AccuQuilt Let's GO! Retreat at Country Traditions in Historic Fremont, NE

Hello friends! I have returned from my whirlwind "prize-winning" trip to Fremont, NE (AccuQuilt Let's GO! Quilt Retreat) and Omaha, NE (AccuQuilt Headquarters)....and to say I have a bunch to share with you is an understatement - it was truly a memorable mini-vacation!

Starting out last Tuesday, we loaded up and started on our journey - making two stops before arriving at the hotel in Fremont, NE. As we traveled down the interstate through Omaha (on the way to our first destination), we spotted AccuQuilt's brand new home offices...how could any quilter miss this new colorful sign?!

Our first stop was in Omaha at Country Sampler Quilt Shop - this shop never disappoints, so I knew it had to be on our short list of destinations. This shop has a lovely inviting layout and a nice selection of gifts, as well. Knowing we had a week of quilt shopping ahead, I was a good girl and only made a few fabric purchases - and I had a particular project(s) in mind.

We then headed down the road to The Quilted Moose in Gretna, NE...I just adore this shop - with over 6,000 bolts of fabric, it is a treasure trove! This shop can be almost overwhelming...and it took me three trips around to see as much as possible. I did pick up an amazing assortment of fabrics at this stop - things I had not seen elsewhere....and was able to pick up some retired fabric that will be great for sewing needlework accessories for my Etsy shop. 

Tuesday evening we enjoyed a fun "Welcome" event for the retreat that was conveniently held at the hotel. Historic Fremont, NE rolled out the red carpet and had lovely goodie bags for us from many of the downtown merchants...we got the scoop on where to eat lunch/dinner...we got all sorts of coupons...a local map...and there were even a few gifts in the bag, including a large pair of scissors, nail polish, scrapbooking paper, and a cookie from Alotta Brownies Bakery (who also provided delicious refreshments for this event!). The hospitality of the downtown Fremont merchants was incredible - they made our visit extra special - great customer service and friendly faces were found throughout the downtown area....even the mayor of Fremont stopped by and said hello before the first day of the retreat started!

Wednesday morning it was time for the two-day retreat to begin at Country Traditions - and to say I was impressed would be an understatement! The owners and staff at Country Traditions are incredible - every single detail was thought through - every need taken care of - everyone had a smile...and the customer service was impeccable...in fact, the best quilt shop service/experience I have EVER had...and the shop itself is "to die for" - a huge selection, organized, clean, and decorated beautifully - I was blown away! If you are able to make a trip to the area - GO - you will definitely not be disappointed - in fact, I am thrilled I am only 2 1/2 hours away, because I will be making this road trip again and again. Inside this beautifully renovated turn-of-the-century building you will find over 7,000 bolts of fabric, a HUGE assortment of books/patterns/notions and even some home décor items spread throughout - the store has 14 foot ceilings, original wood flooring, exposed ceiling beams and antique light fixtures (that provide amazing light)...it is no wonder this is the first shop to be featured three times in Quilt Sampler Magazine! Upstairs is a HUGE renovated ballroom that is the perfect for a large classroom and lecture area. There were sixty-five quilters in attendance and we had ample room for all the events and happenings. Tables were set up around the perimeter of the ginormous room for each attendee and their sewing machine (and also throughout an overlooking "penthouse" level)...AccuQuilt GO! Fabric Cutters were placed in rows down the center aisles (and in the front of the room was shelving with every single AccuQuilt GO! die at our disposal for cutting any shape you could possibly want or need!)...ironing stations were strategically placed throughout...there was a lovely snack and beverage station set-up...and a large seating area for all group events and lectures...plus there is an entire long-arm room...it is truly an incredible space! It was a relaxing, creative environment to spend two days of quilting and learning...and I am already hoping to attend the events next year. Happiness and enthusiasm are contagious and this stellar quilt shop is overflowing with these wonderful attributes...

For lunch and dinner we were given vouchers for local downtown restaurants and we were able to choose where we wanted to go - how cool is that?! The places we chose to visit all had wonderful food and fun atmospheres - I would go to any/all of them again. Our first day, we chose to have lunch at Irv's Deli across the street - then for dinner (on the advice of adorable Scott at Country Traditions) we went to J's Steakhouse....we wanted a good gourmet salad - and this place did not disappoint - the salad was incredible, the staff kind and accommodating, and I was even able to enjoy a good glass of red wine. Thursday we had lunch at Alotta Brownies - wonderful wrap sandwiches and special iced teas....and the dessert cases were filled with some of the most beautiful baked goods I have seen. I even found a cupcake with a sugary owl decorating the top - we thoroughly enjoyed this special spot where the food and desserts were delicious and the owner was super friendly and exuberant - and she even let me take photos. After the barn unveiling on Friday, we had a lovely Italian meal with a great group of quilters at Andy's on First - the food was good, the company was great, and we even got a glimpse at "Angry Andy" as he pulled out of the parking lot.

Finally, I will end today's post with a photo of some of the goodies we brought home from the Country Traditions AccuQuilt GO! Retreat - the gifts were so incredible and generous! We were given our retreat t-shirts in cute AccuQuilt GO! Mini Totes...then, throughout the retreat we received: the latest Quilt Sampler Magazine (Spring/Summer 2012) featuring Country Traditions, a special handmade pincushion put together by the shop staff (each one was unique and different), a stained glass quilt block, a USB thumb drive with ALL the AccuQuilt GO! free patterns...and (drum roll, please) an AccuQuilt GO! Baby Fabric Cutter (was that ever an exciting moment - shouting, clapping, and even tears filled the room - and now, I have twin GO! Baby fabric cutters)!! We also received an ADORABLE exclusive retreat die ("Cute Car" - taken from the retreat logo/t-shirt - a fun little VW Bug style car die) and a coordinating cutting mat...there was a little delay and the die is being shipped to us, so it is not in the photograph...but we were able to see it and play with the one they had in the shop...plus, we received a project pattern for this special retreat die.

I managed to do quite a bit of shopping while I was at Country Traditions (shocker!) - and I even picked up four new AccuQuilt GO! dies (I know it is a sickness - I am so addicted) to bring home...and a kit for "Blossoms in the Garden" - the pattern Country Traditions featured in Quilt Sampler magazine (it is so beautiful in person!).

...and believe it or not, I managed to do quite a bit of sewing on my retreat project...I was working on Alex Anderson's "GO! Star Delight" project - I completed all the four patch blocks, all of the flying geese, and managed to piece one complete star block - plus 75% of the other fifteen star blocks. I am hoping to have the top pieced in the next week and I will share it with you here...

The retreat was such a delight - I met the most wonderful new quilting friends, enjoyed a very creative and enthusiastic atmosphere, did quite a bit of quilting, savored delicious food, and did a nice amount of shopping - it truly was incredible - a huge thank you to AccuQuilt, Country Traditions, all the attendees, and everyone who voted for my winning quilt block....you made this a trip of a lifetime - it was a SUPER fun and inspiring experience!

Tomorrow, I will share my visit to AccuQuilt's new offices in Omaha, NE...and the Barn Quilt Unveiling Event...where I was able to meet Alex Anderson!

Time To Pack My Bags...

After waiting for what seems like "forever and a day", it is finally time for my prize winning AccuQuilt trip! If you read my blog regularly, then you know I won the grand prize in AccuQuilt's 3rd Annual Barn Quilt Design Contest...in fact, I know many of you voted for my winning quilt block which helped put my entry in the Top 10 to be voted on by the celebrity judges (THANK YOU AGAIN!). Part of my winnings is a round trip for two to Omaha, NE for the quilt block unveiling ceremony, with two tickets to the 2nd Annual Let’s GO! Quilt Retreat (including transportation and hotel stay)...I am taking my dear friend Merry with me and we leave for Omaha in the morning for a week full of events. There is a welcome reception tomorrow night, followed by the two day quilt retreat...then on Friday, my quilt block will be unveiled (it will be displayed at a ginormous 17’ x 17’ size, hanging in all it's glory at the new AccuQuilt Headquarters). This is quite an honor for me and I am looking forward to taking this mini trip - no cooking, cleaning, yard work, or laundry for almost a week - sounds pretty heavenly to me! I am feeling guilty about taking the time away from my work...and I will be taking some cross stitching deadlines with me...but for the most part, I plan to take the time off and enjoy it...and hopefully get a good start on the retreat project quilt...

In a rush to get a million things done before my trip, I managed to get 55 newly finished items listed in my Etsy shop - including 39 more Stitch Starter Rulers Sets and 16 pincushions. This was quite time consuming and I was still up adding items at 4:00 AM. The Ruler Pocket Sleeves shown below are from two different Blackbird Designs fabric lines...the top photo shows ruler pocket sleeves made from Beach House by Blackbird Designs for Moda and the bottom photo shows ruler pocket sleeves made from Blueberry Crumb Cake by Blackbird Designs for Moda...these are already selling well (as did the first batch), so I don't expect them to last long. My shop is open now, but will be "on vacation" while I am out of the office...any orders placed before I leave will ship tomorrow morning. The shop should reopen again on Saturday evening...

Well, that is about all the time I have this evening - I still have work to do, orders to fill, and suitcases to pack...it will be another late night for me! I will take lots of photos and be sure to share my trip with you upon my return....have a wonderful week....

Saturday and Sunday Sewing...

I am in a rush to finish up a million things before I leave on my prize-winning AccuQuilt trip on Tuesday morning...I managed to get all the yard work, laundry, and a bunch of correspondence done today...as well as finished up a large pile of sewing for my Etsy Shop - I will slowly be adding more pincushions and Stitch Stater Ruler Sleeves tonight.

These first eight pincushion tuffets and four ruler pocket sleeves (for my Stitch Starter Ruler) are from the fabric line Breakfast at Tiffany's by Joanna Figueroa, Fig Tree & Co. for Moda. Joanna's fabrics always appeal to me - she uses such soft colors...and her sewing and quilting patterns and books are always inspiring!

The next eight pincushion tuffets and nine ruler pocket sleeves (for my Stitch Starter Ruler) are from the fabric line Bliss by Bonnie & Camille for Moda - this fabric collection was a favorite of mine and I have used it for several large projects, so I am using up what I have left for some smaller pieces...

I have a few more ruler sleeves completed that I will share with you tomorrow...I hope you have had lovely and productive weekend...

June "Just Because" Giveaway Recipient

Good afternoon friends and followers!

I was quite happy to see the enthusiastic response to my latest giveaway - what a treat it was to read many of your encouraging and kind comments....to my followers (long term and new) - thank you for joining me on my creative journey...I truly wish I could award each and every one of you with a set of my designs. If you aren't the recipient of this latest giveaway, please don't be discouraged - I love to give things away...and there will definitely be more chances in the future (in fact, I already have something special planned for July)! So without further ado....here is the randomly chosen recipient:

Congratulation to Myrna - comment #3 - she posted:

MyrnaJune 12, 2012 10:11 AM

Love, love your designs!!! Please enter me into your drawing! Thanks in advance for the chance!

Myrna, you will be notified via email momentarily.





Again, thank you all for reading, following, commenting, and supporting my blog and designs - you all make me happy!

French General Goodies

Here are more of the goodies I have been working on this week - twelve more pincushion tuffets....and a new item for my Etsy shop - a Stitch Starter Ruler with Pocket Sleeve. The pincushions shown and four of the Stitch Starter Ruler Pocket Sleeves are made from the fabric line Maison de Garance by French General for Moda. The pincushion tuffets have a pieced top and a wool felt fabric bottom...each has a coordinating wool felt heart embellishment pinned in place with a decorative button pin and two decorative pins (one dark red heart, one white heart). After completing the pincushions, I decided to work on a new item....pocket sleeves for my Stitch Starter Rulers. These pocket sleeves measure 3.5" x 3.5" and hold the 3" square ruler perfectly - they are fully lined with no raw seams...and they use fusible fleece to give them a bit of padding and stability. I have listed the six ruler pocket sleeves shown in my Etsy shop...and I have plans to add quite a few more in the near future...each ruler pocket sleeve purchase will include the Stitch Starter Ruler.

For those of you unfamiliar with my Stitch Starter Ruler:

• It is 2 mil acrylic plastic, making it durable.
• It has marking lines for 1", 2", and 3" seam allowances, so you only need one tool.
• It is clear, making it easy to see your fabric placement.
• It has 1/4" and 1/2" markings on three sides.It has complete 3" ruler markings down the left side - these can be used for: finishing work measurements, measuring between stitched designs, counting threads to figure fabric count
• A stitch Starter Ruler is included in the following Blue Ribbon Designs with charting and instructions to make your own cross stitch sleeve: BRD-100 Holiday Helpings and BRD-097 Blessed Beyond Measure - these two design charts can be purchased at your favorite needlework shop.
• Directions for using the Stitch Starter Ruler

My June "Just Because" Giveaway is still open until Friday at midnight, so if you haven't entered already, visit Tuesday's post for details...

Fandango Fun

I managed to get a huge pile of pincushions completed this week...and even got the first batch listed in my Etsy shop this evening. These pincushion tuffets have a pieced top (the fabric is Fandango by Kate Spain for Moda) and a wool felt fabric bottom...each has a coordinating wool felt flower embellishment pinned in place and two decorative pins (one heart and one leaf). This bright, cheerful fabric reminds me of the beach and was very fun to piece! I have pincushions from three other fabric lines completed and ready to post, as well - so look for those very soon...and I have a fun new item I am adding later this week (I finished six of them yesterday) and can't wait to share it with you!!

My June "Just Because" Giveaway is still open until Friday, so if you haven't entered already, visit yesterday's post for details...

A June "Just Because" Giveaway

Let's liven things up with a Blue Ribbon Designs giveaway..."just because"...

The prize?? - a quartet of Blue Ribbon Designs needlework charts (the four shown in the photo): "Friendship Blooms", "Turn The Page", Established With Love", and "Sweet Simple Samplings"....yep, one lucky recipient will receive all four design charts...

To enter, simply leave one comment on this post - all comments will go into a random drawing where one fan/follower will receive this special set of design charts.

Fine print (read carefully):

• Giveaway is open until 11:59 PM CST Friday, June 15, 2012.
• International entries welcome.
• All entries require a valid email address. Please make sure your email address is visible in your profile (so I have a way of contacting you, should you be randomly chosen) - if you are uncertain or post "anonymously", please leave your email address and your first name with your comment - entries without a valid email will be disqualified.
• No chart substitutions.
• E-mail entries will not be accepted, you must leave a comment on this post.
• One comment per person; multiple comments will be deleted/disqualified.
• One recipient will be announced on Saturday June 16, 2012.

There you have it - all the "Just Because" giveaway details...I am thrilled to be able to thank those who continually follow my blog and leave encouraging and enthusiastic comments! I hope my future posts maintain your interest and inspire you... Good luck to all!

A Small Sneak Peek...

I have been keeping extremely busy, trying to tackle some major projects and meet a few deadlines before my fast approaching mini-vacation (the AccuQuilt GO! Retreat and Barn Quilt Unveiling Ceremony for my winning quilt block)....I can't believe I leave next week! I am definitely looking forward to 5 days away, but I am also feeling quite guilty for taking some time off...

The framed portion of the Salty Yarns class project is complete and headed to the framer later today...this is a tiny sneak peek (shown upper right) for those of you who are anxious to see the project. I don't want to share the entire design until the two special smalls are ready and Sally and Sara have a chance to approve it...but this will give you a little idea of the colors and a just a hint of the design...

Last week, I finished the warehouse move...and I am happy to tell you, I am sleeping much better with all the charts in our finished basement. I have five new sets of warehouse shelving and they work wonderfully - it took me an entire day to build them all (I love my new rubber mallet!) and get the stock placed in design order...but I guess that isn't bad with inventory of over 100 designs. I also installed new thermo curtains and blinds in the room to keep the light from fading the exposed chart covers. Each set of shelving is 48" wide and has five shelves - and fully stocked, they pretty much run from floor to ceiling. It is a much better set-up and my brain isn't working overtime worrying about the being buried alive under a pile of charts and rubble while I sleep...

The to-do list for today is quite long (but what's new?!), so it is back to work for me - enjoy the rest of your Monday!

...and one more thing...I will be announcing a giveaway here very soon...so, if you like my cross-stitch designs, be sure to stay tuned...

Sweet Surprises

A little over a week ago, I received the sweetest surprise in the mail from my dear friend Lorrie - a "just because I love you" surprise...WOW...it was unexpected and amazing and totally turned my week around. In the package was a a wrapped (yes, wrapped...and we all know how much I love tiny wrapped packages!) present...and inside - a beautiful thread puller with counting pins and a handmade needlecase!

She had the tread puller (aka Thread Catcher) and counting pins made especially  for me (so very thoughtful!) by BeadinHandy on Etsy, using my "blue ribbon blue" color and silver owl beads (shown right - difficult to photograph - click on the image too see it in more detail) - I absolutely ADORE these - they are made beautifully and fit me to a tee - they are perfect...and I see in this particular Etsy shop, there is the cutest set with "rich purple birds" - hmmm, I may need to make a purchase myself. What a special set of treasures!

The beautiful needlecase  was made from of one of my favorite fabric lines (Williamsburg R Presents The Sampler Collection by Windham Fabrics) by Lorrie herself...and it is LOVELY (shown bottom photo - left). I, personally, have made tens of these needlecases, but have given them all away and not kept one for myself...so I was absolutely THRILLED to have one made for me...one that I can treasure and use - oh what a perfect surprise!

....and, as if that wasn't enough, today I received yet ANOTHER small package in the mail from Lorrie...and low and behold, it was a drawstring bag to match my needlecase....in the same fabulous fabric. Again, I have made many of these, only to give all of them away - so to have one all for myself is such a treat! I can't wait to use this special pouch to carry a project on the go with me...and of course, I will have my new matching needlecase filled with needles/pins, scissors, and my little ruler, as well!

Lorrie - thank you so much for lifting my spirits - your kindness and thoughtfulness has touched me deeply. What a wonderful way to start my week....

Middle School Math

I'm always up for a sewing challenge....even when my schedule is hectic...so when my husband came to me a couple weeks ago needing squeeze bags for his upcoming hunting trip, I jumped in...

First off, I had to find out what a "squeeze bag" is...well, a little research told me they are basically tubular bean bags that stretch vertically when squeezed. Used for long range shooting, you rest the stock of your gun on the squeeze bag...when aiming, you squeeze the bag and the pressure causes the bag to go up, raising and lowering your gun with steady precision....plus it also provides comfort for extended shooting sessions. Okay, I guess that makes sense...

Next, I had to figure out how one was assembled. My husband's friend who is going on the hunting trip has one...but wanted additional sizes and a few adjustments...so I borrowed the one he has (shown in the top photo on the right side) and took some notes. They wanted the the circumference a little larger...the bags filled a little fuller...they wanted three height sizes - 4.5", 6.5", and 8.5" (all with the same circumference)....and they really didn't want or need the Velcro handles (good deal!). Now I have some measurements and an idea of how they are put together.

The next step was to get supplies - this step made me smile - normally, I can't get my husband to step foot in a sewing/crafting/quilting shop, but he wanted input on the fabric, so last Monday we headed out into my world - our first stop being JoAnn Fabrics. We needed a pliable canvas-type fabric - strong and sturdy yet soft and squeezable...and of course, it had to be in a "manly" color or print...after walking the entire fabric section, I showed him a camouflage fabric I thought would work...and after a quick call conferring with his buddies, we were at the cutting table getting a piece of Realtree Camouflage Twill cut. Great we have the fabric...now we needed the "stuffing" - I had purchased several bags of poly pellets already, but after finding out I was making six squeeze bags, we decided we needed at least four more. Now here is where I start giggling - JoAnn's only had one bag in stock - so we grab it and check out....needing three more bags, we head to Hancock Fabrics, just around the corner - they only had teeny tiny bags that were way over-priced...so then we headed across the street to Michaels - and after walking the entire store on our search, we found them and were able to get the three additional bags needed. Yep, my husband had to go to JoAnn Fabrics, Hancock Fabrics, and Michaels all in one afternoon - it was too funny (and something that will probably never happen again in our lifetimes)!

Supplies and notes in hand, it was time to get to work. Here is where the middle school math has to kick in - I knew the diameter we were going to use for the circular ends was 5.5" with a .5" seam allowance added - so now I needed the circumference measurement to cut the pieces for the tubes...well, digging deep into my brain for those math skills from many years ago, I remembered that diameter x pi = circumference....hmmm, and I never thought I would ever need that in my adult life. So now I know the circumference is 17.25 and I had the height measurements they wanted for each bag, so I was ready to cut. First I fused a nice, soft, medium-weight interfacing to the back of the twill fabric, to give it a bit more stability and form...then I cut all the pieces - 12 circles and 6 rectangles. I started by sewing the rectangular tubes first, leaving an opening in the center of each for turning and filling...then added the circle caps to each end. Let me tell you, if you need practice with curved piecing, then making squeeze bags is definitely for you - by the time I attached all twelve caps, I was an expert! I then sergered all the seams, as these bags are going to have a lot of use...and let's face it, men are not delicate creatures - these bags are going to be thrown around and punished. Each bag was then turned, filled 90% full with poly pellets, and the openings hand stitched closed. It cost me and average of just under $10.00 to make each custom bag (the poly pellets were the main expense) plus labor (which I told my husband was going to be EXPENSIVE)...not bad, since a single bag sells for $25.00+ in hunting stores....and these were exactly what they wanted. Challenge completed...and plus my husband and his hunting/shooting friends are happy...



 As a little reward, I am taking the afternoon/evening off to go on a date with my hubby - we are headed to the Swine Festival - yes, you heard me correctly - the Swine Festival (where cork meets pork). It is actually an outdoor benefit event for the viticulture and enology program at Des Moines Area Community College -  fifteen of central Iowa's finest chefs prepare samples of gourmet pork dishes and fifteen Iowa wineries will pour samples and offer wine for sale....plus live music and other assorted activities. It should be a fun evening and I plan to relax and enjoy myself...

Radio Silence

I know you are used to me posting a little more often, but during the month of May, I have been taking some much needed time away...away from the computer and away from my phone...keeping my social network posts minimal...and only taking care of specific BRD business...my dear friend Elizabeth calls this (appropriately) "radio silence"...and I have learned, radio silence can be quite beneficial. Although I love keeping up with all my stitching and sewing friends, I have had a few personal things to deal with and the quiet time has been good for me. Along with countless hours of model stitching and fulfilling BRD deadlines, I have been taking care of our yard and doing some major spring cleaning in our home.

I have been wanting to move my BRD warehouse for quite sometime - it has occupied one of our spare bedrooms for almost ten years. I had ceiling to floor plywood shelving built for my in stock chart inventory and over the years, the "warehouse" has filled to capacity. Once I reached and passed the 100 designs mark, I knew things would have to change. Part of the issue?? - the warehouse is located above our master bedroom and all the weight of thousands of packaged designs was worrying me - BIG TIME. I can't tell you how many nightmares I had worrying the floor was going to give way and I would be suffocated under a pile of charts and rubble in my sleep....seriously....I lost so much sleep. I voiced my fears to my husband, who laughed at me and said we have a sturdy house and not to worry...but that did not bring me comfort. So over the last couple weeks, I hatched a plan and started moving all my chart inventory down to our finished basement - yes, piles and piles and piles of heavy charts down two flights of stairs...and in the process, I learned I need to use my leg muscles more (wow, was I sore!). So all the charts are now downstairs, waiting for their new shelving...and the spare bedroom is now part of my studio. I kept the plywood shelving to help organize my work space and started to move things around a bit. I decided the old warehouse would be perfect for housing my cutting table, my AccuQuilt fabric cutters and dies, and my ironing board...using some of the shelves for my Etsy store items, my shipping/packaging supplies, my teaching materials, and most of my crafting tools and supplies. My main studio room now houses my fabrics, threads, work desk, sewing and serger machines, and my library. During this move, several wonderful things have happened - I have been sleeping much better, I've toned-up my leg muscles, and I am quite a bit more organized...plus I have both my sewing and cutting tables under windows, where I get fabulous natural light...all good great things!

After the major warehouse move, I have been focused on spring cleaning...trying to do one room each day...cleaning, organizing, trashing, and donating simplifying. It is a good feeling...and I almost have the entire upstairs completed...next I will tackle main floor of our home...I will have to make it to he basement by next Tuesday, as it is our neighborhood spring cleaning garbage pick-up and I plan to make good use of the curb.

I have also been working on several sewing projects - squeeze bags for my husband and his friend for their upcoming hunting trip (I'll tell you more about those in the next day or two), a couple special orders, and I have a quilt I want to get backed and binded...plus, I have started piecing some new needlebook/scissor cases for my Etsy shop.

I will be putting in the final stitches on my framed class design for Salty Yarns tomorrow (at least, that is the plan)...then while it is being framed, I will work on the two special coordinating needlework smalls. I am so pleased with how it is turning out and can't wait to share it with you very soon. I am also doing some charting for future class pieces...and a magazine design for The World of Cross Stitching (to appear in WOXS issue 199 on sale in the UK on January 3, 2013). Yes, I have a lot on my plate, but I will do my best to post a little more during the month of June (especially with my BIG AccuQuilt trip towards the end of the month)...thank you for your patience over the last several weeks and for visiting...