Let the Silliness...Opps, I mean the Dillydalliness Begin!

Look who greeted me on this very cold, wet and gray day...

... yep ... while I was making my coffee, Mr. Blue Heron was looking for his breakfast.  Today is my first day as a full-time dillydallier ... at least until school starts again next fall.  ;-)  I don't know about you, but sometimes it seems that the more free time I have, the less I accomplish.  I can't let that happen ... I spent most of the past month dillydally day dreaming ... so I'm glad I already have a few things on my list.

One of the exciting things I'm working on this summer is the visit from Quilt Rock Star Bonnie Hunter!  Yes, Quiltville is coming to Cordova!  Our local guild, Cordova Northwind Quilter's, is hosting her this fall and I am chairwoman of the committee.  We booked her visit two years ago ... time has passed quickly ... and now we're busy preparing for her visit.  Bonnie will be giving a lecture/trunk show and teaching two classes.  This quilt will be one of the classes ...

 ... Blue Ridge Beauty!  It is published in her book ...

... Leaders and Enders.  I have only pieced one of her quilts patterns before, it was a Christmas mystery quilt  published in Quiltmaker magazine a few years ago.  I love Bonnie's concept of creating leaders and enders, if you're unfamiliar with it, check her website ... it really works!

Last weekend, the guild had a Time to Sew event, and I decided to use our Accuquilter to cut the strips I would need for my Blue Ridge Beauty.  That meant that I had to choose the color I was going to use, then press and organize the fabrics.  Last March, I was so amazed by the quilt show held in New York, Infinite Variety:  Three Centuries of Red & White Quilts, that I decided to make my Blue Ridge Beauty ... red!

This is my stash of light and dark reds.  Taming this mess took several evenings at the ironing board.  Digging through my stash (only the red section, I might add) was quite a trip down memory lane.  I found many treasures ...

including this one I bought as a newlywed ... I worked part-time at the only fabric store in town (Juneau, AK) and quilting cottons were just becoming widely available.  I bought (yes, I ended up owing more than I made every pay period) yards and yards of this print.  I made placemats, a tablecloth, pot holders and small appliance covers with it ... I loved this fabric!

And you know what?  I still love it!  Mr. DillyDally and I are approaching our 30th Wedding Anniversary ... it just seemed appropriate to come across this fabric.  I called him into the sewing room, and before I could ask, he said... "I remember that!"  OMGosh ... could he have said anything better?  Yep ... we may make it another 30 years! ;-) As mentioned on another post, the DillyDally offspring think anything from that time period is vintage ... so I saved a piece of it for the future ... the next time I dig it out, it will be antique! ;-)

 

After all the ironing, trimming and the Accuquilter ... I ended up with...

... a large box of 2 inch and 3.5 inch strips for my "Red Ridge Beauty"!

I have already cut a variety of 2 inch strips ... both light and dark ... into squares and began piecing the leaders and enders.  I plan to keep this little tote of them near "Her Majesty" and every time I sit to sew, piece a few.  They add up faster than you think!  Really!  Would Bonnie "lead" (yes, pun intended) us in the wrong direction?  Never!

Hope you have a lovely dillydally day!

P.S.  I just have to show you what my stash looks like now!

;-)  I think I'll be "seeing lots of red" during the Minnesota Shop Hop later this summer!  Gosh...I just giggle with glee thinking about it!