Quilters Club of America

I did it! I joined the Quilters Club of America this evening. I wanted to subscribe to a quilting magazine and love Fons and Porter Easy Quilts. I decided to joint the Quilters Club of America so I could not only have the subscription to Fons and Porter Easy Quilts, but also the other benefits -- particularly the 1-year membership to QNNTV!! I'm especially excited about that -- being able to be in my room -- even lying in bed, and watching quilt show after quilt show on my computer!!

My friend, Susan, and I were discussing The Quilter's Club of America last night, and as she said in her blog today, the price went up while we were talking about it. I used the discount code given in the latest issue of Easy Quilts, and got the membership for $39.99.

I am happy to report that I was able to cut out my appliques for my secret mission quilt at lunch today at work. It was so much fun to bring my quilting to work. It was so comforting! I will definitely do that more often as I have things that I can do at work.

Quilting at Work!

I'm all packed for work today. I have everything I need to quilt on my lunch break today.

I'm having a very difficult time balancing my schedule and trying to squeeze in time for ME to do what I want to do -- quilt! So, I decided to take my project with me. I am going to cut out my appliques on my lunch break today. I don't know why I never thought of this before. It'll be perfect. I'll have 45 uninterrupted minutes to get these cut out.

Quilt Shop Review

As my blog title says, I am sew blessed to be in Amish country. It's incredibly beautiful here, and there are more quilting shops than I will probably ever get to visit. However, I sure would like to try to visit all of the shops within a 1-hour radius of my home.

Since most of you do not live here and are not able to visit these great shops, I have decided to share my experiences with you.

Every time I visit a new Amish country quilt shop, I am going to blog about it -- complete with pictures, links to their website, and perhaps even an interview with and employee from the store.

I am going to start this Saturday by visiting "In Stitches" http://www.institchesfabrics.com/index.html

I think this will be a lot of fun, and I hope those of you who are not blessed to live here will enjoy joining me as I tour all of the local quilt shops in beautiful Amish country, Pennsylvania!

My Lunch Companion

Today, I spent my lunch break at the park across from the hospital. It began snowing just minutes before I got there. My mission was to spend some time with the ducks and just relax and forget about the real world.


Little did I know, I would make friends with an adorable little squirrel. He was the cutest little guy. We played peek-a-boo for a little while. He'd look at me, and then quickly look away. He'd scamper up a tree, and then stop to look at me, and then scamper to the other side of the tree, then peek around the trunk. He was so cute!!


I took quite a few pictures of him. I also enjoyed watching some majestic geese, along with some beautiful mallard ducks. The snow was gently falling, and as the flakes landed on my pants or jacket, I could clearly see how intricate and amazing each snowflake was.

The snow has continued to fall this afternoon. We're supposed to have a couple of inches by morning. I was not able to go to CR at church tonight. I was walking out the door, and Kurt called to see if I had left yet. He said he was on his way to church and the roads were already pretty bad. He didn't think I would want to get out in it, and he was right.

Now, I have a chance to spend a little bit of thinking time on my "secret mission" quilt this evening. :-) My children know that Tuesday nights are the only night that I get a bit of a break, so I am still going to get it tonight. They're just going to have to pretend that I am not here!

Yesterday, the sewing store called to let me know that my embroidery machine was repaired and ready to be picked up. Thankfully it was just the timing and did not require any extra parts. The only bad part is that they close at 5:00, during the week, so I won't be able to pick it up until Saturday. I'm going to be glad to have my machine back.

I'm considering purchasing a subscription to a quilting magazine. I'm trying to decide which one. I really enjoy Fons and Porter Easy Quilts, but that one is only published 4 times a year. I also like Quick Quilts. Hmmm.....decisions... decisions... decisions...

Jon & Kate Plus Eight

Tonight, Timothy, Kurt and I went to an awesome benefit concert. It was sponsored by Glad Tidings Assembly of God Church. It was called, "Hope for Tomorrow". Proceeds went to building wells for fresh drinking water in Africa - not just so these people can have real water, but also so they can have a chance to hear the message of Jesus and the living water.

The concert featured great praise and worship, and also an appearance by Jon from Jon & Kate Plus Eight. They live in the Reading, PA area.

After the concert, Jon was signing autographs. We just happened to stumble upon the table as he was just getting started, and we were third our fourth in line.

Hannah had really wanted to go tonight, and we had planned to take all the kids, but she started not feeling well in the evening. I had Jon sign a picture for her as well. She was already in bed when I got home, but I gave it to her and she was so happy.

A beautiful morning and my top secret quilt

This morning Hannah and I went to Myerstown to drop off my Disney embroidery machine to have it repaired. We then traveled another 5 miles down Hwy 422 to "Martin's Fabric Barn". All I can say is "WOW"!!! They have tons and tons of flat folds for $2.98 a yard. I got 12 different prints for my "Top Secret" quilt! There were quite a few Amish and Mennonite quilters coming in and out of the store while we were there.

As we were leaving, an Amish horse and buggy was coming down the road, and it was just too beautiful not to photograph.

Next Saturday we are going to a store called "In Stitches" http://www.institchesfabrics.com/index.html It's about 5 miles from here in Wolmesdorf, PA. It looks like a lot of fun. You know, this area really is a paradise for quilters!!

Now...about my top secret quilt. My dear friend Susan of AbbySue Designs -- http://www.abbysuedesigns.com/ and http://www.sewmanythingstosay.blogspot.com/ is a budding new quilt pattern designer. She has designed a pattern that I am going to test for her. I am so excited about it. When the quilt is finished and the pattern published, everyone will get to see it! :-)

TIGF!!!

I am so glad it is Friday!! This week has gone by quickly, but it has been exhausting and stressful!!

Overnight, we had just a few flurries fall. When I got into my van this morning, snowflakes were just gently laying on the windshield. It was neat because you could see them each individually. I had to take a picture of it. They're each unique and each beautiful.

Tomorrow I am taking my embroidery machine (Brother 180-D) to be repaired. I knocked out the timing on it making Kurt's embroidered blanket for Christmas. I filed my taxes tonight, so now I will have the money to have it repaired.

I am looking forward to going to the shop to have it repaired. They are a Viking and Brother dealership, which is perfect for me since I have a Viking sewing machine (Freesia 425) and a Brother embroidery machine (180-D).

I am also going to begin working on my "top secret" quilt. I'll write more about that tomorrow, But for now, I am going upstairs to snuggle under my antique singer print fleece blanket and read a quilting magazine -- ahhhh - that is my idea of a perfect Friday night!!