Back at the ranch.......!?!?!

I am brilliant! NOT! When we "penned" the Cock-A-Doodle Chronicle for this term we were a little "under the gun" time wise, so, I forgot to look at our perpetual calendar when planning classes! Guess what! I made a "little" mistake.....I double booked the classroom for Sunday October 4th, 2009!

Elaine's Curved Piecing class coincided with our monthly Private Group (we call them The Barrie girls - only one of them actually lives in Barrie!). What to do????

The class had to go on and so it did.......here they are working away!

This class even had Libby busy piecing.........

Meanwhile - what to do with my 6 quilters from "Barrie"?! They were invited to the "Secret Cock-A-Doodle Clubhouse" as they fondly dubbed it yesterday!

I met the girls at the store and the "convoy" headed for my house where we started with SHOW AND SHARE......

First Christina's quilt.....with Nanna admiring it!

Then Ann's quilt which she worked on the binding for.......

...and finally Gail's roses.... stunning and fabulous quilting on all three!

Then everyone got down to work........it actually worked out quite well, a little crowded or as Cathy put it - cozy! but not at all bad.......

I was very impressed by their dedication (the only thing missing was the fabrics, notions and books at the store).......

Gail worked on her Halloween placemats. Here's one........

.......here's another one......

After a fabulous lunch of Spring Rolls and Chicken Stir Fry with Rice, I got busy baking Chinese Almond Cookies for Afternoon Tea and then just hung out and watched all the projects evolving...it was great!

I have to admit at the last minute I started worrying about electrical issues - like 6 machines, an iron, etc. but I managed to work it all out logically and that was that - we had the pressing station in one corner, the machines and quilters at the dining room table which is big enough to seat 12 for dinner so 6 wasn't a problem and cutting was on the end counter in the kitchen (you can see Donna cutting behind me in the picture)! The girls were even allowed into the Secret Cock-A-Doodle Cave (my studio) to use the design wall and do some cutting if they needed the extra space.

As for the "Big Brown Blob" (Bosley), he spent the afternoon on the porch mostly crying to get in but we all kept talking to him so he wouldn't get too lonely. Labs are really people dogs and he just wanted to be where the action was. Simon came in through the window behind Donna while we were having lunch so he could beg for food......it was a great day! Barb even called to say she missed us but she was so busy at the store I don't know when that was.......

This week we're looking forward to a number of classes - Judith is teaching The Fan Sweatshirt jacket tomorrow afternoon (two classes), Mary is teaching Little Landscapes Wednesday evening, The Underground Railroad Club is meeting on Thursday and I am teaching Beginner Quilting tonight (gotta go get ready!). There are still a few spaces left in Judith's and Mary's class (as well as mine) - so if you were thinking about them - it's almost too late!!!!!

Happy Quilting!
Jo-Ann