The new Open Star workshop – from my Quick Star Quilts book. Here are some photos of quilts in progress during the one-day workshop. Click on any image to see a larger view.

The Pine Tree Quilters are a state-wide guild, founded in 1978. They hire a national teacher once or twice annually. The meeting presentation and workshops are offered in different communities to allow members statewide the opportunity to attend.

I arrived in Portland, stayed in Waterville, and traveled to the surrounding communities of Augusta, Gardnerville and Bangor for workshops & presentation. My hostess, Mary Coombs was a delight! A highlight – one night we had dinner at the Lobster Trap in Winslow. Have you ever eaten Lobster Pie? WHOA! This delicious dish was lobster pieces, butter, bread crumbs & seasoning, all broiled in a little casserole dish – I wonder how many calories in that dinner!???

Hi! My blog entries have been sporatic recently! Sorry about that!

From Boca Raton I flew back to Poway, spent a few days washing laundry, answering e-mail, writing contracts & re-packing to teach for the Pine Tree Quilters in Maine.

Here is my little “roll-aboard” 21 inch suitcase – I keep the projector, laptop and all other electronics with me during travel. On the smaller regional planes, these bags won’t fit in the cabin, so they must be checked. The airlines hand you a “gate check claim tag” that has an elastic string. I have only kept the tags on the bag from February through May, 2009 – and you can see how many tags there are!

Thank goodness the luggage and projection equipment is holding up to the rigors of travel. Speaking of luggage, I replace my larger bags every year, because they wear out. The frame or inner support gets broken, wheels and zippers break down.