When I had reserved my rental car I had asked for a mid-size SUV and the picture on the website showed a Chevy Equinox -- nice, small, easy on gas, will hold all my stuff. What I got was a GMC Acadia -- nice, HUGE, not so good on gas, will hold all my stuff. I am affectionately calling it the Land Behemoth!
My first stop was at the Hampton Inn to check in and to toss a quilt over the bed -- I must be starting to get homesick....
Then I drove to the store to meet Robin Culbertson who, with her husband Chip, owns Asheville Cotton Co. We hopped into her Mustang and went to the restaurant where we were meeting Chip. The menu was fantastic -- there were several choices in each of four different categories and I had a major problem making up my mind between about seven equally tempting entrees. We also shared a couple of appetizers, but the real winner at the table was Chip's dinner -- had to take a picture!
Hopefully, I'll remember this for when I want to make a really awesome dinner presentation. On the very bottom was a layer of roasted potatoes; then a "raft" of asparagus spears was laid on the potatoes, a filet (cooked perfectly rare) placed on top of the asparagus with a wine sauce ladled all around and a crab meat garnish.
Doesn't that just make you hungry? My dinner was osso buco, not as photogenic as Chip's, but just as yummy!
The next morning, I waddled from the car to the store (oh! forgot to mention the creme brulee) with my suitcase in tow. It was raining when I got there in the morning, but I went out later and took a picture of that beautiful North Carolina blue sky.
This is the front window with a reflection of all the pretty trees -- it just doesn't give you an inkling of what you'll really find inside....
Chip's favorite holiday is Halloween and there are decorations and spooky fabrics everywhere! Robin said there are a LOT more at home...
In case you like your ghosts brighter? Also, I didn't get a picture but when you first walk in the door, there is an enormous -- probably about 5 feet across -- red and black spider hanging from the ceiling!
Class today was Introduction to Machine Quilting. The morning was spent practicing fluffing & stuffing their quilts through the machine and the afternoon was free motion stitching.
A little socialization at the stencil table...
Take a break -- look up and smile!
This was some machine quilting in the border of a quilt that had been done "in the hoop" using the embroidery module. The stitching looked very nice, with each stitch crisp and distinct.
A stenciled motif on the right with some unmarked, "freehand", free motion on the left.
These are some of the patterns that I demonstrated on my muslin. Sometimes I draw something on the fabric just for illustration and then stitch it somewhere else on the fabric, so everything sort of overlaps and runs together...
And then after class, gotta hurry! There's a lecture at 6:00 in Greenville SC -- hope I can figure out what those State Trooper cars look like.....
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