Block SOUTH-3 of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Quilt Project

Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Morganton, North Carolina is a gateway town to the mountains in the west and the economic centers in the east.

Natural beauty surrounds the area, providing a respite from city life and a great variety of outdoor recreational activities. Living and working in this idyllic place is Linda of SewUpScale, creator of Block SOUTH-3 of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Quilt Project.

Rated the #1 retirement community by Retirement Living magazine, and one of the top 10 places to raise a family by Readers Digest, Morganton has a mix of culture, leisure activities and quality of life that make it a favorite with young and old alike. The city's downtown is filled with clothing stores, restaurants and antique stores.

Pisgah National Forest's eastern borders are west of town. Morganton is half an hour west of Hickory, North Carolina, an hour east of Asheville, North Carolina and an hour and a half north of Charlotte, North Carolina. Morganton's location gives it a great advantage of accesibility, while remaining a bit off the beaten path. Here is a beautiful nature blog about hiking in the area.

Local wildlife includes bald eagles, falcons, hawks, deer, bears, and turkey. There are four challenging golf courses in the area. The nearby 6,500 acre man-made Lake James provides boating, camping, sailing, skiiing and fishing opportunities. The pristine water from Lake James is the primary source of drinking water for every community along the Catawba River. The Catawba River is famous for trout fishing, rafting, tubing and canoeing pursuits. A 5-mile paved Greeway parallels the Catawba River where joggers, bikers, and walkers can enjoy the natural sites and wildlife. In season, cross country and downhill snow skiing are available less than an hour away in the upper Blue Ridge Mountain elevations near Boone.

The area also supports a strong arts culture, from musicians to painters, potters to scultors. Several arts galleries are located in downtown Morganton. The annual Tour d'Art fine arts show is held there showcasing visual, performing and culinary arts.

Linda has lived her whole life in and near the mountains of eastern Tennessee and western North Caroina. Linda has a special affinity for making things featuring mountain landscapes and outdoor scenes. Currently she concentrates on using a variety of fiber art techniques to make small landscapes within the genre known as fabric postcards.

Like many quilters, Linda has sewn most of her life and made everything from doll clothes to dog collars, and of course, full sized bed quilts. Once she even made a man's suit! Linda loves the challenges of custom work. Check out her shop SewUpScale and consider her for your next creative idea.