Virginia

Sorry to be so quiet. Last week was a frantic rush to get some things finished before the trip to the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival this weekend. The main push was to finish The Sailor Son's birthday present so we could take it with us. It was another stressful learning experience in machine quilting but the end result was worth it! He seemed pleased which was the main point!

Thursday I finished the Gift. Thursday evening was Guild meeting and I took it for show and tell. Friday was an all-day Guild workshop. Then I took the dog to be boarded, then packed for the weekend. Friday evening we went to the Neil Sedaka concert in Raleigh and then at 11 pm we finally left for Virginia! We arrived at 2 am. So needless to say, I was still exhausted on Saturday morning! But I spent all day....9:30 am to 6 pm at the quilt show. By about 5 pm I was ready to drop. But it was great. :-) I took a photo of my wrist band to prove I was there! LOL


We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn in Newport News. I got a kick out of the decor. The chair and even the bathroom wallpaper looked like someone had quilting in mind. It was accidental I'm sure.

So here is my loot. It doesn't look like so much spread out on the bed but boy was it heavy to carry!

Let me see....there is a jacket pattern and 8 half-yards to go with it, a Christmas quilt kit, a set of Peanuts fat quarters, some bits for my Featherweight, Salt Water Taffy table runner kit, the Wave Edge ruler, machine quilting gloves, a book, a cute wall hanging kit, 2 watercolor kits, a couple of panels, pins and other bits and pieces.

I couldn't resist Rosie the Quilter.

Or this panel of phrases to put on pillowcases for The Tramp!
I also wanted The Quilter's Catalog, by Meg Cox. Meg was the speaker at our guild meeting on Thursday but I wasn't quick enough to get one of her books. So I ordered it from one of the book vendors and she will have it signed at the quilt show next week in New Jersey and send it too me. How nice! I can't wait for it to come.

Today we spent the day with The Sailor Son and his family. Primo grandmother time! We had a leisurely lunch at the Fridays in Virginia Beach then strolled through the mall across the street. Silly as it sounds I got a real kick out of pushing the stroller around the mall. I haven't done that for so many years!

I presented the birthday gift to Sailor Son. It seemed to be well received. Nice of them to have just bought a set of red couches that will match it perfectly. *hee hee*
I was proud of myself for using mostly stash. I only had to buy the background fabric and the red for the star. I even had the Navy fabric that I used for backing.
Mom had the variegated thread and I went to town with it. Most of the quilting is ok but a close look would show how wonky it is! :-) The pattern is called "Homeport", by Marcie Patch of Patchalot Patterns. Thank you Marcie! (check out her report of the quilt show)

Then when we arrived home there was a gift waiting for us from Eldest Daughter. Yes she did! She mailed us real bagels from New Jersey. Woooohoooo!

And last but not least are the obligatory dog photos (since I don't have a cat to sit on my quilts :-) ). I was madly sewing away one evening last week and suddenly thunk! She stretched out with her head on the presser foot. Thank goodness she didn't start the machine! She'd moved her head to rest on my foot by the time I got up to take photos.

The trials and tribulations of having a long dog!
She always watches us pretty closely but this is a bit much! LOL
The funny thing is I managed to get up and down several times to trim and press didn't once step on her nose.