Welcome to Wimberly, Texas!

Howdy y'all!

This past weekend, I joined some of my Austin MQG friends on retreat at the Wimberly Quilt Ranch. Tucked into the Texas Hill Country, this place is Quilter's Heaven on Earth...see for yourself!

Texas Star...and the Texas Flag

Cozy Texas Ranch house nestled in a grove of Live Oak trees

Gorgeous view of the Texas Hill Country

Screened in porch

and a gorgeous back yard!

Next time we'll take a tour of the inside!

My Design Process...

Last night I finished my QuiltCon block.  I'm a pattern follower and for me to actually design AND execute a block is very unusual...so unusual I thought it was worth blogging about!

STEP A:  As we all know, the process starts with pencil and paper.

STEP B:  and then I moved on to cutting some fabric diamonds.

STEP C:  I spent some time thinking of how to put it all together...maybe a little white accent strip on the diamonds?  Remembering the last time I cut diamonds, I decided to make some strips...

STEP D:  So far so good...until I realize my mistake and that my colored strips are way too small.

STEP E:  Take a break...drink a beer...have a personal Downton Abbey marathon...

STEP F:  Ditch the diamonds and come up with a Plan "B".

STEP G:  Execute Plan "B".

STEP H:  Realize how different the final version is from the concept and have a good laugh!

Seriously though, I'm very happy with my finished block - in fact, I'm thinking of making a full quilt with this block some day soon. I'm glad that I was able to switch gears in the middle of the process. Perhaps I'm loosening up a bit?  So much for thinking of myself as logical...maybe it's just Aggie Logic?

This weekend is the Summer Austin Modern Quilt Guild Retreat - Whoop!  I wonder how much I can *realistically* get done?  Hopefully more than I did on my last retreat!  My adult beverage contribution this time will be Sangria.  Margaritas were not an option cuz my blender is still in KC!

Y'all take care!!!

Lately...

A finished quilt for Baby Aiden!

A fun pouch project and...

my nice, new (temporary) view!

This week I am looking forward to my first meeting with the Austin Modern Quilt Guild!  I've got a perfect attendance record for AMQG Happy Hour, but haven't made a meeting yet!

Now that I'm settled in a new apartment for the next 8 weeks, I've put my design wall together and maybe...just maybe...there will be some productivity going on down here!

True Confessions...

because I have been a naughty girl!

I fell off the fabric wagon big time...and I figure that I can share some of my transgressions with you.  A virtual fabric-fix if you will.

First stop?  My friend Caitlin at I don't do dishes...I sew instead! Caitlin is just getting started building her fabric business.  I'm always happy to support my friends - I am thrilled with my new Aurifil color card, my Michael Miller Cotton Couture color card AND four 1/2 yard cuts of said Cotton Couture.  Have you ever felt this stuff?  It's so smooth and silky - I can't wait to use it!

Last weekend, I was back with the family in Kansas City but my flight back to Austin was leaving from Des Moines.  Inconvenient?  Absolutely not...especially when it was just a short jaunt off I-35 to visit Missouri Star Quilt Co. in their new digs.  I must be a sucker for Sweetwater Designs because I stocked up on Lucy's Crab Shack - their new collection for summer!  I'll use the charm packs, plaid and blue fabrics for a gender-neutral baby quilt.  The pink?  I just bought it cuz I really liked it!

Back in Texas...there's a cute little shop west of Austin called Valli and Kim.  I bought me some Dear Stella prints, a Kate Spain Central Park print and a few tone on tones that called my name...

Next stop?  remnants:fiber[culture]Remnants fiber Culture, on the north side of town.  This awesome shop is owned by Jessica - one of my new Austin friends.  I definitely see a lot of time spent shopping, sewing, talking and laughing here!

I headed south to check out A Quilter's Folly...since I seem to be on a pink-kick, I picked up this cute print as well as some of this print from Sweetwater's Reunion line.

I've been hearing a lot about a quirky little shop called Stitch Lab.  With a name like that, this shop is sure to appeal to a science-dork like me.  I am happy to report that I was definitely not disappointed! If you're into crewel and bags, you should definitely check out Stitch Lab.  Super fun!  These prints just screamed out at me...they shouted "Hey!  It's time to make another BABY I DO quilt!"  If you haven't tried this pattern, you definitely should.  Clean, modern and quick to pull together, it will surely be one of your favorites too.

If you've ever made a Baby I Do, you know that two solids (or solid-like) fabrics are needed.  I knew exactly which print I wanted and where to get it.  So off I went, back up to the north-side of Austin to Sew Much More.  This shop is an amazing Bernina dealership (well, as amazing as a Bernina shop could be without Jaime David)!  They also stock some nice prints...including this Mini Mikes print in Citron...

So that's it - my fabric shopping urge is well sated. Rather than dwell upon the fact that my route from shop to shop was very inefficient, I choose to think that the whole day helped me solidify my sense of direction and get better acquainted with my new home!

Who knows how long it will be before any of these treasures are made into quilts?  I surely don't - but when they do, I'll be sure to share with y'all!.

Now if you'll excuse me, I am looking at an almost-finished baby quilt that needs a binding.  Pics to come soon!

At Long Last...

The title of this post might refer to how long it's been since my last post...or that I have AT LONG LAST a WINNER of the BLEACHERS pattern!  Designed by Angela Walters and published by Empty Bobbin Studios, the lucky winner is #34 - Jody!  Jody - look for an e-mail from me and I'll get the pattern sent out to you by the weekend!

So...it's been a month since my last post.  What a wild and wacky month it has been.  First of all, QUILT MARKET was in Kansas City and I was lucky enough to be a part of the fun.  I was able to meet Weeks Ringle of Modern Quilt Studio.  Weeks and her husband Bill Kerr provided me with my introduction to Modern Quilting.  What a thrill!

Also during Market, the KC and the St. Louis MQGs hosted a Modern Meet Up.  The event was amazing...beyond all of our expectations.  Everyone was there...and I mean EVERYONE!  It was wildly successful.  What an experience!

As exciting as Quilt Market was, it still is not the "big thing" going on in my life right now.  In early May, I started a new job and have moved to Austin, Texas.  The rest of my family will join me once our house in Kansas is sold *fingers crossed that it will be soon*.  I'm already very well settled into work and have already had some AMAZING travel opportunities!

I hitched a ride on this bad boy, non-stop from Dallas to London Heathrow.  Needless to say, the weather in London was quite a bit different than in Texas!

Buckingham Palace

I arrived at 9 a.m. on Monday morning and spent the day exploring wet, cold and windy London with a colleague. We saw the Palace, Picadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square and the National Portrait Gallery and then it was time to head back to our hotel near Heathrow...where we were trapped in conference rooms for the next 2 days!

The Texas Embassy - a restaurant and grill

After London, it was off to Lyon, France.  Lyon is known as the gastronomy capitol of France...which is saying a lot!  After a couple of long days at work, we were very happy to head out and eat some fabulous food.  The first night I had a lovely salad of haricots verts, asparagus, artichoke hearts, baby greens and foie gras...with an entree of tartare de boeuf.  Yes...I ate raw beef and it was delicious!

It was a very productive trip and the best thing was that it was a tremendous opportunity for me to get to know some of my colleagues - to start establishing those work relationships that are so important in a productive work environment.  Tomorrow I head off again - but fortunately I won't be leaving my own time zone...and the best part is that when my meetings are done on Thursday, I'll be able to head down to Kansas and spend a long weekend with my family and my friends.  By some wonderful happenstance, the KC MQG Sewing Sunday *just* happens to be this weekend! :-)

So...I'd better get packing!  This will be the first business trip in which a couple of WIPs will make their way into my luggage!

Y'all take care!

Hello Sasha! Are you out there?

Comment #15 was selected as the winner of the Bleachers Pattern Giveaway.

The comment belonged to Sasha, a 'no reply' blogger.  Sasha, if you're out there, this is your last chance!

Send me an e-mail with your contact information so that I can send you the nifty pattern that you won!

If I don't hear from you in a few days, I'll draw a number to pick a new winner.

I've got to run right now, but I'll catch up later - promise!

And the winner is...

Well...before we get to the business at hand, I think I'll catch you up on some big goings on in my life, just in case you don't already know. I've moved to Austin, Texas! Today was the start of my second week on the job at Life Technologies. So far, so good! I am living in a one bedroom apartment until my house in KC is sold and a new home in Austin is purchased.

My family was down for some house-hunting and exploring this weekend. Everyone is VERY excited about the move. Of course, as we were driving through various areas, my eyes were searching for quilt and fabric shops. I saw 3, but unfortunately it will be a little while before I can check them out. For Mother's Day we dined at The Salt Lick - a BBQ joint out in the country that was the site of a serious Top Chef challenge.  It was awesome.

Enough about that...let's get down to business!

Up for grabs is a copy of BLEACHERS - a fabulous new Angela Waters design for Empty Bobbin sewing studio.

There were a total of 42 comments, so I'll resort to the Random Number Generator to do the honors.

Drumroll please.......

#15 - Sasha!  Congratulations!  Please send me an e-mail (you're a no-reply blogger) with your mailing address and I'll get the pattern sent to you soon!

Thanks for playing along with me - and thanks to all of you who clicked on over after visiting with Shea or Tammy!