Workin my way back to you

That's what I am doing...trying to get caught up on all the blogs I follow...I try to read them every day but I've been busy  lately...I hope you will accept my excuse for yesterday though...I went to Washington DC to see the national tour of THE JERSEY BOYS.  We have been wanting to see it since it opened on Broadway and finally had a chance. I wanted to STAY just a little bit longer but had to say BYE BYE BABY to all the great memories the music brought back The theater was just rocking..the actors were so great. They really caught the essence of the FOUR SEASONS...BIG GIRLS DON'T CRY. Instead, I'll JUST HANG ON TO WHAT WE'VE GOT and keep listening to the CD.

Be sure to check out the website for the show....  maybe it will be coming to a city near you!

new wallhanging

I just finished this wallhanging for my hubby.  He is quite involved in community theater so I made this to hang above his dresser. Shhhh...it is a surprise but he doesn't read this blog anyway! It is hand appliqued and hand quilted. The fabric in the border was quite interesting to work with...the pattern was actually dizzying when I was sewing it. It still needs to be pressed and wrapped but figured I'd show it now.

recommendations

I am looking for a new iron...it can't be heavy because of my arthritis....
What kind do you have? Would you recommend it? Were there irons that you definitely would not recommend?

friends, food, and fabric

I'm back from our quilting adventure...I need to get the Weight Watchers books out again..

We stayed in a cute house in Bird-in-Hand, PA right down the road from an Amish school. We watched the children play in the playground and later walk home from school. Other towns around us were Intercourse and Paradise.

We went to Sturgis Pretzel Factory...the first pretzel factory in the new world and to the Wilbur Chocolate Company. We also ate in a 50s style restaurant where we had "real" milkshakes and root beer floats.

We visited many quilt shops and a quilt museum.

We had a show and tell each evening. The first evening we showed something we had been working on at home. The other evenings we showed our wonderful finds.

We did a project together.. we each made a wonderful little fabric bag from fabric we bought at a shop.

One of my favorite parts of the trip was talking to the Amish and Mennonite women in the shops. We went to several of the little shops where the women showed us their quilts, talked about their designs and how they made the quilts.



Packing the cars to come home was a challenge...being good at jigsaw puzzles would have helped! Here is a picture of my haul...I bought 24 different fabrics! The basket was made and signed by a 16 year old Amish girl. The tote bag was made by the daughter of a shop owner. The book came from the quilt museum shop.

You might want to check out the blogs of two of my friends who went on the trip. PAT and KAYE.

We're already planning a trip for next year....

Off to Lancaster!

My quilting buddies and I are off to Lancaster PA for a few days of shopping, quilting, and sharing so I won't be on line until at least Saturday....it will take me a while to get caught up on on the blogs I follow so be patient!