fun on steroids

at least that is how it seemed to me...friday started out a bit cloudy but soon gave way to bright sunshine ending with a huge orange ball at dusk....only one thing could have made it more perfect, revealed later...

two quilts shows in our proximity--AQS and Mancuso--and was fortunate to tag along to the Mancuso show about 3 hours from here.  lunch and all necessaries packed and rollator too for walking around.  it was heaven to be amongst the faithful and soo sooo many beautiful quilts plus tantalizing and tempting vendors.  some of the many i found quite appealing

pickle dish is on my someday list....and next?

could not resist this homage to kaffe fassett...next?

the lancaster diamond done in brights....have to say i have been mulling this one over in my mind...kaffe fabrics maybe?  and from the hoffman challenge collection....

the fabrics chosen were all beautiful blues so naturally a lot of ocean/sea types but the bag was a unique idea i thought...and then the mermaid was just so spectacular...

will save the rest for another post....so what did i buy?  not very much...i had a short list and found all except one thing--many vendors had the chalk marking pencil but nobody had any refill leads...i was hoping to avoid pricey shipping but now will have to i guess...these came home with me..

the red and green stripes from one vendor...i'm into christmas mode a bit and always nice to have some pretty stripes to use....the other 2 were from a shop we visited after the show and will be used right away for planned projects...and i simply MUST give a huge shout out to AURIFIL...i found the hand quilting thread for my whole cloth wall quilt...

superior had a lovely booth and lots of nice thread but nothing for hand quilters...the photo shows the color much lighter than actual....the thread is called 'mulberry' and i was ecstatic to find it and sad to see not much traffic at the booth.  thank you AURIFIL!  you support hand quilters with your high quality threads...i am a forever customer...

such a perfect day--weather, awesome traveling companions and driver, comfy ride, scenic vistas, a smashing dinner at the last, plenty of bathroom stops.  it was a blissful mini-vacay from concerns and so badly needed by me, not to mention the always needed exercise.  and the one thing lacking to make it perfect?  winning a new bernina to bring home....LOL!

thursday chat

it is ANOTHER gorgeous day here in maryland...all week can you believe?  i can't...but it sure is energizing and i have taken full advantage of its boost.  this was on my september list...

i'm calling it 'detour to oz' and it uses up those few row-by-row license plates i had on hand...just have to cut/sew 5 more units for the very top row, then sew together, baste and quilt...sewed those drunkard's path units on machine and they came out really nice...

as mentioned, the senior center gals are knee deep into christmas sewing...someone is making patchwork tree quilts and remembered some shiny fabric i found in the drawer organization...made a couple of star blocks for her...this is the 2nd...the shiny fabric really gives the quilt a boost.

and though i rarely go anywhere these days, my take-along project is the 'alaska' wall quilt...blocks being hand pieced and it's slow progress but did get another block done.

another found project, and i hope there aren't too many more lurking in the depths...this is an official UFO...some african wax resist fabrics bought during the pandemic....

tried sewing circles but not happy with result, so invested in some karen kay buckley bigger circles and that's where it stands...leg surgery and moving intervened.  the fabrics are so pretty.  would like to have done for maine show next year.  

quilting the 'tuscan starburst' is nearly finished, then bind and cross off list.  then it's the blue bathroom piece and then those wild solid bow ties....

yesterday laundry and today vacuumed and washed all floors...veggie cooking always on the list...tomorrow is a day trip day and so looking forward to some fun.  beyond desperate for some of that and a change of scenery.  fingers crossed no blips....have a blessed day!