Several months ago, I participated in the New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop and learned a lot about blogging in the online quilt community. Many of us new bloggers, myself included, signed-up to design a pattern for a 12″ block and write a tutorial for it to be posted on our blogs. I’ve never done anything like that before and really wasn’t so sure I could. With a little encouragement from my daughter-in-law, I decided to be a brave quilter and give it a try.

These solids are from Cloud 9.
Shortly after agreeing to the design/tutorial challenge I received this fabric in the mail. So I’ve been busy at work measuring, cutting, pinning, sewing, and pressing. Look for it on Monday!

I received five fat quarters to use in my block. Once the block is completed, I will send if off to be assembled in a donation quilt.
For those of you following my 2016 Quilt MN Shop Hop adventures, I have not forgotten you. (If you haven’t yet, click here to take you to Tu-Na Travels posts to read about them). I’m still working on the rest of the MN Shop Hop and Loot posts. In the meantime, I’ve had a quilt to finish and a couple of smaller trips to take which I’ll be posting about too. But first up today is taking care of the Huckleberries that someone risked their life to pick for me.

One quart (minus a couple of handfuls to taste) of fresh-picked, sweet, juicy, Montana Huckleberries destined for a pie. But that’s the subject of yet another post.
What I Learned Today:
- Time goes way too fast!
- I am busier now than before I retired.
Question: What’s keeping you busy this week?
Linking with Julie at Pink Doxies for #Brave Quilter. This is the first time I’ve linked here so I must be feeling extra brave today!
Those Cloud 9 fabrics are so pretty! The huckleberries look yummy!! I am working on my Judy Neimeyer Glacier Star and learning EPP! Fun times!
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The huckleberries made very good pie! Sounds like you are keeping busy. EPP is on my list to learn soon. I need something easy and portable for road trips.
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Oh, I can’t wait to see what you’ve designed! Sounds like fun!
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Thanks. It’s been fun but stressful.
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I would imagine! It would be for me, but it would still be fun to try!
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Looking forward to your quilt block tutorial! There’s nothing better than huckleberries! We picked them in the mountains every fall while on a trip when I was a kid.
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That sounds like fun as long as there are no bears around. The huckleberry pie turned out great! We bought ours at a roadside stand.
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OmyGAWD, me too…busier now than before I retired…and happy to be waking up to do something I love surrounded by people and critters I love….which was not always the case when I was hauling my sorry self into the city every day for 35+ years. But it did go by fast looking at it from this perspective. Lucky us to have survived and thrived the workaday world.
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Now I wonder how I ever had time to work! I was a stay at home mom for 23 years so I worked only 12 years (retired 3 years ago) and I still wonder how the time flew by so fast! I have so much I want to do yet and so many quilts to make. I think I won’t get everything made even if I live to be 150 and never stop to sleep!
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I’m looking forward to seeing your block. I’ve finished canning tomatoes this week!!!! Now I can play until the Michigan Cortland apples arrive. Then I’ll need to make applesauce that will only take 2 days. Have a great day! Blessings, Gretchen
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I have the complete list of new block participants now on my blog https://tunaquilts.wordpress.com/2016/09/11/tu-na-quilts-presenting-annes-flower/. I’ve got my pattern posted there now and have learned a lot through this experience. Mostly, I have a new appreciation for pattern designers!
Our apple trees are so loaded the branches are resting on the ground! We are just waiting for a freeze to sweeten them up a bit and then I’ll be busy with applesauce, apple pie, drying apples, and making apple cider (we have an apple press). It should take us 3 weeks!!
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Can’t wait to see your block and all the others. I’ve been working on my block tutorial this week. Next week we’ll be busy hopping around!
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Excellent, Karen! I’m so glad you’re taking a leap, and trying a pattern writing tutorial. The fabric is a beautiful palette, and I’m sure the finished blocks will make a lovely charity quilt. Thank you for your bravery linking up with #BraveQuilter at Pink Doxies.
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After completing the designing and writing of the tutorial, I have a new appreciation for pattern designers. It’s not as easy as I thought it would be.
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