Thursday, March 16, 2017

Mystery Blog Hop From Farmhouse Threads and the Other 11 of Us. 2017 Patriotic Theme!!!!

It's that time of year again. Ok, so we bounce around the calendar a bit. But there is a reason this time. Since it's a Patriotic theme, Rhonda thought that maybe, you would like to have the quilt done by 4th of July. So that is why we are getting a jump of the Blog Hop this year.
I'm week #2. I thought I was being smart, getting it done a bit early so I have more time to get ready for Spring Market. I'm kinda known for not looking at the calendar too close sometimes. If I had, I would be later down the batting order, since I'm going to be up here in Washington when the blog is released. Doesn't really matter as far as downloading the pattern, they have internet here in the Great Northwest.
The kits are all done. We did those before I left on my trek north. Please be nice, my husband of 31 years, will be home navigating the computer and printing out shipping labels. Computers in NOT his first language, :) But he is much better than even a year ago.

Rhonda told me awhile ago what the theme would be. So I my head my design looked like this.

Orignial Layout

Then Rhonda says,"Oh by the way, I'm setting the Blocks on Point."

So back to the drawing board.

There's more than one way to get 2 crows, a flag and USA on a quilt Block.

Crows On Point

So with a bit of maneuvering, the job got done. I hope you enjoy it.

We have Block kits along with thread Kits as well.
The Block kit contains all the Diamond Textile fabric and wool used to make my block. $11.95
The Valdani Wool Floss kit is $12.00 You get all four colors. Wool floss is regular priced @$3.75, I'm saving you a bit to give the new floss a try. I love it. But you must remember not to yank on it like you can Pearl Cotton, just pull and let the wool sink into the wool.
Click to Purchase the 2 Crows & A Flag block

I hope you have fun with the Rest of the Designers over the next 10 weeks. If you don't have the list here you go.

Join Us For
Farmhouse Threads and Friends
Summer Mystery Quilt Blog Hop
It’s time for another Blog Hop!!!
For 13 weeks beginning March 10th, we will share with you free patterns from some of our favorite designers to complete a Summer Mystery Quilt. Each week, one designer will post the pattern to make a patriotic themed quilt block using wool applique on cotton fabric. The patterns are free for you to download and print. Check the schedule below—each pattern will be available at the website or blog provided on the date scheduled (not before). Some of the designers have a place on their website or blog where you can sign up to receive their emails.
All of the designers will offer kits for sale on their website and there will also be a finishing kit for sale at the end of the hop.
Please share our Blog Hop with your friends so they can follow along too!!!

MARCH 10 - Rhonda McCray, Farmhouse Threads farmhousethreads.com
MARCH 17 - Shawn York, Rusty Crow Quilt Shop shawn-rustycrow.blogspot.com
MARCH 24 - Lisa Bongean, Primitive Gatherings lisabongean.com
MARCH 31 - Jeni Gaston, Woolen Willow Designs jenifromthewillow.blogspot.com
APRIL 7TH - Debbie Busby, Wooden Spool Designs woodenspooldesigns.blogspot.com
APRIL 14 - Joyce Weeks, Geoffs Mom Pattern Co. geoffsmom.blogspot.com
APRIL 21 - Kathy Campbell, Heart to Hand hearttohand.com
APRIL 28 - Linda and Donna, My Red Door Designs myreddoordesignsblog.blogspot.com
MAY 5 - Joan Grenke, Bits and Pieces by Joan bitsandpiecesbyjoan.com
MAY 12 - Gloria, Vicky and Heather, Old Green Cupboard Designs oldegreencupboard.blogspot.com
MAY 19 - Laural Arestad , Simply Put http://simplyputplus.blogspot.com
MAY 26 - Kathi and Taylor, The Cottage at Cardiff Farms thecottageatcardifffarms.com/blog
JUNE 2 - FINISHING Farmhouse Threads farmhousethreads.com

Monday, March 13, 2017

I had a week in between Quilt Shows Up in Washington State.

Having a week between shows is not always a luxury I have. Last year, when I was looking at the shows in the Western Washington area I found the Monroe, WA show. It was 2 weeks after the Sewing Expo 2017 Puyallup. So I'm forced to slow down, especially since I'm at friend's house in Olympia and don't have the usual list of chores that I always do when I get home from a show.

Sleeping in, Check. Watching a lot of rain, Check. Spending lots of great time with my friends, check, check. I even took a drive into the little town of Tenino, WA that my parents and family lived it. I didn't spend much time there, Junior College and working all the time kept me very busy, then I went to WSU over in Pullman, WA and they moved back to Southern CA my Junior year.

Tenino, WA is pretty much how I remember it. I actually had to call my younger sister to ask her where buildings were. The horse Ranch T9O is gone. I used to work there. Now it sells Alpacas, not quite the beautiful horses that I got to work with every summer.

T9O Ranch, minus the Arched sign or the Horses, sad.

My sister, Monday's school. I never went there.

I was fun walking around. It was very wet as I walked around the town. Little shops, lots of empty spaces as well.

I think the old adage, you can never go home again is probably true. You aren't the same person you were then. Time, experience, life and the people that have come into and out of our lives forms us into a different shape that doesn't fit into that time from before. I know that I'm better for it. I know that I can find happiness in many places.
I leave here on Wednesday to go pick up my sister, Monday at the SeaTac Airport. We are setting up the next show. I hope we see some of you there.

Quilters Anonymous 36th Annual Quilt Show

"All Quilts Wild and Wonderful"

March 17-19, 2017

Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe, WA

Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Sewing & Stitchery Expo, Puyallup, WA

I gotta say, I love coming up to Washington for this quilt show. I have very dear friends who live in Olympia, WA and I get to bunk with them and catch up with our lives.

The show is not a typical quilt show, actually there are no quilts hanging at all, except in the booths of the vendors.

There are garment makers, yarn and thread vendors, lots of things I don't always see at a regular quilt show.

They also have the Fisher Scones. Those alone are worth the drive to the Northwest.
They are baked every morning, warm and yummy and filled with butter and Raspberry Jam

Breakfast

Lunch

I saw lots of old friends and made some new ones. Like most vendors, we spend a lot of time and money getting our booths loaded with treasures for everyone to enjoy.

The Sewing Expo this year was the worst case of shoplifting that I have ever experienced as a vendor. Almost every vendor I know lost something. The first day, my husband, Mike watched a lady look around and take 2 Half yard packages of fabric. She was 2 booths away when, he stepped in front of her and pulled our fabric from her hands. Wide-eyed, she start babbling about, "I'll pay double, I'll pay double" He told her just to stay out of our booth. I was shocked, I know it happens but I want to believe the best in people.

By day 2, one booth had lost 3 quilts and a small table topper, another had lost a sample bag that was zip-tied to her grid, a roll of batting, 2 scarfs and who knows what else were all stolen from various vendors.

Then Karma came to town. We may not have gotten all of them, but they did catch two of them. It was a Mother-Daughter team on scooters. The mother dumped a drink on a table in a booth to cause a distraction and the daughter went to work filling up with goodies. The cops came and arrested them. The next day, they brought the stolen goods back to find out the retail value and return them to their owners.

Here is what thieves look like.

Ma Thief is in Purple and Daughter Thief is in Red

They don't look too happy do they? Well, that's ok, because neither were we when you steal from us.

Right in the Center is one of my Pink Cell Phone Purses they had stolen.

Look at all that loot!!! Do they realize how much time and money goes into creating those quilts?

Happy Vendors getting their stuff back

The Police taking reports.

I heard that there was enough recovered, that the Scooter Bandits were being charged with Grand Larceny. The last day of the show, there was visible Security walking around the show. Too late for many, but still nice to see. I hope next year, the Security will be there front and center. I guess, just because you have gray hair doesn't make you honest. A young thief will grow into an old thief.

If you are ever at a show, and see something. Say something.

Moving on......Yahoo the 3rd Annual Blog Hop is about to start. Rhonda from Farmhouse Threads kicks off the blog hop next week. I can't tell you the theme, but I know you will love it.