My New BFF, Bonnie Hunter

Me... in the back row on the left, Bonnie is in the second row, just up and to the left of the big red star block.

If you are one who makes quilts, you likely know that BONNIE HUNTER is a seriously big deal out there in the quilting world.  Well,... my Guild, the Umpqua Valley Quilters' Guild, contracted with Bonnie Hunter to lead a workshop for us.  How cool is that!!!!  She books her workshops years out, so we've been waiting and waiting for our very own BH Workshop where we were set to make Bonnie's String Spiderweb quilt. We met at a local community center, a place with great light and lots and lots of electrical outlets... all 30 of us!, and we had the most fun day with Bonnie.

I have to say here that I am so incredibly star struck to be in the company of quilt professionals.  It has been my experience that these women are much like all of us, women who are wives and mothers and lovers of all things connected to quilts and quilting.  Bonnie has found her place in the quilting world in a way that most others have not. She is seriously BIG TIME, with features in magazines and a killer website, Quiltville, where she generously shares her free patterns with all of us. She travels all over the country leading workshops for women who are just like me.  She featured our workshop on her blog Quiltville .

As I have mentioned here on my blog previously, I am compelled to make things be "Matchy, Matchy".  I know that I need to just let go and channel my inner "scrappiness", but it's not easy for me.  So a "Toss Your Cares to the Wind" sort of a color scheme (with a big bunch of restrictions.... no reds, no blacks...)  is what I decided to use for my Scrappy Spider Web quilt.

My blocks, as featured on Bonnie's "Quiltville" blog with her copyright and stamp!  Woo-Hoo!!!
Is this my 15 seconds of fame? I'll take it!

I read the directions for Bonnie's Spider Web quilt and wasn't so sure that this was for me.  But really, I'd make just about anything to be in the company of this Quilting Queen Bee!,  so I sucked it up and started cutting up my fabric strips.  I should insert here that I chose a solid background fabric that I think will give me the look that I am going for.  It's that "vintage green" color, often used in quilts from the 1930's, and I am also imagining a solid cornflower blue or a buttery yellow fabric in the border. To actually have a vision at this point is kind of a surprise for me, even before the piecing is done.  I am just rolling along with the creative process here, which is kind of how it should be, I think. Roll on!

A few blocks made by my Guild Mates.  Love the Halloween fabrics!

If a full day of sewing without distractions is not enough, add in that I sewed all day with other guild members, my friends and table mates, Teri W., LeAnne L. and Shirley S.  Priceless! Lots and lots of chatting going on!

Each and every one of my guild mates, all using the very same pattern, made a remarkably different quilt. That's the wonder of this kind of workshop.  We all use the same pattern but our end products are completely original.

Thank you Bonnie, for being a wonderful instructor and such a fine quilting sister!  We hope that we see you along the way again.