Getting ready

This weekend is Quilt Retreat Weekend for our quilt guild. I've never been and I'm SO excited!

I'm planning to finish both my Geese in the Forest quilt tops. I think I can do it.
If I have time I'll finish the scrappy quilt top too.

They provide three meals a day, sewing tables, ironing boards, warm beds...
We won't have anything to do but quilt all day every day.

We're allowed to have a small travel iron with us while quilting. I figured if I'm going to be foundation piecing, jumping up and walking to the big ironing boards after every seam could be a little time consuming. Our sewing tables will be 3' x 5' and having a sewing machine, cutting board AND ironing pad on there could get a little crowded. We are, however, allowed a small side table.

I started thinking and here's what I came up with.

Take one $16 TV tray table and cover it in one layer of batting and two layers of Insul-Bright. (I found out that The Warm Company is a local company!) A staple gun comes in very useful here.

Make a little cover for it. The table top is 17" x 17" so I cut a 25" x 25" square, made a channel around the edge for elastic and threaded some 1/2" elastic through it.

How do you like my little Rowenta travel iron?

The best thing of all: it folds flat for easy transport.

A Wonderful Weekend

Tell me you wouldn't want to live here...








Something is calling our name...

but she needs a lot of help and we're trying to decide if we're up for it.

NaBloPoMo is a pain

I've been busy, busy, busy and have nothing of any interest to say today. I therefore invite your to feast your eyes on one of my favorite places.

What fun we had

We're back from our trip to the Columbia Gorge. It was a ton of fun. So much fun that I kind of forgot to take photos, but here are a few. The angel above was my only (and favorite) aquisition. It seems like not many stores in little towns are open during Memorial Day weekend.
We did see a bunch of beautiful waterfalls along the Historic Columbia River Highway and got some much needed exercise.




"Can we go now?"

Once we got to the hotel, I pretty much packed away the camera. I'll see what Gavin did and try to post some of his.

Added on 5/30: The ornament is by Laini Taylor. www.lainitaylor.com
My other favorite was a quote from Little Women: "She is too fond of books and it has addled her brain."
I almost got that one.
Oooh, I just found her blog! growwings.blogspot.com
Thanks Linda for asking for this info. I would never had found it all if you hadn't!

Freshcut offcuts

Now what does a person do with leftover Freshcut?
Why, make a pincushion of course! Designed by Heather Bailey herself! From the summer issue of Quilts and More.

Tips:
1. Get a doll needle as stated in the directions. It will be impossible without one.
2. Make sure you get the correct tightness in the ribbon as you do each side. Trying to adjust it afterwards is a real pain.
3. The narrower the ribbon, the more likely it is to twist.
4. Use strong thread when sewing on the buttons - I used hand quilting thread.

We're leaving early tomorrow morning to spend the weekend here. Josh is planning on spending the weekend with a friend, so this will be an adults only weekend. Hmmmmmm...

Happy Memorial Day everyone!