A Quilty Weekend Away

Last weekend was my annual visit to MAQ. The letters stand for Mid-Appalachian Quilters. It's a guild whose sole purpose is to meet once a year for a weekend seminar/retreat. This year over 300 people attended and over 50 classes were offered by local teachers. We stay at Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg, MD. I took advantage of two classes and spent one day in studio working on my own projects.

First up on Friday was a class on making T-shirt quilts. It was called "A Scrapbook You Can Sleep Under" and it was taught by Lauren Kingsland who just happend to be a member of my quilt guild. I learned great techniques for stabilizing the stretchy knit fabric. I also liked how we used all the little bits of the T-shirts including pockets. Lauren helped me pick the sashing which is just perfect....kind of a watery, wave look to it. Now I need to add a border and get it quilted for DH.

On Saturday I hung out at studio finishing up the T-shirt quilt top and then working on some sashings around sampler blocks. The sampler blocks are from an exchange I had with my mini-group and they've been hanging around in a bag waiting for me to "do something" with them. There are about 12 more to add sashings to. Then I need to see what kind of setting will work. My goal is to have this done for our guild quilt show in April 2009. I'm one of the last of the group to get this project finished.

Ahhhhh......Sunday, a day of rest. I took a half-day class learning the techniques of redwork. I could seriously get into these portable little projects. I must be very loyal because once again, my instructor was one of our guild members. After class, it was time for lunch and the drive home. Fortunately, I'm only about an hour away. Now I reflect back on memories of a great weekend with good friends.

When last I blogged we had sold the townhouse in Valencia, CA. Closing is scheduled for next week on Tuesday. Along the way there have been a few glitches but everything has been solved so far. Just waiting for the check in the bank. In anticipation of a little money in the account, we're looking over brochures for trips to Spain and Portugal. We're ready for our first post-retirement trip to somewhere wonderful.

Scraps and Snippets of Life

The first step in the journey to CA has begun. We have sold our townhouse in Valencia, CA. If all goes well, it will close on July 23rd and we'll have some money in the bank. Timing wise, we're not quite ready to buy in Alameda so our actual selling of the MD townhouse and the move to CA might not be until next spring. Of course, the big hurdle is dealing with the accumulated stuff. It is so easy to procrastinate.

I'm back in to listing on eBay but it is slow. I've sold a few books. Recently I started cleaning out a closet and came across oldest DSs old bookshelf strategy games. They are now for sale on eBay and I've actually got a bid. Who knew? I guess some people are still in to board games. Hmmmm....I wonder if anyone wants some jigsaw puzzles?

Just for the fun of it, I started making a string quilt. I'm not sure why since I have many other unfinished projects. It started when I began cleaning out a fabric drawer to put aside fabric for my quilt guild's charity quilts. The scraps were just too enticing so before you know it, I was sewing a quilt top. And it is just that.....a top, not yet a quilt. But I'm auditioning borders for it and I really like it so it has the potential of actually becoming a quilt.

And my last little project......a small 10"X12" quilt from a pattern I found on-line (though I know not where). I just loved the turtles, especially the one going off the edge. I also loved that it was small and doable in a day. I even got to practice some thread art.