Summer is nearly over, but SoCal doesn't know it. Today's high temp was 111, too hot to collect the mail, too hot for the dogs to do more than their business before hightailing it back inside, too hot for the cats to complain about being confined indoors. I couldn't even muster the energy to step into my sewing room to assess the mess, much less address it. Maybe tomorrow?

SoCal Quilters Run

Tomorrow's the last day of the '09 Quilters Run, but I'm finished. We managed to get to all of the stores in area 4 (12) and all of the stores in area 2 (11+1 highjacker), then I was coerced into stopping at one more store -- Stars & Scraps in Corona -- for a grand total of 25 stores in 10 days. I'm pretty sure I won't be attempting anything like this again. The 'highjacker' store was a new store that posted signs & a young woman at a streetcorner, all to lure Runners into their clutches. I was willing to visit the store, but didn't even take my wallet in, just knowing it wouldn't be worth the effort. Wrong! It was Cranberry Quiltworks, whose booth I'd visited last year at the Loma Linda quilt show. I bought 2 kits there, and they're both finished! What a treat to see the brand-new store, stocked with some great, fresh fabrics and patterns. Definitely worth the detour.

I'm not going to flame any of the lesser stores, but we really enjoyed Flying Geese in Tustin, and The Fabric Patch in Montclair. Favorites in the San Diego area were Cozy Quilt shop in El Cajon and The Crazy 9 Patch in Ramona. Of course, closer to home are the Quilters Coop in Temecula, and my personal local quilt shop, Temecula Quilt Company, both of which are terrific shops.

We had a great time over the 4 days it took to get to all these far-flung places, and I got to see a lot of places I'd never been before.....not to mention my first time driving the Ortega highway. Yikes. I didn't tell my passengers it was my first time until we'd descended in Orange County.

I'm having a hard time deciding which of my purchases is my favorite. I'm tending toward the new June Tailor ruler that has 1/2" slits, with lines to square-up blocks up to 6" -- plenty big enough for most of what I do. Or maybe it's the fabric I bought for a special relative's birthday present. Or, it might be the gift I bought for a friend's birthday. There were some great patterns in my shopping bag, too. Patterns for little quilts, runners, bags & even a couple of big quilts. So much fun, so much laughter, so many miles, so many quilts, so little time. Very satisfying.

My students rock! All 3 had accomplishments to show off today: Linda created the back for her snowball quilt & began cutting for her next project, Diane had put together her wonky 9-patches & started on her borders, & Ramona -- well! She had cut & pieced all her rail fence blocks & had designed a layout she's pleased with. She got about 1/3 of her rows put together before it was time to break up. Well done, ladies!
Next week, Linda says she'll be ready to start sewing, Diane will be ready to choose her back & the fabric for her next quilt, & Ramona will be adding borders to her rail fence. They're just zooming along.
I got a few more tiny hst's trimmed while I watched the girls sew. Not a big accomplishment for me, but I wasn't there for me, so I don't feel too badly.

The really big news is that Sheryl gave me several wonderful small quilts for the Huck Finn Jubilee -- wheeeeee! We're on our way! Thanks so much, Sheryl. These will fly out of our booth, I know.
On the way home, I followed directions from Stacy & Nicolette & found the strawberry stand they had both raved about. The strawberries are grown & harvested from the field that surrounds the stand -- talk about shopping locally! They didn't have any of the oranges the girls had told me about, so I'll have to go back again. Can't wait to sample the berries -- they are so beautiful & smell divine. Gotta love SoCal.

It's time. . . .

I've been away too long, it seems. I'm getting complaints (OK; Pauline complained) that I don't post often enough. Well! There doesn't seem much to tell at the moment. I haven't been all that productive in the past month or so, although I am nearly finished quilting that Cabin in the Woods, & I did actually MITER the corners of a quick 'n easy top that's now ready to be quilted. Guess those do count, huh?



The 2nd applique block has been completed, just in time for tomorrow's 3rd class. That's big: I'm still interested!



Still loving the Jo's Little Women group that meets at Temecula Quilt Co. monthly, & I'm devoted to Stashbusters at Calico monthly, as well.



The big news is that I've started teaching a beginning quilting class at TQC! Starting with 2 students this week, I'm on the road to a new "career" in teaching. So far, so good -- I loved the first class & look forward to round 2 on Monday. There's not much $$ involved -- probably enough to pay for the gas to get there & back -- but it is fun & rewarding, & of course, teaching is a learning experience for all concerned.



After getting blown around in the godawful weather 2 weekends ago at the Bluegrass Festival in Old Town Temecula, a bunch of us are embarking on an exciting & slightly scary new venture: we've been invited to vend at the Huck Finn Jubilee (http://www.huckfinn.com/) in Victorville, CA, over Father's Day weekend this year. As we'll be the only quilty-type vendor, we couldn't pass this up as a way to earn some income for the guild. Time is short, though, so I'm hoping we can get our acts together & produce some great stuff for the booth. If nothing else, we'll have a good time, I think. This is another bluegrass event, apparently very well known, as 15-20K folks are expected to attend. WOW! We'll spend the next couple of months making & soliciting quilts & quilty things to sell. If you're interested in contributing, please contact me here.

It's also time to think about the next Girlfriends Retreat at Patty's in May. I've figured out when to travel, so now I need to decide what I'll work on. Maybe one of the BOMs that are lurking on the shelf? Wouldn't take up much space, & the row-by-row one would certainly occupy me fully. Yikes! I'd forgotten about the group project we decided to do at the last retreat: It's another MH Designs, if I remember correctly -- pp women that we will personalize to resemble ourselves. And we have to make 4 of "ourselves" so that we can swap. Guess I'd better find that & get it done, huh?