On Friday our quilt club had its annual day trip out. We had dark, showery weather which didn't hinder us at all! After meeting at the Provincial Building and boarding the Seniors' Outreach Bus, which we had rented for the day, and meeting our driver, Chris, we left shortly after 7:30 a.m.
Our first stop was at Country Creations, south of Strathmore, where Lorraine Stangness, quilt designer and owner of the shop welcomed us with coffee and assorted cookies. Because there were 19 of us women on the tour, we divided into two groups. One group went downstairs to her lovely shop and started browsing around, picking up some bargains, and other beautiful projects. Ten of us stayed upstairs and Lorraine gave us several demonstrations of methods. First a quick, nifty way to make flying geese. There are instructions for this on her website, at Country Creations. There followed other demonstrations on use of special rulers to make cutting squares quick and accurate, and on a fool-proof way the join the ends of your bindings.
Then we changed places with the group downstairs.
I had said I wouldn't buy any fabric, as my space for my fabric stash is FULL!! Oops! Never say Never!!! I saw a very beautiful quilt that I would love in our bedroom. (Our current quilt is showing wear after more than 15 years on the bed.) The kit available was for a single bed (71" x 86") so I ended up buying two kits. I want to make a very large quilt, pretty much floor to floor all the way 'round, so it will finish out at at least 106" x 106", maybe as large as 110" x 110". I spent more money than any other woman on the tour at that stop! But I'm so excited about starting this beautiful quilt.
Our bus driver Chris had made the suggestion that we stop for lunch at Glenmore Inn, which has a wonderful buffet lunch. He had phoned ahead and made reservations for us. So the tables were all set up, and we were able to pick up our food from the wide variety of choices available. We spent an hour there, and were well satisfied. Thanks to Chris for a great suggestion and for his help arranging it!
After that we visited three quilting shops in the southeast end of Calgary, Along Came Quilting, Sewing Sensation, and My Sewing Room. They were all happy to see us come in the door, 19 strong, ready to buy. And we were rewarded with some prizes, fat quarters from one shop, a pin and emery board from another. We were told to phone beforehand the next time, and there would be a little bag of goodies for each of us.
We still had time for one more visit, so we headed down to 9th Ave and 12th st, where the son of a member has an art gallery, DaDe. We had a great time there looking at the displays, and enjoying a glass of wine, compliments of the owners! What a fun time!
By this time, 5 p.m., most of us (only two under 55) were getting pretty flaked. So we told Chris, Head for home. He needed to pick up some gas on the way, so he dropped us all at the Tim Horton's in Strathmore and filled up the tank.
We reached home just after 7 p.m., right according to schedule, replete with shopping, treats, and yakking. Chris had said at the beginning that he has only one rule for the bus: ONLY ONE PERSON TALKING AT A TIME!!! I guess we amended to rule to read: only one person per pair of seats talking at once, as the bus was filled with chatter the whole day: just like a henhouse full of clucking hens!
Our first stop was at Country Creations, south of Strathmore, where Lorraine Stangness, quilt designer and owner of the shop welcomed us with coffee and assorted cookies. Because there were 19 of us women on the tour, we divided into two groups. One group went downstairs to her lovely shop and started browsing around, picking up some bargains, and other beautiful projects. Ten of us stayed upstairs and Lorraine gave us several demonstrations of methods. First a quick, nifty way to make flying geese. There are instructions for this on her website, at Country Creations. There followed other demonstrations on use of special rulers to make cutting squares quick and accurate, and on a fool-proof way the join the ends of your bindings.
Then we changed places with the group downstairs.
I had said I wouldn't buy any fabric, as my space for my fabric stash is FULL!! Oops! Never say Never!!! I saw a very beautiful quilt that I would love in our bedroom. (Our current quilt is showing wear after more than 15 years on the bed.) The kit available was for a single bed (71" x 86") so I ended up buying two kits. I want to make a very large quilt, pretty much floor to floor all the way 'round, so it will finish out at at least 106" x 106", maybe as large as 110" x 110". I spent more money than any other woman on the tour at that stop! But I'm so excited about starting this beautiful quilt.
Our bus driver Chris had made the suggestion that we stop for lunch at Glenmore Inn, which has a wonderful buffet lunch. He had phoned ahead and made reservations for us. So the tables were all set up, and we were able to pick up our food from the wide variety of choices available. We spent an hour there, and were well satisfied. Thanks to Chris for a great suggestion and for his help arranging it!
After that we visited three quilting shops in the southeast end of Calgary, Along Came Quilting, Sewing Sensation, and My Sewing Room. They were all happy to see us come in the door, 19 strong, ready to buy. And we were rewarded with some prizes, fat quarters from one shop, a pin and emery board from another. We were told to phone beforehand the next time, and there would be a little bag of goodies for each of us.
We still had time for one more visit, so we headed down to 9th Ave and 12th st, where the son of a member has an art gallery, DaDe. We had a great time there looking at the displays, and enjoying a glass of wine, compliments of the owners! What a fun time!
By this time, 5 p.m., most of us (only two under 55) were getting pretty flaked. So we told Chris, Head for home. He needed to pick up some gas on the way, so he dropped us all at the Tim Horton's in Strathmore and filled up the tank.
We reached home just after 7 p.m., right according to schedule, replete with shopping, treats, and yakking. Chris had said at the beginning that he has only one rule for the bus: ONLY ONE PERSON TALKING AT A TIME!!! I guess we amended to rule to read: only one person per pair of seats talking at once, as the bus was filled with chatter the whole day: just like a henhouse full of clucking hens!
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