The Royal Gorge Train and the Abbey Winery

Spring Break happened - and I got So lucky!!

Two of my kids had the same spring break, and those same two had to work most of the week - but!!! They were able to get away for a short break and hang out with us....

Instead of putting them to work fixing fence - we all escaped!!!

The first thing on our list?

The Royal Gorge Train!!

Its a train that goes up the Royal Gorge Canyon in Canon City along the historic Denver and Rio Grande Railways. I happen to love trains - so just getting on one is cool!

In 1882 this was the transcontinental link from Denver to Salt Lake.... I have a feeling this was NOT the most direct route to get there!!

We got a dining car with a window roof, and the seating was very much the same as in the 1880's.... I think people were not as tall back then - my poor 6'7" and 6'5" sons' legs had trouble... but we all managed!

We really enjoyed ourselves - we had lunch on the train, then wandered out to the observation cars. Our car had amazing windows tho ( my shade is shut for the photo but you can see the windows over Little Bits head.)

The plane going over the train!!! and that above me - is the Royal Gorge Bridge!!! Holee cow - it is up there!!

This is the side of the canyon - see that tube thing? That was how they got water to the city in the 1800's. It DOES NOT LOOK SAFE!   In Canon City - Colorado's first Territorial prison was built, before we could become a state. 

So when they needed to build water lines, they had a whole prison full of laborers - and this was built by them. It is no longer in use, but I tell you, some of the place this *tube* went.... you could not have forced me to build there!

I really suck at selfies... but I was trying to get us and all the windows in the background. 

The train was awesome - we loved seeing everything.

After the ride we headed over to the

Holy Cross Winery at the Abbey

for wine tasting

( and purchasing)

To me, it is very interesting that what they can grow in this area of Colorado is so different than our area. That they grow enough grapes to even start wine is impressive. They offer a red blend wine that is a blend of local growers in town.  So if you have a little backyard grape vine - you can sell your grapes to them and they create this blend of all the local grapes. I love it!!

Of course, they have a LOT of other varieties and have won awards, but I really liked the community idea.

Our tour guide told us the Abbey was built in early 1900's ( or somewhere around there) to help the community , and to stop the interference of the KKK.  I only found a little about that - but our tour guide who told us that has been in the area for a LONG time... so I will believe him.

It was a short trip - but you know.. I have more blog posts ( and photos!!) about it right?

String Blocks for March

 I have to tell you... I am impressed that I have stuck with this for three whole months now...

I am a great procrastinator... and I am a great list maker... then list loser.... so I have to say.

Surprise!!!

I have 31 string blocks!!

I have more Teals to make, and I am running out of my 10 inch strips of Red and Blue... PLEASE DO NOT SENT MORE haha!! I am excited to see the bottom of the Patriotic buckets!!!

Find me at all these places:

    

Etsy           Instagram           Facebook

Stop Tossing version one... and Finished ( or not) Friday

 

When I write a Mystery Pattern - I usually just make the quilt first.

Then I cut Version two and start writing the pattern as I stitch along.

Then I bribe a friend to do it and critique it

Then I offer it to you as I am quilting my version....

Except this time.

I still have Version one.. with all its boo boos.

Version two got awarded somewhere along the way ...without photos. Which is good, it is doing what it was intended to do... but HOW did I forget it's photo???

and I DID make a Version three.... and Yes... its in plaids... but... It still needs its borders - so I am going to save it for another blog post - just to bother you... annoy you... and well... let you know that my best laid plans.... fail... 

Its all good tho... and I don't stress - I sorta laugh at myself....

Here is the original .. 

It started because my 5 inch square bin... just keeps overflowing - and it needed help......

And I needed some brain stimulation ... do you ever have days where your creativity ebbs? This one got mine going again!! YAY!

The Back... It is now in the to be bound pile for my QOV sew day, where I will bribe one of my favoritist people in the world to bind it ;-)

What have you got finished up?  Share away!!

Please add your Direct link only ( not the main link to your blog)

Please only link up a Finished ( or not) project - not announcements .. that's not really in the spirit of the link up

Please make sure to visit the links - make someone's day with a sweet comment

Please - link back to this post so others can join in

Link closes Sunday at noon my time

***********Link Up *************

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

***********The end *********************

Stop Tossing.... a Finish

 Stop Tossing is now over...

It was a fun easy one, but it was so good for me to get my design juices flowing again. I think they had stalled out... but this got them going again... so beware.... haha

This is Connie's Finish...

I just LOVE it!!!!

Check out Pat's at Bell Creek Quilts... 

And Check out Elizabeths

I will show you mine on Friday - for 

Finished (Or Not) Friday.... I hope if you have made it you will consider Linking up!!

Linking to

Midweek Makers

March Yellow RSC Steppers quilt

 Last week was Spring Break.

I like Spring Break.... but.. it messed up my time schedule, and no - I am not back to organized. but its all good... I got to see kids, my uncle and aunt visited, I cooked... A LOT.  My fridge is was full now.... anyone need leftovers??

I don't like leftovers... good thing my husband does, he is cooked for .... for the whole week.

Oh ya - we went Hiking, Jeeping, and Wine Tasting... I have photos.... beware ;-)

I Started working on my Yellow RSC Steppers quilt. and the yellows were SO bright, I thought the black would tone them down. 

In my opinion , it did not... its all super busy.

But you know what?

I Like it... and that is all that matters ( okay not really, but sorta)

I stopped here and kept looking at it. It seemed unfinished...

So.............

I added a row. I like it better now... It seems finished.

Off to row it!!

PS!!! are you participating in Hands 2 Help?  

Its sign up time over at Maris Blog... here is the link for you:

Hand 2 Help

******

Linking to:

Design Wall Monday

Monday Making      Rainbow Scrap Challenge

Teal Steppers Finish.... and Finished (or not) Friday

 February Rainbow Scrap Challenge Was Teal....  You know I had to make a Teal Stepper quilt.... and!

now!! It is finished!! Quilted and Bound!!

I gave my husband a hard time.... if you remember my Red Steppers... I took their photos on the Blue Trailer... but the Blue just didn't highlight this quilt. So how fortunate is it that I have a Cream color Trailer too????? I mean... who says Ranchers don't support quilters haha!

I thought these bright colors needed happy quilting - so Circles.... Lots of Circles.....  

And how bout that crazy leopard print backing!!!   It was green and I thought it just looked perfect!!

I hope you all had a great week... Our Mystery finished up Wednesday. So its off to plan a new one.... 

alright - that is my brag for the week - What have you got finished up?  Share away!!

Please add your Direct link only ( not the main link to your blog)

Please only link up a Finished ( or not) project - not announcements .. that's not really in the spirit of the link up

Please make sure to visit the links - make someone's day with a sweet comment

Please - link back to this post so others can join in

Link closes Sunday at noon my time

*************Link Up **************

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

**************End of Link up ***********

Find me at all these places:

    

Etsy           Instagram           Facebook

STOP TOSSING Step number FIVE

 

Step 5 – The FINALE

  

Next we will use our CONTRAST Fabric :

Based on 40 inch Width of Fabric you will need to cut

·         4 -  2 ½ inch strips

·         3  -4  ½ inch strips

The inner portion of your quilt should measure 51.5 x 67.5  - Be sure to measure yours in case you need to make adjustments in the following strips

From the 2 ½ inch strips you will need to create 2 – 67 1/ 2 inch strips

From the 4 ½ inch Strips you will need to create 2 – 55 inch strips

You will apply the 2 ½ inch strips to the sides of the quilt

Press

Then apply the 4 ½ inch strips to the top and bottom of the quilt.

 

NOW!!

Pull out the background fabric – if you already have your strips cut – you are good .

If you don’t have them cut you will need to cut

 7 – 3 ½ inch strips.

From these 3 ½ inch strips you will need to assemble

·         2 – 61 x 3 ½ inch strips

·         2 – 75 ½ x 3 ½ inch strips

Then apply the 75 ½ inch strips to the side of the quilt

Press

Apply the 61 inch strips to the top and bottom of the quilt.

The reveal:

Don't forget - I host Finished ( or not) Friday - I would love it if you would link up your quilts!!

Orphan Block QOV finish.... and Finished ( or not) Friday

 Back in October I started playing with some orphan blocks and a panel.... here ... Not all of the blocks were my Orphans - but all of the blocks needed some love.

So I measured and pieced, and measured some more - and Ta Da!

It is now a Complete finish!! 

( for me, one of my QOV partners in crime will bind it because they are awesome)

And I even took a photo all by myself on a windy blustery ... but! Sunny day!!

I really didn't want to do custom quilting on this one - I really wanted to get it in the line to be finished.. and then get back to my client quilts. So I hemmed and Hawed - and I really like the way this Pantograph turned out on it. I used a Greyish/Cream thread and I think it just sunk into the quilt. 

Now to our group sew day to be bound and ta da - It will be loving a Veteran soon as a Quilt of Valor!

Oh and.... I didn't empty the orphan block bin ( sigh)

Now it is your turn!!!

Please add your Direct link only ( not the main link to your blog)

Please only link up a Finished ( or not) project - not announcements .. that's not really in the spirit of the link up

Please make sure to visit the links - make someone's day with a sweet comment

Please - link back to this post so others can join in

PS - the link remains open until Sunday at noon 

************Link up **************************

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

********************End f link up *****************************

Find me at all these places:

    

Etsy           Instagram           Facebook

STOP TOSSING Step 4

 

STEP 4

Using your background fabric again.

If you didn’t cut all your 3 ½ inch strips in the last step you will need to cut approximately 6 more strips. With these you will assemble

5 – 3 ½ by 51 ½ inch strips.

Using the exact measurements that your rows from step 3 should have been – they should be 51 ½ inches.  We all know that when I sew…. Some of the numbers change – so measure your block rows, if they are a little different that the 51 ½ inches – you will need to make your 3 ½ inch strips that size ;-)

Apply one strip to the top of each row from Step 3.

 

And then on one of the rows you will need to add a strip to the bottom.

 

So that you can assemble them in to this:

Stitch all your rows together – and get ready for the next step ;-)

 

This should be about 51 ½ inch x 67 ½ inches

The Basketweave

 Ta Da!!

I used EVERY strip in the bag..... and this is what it turned out to be!

In my Teal RSC wrap up post - I showed you where I was and that i was Determined to leave no strip behind... 

I am proud to say... SUCCESS!!!

Now to play with the layout a little to move the colors around and get it stitched into a top!!!

Linking to:

Monday Making

Design Wall Monday

Yellow for March - Rainbow Scrap Challenge

 I don't have a lot to show yet.... but

I have fabrics:

and I found yarn that is kinda yellow... its called Maize....

As you know... I have learned how to make stripes while knitting my little hats... what colors do you think would make a good stripe with a color like this?

Go check out everyone elses plans:

Rainbow Scrap Challenge

Red RSC Quilts are FINISHED!!..... and Finished ( or not ) Friday

I had such fun playing in the Reds for January RSC!!

I got 4 tops made - but then!! I buckled down in February and got them quilted...

Then the Cold wind must have swept across the plain, or maybe the pressure changed .. because I buckled down and got them ALL Bound!!! SO they are FINISHED ... as in done, completely done!!!

Here we Go:

The Little Buffalo Plaid /Gingham Quilt  

TWO Red Steppers Quilts.... My Barn Kitties thought they needed to get into the action - so I was super glad that they let me take a photo without them... They are not so easy to work around  ;-)

I am sure you need a close up of each Stepper right?  I quilted hearts all over this one:

And stacked circles on this one:

Then with all the leftovers - I made a string quilt. I think I might have jumped the gun tho - I now have 9 more red string blocks sitting in my string block bin... they could have gone in this one... but!

I like how this one turned out....

A close up of the quilting ( you know us Machine quilters like to brag about that part!)

There we go!! All of my Red RSC's are done!!!

And now it is your turn to show away!!

Please add your Direct link only ( not the main link to your blog)

Please only link up a Finished ( or not) project - not announcements .. that's not really in the spirit of the link up

Please make sure to visit the links - make someone's day with a sweet comment

Please - link back to this post so others can join in

PS - the link remains open until Sunday at noon 

************************Link Up **************************

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

*****************End of Link up ***************

Stop Tossing STEP THREE

 

STEP THREE

It’s time to take out your background fabric.

If you want to cut all the strips you will need for the next steps – you will need a total of 19 -  3 ½ inch width of Fabric strips. (based on 40 inch fabric)

BUT! If you are mixing and matching on your background fabrics – for this step ONLY – this is what you will need:

*Cut 6 - 3 ½ inch strips – Width of Fabric

From these you will need to cut 16   3 ½ inch x 13 ½ inch strips.

Now apply them to the edges of the blocks and make rows as shown:

Make 4 rows like shown

Save the rest of your strips, and any leftovers from these 6 strips

So here is the deal - on the blog - the clues will just be typed in - but in my Groups.io Mystery group ( NOT a facebook page) there will be printable Pdfs... Its just too easy to do it there!!

Link to the group: https://groups.io/g/MysteryQuilts4Military

ALSO!! Thank you all for asking - Past Patterns are available - 

They are in my ETSY store   Quiltygirl Etsy Store

The books I read in February

 A friend Recommended The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah.

The two of us love to read historical fiction and she thought I would like it... and she was right! Funny thing tho... My hometown is mentioned... and she didn't tell me that until I had read it!! It actually explains a lot of the nicknames that are called in that town... hmm

Here is the description from Ms Hannah:

"Texas, 1934. Millions are out of work and a drought has broken the Great Plains. Farmers are fighting to keep their land and their livelihoods as the crops are failing, the water is drying up, and dust threatens to bury them all. One of the darkest periods of the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl era, has arrived with a vengeance.  

In this uncertain and dangerous time, Elsa Martinelli—like so many of her neighbors—must make an agonizing choice: fight for the land she loves or go west, to California, in search of a better life. The Four Winds is an indelible portrait of America and the American Dream, as seen through the eyes of one indomitable woman whose courage and sacrifice will come to define a generation."

of course, to offset that book I had to go back to my True Crime guy!!!

This was an awesome book - and with Reacher coming to Amazon Prime - it was the perfect time to read it!  I got all my action and adventure knocked out haha!

Mr Goldbergs Description:

"When a passenger jet crashes onto the beaches of Waikiki, bestselling thriller writer Ian Ludlow knows the horrific tragedy wasn’t an accident.

Years before, the CIA enlisted Ian to dream up terrorism scenarios to prepare the government for nightmares they couldn’t imagine. Now one of those schemes has come true, and Ian is the only person alive who knows how it was done… and who is behind the plot. That makes him too dangerous to live.

Ian goes on the run, sweeping up an innocent bystander in his plight—Margo French, a dog walker and aspiring singer. They are pursued by assassins and an all-seeing global-intelligence network that won’t stop until Ian and Margo are dead. Ian has written thrillers like this before, but this time he doesn’t know how it’s going to end—or if he will be alive to find out."

And then... I read:

I loved it!!! I so felt both characters. it was one of those Two character perspectives from the then and now. The Now charachter is learning so much about the then charachter. it was heart warming.

her Description

"Margaret Van Buren was a young socialite growing up in post-war Alabama who married the man chosen for her. After enduring his unfaithfulness for years, she decided to flee to Sweet Bay, Ala. There she discovered the Hideaway, a B and B that became her refuge. Though Margaret longed for an “uncomplicated love,” instead she found a devastating love that changed her forever. Her life was a mystery to most, but her death opened up many secrets she had hidden. Margaret wills the Hideaway to her only granddaughter, Sara, with one request: that she refurbish the quaint B and B to its former glory. When Sara receives news of Margaret’s death and her ownership of the Hideaway, she is stunned. Leaving her New Orleans antique shop behind, she immediately begins work on the old house. During Sara’s extended visit to her childhood home, she longs to know the woman she had believed was eccentric, realizing that she had never bothered to look behind the protective wall that surrounded her grandmother. While cleaning out the attic, Sara discovers an old box that unveils many secrets of a Margaret she never truly knew. "

and the last book 

Well... I am one now - so the title caught my eye... But! I hope that I am better than this one haha!

It is actually a very good book. One of the things that gets me tho, is that these kids expect their parents to still support them after the are married and have families.... Is that really expected? I am so independent, and so are my kids - that that threw me..... 

Anyways - here is the description

"A twisty, compelling new novel about one woman's complicated relationship with her mother-in-law that ends in death...

From the moment Lucy met her husband’s mother, she knew she wasn’t the wife Diana had envisioned for her perfect son. Exquisitely polite, friendly, and always generous, Diana nonetheless kept Lucy at arm’s length despite her desperate attempts to win her over. And as a pillar in the community, an advocate for female refugees, and a woman happily married for decades, no one had a bad word to say about Diana…except Lucy.

That was five years ago.

Now, Diana is dead, a suicide note found near her body claiming that she longer wanted to live because of the cancer wreaking havoc inside her body.

But the autopsy finds no cancer.

It does find traces of poison, and evidence of suffocation.

Who could possibly want Diana dead? Why was her will changed at the eleventh hour to disinherit both of her children, and their spouses? "

There you have it.... that is my reading for the month.