There’s nothing quite like getting together with a dear old friend.
I sure missed this buddy of mine! I admit: way too much time has passed since I sat down with my BSF (Bernina sewing friend). This past weekend we got reaquainted. Even with all the deadlines and emails that seemed to stack up in my inbox by the hour, I put them all aside to stitch. And stitch. And stitch! Most of the day on Saturday, and into the wee hours of Sunday morning. And after church on Sunday, I stitched some more.
I think my Bernina likes her new digs. Yes, our new surroundings are different from our sunny studio in Germany with all our critter friends outside the back door. But my BSF and I are making new friends.
Meet Frasier.
Frasier Crane, that is. (Ahem)
Frasier comes to our backyard almost daily for a nibble of tasty gecko and a drink. It’s an acquired taste.
I had so much fun cutting and stitching blocks for a Jelly Roll quilt challenge I’m participating in with a group of dear friends. We call ourselves the Jelly Angels. You may remember when I introduced them to you in a previous post.
(Hello, Carla, Ilona, Birgit, and Christine. I sure miss you guys. Hey Angels — are any of you working on your challenge quilts? The deadline is just around the corner…hint, hint.)
I’ve also made some new friends.
I think two of the best ways to plant new roots when you relocate are to meet your neighbors and join a quilting group. I met our new neighbors. Love ’em. I asked around about quilting groups; didn’t seem to turn up much at first. So I invited the neighbors. A couple of them have done a little quilting. One of my new young friends has never quilted but is very excited to learn.
After our first morning get-together at my house a couple of weeks ago, we decided to take a roadtrip to check out a quilt shop located not too very far from where we live. I wanted to introduce these gals to all things quilting. We hit pay dirt and found quilter’s paradise!
Blog friends: meet Charm, Caroline and Jan.
Charm, Caroline, and Jan: meet my blog friends!
What a wonderful shopping day. We planned quilts and bought fabric. We talked. We giggled. We had fun!
Charm chose fabrics to make a stunning black, white and yellow queen-size beauty!
It’s ok to drool: this was just the section of Christmas fabrics alone!
I introduced Caroline to the magic recipe:
1 jelly roll + 1 extra fabric = 1 scrumptious quilt!
After shopping and a trunk full of textile goodies, of course we had to have lunch. We stopped at a delightful little bistro in town. Yummy!
These gals are awesome. They are making me feel right at home. And they are really creative and talented. Just look at what Caroline has accomplished already!
I’m telling you: this girl’s GOT IT. She’s going to be the next “big thing” to hit Quilt Market one of these days, mark my words. And did I tell you? Her Mama (Vicki) makes the best crawfish etouffe y’all ever tasted!
I love my old friends. I love my new friends. From where I sit, life is pretty amazing. I am blessed by my friends, including all of you — my blog friends!
PS —
Hey, Pat (another one of my very good friends) — as to your comment about the kitties…..guess what? As of today, Tuffy was back in his new “old” spot as quality assurance manager right next to my desk. Some things never change, thank goodness.
WHAT A GREAT POST!!!!!! I am so glad you are revving up your BSF — I think you have missed sewing for the sheer fun of it. Those Jelly Angels had better watch out for that fallish, leafish-looking challenge project you’re working on. The colors are so pretty. Your new sewing studio looks very nice, too, but I’m missing the kitties. Do they have a favorite place yet? Are they craning their necks to watch Frazier too?
It’s good to see that you have infected your neighbors with the Quilt Pox. They look as though they are ready and willing students. Charm’s plans for a black yellow and white quilt sound spectacular, and Caroline is well on her way to a really pretty quilt with the majic formula. What is Jan’s project? She looks as though she’s got a bag full of goodies as well. A big welcome to all of them to the Sisterhood of the Stash. I hope you gave them fair warning that there is no known cure for the QP.
Are you going to hang a sign out front that says “Will quilt for etouffe”?
I just spyed your birthday “press”ent in the 2nd picture. Very nice.
Kimberly, it’s so great to see that you are having fun! I sure wish I could have joined you for that shopping trip. Actually, I placed a fabric order for some “unneeded” goodies on Saturday myself…
I still haven’t gotten around to quilting my jelly roll top (Pat, the entire group called me an overachiever when I had it pieced within like two weeks from when the original deal was closed – and I told them that I need to work on stuff while I’m at it…) but do you want to hear that I used some spare time on Saturday (son is on a class trip, daughter was at a birthday party, hubby had to go to the office for the day) to start ANOTHER one? I had this idea – and had to use that one other jelly roll in my stash to try the pattern. Maybe I’ll get the blocks finished tonight – will keep you posted. THis second one will be so very different from the first top, it’s exciting.
And did I mention that I love your new sewing room? One day, I’ll have to come and play (we’ll send the boys outside to play with their BBQ tools to feed us afterwards…).
Hugs,
Birgit
Kimberly,
Your ‘studio’ looks beautiful – and look at all those threads so organized on the walls – I love it! And your hard wood floors are so shiny and pretty! The food looks delicious! And that quilt store looks awesome!!!!! How wonderful to have new friends to introduce your love of quilting to! You are a fantastic teacher and you can tell by how well your friend, Caroline, is doing already! What fun for you!
LynnEl
hey Kim
I would have loved to come fabric shopping with you !!it sounds so much fun !!!!!
good to see that you found some new friends !!
have lots of fun !!
big hugs
Christine
Hi, Pat! Gosh, I’m so glad you like my post today! I had fun putting it together. Wish you could meet these new gals; they are a lot of fun. Caroline is a young woman in nursing school. She is getting married next May (to a handsome soon-to-be doctor, I might add) who has so much creativity and talent. I’m just having so much fun watching the quilting “spark” ignite in her. Her Mom is not a quilter (yet) but has fun watching the rest of us play together. And she is a great cook, too! I’m blessed with good neighbors….. 🙂
Birgit — I’m so tickled to hear that you actually got some sewing time in this past weekend, too! Oh my goodness, I hope you’ll submit BOTH your jelly roll quilts for our Jelly Roll Quilt Challenge. I can hardly wait to see your new quilt. Knowing you the way I do, I am quite sure it will knock my socks off!
LynnEl;
Thank you so much for all your sweet and thoughtful comments about my studio. The floors are really nice; hope I can learn how to care for the hardwood and keep them looking that way! With each stitch I take, it feels more and more like my quilting “home….”
Christine;
I wish you could have come fabric shopping with us, too! You know, you are welcome to come anytime. Paris may have a lot of everything else, but the fabric at this particular shop was out of this world! If you need anything, just let me know!
Hi Kim,
I’m glad to hear you found new friends – and you definitely did them a good service to introduce them to the world of quilting (for them it’s good, for their wallets – well, that’s another whole story…heeehee).
I love what Caroline did with the Sweet-Jelly Roll! Well done!
Oh, and your new studio is great! I’d love to accompany you for a little quilty chit chat while you work with your BSF!
Have fun with your challenge, I’m already curious about the result…
Hugs, Julia
Birgit: Kimberly has no room to talk about being an over achiever! The two of you in the same room would probably set it on fire with over achieving. The question is: can you make a quited car out of that jelly roll?
Julia;
Thanks for stopping by! I’d just love to sit and chit chat with you ANYTIME. Maybe our paths will cross one day? I’d love that. I’ve been following your blog, and it is awesome! Your writing style is so fun and inviting. Check it out everyone, at http://littlegirlquilts.blogspot.com!
Pat –
I used one jelly roll and 4 yards of a background fabric to make a 84″x84″ top for our challenge. The one I’m currently working on most probably won’t be much smaller…
For a quilted car, though, I’d need five jelly rolls (four wheels and one steering wheel) plus of background fabric…
Birgit
I AM ON A QUILTING BLOG! How cool!!!! I just jumped around the apartment with joy haha. Thank you for teaching me, you’re the best! Can’t wait for more projects — I am writing out a list of all the fabrics I want to buy next time we go to shopping……addiction, here I come!
Mom is watching Caroline~ $$$ , hmmm there is a wedding around the corner, With that said, I could be bribed there is this fabric I love and you could make Mom a quilt.
You ladies who have known Kimberly have to know how easy it is to welcome her to your neighborhood and love her. I am double blessed, she is my next door neighbor and Caroline’s mentor~ who better could mentor your daughter? Life is good.
I’ll keep teaching school and cooking~ but one day I may tackle this quilting thing you all are doing. Right now I can’t believe how much satisfaction I am getting from watching my wonderful friend, Charm, neighbor Jan and daughter Caroline have fun~
PS Love the writing style of your blog~
Hi Kimberly and blog friends,
Oh my gosh! I’ve caught the QP. I’m hooked. Who would have known that quilting was so much fun and fast. Kimberly, I am so glad you moved to Florida. Vicky kept telling me you were coming and that we would hit it off. As usual, she was right. I have lived here for 23 years and have not had a sewing friend. Then here comes Kimberly, like a refreshing cool breeze (always welcome in Florida) and bingo, we’re off and sewing. I have a feeling this is the beginning of a beautiful thing. Thank you for your inspiration and direction. You’re the best.
I’ve been sewing all weekend. I have all the bars stacked and geese ready to fly up and away:) Just think , a couple of days ago I didn’t know what a “fat quarter” was…smile…
Wow, your studio is great!! sunshine, a view, a kitty and space to move around what more could a lady want. Your new quilter is quite the overachiever-love her quilt. So what’s the name of this lovely quilt shop? Do they realize that their business will increase exponentially now that you are in the area and bringing new quilters there?
Hello, Julia! Thanks so much for your kind comments! I always love hearing from you. And you’re most welcome anytime for an afternoon of fun chit chat while we stitch! 😉
I’ll pass your comments on to Caroline; she is such a talented gal and I know she’ll be thrilled to hear all the positive feedback about her first efforts at quilting!
I’ll be sharing my jelly roll challenge quilt soon….keep watching!
Birgit — I’d LOVE to see what you can do to make a quilted car with jelly rolls……a 3D sculpture — now that would be AWESOME!
Dear Miss Caroline — You just keep right on jumping around your apartment — all this praise is WELL DESERVED! Everyone thinks you are doing such a superb job; especially ME! YOU GO GIRL!!!! I’m just bustin’ with pride at your efforts. And the fun is just beginning — you’ve found your creative calling!
Hey, Mama Vicki —
You blessed your daughter with amazing good genes and a creative spirit that soars! You may not be a quilter (yet) but she truly gets that creativity from YOU. (I’ve seen how gorgeous your home is decorated….)
Seriously, I can’t begin to thank you enough for welcoming me to not only the neighborhood, but for introducing me to your dear friends and for making Kent and me feel like “one of the gang” from the start. I love boppin’ back and forth between our houses — sharing great food, AWESOME cake (thanks, Stuart!) and most of all….laughs!
You’re the BEST. And I think we’ll just have to get you interested in learning to quilt yet. We’ll have a weekend retreat and get you fully indoctrinated into the sisterhood.
Hi Charm! You are such an easy, breezy, carefree spirit and a complete joy to be around! Thank you, thank you for becoming my friend and for being so open to ALL THINGS QUILTING! (Although, with your amazing natural talent — you should SEE her stained glass, everyone — quilting is just another extension of the creative person you are!) We’re going to be dangerous together, you and me. Kent and Brian had better watch their wallets! 😉
Hi Robin! Gosh, -thank you for the really nice comments about the sewing studio. It is great; especially that Tuffy has resumed his position as my Quality Assurance Manager! I love the natural light (always a plus) and it feels like “home.”
The quilt shop is called Rainbow’s End in Dunedin, Florida. It is one of the most amazing quilt shops I have ever visited. If you are ever on the Gulf coast of Florida, you must put it on your “must visit” list. And you can stop and visit me, too! 🙂