This month we are doing blocks for Debbie, who requested that we make blocks from the Moda Be My Neighbor quilt, from 2016. I found all the free, downloadable blocks on Sew Let’s Quilt It website, and enjoyed figuring this out. My advice: lay out all the pieces as you cut it out, so you don’t get confused with what goes where.
I was the designated mailer for two other Gridster members who are close by, and was able to pose the blocks together. A lot of the blocks are showing up on Debbie’s Instagram feed, so head over there to get some quilty eye candy (and not only the Gridster blocks!).
One fun thing I did in Utah last month was to take a tour of the Hand-Quilter factory. It’s an impromptu tour — you just show up — but it was interesting to see how things are put together. I wanted to take a picture of the table that shows them “testing” out/breaking in the machines, but they asked me to wait to get this one, from above:
They also had a series of quilts, with lots of interesting texture and of course…free-motion quilting! Click on the circles for a close-up.
Continuing with the “What I Did On My Summer Vacation,” we left Handi-Quilter and had a Kneaders’ Seafood Sandwich, which unfortunately, I can’t get near me.
I arrived home a day or two early from that trip, in time to hit the 7th Annual Good Heart Quilters Retreat, organized and hosted by the amazing Lisa J. who helped found our group nearly twenty years ago. It was a day of fun and very cool cookies (thank you, Simone!).
I wish I’d taken a photo of me on that bench, but it’s unfortunately placed, behind the traffic light pole. Still. It could have been cool.
Even though it is a couple of weeks away, I can’t end this without reminding you to set your alarms on your phones to watch the eclipse, coming up on August 21st. Vox prepared this nifty celestial calculator that shows you what you’ll see in your part of the U.S. and what time it will show up.
Congratulations to Sandy A., who won the latest book giveaway.
I’ve sent her an email and will get the book sent off shortly.
Only two books left:
Since summer feels like it’s fast coming to a close, I’m doing both of them this week. At the end of this post, leave a comment to win either Kathy Doughty’s Mixing Quilt Elements, or Kim Diehl’s Simple Christmas Tidings. Both are exemplar books by women at the top of the quilting world. Thank you to all who entered these past few weeks!
OccasionalPiece--Quilt! 
these Birdhouse are just too cute
I’m close to the path of totality, and as an act of love for a visiting family friend I’ll be driving to witness the eclipse. Wish me luck (and a boatload of patience…I’m such a tired homebody, I’m definitely going to need it).
And thanks for one more giveaway! Can you believe summer is winding down? Although if you’ve ventured into Michael’s, you’d be more likely to think that Christmas is drawing near.
Since Christmas Tidings is the only Kim Diehl book I don’t have, I guess I better comment for a chance to win it–lol! I wish I could swing a trip to Lincoln for the eclipse–there will be a special quilt exhibit to commemorate it at the museum that I’d love to see.
Driving to St. Louis with my daughter to be near eclipse
Lucky you…a tour of the factory looks like so much fun.
Love it! The HandiQuilter tour must have been great Do you have one? I love the cookies, as you know. I’m hoping to find someone who could make some for our retreat. My daughter could easily as she does lovely cookies but we won’t be near her at that time. Hopefully DIL will know of a bakery where they will make them for me. It would be fun to surprise the gals!
Your bird blocks are darling. They look so good together!
Looking forward to seeing about a 50% view of the eclipse, according to an astronomist (is that a word?) who was through here last week. He even had a telescope mounted on his bike! Left us all with eclipse-safe glasses.
Great Gridster blocks. I am in the path of totality for the eclipse and am happy to not be traveling for it. We have friends coming in from Northern Ireland so hope we have a clear day. Thanks for another book give-away. I think “Mixing Quilt Elements” looks very interesting.
How wonderful to take a tour of the HQ factory! I teach classes on their machines and LOVE them! I also teach Kim Diehl’s Whatnot club but don’t have her Christmas book yet. Nice giveaway!
I’m heading to my Mom’s in Jackson Hole, WY next week and will be there for the eclipse. It’s in the main path and the small town is expecting 200K extra people over and above the usual Grand Teton and Yellowstone NPs crowds. The reason I picked this time to go is so that I could enjoy the Star Valley Quit Trail (https://starvalleyquilttrail.com/) which is happening the weekend before the eclipse. 🙂
Thanks for having a book giveaway. Can never have enough books on quilting. They stir the imagination!
The Gridsters look like they are having fun!
I’ll take a chance at Kim Diehl’s book.
No thank on the books you’re giving away, but lovely bits and bobs on your post. So interesting to see the HandiQuilter manufacturing facility. Now I’m wishing I’d taken the time to go through the longarm facilities that are in Iowa. And again you’re making me wish I had a HandiQuilter of my own. The quilting samples are beautiful! Thanks for the great info about the eclipse. Here I thought I’d miss out, being in Florida, but turns out I’ll be only 27 miles from the full eclipse path as I will be in Rock Hill, South Carolina on that Monday, teaching an all day free motion quilting workshop to York County Quilters! I think I’ll get the glasses to step outside at 2:41 pm and view it at 99.1 percent! Can’t get a whole lot better than that. Though of course that is if the weather cooperates and there are no clouds! Wouldn’t that disappoint lots of people?!
Your Gridster Bee block looks so cute as do the others you are mailing off.
I’ll bet the Handi Quilter tour was fascinating. The quilting examples are amazing, but you are doing such a great job on yours too. Bet it feels good to be able to use your machine again post op.
Our kids are going to be traveling at the time of the eclipse and were unable to find any open hotel rooms within miles due to the eclipse popularity. I heard they were expecting record crowds in all of the small towns with a good view of it.
I hope to head to my parent’s home in TN to get to see the full eclipse. My husband and I have tickets, we’ll just have to see how he’s feeling. The bee blocks look great together and I’m enjoying living vicariously through your fun summer. Thanks for sharing!
Your Gridster blocks are super TWEET! I can see why you layer them out as you went:). Great job!!!
The house/building blocks are too fun. I love the little bird on the roof of yours! Yes, definitely cool cookies. Thanks for offering the books. Kim’s book if I should happen to win, please.
It is going to be such a cute neighbourhood, isn’t it!? I’m very jealous of your total eclipse! We haven’t had a decent one here in a long time!
Cute house blocks!
You do so many fun things! And create such amazing quilty things.