrated.  I didn't even carry everything outside with me this time....oh....and yes, I can take a serious picture if I'm forced....

And of course, let's not forget Marianne....always calm, cool and collected.  She wouldn't pose crazy for the camera like I did. LOL

After TOO much time had passed by...we're finally allowed back inside the building.

Then the most horrible announcement was made.....the manager of the building we were using for the workshop was now demanding that we unplug and turn off ALL IRONS!!!!!  (He was tired of telling the local Fire Department that it was a false alarm!)  You know this HAD to be a MAN....because he OBVIOUSLY had not clue about how important irons are to quilters!!!!!!

Just imagine the looks of horror on everyone's faces....and you know that the thought on everyone's minds at that exact moment was... "HOW CAN WE SEW TOGETHER QUILT BLOCKS WITHOUT PRESSING THE SEAMS!!!!!!!!"

I wish I had thought to get a photo of what happened next.... these innovative ladies grabbed a few ironing boards, extension cords and irons....and off they strutted out the back door to the patio area and set up make-shift ironing stations in the direct sun!!!! LOLOLOL

Progress was slower now, but we all did the best we could.

Take a look at Marianne's blocks....I just LOVE all the reds she is using.  I don't know if she was just shy or what, but I don't remember catching her with her blocks spread out so everyone could see how pretty the finished product was going to look. :)

I'm not shy (LOL)....I had mine spread out so I could see it starting to take shape.  I'm not completely crazy about my dark chocolate brown choice (in the corner)....but Bonnie assured me it made the quilt look warm and inviting.  I AM happy with my goldish-orange bursts of color in my star points.  Everything else in the center blocks are scraps of every color imaginable.

Our instructor, Bonnie, had one more demonstration to show us....something to help us put together our flying geese blocks easier.  I ended up stuck in the back of the group and couldn't see what was going on or hear what she was saying that well either...but I noticed Marianne was right up front with an eagle eye view of what was taking place and hearing the instructions.  So I calmed down, knowing I could depend on Marianne to share all the wisdom that was being shared at that moment.

Well....maybe not! LOLOL

Once we got back to our sewing stations, I looked at Marianne and said "Marianne, what did Bonnie say about how to assemble our flying geese blocks better?"

Marianne looks up at me and says... "Uuhh, I don't remember a word she said, but I DID take pictures of everything she was doing."  :)  :)  :)

Now....dear readers of this blog.....I have a serious question to ask of you....I want you to please take a look at the pictures below and the first person who can explain to me (seriously) what Bonnie is teaching us....will win a prize....not sure what....but something....

Would you like to know exactly what I learned from these photos?

I learned.....to no longer depend on Marianne to teach me what I missed because I was too short to see around all the tall people.  LOLOLOLOL  From now on, I know to weasel my way up front if I want to learn something!!!!  

With so much going wrong and all the hilarious, hard to believe things taking place...I'm wondering if we need to just give up on this idea of quilting and take up knitting..... :)

On that note....I will close today's post. :)  Check back in for more photos and stories of our adventure.  Don't worry...it does eventually come to an end!!! :) :) LOLOLOL

Lucy & Ethel Quilting Adventures Part 2

So....at this point in the quilting workshop, we are thinking... "All that could go wrong has already gone wrong so the rest of the day should be a breeze!" 

The morning hours pass by too quickly as we continue to sew, chat and watch Bonnie Hunter demonstrate more steps in the quilt top design.  In the blink of an eye it was lunch time.  We had all placed our orders as we arrived to have a local sandwich shop deliver our meals at noon.  The food arrived and it was difficult to pull ourselves away from our sewing machines....we were on a roll and didn't want to stop!!

We picked up our bag lunches and JUST as we were preparing to sit down and start eating....lo and behold, what did we hear?

FIRE ALARM!!!!!!!!

Everyone was told to evacuate the building....but....but....our lunches.....our sewing machines.....our finished blocks.....our purses!!!!

I don't know what everyone else grabbed to take with them....but I had my lunch (thankfully still in the plastic bag) slung over one arm, my diet Pepsi stuck in my front pants pocket, my purse on my back and last but not least...I grabbed for my cell phone that was laying on the table next to my sewing machine.

We all scurried (unhappily) out the back door.  Thankfully, we found that there was a huge patio space with outdoor tables and chairs...and wow, what a view!!!

To our left.....

Then slowly turn to the right and see....

Thankfully it was not too hot to sit outside in the direct sunlight (there was no shade whatsoever).  We all ended up taking a long, leisurely lunch whether we wanted to or not.  Finally we were allowed back inside.

We were greeted with the bad news that the building manager decided it MUST have been the ironing station that was set up near the heat sensor which had triggered the fire alarm.  Some of the ladies unplugged the irons and moved a couple of the ironing boards to the center of the room (far away from the fire alarm sensor).  Most of us had our own mini-ironing stations set up at our tables but the full-size ironing boards were for anyone needing to do LOTS of ironing from their chain-piecing.

Before we started sewing again....our instructor, Bonnie, asked if anyone had brought any "show and tell" projects to share with the class.

I was blown away when one lady steps forward and unfolds this....

This is a quilt design called "Dear Jane".  Every single 4 1/2 inch block is different, every single large triangle along the border is different.  All this lady had left to do was attach the binder and she was finished!  There is so much history in this quilt design (originally designed and made during the Civil War)....and I LOVE the stories behind each quilt design.  The reason I was in such shock is due to the fact that I had just ordered this book the week before the workshop...never dreaming that I would ever have the opportunity to see this pattern up close and personal!!!  (My copy arrived the day after the workshop...but after seeing it in person, I'm not so sure that I can do it now! LOL)

Then another lady unfolded this quilt top....(one of Bonnie Hunter's designs)

The maker of this quilt top had actually attended with her friend who had also made the exact same quilt top design....only in completely different colors....

If I'm not mistaken, I believe I heard these ladies say that they had attended a past Bonnie Hunter workshop in another location and this was the result of their hard work.  I snapped a photo of the two together just to get a good feel for the contrast.

Next in line was a lady who shared that she had used Bonnie's ideas for using "Leaders and Enders" (sewing odds and ends scrap squares, or triangles together in between your main sewing project so that there is always some fabric underneath your needle and your never have long strings of thread to cut).  Her quilt was made entirely from the little scraps of fabric that most would have thrown away.  Isn't it adorable?

Only one other lady had brought a project to share....this lady also mentioned she had used Bonnie's ideas and patterns to use her scraps from other quilts to complete this one.

So bright....so happy....so beautiful!!!!

We settled back into our projects...I only took a break when Kirsten called to check in with me. :)

The saga continues tomorrow....check back in with us!

Lucy & Ethel Quilting Adventures Part 1

Hopefully, if you are reading today's post, you have already read the post from two days ago when I told about us showing up for the first day's Bonnie Hunter quilt workshop lecture at the wrong address, terrible parking, arriving late, getting seats in the back, etc., etc., etc. 

Well...hold on to you seats...the second day is even more ridiculous!  In fact, I now think that we should change our names to Lucy and Ethel!

Tuesday morning arrived with plenty of sunshine and excitement for the day ahead.  Marianne decided to drive again...basically because her sewing machine and supplies were already in her mini-van and she wouldn't have to lift it out in order to put it in my Jeep. :)  LOL  So I tossed my Stanley, plastic. 2-level tool box filled with my little 11 lb. Singer Featherweight and other supplies into Marianne's van and off we went.

We had an early start so we stopped by the Dunkin' Donut shop for breakfast and coffee.  We actually ate healthy...we ordered breakfast sandwiches rather than donuts (even though I did pick up a 50 count box of assorted donut holes to take and share with the other ladies taking the workshop....and Marianne had baked a loaf of zucchini bread.) :)  :)

We finished our breakfast and headed to the workshop location....knowing that we would easily be arriving at least 30 minutes early in order to get our sewing stations set up and ready to roll!

Marianne plugged the address (taken from an e-mail from the workshop coordinator I had printed and brought with me) for the workshop location into her Garmin and we headed that way.  After about 10 minutes of driving I turned to Marianne and said, "The workshop location is only supposed to be 1.3 miles from the hotel...shouldn't we be there by now?"

We double checked the address in the Garmin and didn't know what to do except keep driving (BIG MISTAKE).  By this time, we are driving "out in the countryside of Wellsboro, Pennsylvania".

There is complete and utter nothingness!!!!

Marianne - cool, calm and collected

I'm starting to go crazy....my watch is saying that it is now 20 minutes until the workshop.  If you are someone that knows me well, you already know that I am an "arrive early" fanatic.  I blame this trait on my dad who had to (and still does) arrive early for EVERYTHING.  The thought of walking into any function late (or even exactly on time) gives me heart palpatations!!!  On the other hand, Marianne is acting completely in control, cool, calm and collected.  LOLOL

The Garmin is saying we have less than a mile to go before reaching our destination....I'm sitting on the edge of the passenger seat, moving my head back and forth trying to see ANYTHING!

Then we hear the Garmin's computer generated voice say "ARRIVING AT _______ ON RIGHT".

Our destination....I don't think so!!!!

We have arrived at an empty field!!!!!!!  Can we say "PANIC TIME!!!!!!!!!"

What to do, what to do!!  We remember the name of the business building being used for the workshop....with a road of the same name as the building....but no actual address.  We quickly plug in that road name....Marianne puts the pedal to the metal and off we go as fast as we safely can on a gravel, country road in the middle of nowhere!!!!!

Somehow, some way, we FINALLY found the correct location....and it was 9:05 when we were pulling into the parking lot.  (Yes, I'm sick at my stomach by this time!) :)  Marianne dropped me off with my sewing machine and supplies at the door so I could try to go find us tables while she parked.

I walked as fast as these ol' legs could carry me, pulling my toolbox behind me...and wouldn't you know it....I entered the workshop to find all the other attendees sitting at their sewing stations with their machines out, sewing supplies arranged neatly around them, ready to begin the workshop.  As I entered through the doorway, I see Bonnie Hunter standing in the middle of the room saying, "We really need to get started."  At this point, I realize that I am experiencing one of my worst nightmares....arriving late and all eyes are on me! :)

In panic mode I look around and don't see any available table space.  I won't go into all the details, but thankfully, we are finally told to set up at two lonely tables, away from all the other quilters.

Now, you have to REALLY LOOK CLOSELY to find us.  Look in the very back, against the wall, away from all the other quilters, to the left of the hanging quilt display.  I am wearing Fushia.  Marianne is to my right but since she was wearing pastels, you can't really see her. LOL  And yes, Marianne and I are both waving for the camera!!! LOLOLOLOL   (By the way, this was only one side of the room....there are more quilters set up to the left of this photo.

Thankfully, we decided to take our own photos....otherwise we would never be able to PROVE we had attended based on any "group shots". LOLOL

Marianne smiling pretty

Me

One thing you can say about our instructor, she is full of energy....and it was contagious! :)

Once the morning was well underway, and we "late-arrivers" finally had time to set up our sewing stations....the true fun began!!!!

At one point in the early hours of the workshop, Bonnie came by our two lonely tables and chatted a while.  She was getting ready for another demonstration to the whole class and asked to borrow Marianne's specialty rulers and rotary cutter.  Then she went through my box of  2 1/2 inch strips of fabric and chose two pieces for the demonstration.  She even grabbed one of my completed quilt blocks...I wasn't sure why at that point. :)

Marianne and I felt "special", if only for a moment, as Bonnie used Marianne's rulers and cutter to demonstrate how to cut the 2 1/2 inch half-square triangles needed for the hour glass centers of our blocks and the quarter square triangles needed for the flying geese blocks and the corner blocks.

Bonnie Hunter demonstrating how to use the specialty rulers

Bonnie showing how to assemble the triangles to make an hour glass center block

Don't forget....that's my fabric she is using!!! LOLOLOLOL

One of my completed blocks

Wow...I can't believe she is showing one of my completed blocks to the entire group as an example of how different our quilt tops will be simply because of our individual fabric choices and how we placed them.

Our Lucy & Ethel Quilting Adventure will continue tomorrow.