heading towards the finish

I spent some quality time with my sewing machine last night after driving to Bridge Creek Cottage in Augusta, WI, with Debbie.  We are all set up and ready to greet the Bear Patch Machine Embroidery Retreat attendees today.  I was happy to finish up the stitching on this wallhanging for Dan--

His Highness by Pine Needles

I had started working on it in January and now, except for the binding which is sitting at home, it is all stitched up.  This was a design done with a fusible web on the back of the fabrics, ironed into place according to the pattern diagram.  Then all of the edges need to be stitched down, and that was what I did last night.  The picture  below gives you and idea--

Before too much longer it will be on its way to Montana!

Then I pulled another oldie out of the box.  It was something I sewed together awhile ago, and now I finally have the quilting done.  I kept it simple, just outlining the stars and then sewing between all the strips that frame it up.  Done except for binding, which probably is at home, too!  These were all fabrics from my own shelves, so I can always find something compatible for that binding.  I had been hoarding that star print for the center of this for quite awhile!  I'm pretty sure this pattern was part of the Jo's Little Women Club that was hosted at the store a few years ago.

I will be posting more things about the retreat over on the Bear Patch blog, so make sure you check up on us there!  I think Jeanne has plenty of fun planned for our guests!

road trip

Last weekend Bob and I enjoyed a little excursion just for a get-away-from-home-for-a-couple-days trip.  Bob is very amenable to chauffeuring and I am good with a map, so we hit the road Friday morning in search of whatever we wanted!  To me, that meant some quilt shops that I had never before visited.  Yes, such a thing does exist even in my own backyard!  Working at Bear Patch gives me very little need to shop for fabric, etc., anywhere else, but sometimes it is fun to see what else is out there.

First stop, Fourth and Main Fabrics in Cannon Falls, MN.

I had been to a different quilt shop in Cannon Falls a few years back, but that one had closed.  This new one is definitely a keeper!  I found some fabric and patterns that needed to come home with me, all in the name of research and development!

From there we took the scenic route over through Red Wing, and reminisced about our bicycling trips there.  I may have never mentioned this here before, but at one time in our lives we did a fair amount of bicycling, and there is a really good trail that runs between Red Wing and Cannon Falls.  But even more fun to remember is our journeys to Chicago for the AIDS Ride, which involved a stop in Red Wing and following the highway along the Mississippi River south of there.  But I digress!

Next stop, Olive Juice Quilts in Onalaska, WI.  This is just over the border by La Crosse.   Pretty easy to get to, and well worth the effort.  This shop shares a common bond with Bear Patch.  Better Homes and Gardens publishes the Quilt Sampler, special issues featuring 10 top quilt shops in the country.  In 2001 Bear Patch was featured.  In the Fall 2012 issue Olive Juice Quilts is featured.  This is an inspiring shop and, again, some bits and pieces had to come home with me!  They have a huge open classroom area that I would love to have at Bear Patch for special events and classes.

Pretty autumn arrangement outside the door.

The following day we visited Pine Needles Sewing Center in Rochester, MN and The Calico Hutch in Hayward, MN.  We were running a little low on time by the time we got to the Calico Hutch, so I had to make it quick there.  Both these shops look like great resources for many creative women.  So many ideas, so little time!

Checkout counter and rows of fabric at Pine Needles.

This modest looking entrance might be a little deceiving.  There is a boatload of inspiration inside!

As a collector of fabrics, I seek out the things that I don't find elsewhere and appeal to me.  These fabrics were destined for my sewing room...

Great bikes and coordinates.

I kind of have a thing lately for letters, numbers, text, etc.

I didn't have any chair fabric so this one was a must-have!

cute quilting theme

I don't find Echino fabric very often, and I got these because they coordinate with the ones below that were already in the collection.  

These came from California on previous hunt and gather trips.

So that wraps up the quilt shop portion of the getaway.  More fun followed but that will have to be the next post!