Last Week of March
Wow, does anyone else feel like this year is speeding past? I do think the older you get, the faster time flies, but .. REALLY?
On Wednesday I headed east again to A Mountain Quilt Fest in Pigeon Forge, TN. Having skipped it last year, I was excited to return to one of the nicest, most relaxed, quilt shows in this area. And it's free! (except the classes and dinners)
Adding to the excitement, I was introducing The Joyful Quilter to several of my S'mores friends for the first time. On Thursday Joy and I did the show and Friday we both had a class.
The show was expansive and had a lot of variety, even though it was mostly local entries. I'll try to put together a post of the quilts later this week. I couldn't get online at the hotel so I have a lot of catching up to do.
In my class I had a refresher course with Donna Lynn Thomas on her On-Point Ruler. I managed to get one block done and three more cut out.
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| Rainbow Radiance |
Well, I guess I could have given it a little press before I photographed it! I'm thinking I'll put the 4 blocks into a table runner and call it done.
The ruler is designed to take the math out of on-point settings. The measurements on the ruler are calculated from the diagonal measurement of a square which is 1.414 times the side of a square. It's not often that measurement comes out to something exactly on a standard ruler. Frankly, I don't think I'd go to the trouble with just a block; I'd find a way to make things fit. But where I think the value of the ruler comes in is when you want to put on-point squares in a border (or Seminole or some other similar on-point unit). In that situation all you need to know is the length of the border and a unit it is divisible by. The ruler does the rest.
In the evenings we ate prime rib, burritos, and fish & chips. I haven't even had the courage to step on the scale since I got back home! One of the more interesting places we ate was Quaker Steak and Lube. I have no idea it it's a chain or local but the food was good.
There was definitely an automobile vibe there!
I did not venture up into the hills around Gatlinburg; I just didn't want to see the devastation from the fires last Fall.
Another Mountain Quilt Fest is history. Well worth the trip.
How big is your block? Love the design and bright colors you used. Quaker Steak and Lube used to be here in Richmond, but just closed one day... no notice to the employees or anyone. I had never eaten there, but heard it was good. I'm glad you had a nice time at your retreat.
ReplyDeleteWow -- I'm really impressed with all the crisp points in your block -- does the ruler make that much of a difference, then? I may *need* that gadget!! Time DOES fly faster, the older we get! It's reverse of how it should be. Time seemed to move sooooo slooooowly when I was a child. Not so anymore!!! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm not one to go out of my way to make an on-point block but I can see the allure of a ruler to help with the math. As for the Quaker Steak & Lube - yes, they are a chain. There used to be one near us when we lived in Ohio.
ReplyDeleteI had a GREAT time!! It was fun meeting your S'mores friends. I enjoyed the show, my class, and the boot shopping, too!!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great show and a very useful class.
ReplyDeleteI didn't get there this year. I wanted to, planned to, but things kept getting in the way every day. I'm glad you got to go! I'll look forward to your pictures.
ReplyDeleteThat's a gorgeous block!
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