Half way through January already!

I don’t seem able to keep up at the moment… According to the computer it is Tuesday today. It’s been snowing so I stayed in all day. Steve is on his way home from Dallas so it doesn’t really matter what day it is… other than I am going away on Thursday so I know I need to get things done. It’s like High School all over again. If I’m not actually ten minutes away from the deadline what’s the rush? I’m going to be doing my homework on the plane. I can feel it in my bones (whatever that’s supposed to feel like?)

I guess I have achieved a few things this month…

I made some samples for Pieceful Heart Fabrics. Here is Soho, a table runner from Busy Bee Quilt Designs, made using some rather lovely William Morris prints.

And this is Yellow Warbler from Bigfork Bay Cotton Company. My machine decided it didn’t like monofilament thread so I had to keep changing color for the outlining. 
I visited the Village Quilters in Wheaton on Safari with African Folklore Embroidery. I had lots of new pictures to show them. My lizard is rather lovely, complete with bullion stitches on his back and silk ribbon french knot flowers…

The next day brought the Riverwalk Quilters annual party…

We unveiled our just finished raffle quilt…

Wow!

… and had lots of jumble available for purchase. You know what they say about one man’s trash being another man’s treasure? It certainly seemed true on this occasion. We made over $800 for guild programs.

We also had a raffle for an antique quilt and a basket of pajama party related “stuff”. I was delighted to win the quilt, a double wedding ring lovingly restored by Loraine and Darlene.

Here it is on the bed in the yellow room…It looks ready for company!

Then Saturday I had a full class for Machine Quilting 1 at Pieceful Heart.  Sunday, it was time to explore with those African Folklore Embroideries. We had fun stitching, drinking tea and sharing stories…

My Ndebele Dolls came along too!!And that brings me to yesterday…

After a quick trip to get another spool of the Mettler thread I was using for the border quilting, I finished Imperial Blooms!! I haven’t put a hanging sleeve on it yet so maybe the dining room table isn’t the best place for a picture but you can get the idea.And a close up of the border quilting…
I tried to remember Sue Nickels’ wise words at guild in December about slowing down and enjoying the journey. I have never spent so much time on one quilt.

I will be including it in my luggage on my trip. Sitting here, looking at the snow outside, makes Southern California seem like an even better idea…

I am so looking forward to visiting the Road to California show including two days of classes with Sue Spargo. I have lots of questions to get answered before I start the next  Block of the Month quilt… I will also be premiering my new lecture, Language of Flowers,  at the Inland Empire Quilters Guild (remember what I said about leaving homework for the plane?…)  and then going on a road trip with Sheila… and not needing boots and a winter coat!!

It will be February the day after I get back…