August Vacation

You may remember John is booked to teach on an exciting Holland America Mediterranean Empires Cruise in August of 2011.  The exotic ports of call are in Italy, Greece, Croatia and Turkey; get your camera ready!



The tour company has just added a really special event Just For Quilters!.  There will be an exclusive quilters' tour in Istanbul, Turkey.  Visit Mediterranean Cruise Website for the complete details but the highlights are a guided tour to the fabric section of the famous and colorful Grand Bazaar, lunch in a wonderful restaurant in the Spice Market, and a workshop with local quilters and block exchange!  You can sign up for this full day in Istanbul on the tour company's website.  It seems like a great way to see this ancient city and to meet people who share our love of quilting.

If you have a project that you would like Kate to custom cut on the laser, now is the time - she is all caught up!  Most projects are just $60 plus shipping from your own fabric.  Call 800 745 3596 and ask for Kate!

All that talk about the Spice Market and Turkish food made me hungry.  It is lunch time.

Brooke

That Was Fun!

We all hope you had a great holiday, however you celebrate.  We all ate too much.  Well, there are a couple of folks in our family who restrain themselves somewhat and actually quit eating when they are full.  There are more of us who say "well, just one more" to servings of dressing, or sweet potatoes, or Christmas cookies!    Stern and solemn, January is just ahead, waiting for us to reform.

Here are updated pictures of John's hand quilting project.  This was early in the weekend; he has a lot more done now.  The television is right by his frame so he can keep track of all football action. 

The Road to California Show is coming up soon.  I spent a few hours today locating the merchandise boxes so we can start packing.  Templates need to be cut, John's class supplies need to organized, suitcases are waiting to be stuffed with quilts.  Important to me is that I have a knitting project ready so I won't be bored on the airplane.  Well, too bored anyway.

If you were fortunate enough to get Money for Christmas, don't forget that the free ground shipping offer is good through January 9, 2011 on Frames, Frame Kits or the Oak Frame Stand.   The discount code is SHIPFREE.  If you forget to type it in, Kate and I still make sure you get the discount.  Humans are better than computers, sometimes.  Order here!

Word is that an Arctic Front is coming with 4 to 6 inches of snow.  I know you quilters back East think that is child's play after what you have been through.  Hang in there!

Brooke

Sorry about the Snow

To the rest of our U.S. neighbors, I am sorry about the snow.  We like snow here in Montana. Our mountains could use more and I wish some of you folks who don't want it or need it or like it could send it back up here.  Please, please keep the wind, though.

This little deer, this year's fawn, really wanted to come inside with us and have a snack.  He was so cute I forgave him for eating every single geranium and petunia I put out this summer.

John is busy on another quilt for his exhibit at Road to California in January.  This quilt is about 86" square.  It fits fine in the basement so John can watch football and quilt.  He is using the Baptist or Methodist fan design which is traditional with Sioux quilters and variegated YLI Jean Stitch thread.  It is going fairly fast; he can really focus when hand quilting.

Don't forget, there is a holiday special to save on shipping of the frames, kits or frame stands.  See the website for details and the code word which is SHIPFREE.

Brooke

Fantastic News about Alzheimer's Research

Ami Simms sent out a press release on Sunday about a breakthrough at the University of Michigan Life Sciences research center.  Ami's 501(c) organization "Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative" presented the research center with a $30,000 grant earlier this year.  Quilters made this happen!    Ami's Blog

I don't understand any of the molecular this and the amyloid protein that, but I can tell this is good news.  Quilters, YES!  Alzheimer's,  NO!

Brooke

Discount Code

I finally got the newsletter out with the information about the Holiday Discount Code on either the Frame, the Frame Kit or the Oak Frame Stand.  It took quite a bit of jiggling or whatever the software programming word is, but the order form is now working.  Flynn Quilt Frame Company

Here is the discount code, good for free ground shipping on either the Frame, the Frame Kit or the Oak Stand through January 9, 2011, U. S. addresses. 

SHIPFREE 

There is a place on the same page where you put your credit card information to enter the code.  International folks will get a discounted amount off their international shipping for orders of the Frames, Frame Kits or the Stand.

You will notice that you get a 1 cent, that's right, a $.01 discount also.  That's where the jiggling came in...  Don't spend it all in one place, now.

I hope you enjoy the coming Holidays.  I'm pretty sure I know what I am getting from John and it isn't fabric.

Brooke

Thanksgiving News

Hope your Thanksgiving holiday was warm, safe and happy.  We had a small group here at Red Lodge and we ate just fine.  There were card games and hand work projects going on so everyone was pretty content and entertained.



John and his sisters also made "honey cake" which is a family recipe and tradition.  There is a special bowl and a special wooden spoon.  I don't get involved; it is a complicated recipe and takes all three of them to execute.  The honey cake is now curing in a stoneware crock; sounds like homemade wine to me.

We have a ton of snow; more came down after our company left on Saturday.  John and I were sitting peacefully at the table when we heard a low roar.  I could feel my eyes widening, wondering what the noise was and then all the snow came cascading off our new metal roof.  It was very entertaining.

I have a knitting project going and John has two quilts in progress for his exhibit at the Road to California show in January.  He is "Featured Artist" which means Kate and I are working the booth this time.  Southern California in January, yes!  One of the new quilts is in the slideshow; John has it ready to hand quilt now.  It is very colorful and will look great in the exhibit, I think.

Watch your email for a newsletter with a Holiday Special on the Multi-Frame.  I just have to figure out how to tell the software to do what I want.  We'll see. If the newsletter doesn't show up pretty soon, just call 800 745 3596 and we will give you the Frame shipping special.  Stay warm.

Brooke

From the Alzheimer's Booth

Ami Simms, our hero, posted these photos of her booth at the Houston International Quilt Festival before, during and after.  You will see John there helping in a couple of the photos.
View Photos

I stole them off Ami's Facebook page.  :) 

Ami's last post said they raised about $54,000 for research from the little quilt auction.  We bought 3 of the little quilts; I wonder where they are packed.

Teams have already formed for next year's "celebrity" faceoff.  I understand sports is still the theme.  So stay tuned for more silliness in support of a good cause.

In all the fun and the excitement of these fundraising auctions, I stop from time to time and remember how hard it was to watch my meticulous, kind, decisive mother slip away from us.  THANKS to everyone who is helping fight this awful disease.

Brooke

What Is Kate Doing Today...

Didn't your mother tell you not to put pins in your mouth?
Kate spent most of the day putting together one of her Drunkard's Path pre-cut kits.  She already had most of the concave/convex units together and is working on the rows.  The blocks are 4" square and the kit makes a 48" x 64" project.  Two kits make a queen size top.

Here is what else is going on.  John is back from Houston.  Over the weekend, he used the gasoline post hole digger to make 200 holes so I could plant daffodils.  Yes, it is late; the ground was not frozen. But I was frozen after kneeling in the snow for 3 hours.

 The very bad thing first - John hit a rock with the digger and it kicked back and cut his thumb and nail - on his right hand, of course.  So not a lot of hand quilting right now.  And I'm on my own with stuck jar lids for a while. 

The good thing is that right as we finished, the real snow started and we are going to have a beautiful view of daffodils next spring.  The deer don't eat them.

I'm so tickled to tell you that the Alzheimer's Auction raised over $12,000 for research.  Plans are being made for next year, so stay tuned.

Brooke

Red All Over

We learned about this stunning exhibit planned for 2011 in New York City.

It is sponsored by the American Folk Art Museum and will be shown at the Park Avenue Armory, 643 Park Avenue, New York City.  The dates are March 25 - 30, 2011.

More than 650 red and white American quilts, all from one private collection will be hung.  And, admission is FREE.  This is a must see for quilt lovers!

Here is the web address for the American Folk Art Museum

Brooke

Short Story from Houston

Kate and I are back from Houston; John is still in the van in Colorado, last I heard.  We bought a lot of fabric at Quilt Market; mostly batiks and can't wait until it starts arriving. 

Here are some photos from Houston.  We aren't allowed to take photos of the IQA winners but here is the web address  (thanks to Linda!)  Winners  We have sponsored the "Merit Hand Quilting" category for many years, reflecting John's love of hand quilting.

There were lots of quilters at the show; it was really crowded every day but Sunday.  I always enjoy the Award Ceremony where the category winners are revealed and you get a chance to see the quilts up close and meet the winners. 

When Kate and I got back to Billings, I continued to Red Lodge and came back to work in the morning.  It started snowing about 4 pm and we had 3 - 4 inches by morning, hurray!

Brooke

Bid, Bid Bid!!

Most of us are back from Houston; always such an exciting experience.  But I want you to visit the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative page and "watch" the bidding on the 6 donation quilts.  The auction ends in just over 24 hours.  Money raised goes to Alzheimer's research so we can beat this dreadful disease.

Here is the link  Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative  You can also buy nifty earrings, mugs and printed T shirts; Kate and I have ours!  Oh, I couldn't resist a little quilt from the miniature auction and John bought two!  Pictures to follow.

Being right at the Quilt Festival and watching how hard Ami is working to help find a cure and treatments was really impressive.  Her enthusiasm and sincerity are inspiring and when I look at her, I see an armoured knight on a big charger going full tilt at a target.  Look out Alzheimer's!

Please do what you can to help; thanks!

Brooke

Eighth Most Extreme...



"Satin String Star"

 Here is a picture of Kate's finished auction quilt; it is 12" square.  I really think it turned out beautifully and we hope it raises a lot of money for the International Quilt Association.  One year during the Silent Auction, she was ahead of John for a long time - he pulled ahead at the very last, though.

We have heard from John a couple of times today; he has been pretty lost in Oklahoma and blames the GPS.  We now know that the Ford Van will hold 33.6 gallons of gasoline; that is how close he was to running out of gas.  Too much excitement for me.

Okay, for the eighth most extreme thing we have forgotten for a quilt show, let me tell you about a Minnesota Quilters' show a few years ago.  Right at opening, we had some confusion with our neighbors on the right because they mistakenly plugged all their spotlights in to my power strip.  That isn't so bad except they didn't leave a place for my cash register and credit card swipe machine plugs so we had to crawl around on our hands and knees and get all straightened out under the table.  Then panic time quickly set in because the cash register would not work.  It whirred and churned and stuttered so I sent John to see if one of our vendor friends had an extra cash register and, unexpectedly, he found one. We were saved!  Later that day, I looked under the table again and realized that I had mixed up the power cords so the poor cash register was getting a lot more electrical juice than it needed and the swipe machine, not enough.  I felt kinda silly.

Flying out tomorrow with a good book and some knitting.  Have a great weekend!

Brooke

About PIQF and Texas Here We Come!

This nice article with great photos is kindly shared by CraftHappy, one of John's students at the PIQF.  The blog is "Told You Sew".  It looks like John was having a good time in class!

John Flynn’s Double Wedding Ring Class « Told You Sew!

Here are a few photos from the quilt show in Santa Clara.  PIQF is a really nice show with great quilts; hope you can attend sometime. 

We are packing madly for Houston; John leaves tomorrow, Kate and I are flying so still some time.  Hope you can come by the booth; we have LOTS of miniature pre-cut kits and even some miniature templates this year.



"Heart of the Storm" by John Flynn

Kate and I bought T-Shirts from the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative website to wear in Houston; we will be very stylish!  Kate chose one with all four quilts from John's team.  I decided on one with just John's contribution "Heart of the Storm".  Oh, and you can vote for John's quilt while you are on the Alzheimer's Art Quilt website, I know he will appreciate it! 

Please, please support this ongoing effort for Alzheimer's research.  Thanks!

Back to packing.  I'm thinking winter will arrive while we are gone.

Brooke

YouTube for You

Watch this cute and ambitious video which shows some of the 1,000 little quilts that will be auctioned off in Houston in two weeks.  This is part of Ami Simm's ongoing and dedicated effort to raise money for Alzheimer's research.  Watch for a little purple quilt in the first few seconds; John's contribution!

Brooke

Ninth Most Extreme

Kate and I are busy this week cutting pre-cut kits for John's next two teaching engagements and for the Pacific International Quilt Festival in Santa Clara and for the International Quilt Festival in Houston.  John is teaching at both shows, so be sure to check for class availability if you are interested in his classes.  It will be a quick turnaround next week when John gets back from Utah and we pack the van to head out for Northern California. 

We got to "dog sit" last weekend.  What gentle, trusting creatures dogs are.  Kate's smaller dog knew that I knew where Kate was and when she would return, so she just kept close to me, hoping I would beam Kate down soon.  Moon, the bigger dog, is John's buddy.  We have a doll elinor peace bailey painted for John years ago displayed on our hearth.  Moon recognized it as John, and gave it a big kiss.

Home repairs are still on the agenda - I spent part of Sunday and Monday carefully moving around on a scaffold, painting window trim a bright red!  John cut grass all around the house and moved a brush pile so the roofers can work - they are supposed to come Monday.  We have another million daffodil bulbs to plant, or maybe it is only 500.  Have to try to fit that in between shows.

Speaking of shows, here is the Ninth Most Extreme thing we forgot for a show.  Our children were still in high school when John and I drove all the way to the Vermont Quilt Festival leaving my prescription medicine behind.  I guess we were in Minnesota when I discovered it was missing. That was an expensive Fed Ex delivery.

Enjoy a beautiful Fall, wherever you are.

Brooke

Ten Most Extreme

First, here is a picture of the class sample John just finished from Civil War Reproductions and shirtings. He will teach Glorified Nine Patch soon to the Utah State Guild and this is one of the pre-cut kits they can choose from in class. It is such a warm, pretty quilt and it was pretty quick to piece. Today is John's birthday, he looks pretty happy, doesn't he!



We are packing for a show in Colorado. We have a checklist of things we need for the booth, of course and I was thinking about other shows as I went through the check list. Sometimes, even with the check list, we forget stuff. So I thought it would be funny to list the 10 Most Extreme Things We Have Forgotten - like on the History Channel or is it on Discovery?

So, for this post, the 10th Most Extreme Thing is something someone else forgot, not me.  I got to the show, ready to unload and pack in, with my assigned booth number and a map of the show floor. All the booth numbers and outlines were chalked on the concrete floor; all except mine. It skipped right over me. I went to find the show coordinator and, with a Big Sigh, he said he would help me find my booth (poor old dumb woman) and, surprise, he couldn't "find" it either. They made room for me and it was all fine, but I got a chuckle out of his attitude - I was probably doing quilt shows before he was born.

Well, better get back to packing - what will we forget this time??

Brooke

Words to the Wise

I usually write the company's newsletter and blog, but I don't want quilters to think John doesn't write...just yesterday we got our copy of Joe Cunningham's new book "Men and the Art of Quiltmaking" published by the American Quilters Society.  John's interview is included and we were tickled to notice that one of his quilts has been used on the dedication page.  There are some really beautiful quilts in this book and the quilters' stories are fascinating; this will make good reading this fall.


Another recent article is in the October issue of "The Quilt Life" magazine, also published by the American Quilters Society.  They have a feature called "If you could ask one question", and quilters sent in questions for John to answer.  He had fun writing his answers and then we looked through boxes of snapshots looking for bridge construction and quilt pictures.  I don't think I want to scrapbook, but I like looking at the old pictures; well, that's another story.

So, John does write, it takes a back seat to quilting, of course.  But today he is mechanicing on our old John Deere forklift; life at a small company is so glamorous sometimes.

Brooke

In Stitches

 It's finished; my little contribution to the 2010 IQA Silent Auction.  Kate is almost done too and then we can ship them off.  The center two plates are 6" and Kate custom made me the little 3" plates for the corners.  I had fun, especially with the blanket stitching which I enjoy more each time I do it.  The machine quilting is done with So Fine from Superior Threads; I used a pale blue (called Venice) so I could see what I was doing.  So that's done; what's next?



Every other Monday, I knit with friends at the Art Guild which is in the old Depot Building.  This time, the building was closed, so we sat outside under the gazebo to knit.  It was just the most beautiful Montana fall day, with a light breeze.  We really had fun, visiting and enjoying each other's yarns and projects.

In January, 2011, John will be the "Featured Artist" at the 16th Annual Road to California Quilters' Conference.    in Ontario, California.  He is working on new quilts for the show; one of them is a beautiful white on white whole cloth quilt that gets prettier every time I study it.  So that will be his weekend project for quite a while into the future.  I heard the noises of a football game coming from the room where he was quilting on Sunday - football and hand quilting - quite a combination!

Brooke

Rainbows

It has been a hard week; we just got back from the funeral of a favorite friend.  Changes are inevitable but still hard.

So I appreciated the spectacular treat of a double rainbow two mornings ago. 

I don't have much quilting left to do on my IQA Silent Auction quilt; it is a little past due...  Should be able to get that done this weekend. Kate also has a few more stitches to put in; I just saw her leave with the quilt tucked under her arm.  John has a hand quilting project to keep him going if the weather is too cold to work outside.  Oh, and Ocktoberfest is this weekend!

We have an upcoming show in Longmont, Colorado.  They always have nice quilts and, because it isn't a huge show, it is easy to see all the vendors and quilts and the demonstrations!  It is at the Boulder County Fairgrounds September 23 - 25.  Let's hope they have that bad wildfire out by then.  Have a great weekend!

Brooke

Moose and Quilt

This is a really big moose.  I'm not sure what she is thinking but maybe she was meditating.  She wasn't eating or exploring; she just stood still and chilled for a while.  She really was huge.

Moose

John has finished his contribution to the 2010 International Quilt Association's Silent Auction Fundraiser.  This little quilt is 18"x18" and is called "seedling".  It is machine pieced and quilted.  No, it is not paper pieced.  And no, Kate and I are not finished.  Kate is hand quilting and I still have borders to put on and then frantic machine quilting.  I'll bet a lot of you know about frantic machine quilting.  Well, back to work.

Brooke

And South from Alaska

I have just returned from back-to-back trips to Eureka, Montana and Petersburg, Alaska. I am having a hard time deciding which trip I enjoyed the most.


Eureka is in the far corner of Montana from me. You can get farther from Red Lodge and still stay in Montana but you need four wheel drive. I taught classes for three days before the annual Eureka Outdoor Quilt Show that happens the first Saturday of August each year. I had to get back home to fly to Petersburg so I did not attend the show but did get to help in the preparation. It is really great to see a whole community get together to celebrate quilts.

While in Eureka I stayed at the Pruett House bed and breakfast. I woke up every morning thinking “I’m not worthy”. If you are looking for a great quilt retreat next August, make a reservation at the Pruett House and sign up for a couple classes in Eureka, Montana and see the outdoor quilt show.

I got to spend 4 sunny days in Petersburg, Alaska. They claim to have over 100 inches of rain a year but the weather was beautiful for me. I stayed at the Feathered Nest Bed and Breakfast in Petersburg. Liz is a quilter so she understands everything a quilter could need and will make you feel like you are home. I loved walking around Petersburg. I had taken a rain jacket just to insure it would not rain and it was so warm out, I kept leaving it in every shop I stopped at. In an hour or so I would figure it out and my jacket was always there when I went back. I kept thinking that this time I would lose it and it would start raining but it never happened.

Classes were not as full as I would have liked but when you looked out the window, it was hard to get that good-fishing-on-a-sunny-day image out of your head so I do understand. I ate their great fresh fish three times a day and am having a hard time adjusting back home. Next time I am in Petersburg I will be fishing, you can be sure. I could always ship those old quilts home to make room for fresh fish in my luggage. Petersburg quilt week is the second week of August if you want to go. It is right on the ferry route so you can stop in Petersburg and continue to tour the rest of Southeast Alaska. They have a great little quilt shop and several long-arm quilters to visit plus you can get fresh fish almost anywhere along the way.

John

North to Alaska

Our barbecue was fun; there were quilters there and so we had show and tell!  Lots of interesting people came; one of my favorite guests was the little boy who loved the love seat I recovered in fake cowhide plush.  It is an acquired taste.  The barbecue was pot luck; John cooked pork loin which is almost always a hit.  Here is a picture of the cook getting ready to carve and guests and quilts!
About Alaska, John left EARLY on Wednesday for a trunk show and three classes in Petersburg.  He sent a picture of the harbor from his cell phone yesterday; wow, it is a pretty spot.  And the seafood is as good as you would expect; I'm jealous. 

The weatherman has promised a cool weekend; just right for sewing.  My project is a miniature for the IQA Silent Auction.  Kate and John both have their projects pieced but maybe I can sneak ahead of them while they are busy with other things.

Have a great weekend!

Brooke

BBQ and John's Little Quilts

News for the weekend - we are hosting a barbecue tomorrow. About 30 people last I heard and it is mostly potluck so that will be fun! I still have a couple of things to do and then just visit and eat.

We enjoyed our field trip to Cody, Wyoming and visit to the Buffalo Bill Historical Center. I ran out of camera battery part of the way through the Plains Indian Museum but did get a few pictures. I had never seen or even heard of moose hair embroidery. It was just exquisite. We also saw a pair of moccasins that were completely beaded in a yellow and black harlequin pattern on the soles; obviously for wearing while riding, not walking.

The Chevy van held 8 quilters/knitters just fine and 8 quilters/knitters weigh less than 6 boxes of quilt frames and booth paraphernalia, so the van was happy.

"Heart of the Storm"

John finished his Alzheimer's Challenge quilt, "Heart of the Storm" and it is ready to ship.  This is his 2010 entry in to the "World Series" Challenge  - you can learn more at Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative.    Last year the 4 quilts in the challenge raised $10,000 for Alzheimer's research.  This year there are two teams so we all hope the quilts net even more!   The little wallhanging is 16" by 16".

"Seedlings"

Another project is almost done; John's contribution to the 2010 IQA Miniature Auction at International Quilt Festival.  It is all pieced and ready to quilt.  This Pine Burr variation is 18" x 18" and is called "Seedlings".
No, it is not paper pieced.

Stay cool; I'm trying to do my outside work in the morning so I can be inside while it is the hottest, how about you?

Brooke

More Small Quilts

Each year, the International Quilt Association has a fundraising auction of miniature quilts. Since IQA is the group that puts on the Quilt Show at Houston, we love to help them by donating little quilts.  Here are pictures of John's work in progress.  The Pine Burr blocks finish to 6" and he is making 9 of them.

And then there is Kate's string pieced satin String Star which is going to finish to 12".  Wow, the colors of the satin just glow.

So I have started a little project using 4" Dresden Plate blocks but I'm feeling a little intimidated by these two and their skill.  They will be done and off to the next project before I have decided what I am going to do, I bet.

I am so excited; some of our quilt group are going to see "The Quilters" in Cody, Wyoming at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center.  We are making a day of it, even lunch!  John and I saw the play maybe 30 years ago and enjoyed it.  It will be fun to see how much the presentation has changed over the years. 

Have a great weekend!

Brooke

Field Trips

No, not  to a quilt shoppe this time.  Saturday John and I went on a Geology and Ecology field trip up the Beartooth Highway.  I have looked forward to this trip for weeks and weeks. There were about 40 of us on the bus, and we learned a lot about the area we have been driving by in our cars for years.  My favorite was the little alpine tundra meadow, up at 10,000', with thousands of miniature flowers like forget-me-nots,  a type of red-violet clover and bright yellow geum.  We had a  beautiful day for the trip and here are some pictures

Beartooths

Then I went with some knitting friends to a yarn shoppe in Fishtail, Montana (really, that is the town's name!) called The Muddy Lamb.  It is a beautiful shoppe; we had a great time and left with many bags of yarn.

John is teaching in Knoxville right now - he doesn't need his jacket there!

Brooke

Paul the Octopus Picks...

Paul the Octopus has picked John's Alzheimer Art Quilt to win the World Series Challenge.  So there.

Let me remind you about the Mediterranean Empires Quilt Seminar at Sea next summer.  John will be teaching as well as Karen Combs, Christine Porter, Cindy Walter and Elly Sienkiewicz.  The cruise line is Holland America.  Here is the web address  Group Seminars at Sea  And here are some pictures!

John will be teaching a small, beautiful Mariner's Compass wall hanging and a hand quilted trapunto and stippling whole cloth project designed just for the cruise.  How peaceful it will be to sit and watch the sea go by and hand piece or hand quilt; better sign up!

We are packing the van right now so John can head for Knoxville on Sunday.  The AQS Show is next week and the kits for all the classes are very nice - if you are signed up, I think you are going to like them!

Stay cool and have a great weekend.

Brooke

What we did on the Fourth

Well, we ate on the Fourth of July.  Some of our menu was wholesome; a beautiful barbecued pork loin and lots of vegetables and fruit.  But we saved room for S'mores.  We ate some made with graham crackers and some made with chocolate chip cookies.  When I looked around, almost everyone had melted marshmallow on their face and John's sister had some in her hair.  We decided to try roasted Slim Jim sausages.  They were tasty;  a lot better roasted than right out of the package. 

John still has lots of construction materials left over from his bridge building days so our fire pit is made out of a wheel from a semi-truck and the marshmallow sticks are made out of snap ties.  Everything is very sturdy.

And, last of all, notice the red, white and blue vehicles in the background!  Well, almost red, white and blue.

This free picture slideshow made with Smilebox Update 7/30  I "found" this movie on my camera; I did not know it was there.  It made Kate, John and me laugh pretty hard...it isn't edited because I don't know how to do that either!

Hope you had a wonderful Fourth of July; we had cool weather in Red Lodge, not 90s or 100s like many parts of the U.S.  And there was fresh snow on the mountains this morning.

Today Kate and I are helping John pack before he drives to Knoxville to teach at the AQS Show.  If you haven't signed up for one of his classes, this is your chance!  http://www.aqsquilt.com/

Brooke

Spotlight on Brooke

Since I write the blog and, 99% of the time, operate the camera, most of our images are of John.  But my picture was in the local paper last week, along with friends from our knitting group.  We were asked to knit or crochet 12" squares in a color which represents one of the forms of cancer.  The squares then went to Decatur, Illinois where a local Relay for Life group hopes to make the world's longest knitted/crocheted ribbon to promote awareness of cancer.  The Carbon County Arts Guild lets us use a classroom in the gallery for our knitting group; look at the colorful paintings on display right now!  (I am on the very far right, with my gigantic shawl project) 

Then, I feel like I have conquered a small bit of technology.  We made two little videos describing how to address a couple of those frequently asked questions and I successfully got them on our website.  You can see them here; I know they aren't impressive but believe me, I felt pretty triumphant when they worked!  I am the demonstrator in the little videos and John is the photographer/narrator.
Bolt and Rod End  Black Plastic Sleeve  It took us all afternoon!

Have a wonderful, safe Fourth of July.  We will have a small barbecue and spend some peaceful time dog sitting.  I imagine John and Maggie the dog will wear each other out with the B A L L.

Brooke

All Flynn Quilts and Quilters are Fine

The nasty and atypical weather that hit Billings on Sunday missed our office by about 15 miles.  Kate and Kevin were also about 13 miles away and Brooke and John were in Red Lodge, in the sunshine!

As you can see, the county now needs a new multi-use center.  No one got hurt; the Metra was actually closed and the power was even temporarily turned off, for maintenance, I guess.

Video Footage from KTVQ News

Thanks for all the notes; we appreciate them and hope all quilters are safe from tornados this summer.

Brooke

Catching Up with John

John and some of his quilt friends (Sue Nickels, Hollis Chatelain, Becky Goldsmith and Ami Simms) dreamed up a raucous quilt challenge last year as a fund raiser for the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative.  Each artist made a little quilt which sold at International Quilt Festival in Houston.  The proceeds all went to Alzheimer's research and over $10,000 was raised, hooray!  Hollis Chatelain won the challenge and the very attractive World Champion's belt.

Well, they are at it again with new blood, calling themselves the American Quilt League.  Last year the theme was professional wrestling.  This year Baseball is the theme. The new team, the National Quilt League, consists of Caryl Bryer Fallert, Ricky Tims,  Mary Sorensen and Judy Mathieson.  The concept is the same; a good natured competition to benefit Alzheimer's research.  Some trash talking has already taken place, my goodness!

John has chosen a design; Kate drafted it for him the other day so progress is being made.  Pictures will follow.

Ami Simms' Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative also auctions little quilts donated by quilters from every walk of life.  There are some really beautiful, cute, desirable quilts on the website, take a look and bid!  John is sending 8 or 9 little quilts showcasing machine quilting.  Here is one he just finished with my favorite little quails marching along. 

It is still cold and windy here.  I know that is hard for some of you Southern folks to believe, but brrr, brrr, brrr!  Have a great weekend!

Brooke

Bikers!

We were ready and ripe for Company this weekend.  Two of John's sisters, our niece Perrin and her girls came up for barbecue chicken and bike repair.  While John fixed the bikes, Perrin set up and synchronized our new Wii, a fair trade I would say.  We enjoyed the visit and the girls were quite accomplished bike riders out in our driveway.
http://picasaweb.google.com/flynnquilt/Biking?feat=directlink

Now I will leave to your imaginations the sight of John downhill skiing at breakneck speed on the Wii or me trying to juggle while balanced on a big circus ball.  What an invention!

Brooke

Fishing Memories

I love to fish. I remember every fishing trip I went on as a child. I remember who took me, what kind of car they drove, what we had for lunch, what we used for bait, how many fish we caught, and what time we got home. I have vague memories of other events in my childhood but none are as vivid as my memories of fishing trips and the people who were kind enough to take me. Hoping that I will be remembered as fondly, I never pass up a chance to take a kid fishing.

When I owned a construction company, we had a company party every June to celebrate another year of survival. We had plenty of adult activities involving beer, barbecue, volleyball, horseshoes, and pool, but the highlight of the party was always the kids’ fishing contest. A friend had a pond full of three to five pound trout. We would rig up a dozen fishing poles and turn the kids loose to catch a couple of fish, with the biggest getting a trophy. I know that the kids were having a good time catching fish but had not thought of fishing as a spectator sport until I witnessed the parents become something akin to soccer moms on steroids. There was a lot of yelling, directing traffic of two or three fish on at once, and running to get the one shared net. In the end a winner was declared and the trophy awarded, and everyone came back year after year to try again.

Last fishing season my sister asked if I would like to take her granddaughters fishing in Rock Creek which runs behind our house in Red Lodge. I couldn’t wait. I got out all the poles and rewound the reels and salted the worm bed in my garden with a few boxes of extra worms. Ava and Zoe showed up with their very own poles and would not consider using mine, thank you very much. We dug the worms and that was a very big hit. I had worried a little about the girls wanting to pick up the worms but they were very excited and helpful in the digging.

Rock Creek is a very good fishery but it is a little swift and sometimes hard to fish. The poles the girls had were a little hard to cast because they were short and designed for consumer appeal rather than utility. The girls’ dad, Jason, and I were helping with the casting and doing our best to make the girls’ first fishing trip fun. But fishing was slow and after a while Ava and Zoe got distracted by baby frogs, butterflies, and wildflowers and eventually wandered off. That is how I ended up fishing next to Jason on Rock Creek, behind my house, next to a campground full of Harley riders, with the Barbie poles that have the pink light in the handle to tell you that you are ready to cast.

John

A Really Ugly Horse

Mid summer several years ago, I was doing a craft project at the table in front of our big south facing windows.  I glanced up and saw a big dark animal ambling by.  I thought to myself, "boy, that's an ugly horse!" and then realized it was a moose.  Well, yesterday, I in the same spot talking to a favorite aunt on the phone when I looked up and yelled "oh my gosh, it's a moose!" right in her ear.  I got pictures this time and she was beautiful, for a moose.

Here is a look at what was on John's design wall last weekend.  It is another variation of the Glorified Nine Patch with a black background and batiks.  The pastel version was very popular in Chicago, and at the show in Salt Lake.  This one sold out even faster.  I'll take more pictures this week because he has all the blocks pieced now and is putting the rows together.  I like it.

It is finally warming up here in Montana.  The creek should be rising soon!

Brooke

Salt Lake City Show

We don’t vend at this show every year, because it often conflicts with other shows and has relatively small attendance but took a chance on it again this year; it is only a short drive compared to some of our trips. The location is great and the show management works extremely hard at making the show fun for the show attendees with door prizes, free classes and free lectures.

 A big thank you to all the quilters who came by!

John and I both enjoyed seeing this prize winning quilt from the HMQS in Salt Lake. The quilter is Marian Murdock and the quilt’s name is “It’s Really Yellow”. (Marian says that when she asked her husband for feedback on the quilt, he usually said "it's really yellow".)  The quilt is beautiful and has well planned Native American influenced quilting. I hope she enters it in other shows so more people can see it; we both enjoyed visiting with Marian at the show.

And John practiced quilting reptiles while demonstrating the Multi-Frame.  Grrr

Brooke

In a typical whirlwind fashion, we are back from vending in Salt Lake and John is out the door tomorrow to teach in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. The spring shows are fun and of course we like to sell quilt frames, but it will be nice to regroup over the next few weeks. We have had some good ideas and I hope we are able to get some of them in place this summer. A hint – do you like Stars??

A few years ago John and I were very honored to be given Indian names. In fact, we each have two Indian names; John’s Gros Ventre name translates to “Red Hawk”. A pair of Red Tailed Hawks, cruising for rabbits, reminded me of this wallhanging, which is one of my favorites. John's original design is a variation of a New York Beauty but with easier piecing. You can find the template in our web catalog if you are interested.

There are probably Red Tailed Hawks in your area too; they are easiest to see in the winter, I think, when they hulk on fence posts and bare trees waiting for dinner to pop out of the snow.

Speaking of snow, enough already!

Brooke

New Stencils

It is time to quilt some of those unquilted tops that lurk around and John designed some quilting patterns yesterday to change the status of this pretty Glorified Nine Patch top.

We are all feeling a little silly this morning.  It is probably the wind from this blustery spring storm affecting our moods.

Brooke

Hot Time in Chicago

John called a while ago and said tonight he decided to eat dinner at a Steak and Shake near the convention center.  The fries are really good there; yes, lots of calories.  He had eaten about half of his burger and was just starting on his fries when the restaurant staff told everyone to leave because the place was ON FIRE.

Too much excitement and not enough fries.

Brooke

Red, White and Blue

Kate just finished quilting this miniature Pinwheel.  We have pre-cut kits for this project.  I think she did a good job of choosing a quilting pattern. She still has the binding to finish.  Her plan is to work on it on the plane Monday while we fly to St. Louis and then drive to Paducah.  We sent our clothes with John so we wouldn't have any checked luggage.  What did I forget, I wonder?

Well, it is a beautiful afternoon in Montana and I am about to leave early.  But, of course, I have homework.  I have housework too, but that can wait!  Have a wonderful weekend, wherever you are!

Brooke

Tight Fit

Kate, John and I packed up the van for John's teaching engagement at International Quilt Festival in Chicago and for vending at the AQS Show in Paducah next week.  Since one show is right after the other, it is efficient to pack that way, but a little challenging!  The passenger's seat is completely full so I don't think there is one bit of spare space anywhere.  We tried to put the things he will need first on the outside of the load - I am sure something will fall out while he is trying to unpack.

The creek at Red Lodge is still very low; it just hasn't been very warm in the mountains yet so spring runoff hasn't started.  John had a few bites but only caught one trout; just the right size to share for breakfast!  Fishing is a lot like quilting, isn't it - practice makes perfect!

Kate and I have some quilting practice to do before we pack ourselves up for Paducah; better get busy!

Brooke