Pigeon Forge

Well, I went to my first ever quilt show. I had a great time, but was actually a little disappointed. I had built it up so big in my mind that it was way smaller than I thought it would be.  I hope to go to the next one in Atlanta when it comes around.

 I spent a lot of time trying the mid-arm quilters which was really my mission in going. I loved the Gammill Charm, but it would be over $9,000 in the end. I just can't justify that. I also like the Handi Quilter Sweet Sixteen which would be about $6,000. I was also disappointed in the "deals" offered. They weren't really deals, in my opinion. If anyone has any advice in this area, I'd love to hear it. I'm really thinking about the Handi Quilter. Wish I could find a used one.

There were some beautiful quilts!

I have thought about buying this pattern from Crab Apple Hill.  There were 3 or 4 of them at the show.

I think I'm going to look for this fabric to make a quick quilt for the baseball mom in my family.

This lady was giving a cool demonstration on paper piecing and I wish I would have had time to watch it.  BUT.... I had a husband browsing in tool shops and a dog in the car.  We were on our way to see our kids in NC.

But here was the big surprise!!! I was looking at fabric and looked up, and she was at the next booth just visiting! What cool surprise for me.  I talked her ear off about all the pattern of hers I'd done.  I think I bored her to tears!!!

OMG!!! Look who I met yesterday!!!!

Design wall Monday

So things around here are chugging along. Still waiting to have one more test before some surgery. Not looking forward to that.

 I am still working on 1) 9 patches for Hocuspocusville 2) Hexies for Hex on the Beach. I'm almost finished with row 2

 But here is the big purchase!!! I bought 2 panels for my two precious girls who know all the words to all the songs for Frozen!  Wish I could share the videos of them singing and dancing and being Elsa and Anna!  They make my day.  Hope they get here soon.  I need one finished for sure for a May birthday.

Painful sewing!

I hope today goes better than yesterday.  I swear, I had trouble making a 9 patch!!! OMG.  I'm losing it!!!

February could have been a better month!

I haven't done much quilting as such, but have been doing a lot of handwork. It has been very comforting for me. I've had some bad tests results lately and will have to have surgery very soon, and then some radiation, I think. That is the plan right now. Everything seems to change in a heartbeat, so I'm no quite sure. More tests and doctors this week!  But sitting and stitching has been a calming influence since the first of the year.

 I have started my Tula Pink Hex on the Beach now, and it's killing me. I've done hexies before, but these seem a little short on fabric! Someone I read even did them with glue stick since it was so short. I've never gone right through the hex before, but I don't guess it will matter in the long run. I'm just getting started, and I hope it gets faster cause I'm working slow right now!!  I do love the fabric.

Just a few more to do!!

I finished all 12 of my Hocuspocusville blocks during January and February.  I enjoyed them so much.  I've even thought about doing another one! How is that for punishment!!

Only one cut down to size so far.

I changed the names on the buildings to grandkid or family names.  This was Spooky Lou's but it's now Spooky Joe's!  That was an easy change!!

My granddaughter, Grace, thought this should be Onnie's Stitches instead of a child.  I'm Onnie to the kids.  A grandson tried to say Nana and it came out Onnie, and it stuck.

Here's Ruby's candy shop.  She will be so happy!

Grace has a beauty salon and Georgia has an apothecary.  That is all I could work in.  I used the girls and the youngest boy.  Hope nobody gets their feelings hurt.

So I am trying to decide what to work on for now.  I think I will try to get Hocus Pocusville top done as soon as I can.  I was thinking about hand quilting it, but I'll have to see.  I think it's 60x60 so that's a lot of hand quilting!

I'll appreciate all the positive vibes I can get!  The next few months will not be fun.  But I will be sewing when I can!