My first quilt bee meeting

I’ve hosted bees before.  A group from work decided to hand quilt a baby quilt for a co-worker and the first couple of quilting bees were at my house and a few people showed up and we quilted and laughed, and after a couple of meetings, they wanted to meet at a more central place, so we moved to an empty office at work.  Sans all my home made goodies and snacks.

But, this was my first ongoing, organized bee meeting.  There were about a dozen ladies that showed up and me.  I brought hand work and a few others did as well.  But, most folks were on their machines.  We met for four hours on Saturday and the bee doesn’t have a main project or anything they’re working on.  Everybody brings they’re own project and they sit and talk and sew and sew and talk and eat and drink coffee and tea and sew and talk. 

After I got there and knew better what to expect, I wished I’d taken something on the machine so I could show more progress, but that’s okay.  I didn’t get much done and I had trouble with the thread I took trying to knot up and break on me.  But, I did accomplish some things and I got the chance to show off my quilts that ribboned in the show last year and it seemed that everyone had a great time.  I left feeling like I talked more than I sewed.

My only disappointment is that I haven’t been invited back next month.  I’m going to mention that in my thank you email to the host and see if I can get invited back.  It seemed like a group I’d fit into well.  A very eclectic mix of people. 

One lady brought her tan featherweight.  It’s the first one I’d seen first hand.  What a rare beauty.

While I was at the bee, Rob and Syd took the dogs to the vet and ran errands and did stuff that dad’s and daughters need to do to keep up with life, including having lunch together, and when I got home, I was fired up to sew. 

I spent a lot of time working on my little hexie project. 

I got the first neutral border all the way around the center and two border sections pieced.  Around and around and around I will go and where I stop, nobody knows. 

I have at least the next two borders planned out in my mind.  Of course, Bonnie’s been working on hers on the flight to Ireland, so there’s no telling what progress she’s made that I’ll want to incorporate. 

Yesterday, I spent the wee hours of the morning in the sunroom, listening to book and sewing.  Later, as the sun came up, it was garden chores and then shopping and a Goodwill dropoff…no nothing from the sewing room, but a good sized load of stuff we don’t need anymore.  After that, I made a casserole and a key lime pie and some bran muffins. 

One day, I’ll write an ode to my bran muffin recipe.  I’ve been perfecting one and am very happy to have bran muffins on a regular basis.  As is my colon.

I enjoyed being involved last week; both in guild and bee.  And, I hope to keep my momentum up and join in more.  I’ve noticed that Sydney doesn’t have any plans to get out and be with any friends this summer.  When she came to live with us, we pulled inward and taught her what it was like to be part of a family.  But, now it’s time to teach her another lesson; how to be part of a community.  And, the only way I can teach that is to do that. 

So, here’s to being involved and spending more time outside my sewing room. 

Be well.  Have a great Monday.  Lane