Get on a boat! And sail the high seas with a bunch of fun quilters!
A special thanks to Veronica Cox of Bear Threads Designs for coordinating of our Quilters Cruise!
I would also like to acknowledge the minute of silence held on the ship to remember the reason we have Memorial Day! Several tributes were held through-out the ship during our week on board! The folks in TX were always on our mind as the state experienced un-precedented flooding over the Memorial Weekend and days that followed!
Our view as we were getting ready to leave Galveston in a drizzly rain on board The Navigator of the Seas for 7 days of fun packed sewing, sight-seeing and sipping! (Be sure to read to the end as you will not want to miss the final photo!)!
Who else sees flying geese?
Our first full day at sea was a class taught by Winnie Fleming. All of her kits were pre-cut and the students got right down to sewing! Our machines were Janome Horizon machines and were provided by Scott from Citrus Sewing Center of Ocala, FL.
The blocks and setting for the quilt Winnie chose for her class! Made with Hoffman Bali Pops, pre-cut by Winnie to the perfect size for piecing the blocks!Another pretty one!This photo is straight – the quilt on the design wall? Not so straight! Were the seas that rough?Kat photo bombing!One of 7 Linda’s hard at work!Sara’s quilt is going to be fabulous!
The evening class was taught by Susie Seed, she is an educator for Sulky! She had a fun project called split personality and students were able to try all kinds of threads and stitches while constructing their projects.
Susie Seed – Sulky Educator! And a fun lady!Split Personalities – make two faces, slice them down the middle, swap them around and you have a split personality!Split Personalities – make two faces, slice them down the middle, swap them around and you have a split personality!Split Personalities – make two faces, slice them down the middle, swap them around and you have a split personality!Split Personalities – make two faces, slice them down the middle, swap them around and you have a split personality!Split Personalities – make two faces, slice them down the middle, swap them around and you have a split personality!Split Personalities – make two faces, slice them down the middle, swap them around and you have a split personality!Split Personalities – make two faces, slice them down the middle, swap them around and you have a split personality!
My day to teach did not arrive until day 5 of the cruise, after 3 port days, Cozumel, Belize and Roatan. I was worried my students would be worn-out by this point as they had had a busy several days so far. But, my fears were quickly set aside, they were all excited and ready to jump in and learn something new! Only 1 photo from my class because I was having too much fun sharing my passion for paper-piecing!
The quilt I taught on the cruise. Landscape Table Runner – The only photo I took during the class!
There is so much to do on the ship!
When we weren’t sewing or sleeping, we were sight-seeing or enjoying ship performances. I did not take photos at most of the performances, we saw an ice-skating show, a tribute broadway, karaoke, comedians and lounge acts. My favorite was when the staff performed on the promenade with a tribute to the 70’s including The Village People! If I had not been laughing so hard I might have been able to snap some photos!
On the promenade getting ready for the circus paradeOne of the interior cabins, someone was peeking out to watch the parade. Hubby and I had a cabin on deck 2 (by the ice-skating rink)Some of the circus parade performersThe camera setting was just a tad off!
Highlights from our excursion to Cozumel….
Our first port was Cozumel, I had been here a very long time ago, probably over 30 years ago. The island has really grown up. It has a community college, a Sam’s store and lots of restaurants and shopping.We chose a short Mayan Ruins tour and scenic overview.We chose a short Mayan Ruins tour and scenic overview.All of the stones for the ruins were “mined” from underground tunnels! There are miles and miles of tunnels under the island where the stones used to be!The scenic overview! This side of the island is still in its natural form except for a couple of roadside tourist shops. No resorts etc.My handsome man!We are back on board the ship – watching other passengers que up to board.2 smaller carnival ships were also in port.
Our group after the 2nd formal dinner. A big thank you to my husband for being our photographer!
Our group after dinner Friday evening!Our group after dinner Friday evening!
Our group after dinner Friday evening!
We skipped early dinner one evening which meant I got to see a sunset!
I may not have dipped my toes in the ocean or the pool BUT I did see ONE sunset!
Sipping with our 3 favorite bartenders! Thanks Alice, Elle and Juana for keeping us entertained and “hydrated!” Our favorite place on the ship was the R Bar winding down with friends!
Alice! Classic beauty and charm! And a GREAT bartender!Elle preparing cocktails!Shaken!Double-Time!Juana – the boss! After giving the girls several dark chocolate bars we were in big trouble because they stayed up til the wee morning hours!A whole lot of shaking going on!They know when to stir it and when to shake it!The essence of Juana!Winnie, Linda and Me posing in the big framed chair – time for a little unwind!Kat joins the party!Then we added Kathy!And the party just keeps growing!Hubster was feeling left out!
Back in September I was contacted by Timeless Treasures Fabrics to join their blog tour for “The Reclaimed West” fabric collection ……
Here is a complete list of all those participating in the blog tour….. as you can see I am in great company. I haven’t had a chance to check yesterday’s blog posts, but am excited to see all the wonderful projects this week.
And Guess WHAT? There are prizes…. click here to enter to win!
My project did not need to be done until November 18th, which is after quilt festival and it would also be after my “Summer Solstice” for Quiltworx would be due; also made from “Reclaimed West”The past few days have been busy here at HollyDee Quilts. (Photos later in the post)
Anyway – I immediately replied that I would love to participate and sent in my fabric order, which was shipped promptly and drooling commenced!
Now some of you are new to the blog so you may not realize we have been building a new home and our “big stuff” i.e. the longarm were scheduled to be moved on Friday, November 14th. I wish that meant that all I had to do was wait for the movers to show up – but if you have ever moved you know – there is lots of purging and packing that has to happen prior to the move! I have been working on and off since June of this year on the purging and packing (what could be packed).
I was also quilting customer quilts up until Tuesday, November 11th!
And yes – I was trying to work on my Timeless Treasures Project for the blog tour – now I shall no longer bore you with words and will give you a photographic tour!
Tuesday, November 11, we prepped the longarm for the big move (3 hours WEST of Houston)
Here is the longarm in the old studio!And here is a quick photo of my new space – the longarm will go along that back wall. Behind that wall is the most exciting room in the house – “The Quilt Studio Closet” It is 6’x20′ with 11′ ceilings!Pieces and parts of the longarm and various machines after the movers left on the 14th!Another view – yes; I have a few machines!
Once the quilt room at the old house was ready for the movers I had some free time to either pack or work on my Reclaimed West project – I found a way to work on my project….
A folding table that was hiding upstairs – I have to be careful not to wiggle it too much because 2 of the legs do not snap in place. We have moved EVERY chair to the new house so I am sitting on a wooden step stool, using an old towel as a cushion!Progress is being made…Love trimming up the blocks!Oh very pretty!This is the photo that inspired the tree fabric in my outer border blocksGetting ready to sew the next section of borderNot sure from this piece – is it a quilt or undergarment?With a little rearranging I start sewing on 11/17 – remember this project is in today’s blog! Luckily most of the paper-piecing is complete and I will just be working on trimming units and block assembly!Assembly is in full swing!Remember the undergarment? Now you see where it goes!Something is missing!Much better with the red center squares! (Oops – got my shoes in that photo!)And it’s done! Well the top is done! Pattern is Witches Brew. This little puzzle quilt was a lot of fun to make! 23″x108″Here is the backing fabric and it will get a red binding – stay tuned – as soon as that longarm is back together I will load this one up and share!My other Reclaimed West Quilt – this one is Summer Solstice!Some of our new neighbors!
Thank you for stopping by the blog! I hope you enjoyed today’s post and don’t forget to go enter to win some of your very own “Reclaimed West” fabric and goodies! Click here to enter….
Be sure to click the “follow” button to keep up with my country life! I have a busy teaching schedule next year and would love to have you join me for a class, retreat or quilters cruise!
WOW oh WOW! I have been invited to teach on a 7 day cruise in May 2015. This is a quilters cruise in that it features quilting quilting quilting while we are at sail. I will be teaching and my great friend Winnie Fleming will be teaching. Veronica Cox from Bear Thread Designs is our lead instructor and will be teaching mini courses each evening and Scott will teaching a Mystery at Sea Quilt Class. Veronica has been collecting fabulous door prizes and has our teaching schedule prepared. Winnie and I have each chosen designs to teach so that you can go home with a finished quilt top along with all the fun things you will be making in the mini-classes. And best of all you DON’T NEED TO BRING ANYTHING but your enthusiasm. Your kits will be pre-cut ready to sew, your machines will already be on board. We are even supplying the rotary cutters, mats and all of your other necessary sewing supplies. How can you say NO? But wait you haven’t even seen the official details or the ship – boy is it fancy!
The beautiful Navigator of the Seas
And the places we will go…….
Belize is one stop on our list of ports
To find out more and book your passage just contact RockPort Tours
