What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

 Oh my gosh --- what a wild night we had. I'm unsure if I'm sick, but I didn't feel well when I went to bed. I was up several times but seem to be fine now, so let's hope all is well! I have no time to be sick!

I am definitely sewing in slow-motion mode -- since I've arrived, I've finished serving one T-shirt and made two small backpacks! Let's say that the backpack was a challenge! It was not a commercial pattern which is OK, but the person who wrote it could have ...

One of my favorite little people recently had a birthday ❤️ Since she is the namesake of our latest backpack pattern, I thought she needed a Parker Pack for herself! I added a toucan from our Zootropolis book and her name inside the bag using the letters from our Lullaby Lane quilt. Scroll through all the pics to see adorable Ms Parker ❤️
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#sassafraslane #parkerpack #zootropolisquilt #backpack #handmade #toucan #corkbag #corkfabric (at Kirkland, Washington)
https://www.instagram.com/p/CU0gkryh7r1/?utm_medium=tumblr

Let's ignore Paul for now.  I have been consumed by the bag making process and my excitement sometimes (okay, often) spilled into his area.  

Island Batik teamed with ByAnnie for the September Challenge.  We picked a pattern of our choice from ByAnnie. I chose the backpack Got Your Back 2.1.  All fabric was provided by Island Batik. I chose Moonlight Sky - designed by Kathy Engle for Kate Colleran of Seams Like a Dream Quilt Designs

ByAnnie provided the detailed ...

We have come to the end of our journey.  This is the final stop in the Positivity QAL 2021.

It took many emails, phone calls, scribbles and scrawls, and test blocks.  There were a couple of disappointments but many pleasant surprises. My hope was a dozen new quilts for the Mercyful Hospital. Bernie tells me that we have 19.  So far.

From Janine (Quilts from the Little House)

From Mary (Quilting is in my Blood)

Why does time pass so quickly when you're having fun? We still have one more full day, and then there's no reason to rush home tomorrow, so I should be able to get a lot more done.

I can see the bottom of the laundry basket, but that doesn't mean that I'll get everything finished. And remember that a couple of projects that are "done" while I'm here, are in fact, not done as I didn't have the thread for the applique and so on. But most of the stuff that went into the ...

Another day at Fireside Retreat and another hot day outside. Not so hot that we didn't sit out on the deck for quite a bit yesterday afternoon (in the shade of course) and not so hot that we didn't eat lunch and dinner in the screened-in porch. And not so hot that I didn't take a bike ride in the morning and then a walk in the evening. YES - we're totally crazy, but if you're just sitting around on the deck, the heat and humidity are not so bad.

The other saving grace with the ...

so
Well - yesterday wasn't the most productive day I've had at a retreat, but I'm on vacation - I don't care.

I'm happy to report that my shin splint is feeling much better, so I went for a long walk last night, and it seems to be just fine! That's more important than getting anything done!

However, I did get some work done on the secret project. Ronda helped out a wee bit with that as well. It's cute, and I won't get it entirely finished here, but it'll be close.

We ...

So it was pouring rain yesterday morning. Even the girls did NOT want to go outside. That's very unusual, but it was wet! However once the rain went away and the sun came out, people came out of their houses in droves! The girls and I went for a long walk and at some point, there were so many people to "dodge" on the streets, that everyone was crossing what is normally a fairly busy street at random intervals to keep our social distancing.

It was great to see so many people out - I just hope that people will ...

Even though I'm an early bird, when my alarm went off yesterday at a RIDICULOUS hour, I didn't want to get up. But the thought of falling back asleep and missing that plane soon had me out of bed and out into the beautiful snow and cold temperature.

The airport was quiet which is to be expected at that crazy hour and the flight was about 1/3 full. Which made it easy to get on and off and I had no issue finding space for my carryon suitcase. 

I hope you all realize that while I may ...

Yep - things were going along very smoothly in the technology department. Then yesterday morning when I turned on the PC (OK - so I woke it up - I never seem to turn it off), I got this error message.

Error message

We've all been asked to keep secrets. Sometimes, I think people tell you that something that is supposed to be a secret because they know you won't be able to keep quiet and that's how things slip out. I think for the most part if someone has asked me to keep something a secret, I keep my lips sealed. It's not my business to pass along someone else's news. 

I do think I'm pretty good at keeping secrets. Matter of fact, I bought something last summer and didn't tell a soul. It arrived ...

I was off to my dressmaking class last night. Making samples was on the agenda. I wasn't sure what kind of samples, but I took fabric and tools. I decided to use the sewing machines at the college as I was too lazy to take my own machine. I have to do some shopping - I need to have my fabric for next week and it has to be washed or dry cleaned or whatever treatment is necessary. I've got homework!

Hmm - that might have been a mistake to not take my sewing machine, but it all worked out ...

So did you sign up for the Canadian Quilter's Association Mini Swap??  It's going to be so much fun!! Hey - quilting is our hobby - we'd better be having fun with it or we need to find a new hobby. How many quilts can you make for you or your family?? This is something new and you get to make a new friend. I hope you signed up!!! 

I know that Nine did as she sent me an e-mail. Good morning Nina!!  She also sent me a link to her blog where she sewed the same backpack (well ...

Oh my - what happens when you get two friends together to make a backpack. Actually, we were each making our own backpack. That was good because we couldn't have made the same one!

If you remember, I had quilted my fabric the day before and all went well with that. Ronda arrived and I threw her fabric on the long arm (again with the foam inside) and it quilted up beautifully.

This is the lining side of her yardage. She used a solid white. I quilted it with a dark blue thread. I LOVE, LOVE that texture and I ...

I did work in the office yesterday. I didn't want to, but I had to. I had to at least make a start on this mess. I know from working on the basement that the more I tidy up and the more I throw away, the better I'm going to feel about the entire mess. I also know that the office is going to be hard - this is the dumping ground. That means that ANYTHING that didn't have a home, got dumped here. 

There are two desks, a table, and a buffet. Oh - there's a filing ...