Favorite Quilt From Aurora Colony Quilt Show

But first..... Thank you for all the well wishes on the race. We needed it!

Because I live on the dry side of the mountain (High desert) we don't get a lot of color and the trip to Hood River was amazing!

Because I would be leaving the start line at 5:15AM I wanted to see the route I'd be walking.

Too bad I passed this the following morning  in the dark with heavy rain!! 

The views were amazing as were the colors! Lots of fruit orchards and wineries in the area.

Passed this brilliant red shrub on our walk to dinner.

 We had rain, wind, lightning and thunder, but also lots of rainbows throughout race day.

Here is our team shortly before my early morning start. 

Thankfully I didn't have to travel on sleet/snow/hail, but the woman I passed off to did. It was brutal!

Despite the inclimate weather I did the best ever at "race walking" and our team did very well with an overall average pace of 13:16 per mile.

Now, back to my favorite quilt at the Aurora show.

The owner calls it Potpourri. 

                                                                            

It is sweet, humble and charming rolled into one terrifically crazy styled quilt!

I would estimate this quilt to have been made about 1900 not 1875 as the label indicates. I have no clue where the owners got the idea this had anything to do with a maple star block.

It was charming no matter what we call it!

Have a super fantastic week!

Aurora Colony Museum and More...

Along with the Aurora Colony Quilt Show, quilters donate to fund the Historical Museum. I am usually not at the show opening weekend, and I think that is why I found some amazing deals!!

Oldies but goodies reproduction pinks. (these for $2!)

Lovely red and black repros! ($3!)

Here is a lovely purple toile piece I picked up too. I asked about it on the facebook group and it was reproduced by Sharon Yentor of In The Beginning Fabrics. Isn't it lovely?! I rarely find good deals, so I will tell you I paid $1.50 for it!!

 

Here are a couple of great books I picked up for my fundraiser book sale. (I finally found out the trip will take place in December- such a wait! to Dominican Republic)

Of course there were beautiful quilts and the ones I like the most are vintage! More of those on Friday!

We took the scenic back roads!! The mountains are beautiful right now.

We had a few other plans so we made a weekend trip out of it! Its always fun to meet my kids in the city and try out new-to-us restaurants. We went to Guero and it was delicious!

 Rene and Ken have birthdays about 2 weeks apart, so we used this as a time to celebrate them! They are both amazing adults with big hearts!!

I thought I'd try out some new backpacking equipment. LOL

We met some friends for dinner then attended  this concert! We admit to seeing them a few times in the past- the shows never disappoint!

I knew I needed to get in one last long speed walk before the race so we stopped on our way home at Trillium Lake. After parking and walking a short distance this is what greeted us!  It sure helps when the scenery is amazing!

Some of the trail around the lake is on a boardwalk through thick forest. I may try and do one more hilly walk, but for now I'm as ready as I am. My first leg is a slow uphill for 5.2 miles- thankfully it will be dark o thirty so I won't even see that I'm on a hill!! LOL 

I couldn't be happier with the outcome of the Almost Amish sewalong! I haven't seen one quilt that I thought wasn't top-notch!! I love them all!! Thank you all for sewing along! I'll plan on having a linky party of October 25th so we can see them all. Your quilt doesn't have to be quilted to join in!

I hope you are having an amazing week!!

Vintage Quilts Monday

More quilts from Suzette's collection!!

I love the solid green, although I know I'd find it hard to replicate. 

 But the amazing fabrics the quiltmaker used makes it such a special quilt!

Simple design, but oh so fine!

YES! I say yes to pink and blue!!

This was a newer quilt top.  Each block had fussy cutting!! 

Almost every single block had fussy cut pieces!! 

And look at this! She/he finished every seam- just like a serger, but by hand!! Is that crazy, or what?

I was asked to do another relay- this one is just for one day. My first leg is 5.8 miles uphill! So, I've been practicing on a few hills to get my glutes ready! LOL 

No switchbacks on this route! LOL 

But there are a few on the way down. I leave our business, warm up about a mile, then start climbing- up, up, up, pretty views, then down, down, down.... to the road, then I turn around and do it again, then have the flat mile back to the business to recover. All together it is about 3.6 miles. One more long race/walk of about 6.5 miles and one more time of hills and I'll be ready- it's this coming weekend!!

Let's make it an awesome week. 

Barn Quilt Block & Relay Update

After the Relay Michelle came over and we started on our barn quilt blocks. (I had boards primed and ready) She had been working the relay and I'd be walking it so we were both pretty exhausted but the timing worked out for us to get started on them.

I used my Electric Quilt to manipulate colors and make block changes. Michelle was impressed with my rudimentary skills! LOL 

Then we penciled out our designs on the boards. We ran into a bit of a learning curve, so we will pick it back up and finish them at a later date... 

I plan on hanging mine on our shed. 

My walking relay update:

Early morning sunrise to the start line.

I had met the person on my right July 4th at a race in my town and only met the other team members the previous night. No matter our economic, religious or political background the race brings people together. I LOVE that! There is a camaraderie that is missing so much in society today, although quilting is another thing that brings people together!

 Wide open Oregon spaces!

 Our first walker coming into our first exchange. More wide open spaces!! LOL

This is where I met the previous walker and took off for my 7.1 miler in the afternoon heat. Thankfully the weather this year stayed below 90 and no smokey skies from forest fires!! I did have an awful soft dirt road for at least 6 miles. No wonder this leg is considered hard!!

When our van was done and we passed off the van 2 we cleaned up and rested until midnight. Then we took off to our next set of legs. 

 The skies were beautiful as daybreak appeared. 

 This was where I took off for my next 2 legs. One walker was sick so I offered to do her leg which was an easy 2.1 flat warm up to the next leg that was 4.2 pretty much uphill. It was hard but so much better on asphalt. I feel like I gave 100% effort on all my legs. I admit, I'd rather be running.....

Here is a view of Mt Bachelor on the relay route. 

Yes! We finished and we did well! It was time for us to relax and let Van 2 take it to the finish line.

We got a lead overnight and kept it to the end.

Our team came in first in our division- Woman's Masters and 2nd against all the other walking teams. 

I haven't decided if this is something I want to do again or not, but this was memorable and I'm glad I did it. 

Back to the Monday! Make it a fantastic week!!