Tag: #MeetMeInTheGarden

Meet Me in the Garden – Round 5: Log Cabin and Half-Square Triangles

Hey stitchers! …and just like that, there goes another weekend. It sure was a blustery one here, with temps in the single digits and windchills more typical of late January! It seemed like it snowed for about three days straight, resulting in what definitely looks – and feels –  like full-on winter out there. A bit premature, but I say bring it on – I figure it’s coming anyway. Plus, as someone who looks forward to winter sports I can say the more white stuff early on in the season, the better! Back in the good ol’ days outdoor enthusiasts could rely on huge snow dumps all season long, but these days we just don’t see the inches like we used to. Call me crazy, but I’m hoping it keeps up (at least until late February) so I can actually get out on my snowshoes this season. That is one sport you need some pretty significant fresh and fluffy snow for it to be enjoyable, so I’ll embrace it if that’s what crazy ol’ Mother Nature decides to do. Time will certainly tell!

I’m having a nice Monday and hope you are too. I’m usually at work bright and early on Mondays, but I really needed a day to work on things with no interruptions so I decided to do it from home this afternoon. My sewing room is usually the only place I can even come close to achieving real peace and quiet (even if it means locking the door) so it’s nice to work there once in a while. I wish I could take the day completely off but I’ve got plenty to do! Earlier today I stopped in at my studio to grab some things that I needed, and found a bunch of projects that I should probably give some love to instead. Along with a feeble attempt to relax a little, I’ve also been working on other random things today, including tying up some loose ends from our big weekend. As you know we just wrapped up our annual Primitive Christmas event which is always a lot of work from start to finish, with a ton of planning and organizing that goes into it. I have to hand it to my staff – now this is a group of people who know how to work together to get things done! Between the Red and White Quilt Show opening, people coming to do make-‘n-takes, the phones ringing constantly with orders coming in, and the shop being super busy with all the Primitive Christmas shoppers, everything came together like a well-oiled machine… I mean, for the most part anyway. LOL! Of course there were a few snafus here and there, but hey! They handled it like the champs they are. Never forget, I couldn’t do any of this without them. I love my staff!

During all the Primitive Christmas commotion I almost forgot that Val’s video tutorial for Round #5 of the Meet Me in the Garden Stitch-Along quietly released last week on my STITCH with Lisa Bongean YouTube Channel so I wanted to talk about that for a second today before I get back to stitching. This round is the “Log Cabin/Half-Square Triangle“ round. First and foremost, I need to mention that this is another round where you will need one of the required rulers from the previously posted Meet Me in the Garden Stitch-Along Rulers and Tools list. If you haven’t had a chance to look at that list, here it is again for your convenience…

The ruler you will need for Round #5 is called the 6″ Log Cabin Trim Tool. If you’re not familiar with this handy ruler let me tell you, you’re really going to love it! The 6″ Log Cabin Trim Tool features exclusive markings to create perfect finished Log Cabin, Half Log Cabin, or Courthouse Step blocks. What makes this tool especially amazing is that the cutting instructions for strip widths and center squares are printed right on it! This 6 1/2″ x 6 1/2″ tool slides easily over the fabric until pressure is applied. Then the exclusive gripper holds the fabric in place while cutting, eliminating slipping and miss-cuts! The 6″ Log Cabin Trim Tool comes with fully illustrated step by step instructions that are quickly accessible by QR code, which is also printed on the side of the tool. If you’re more of a visual learner, fear not! A video demonstration is also available. If you still need to get your 6″ Log Cabin Trim Tool, click the button above to order!

I’m sure you’ve figured out by now that for this round you will be making 6″ Log Cabin, and Half-Square Triangle blocks. We will also be making flying geese. As most of you know, the Log Cabin quilt block is one of the most loved and easily recognizable quilt pattern designs, which many feel is also one of the easiest structured quilt patterns you can make as a beginner. They’re even easier when using the 6″ Log Cabin Trim Tool, and since each round is squared up before the next set of logs are added, the end results are spectacular! You can also make quick and easy work of the half-square triangles in this round by using my custom triangle paper. Need to stock up? Click the link below to check out the many sizes and types we have to offer!

Flying geese are also one of the most popular quilt building blocks out there, however, despite the fact that they seem like they should be straightforward and easy, many stitchers struggle ending up with wonky, lopsided, and undersized results. If this sounds like you, don’t worry! Despite the extra care and skill flying geese require the results are stunning, making a little extra work totally worth it. I know they might seem a little intimidating at first, but I’m confident that with the Creative Grids Ultimate Flying Geese Tool combined with Val’s top notch video tutorial, you’re going to get through this round like a pro. We believe in you! If anything, take the opportunity to sharpen your skills and maybe even learn something new. Ready to give it a shot? To get started, watch Val’s video tutorial on Round #5 at the link below!

Still thinking about joining us for “Meet Me in the Garden“ but haven’t quite decided to take the plunge? You can find all the details in the initial introduction blog post, where I take you through all the fabric and tools that you will need to participate in this stitch-along. This is a six month long project, so I highly recommend having everything you need ready prior to starting. You can read more about the stitch-along and what’s required to participate by clicking HERE!

Video tutorials for each round are posted to my YouTube channel, “Stitch with Lisa Bongean” each month on the listed release dates. They are also posted to the blog shortly after. All previously released videos can be found in the “Meet Me in the Garden Video Tutorial Archive” listed in the main menu of links at the top of the blog. You can also watch the intro video to Meet Me in the Garden by clicking the button below. If you have any questions feel free to email the shop at store@primitivegatherings.us and we’ll be happy to help!

Of course, if you have any other questions regarding the “Meet Me in the Garden“ SAL – or on anything else for that matter – feel free to post them in the comment section here on the blog and I will do my best to answer them!

That’s all for today everyone. Be sure to set your reminders for Shop Talk with Shelley tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. CST! As always we’ll be talking about any new and exciting news, and announcements along with some winter favorites we think you might be interested in seeing. You don’t want to miss it… Hit the button below to tune in! See you there! ~Lisa

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Meet Me in the Garden – Round 4: Strippy Stars

Hey stitchers! Know what time it is? Time for the next Round release for the Meet Me in the Garden Stitch-Along! As I’m sure you already know, this month we’re tackling Round #4 – Strippy Stars! First and foremost, I need to mention that this is another round where you will need one of the required rulers from the previously posted Meet Me in the Garden Stitch-Along Rulers and Tools list. If you haven’t had a chance to look at that list, here it is again for your viewing pleasure…

The ruler you will need for Round #4 is called the Strippy Stars Tool. If you’re not familiar with this ingenious ruler let me assure you, you’re really going to love it! The Strippy Stars Tool allows you to make star point units quickly and easily, in eight different finished sizes from 1-1/2″ to 4-1/2″. The triangle units are created with squares and strips – without ever cutting a triangle! Even better, the cutting requirements for each size is printed right on the tool! The best part about it (in my humble opinion) is that the star points float so you won’t cut off or blunt the points when sewing the blocks together. This 5″ x 7 1/2″ tool slides easily over the fabric until pressure is applied. Then the exclusive gripper holds the fabric in place while cutting, eliminating slipping and miss-cuts!  The Strippy Stars Tool comes with fully illustrated step by step instructions but if you’re more of a visual learner, fear not! A video demonstration is also available. If you still need to get your Strippy Stars Tool, click the button above to order!

I’m sure you’ve figured out by now that for this round you will obviously be making strippy star blocks. This type of block is a fun unit to make but it does require a few extra steps to complete, plus uses certain methods of sewing that you may not be traditionally used to. Despite that the end results are stunning, making the little extra work totally worth it. I know it might seem a little intimidating at first, but I’m confident that with the Strippy Stars Tool combined with Val’s top notch video tutorial, you’re going to get through this round like a pro. We believe in you! If anything, take the opportunity to sharpen your skills and maybe even learn something new. Ready to give it a shot? To get started, watch Val’s video tutorial on Round #4 at the link below!

Still thinking about joining us for “Meet Me in the Garden“ but haven’t quite decided to take the plunge? You can find all the details in the initial introduction blog post, where I take you through all the fabric and tools that you will need to participate in this stitch-along. This is a six month long project, so I highly recommend having everything you need ready prior to starting. You can read more about the stitch-along and what’s required to participate by clicking HERE!

Video tutorials for each round are posted to my YouTube channel, “Stitch with Lisa Bongean” each month on the listed release dates. They are also posted to the blog shortly after. All previously released videos can be found in the “Meet Me in the Garden Video Tutorial Archive” listed in the main menu of links at the top of the blog. You can also watch the intro video to Meet Me in the Garden by clicking the button below. If you have any questions feel free to email the shop at store@primitivegatherings.us and we’ll be happy to help!

Of course, if you have any other questions regarding the “Meet Me in the Garden“ SAL – or on anything else for that matter – feel free to post them in the comment section here on the blog and I will do my best to answer them!

That’s all for today everyone. I will see you back here tomorrow with some fall-themed project suggestions I’m sure you’re going to love. I have some really cute things picked out that will make the transition from Halloween décor to a Thanksgiving vibe smooth like butter. Ideas include a few quick and easy weekend projects, some adorable festive pillows, and of course a couple of my favorite fall-themed quilts that I want to share with you. If you’re looking for fall projects you’re not going to want to miss it. See you soon! ~Lisa

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Meet Me in the Garden – Round Two: Flying Geese

Hey everyone! Welcome back to my blog. I’m excited to say that we’re kicking off the second half of August with the next round release of the “Meet Me in the Garden“ stitch-along! Round Two involves a whole lot of… you guessed it – flying geese – both large and small in size. If you’re not the best at flying geese, don’t worry. This is the perfect opportunity to become a master! Even better, Val will be right there to hold your hand as she shows you step-by-step how to perfectly cut and assemble them in our Round Two online video tutorial – available now on YouTube!

As I mentioned, for Round Two you’re going to be making two sizes of flying geese – small and large. To make things easier and more accurate, both sizes will be assembled the same way using the required Creative Grids Ultimate Flying Geese Tool. If you’ve never used this ruler before, you’re really going to love it! It’s super fast, precise, and allows you to make four flying geese at once. It has a handy cutting chart printed right on the ruler that works for two different methods for your convenience. It allows you to create eight different finished sizes from 1″ x 2,” to 4″ x 8,” and the cutting requirements for each size are printed right on the tool as well! You can also use it along with your favorite method to create over-sized units and then trim them down to perfection. Whatever works best for you! I especially love this tool because it easily slides over the fabric until pressure is applied. Then when you’re ready, the exclusive gripper holds the fabric in place while cutting, eliminating slipping and miss-cuts. I love it! You will definitely use this ruler again for future projects.

Remember, the Creative Grids Ultimate Flying Geese Tool is one of the five required rulers for this stitch-along project, along with a few others that we highly recommend to make your life easier. If you still need to order yours, you can do so by clicking the link at the bottom of the Ruler and Tool list below!

Just like with any newly developed pattern, we have run into a few discrepancies here and there that Val would like to let you know about. Don’t panic! These little tweaks are nothing major and don’t require any more fabric than originally called for. In other words, you will have enough fabric! Those corrections are as follows:

We’re very sorry for any confusion this might have caused but hey – we’re human too! I want to give a quick shout out to those of you who reached out and helped us sort out any revisions that were needed. Thanks for your understanding and help. We really appreciate you having our back! We’re hoping that’s the last of the edits but if not, we will let you know via the blog, facebook page, and LIVE during “Stitch with Lisa Bongean!“

Still thinking about joining us for “Meet Me in the Garden“ but haven’t pulled the trigger yet? You can find all the details in the introduction post I made a few weeks back where I take you through all the fabric and tools that you will need to participate in this stitch-along. This is the beginning of a six month long project, so I highly recommend having everything you need prior to starting. You can read more about the stitch-along and what’s required by clicking HERE!

Video tutorials for each round are posted to my YouTube channel, “Stitch with Lisa Bongean” each month on the listed release dates. You can watch the intro to Meet Me in the Garden now by clicking the STITCH button below! If you have any questions feel free to email the shop at store@primitivegatherings.us and we’ll be happy to help!

Make sure to watch “STITCH with Lisa Bongean“ this Thursday at 1:00PM CST for more information on “Meet Me in the Garden” and Round Two. Val will be joining us so we can pick her brain on anything that might have come up. If you have questions be sure to hop on and ask us while we’ve got her on the line. No better time to ask… She is the designer after all! Alright folks! That’s it for today. I will see you all bright and early tomorrow LIVE at 9:00 AM for “Shop Talk with Shelley“ on YouTube. You can tune in by hitting the link below. See you there! Until then, take care! ~Lisa

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Are You Ready to Meet Me in the Garden?

Today is a big day for those of you participating in the Meet Me in the Garden Stitch-Along. After much anticipation, the video tutorial for Round 1 “Square-on-Square“ was finally released this afternoon! If you’ve been following along and are staying on track, you should be ready to go with the pattern and all your pre-cut fabric, supplies, and tools already in hand. Just joining us, or still on the fence bout stitching along? To learn more about this SAL you can find all previously released Meet Me in the Garden videos and tutorials on my YouTube channel, “STITCH with Lisa Bongean.” You can also visit the Meet Me in the Garden Video Release Archive by following the link listed in the main menu at the top of my blog.

During the previously posted “Pre-Cut Video Tutorial,” we showed you everything you need to know about the required cutting you’ll be doing to prepare for Meet Me in the Garden. In this helpful tutorial Val shows you step-by-step how she organizes and prepares her fabric for quick, accurate cutting, and the methods she uses to achieve that. I highly recommend that you pre-cut everything you’re going to need before you start your quilt. That way, if you make a mistake it will be easier to deal with earlier in the game, vs getting all the way to the end only to discover that you’re out of fabric. Remember, if you still need to pre-cut your fabric and need a little guidance on how to go about it, you can watch the replay of Val’s “Pre-Cut Video Tutorial“ by following the link!

Once you have all your fabric cut and your tools set to go, you’re ready to start Round 1 “Square-on-Square!” In this informative video tutorial, Val talks all about the required “Square-on-Square 8″ Trim Tool,“ which is a super handy ruler by Creative Grids. She will also explain the reasoning behind her fabric placement, and share some tips and tricks to make the process easier for you. You can watch Val and I in action while we tackle Round 1 by hitting the button below!

It feels so good get this stitch-along started. Doesn’t it seem like we’ve been waiting forever for it to all come together? So you have an idea of the timeline on this one, I have the video release schedule posted below for your reference. There will be a corresponding video tutorial released every month along with each new round. As I mentioned earlier, you can find links to all previously released videos in the “Meet Me in the Gathering Video Release Archive“ by clicking the link in the main menu at the top of this page!

Since Meet Me in the Garden is still in the final-final stages of development, we still may run into a kink here and there along the way, but don’t worry! If that happens we’ll let you know as soon as we’re aware of it – both here on the blog, and LIVE on YouTube during “Stitch with Lisa Bongean.” Fortunately things have been going great so far, aside from one little nuance that was brought to our attention. If you’re quilting along with the  Meet Me in the Garden stitch-along, please note: in the layer cake portion of the cutting instructions (page two) it states that you will need only one layer cake square for 5 – 3 ¾” squares. Instead, you will actually need two layer cake squares to have enough fabric for this portion of the instructions.

Just when you thought today couldn’t get any better after the Meet Me in the Garden “Square-on-Square“ video release, I have even more great news for you. Our fabric sale was such a huge hit last week that we’ve decided to EXTEND the SALE another week until JULY 24th! That’s right, take 25% OFF all fabric in stock now through JULY 24th, 2022 (SALE includes pre-cuts and yardage – minimum of 1/2 yard cut. Sorry but the offer does NOT include my Garden Gatherings line or any fabric that is already on sale).

Alright! Now that you have the information you need to get started on this epic stitch-along AND a sweet fabric sale to get your creative juices flowing, let’s get to it! Val and I decided not to do an individual project facebook group for this stitch-along, because we’d rather have questions be accessible to everyone in the same place as the video. In other words, if you have a question or need advice feel free to leave it in the comment section of the video you’re watching and either myself or Val will answer you as we receive them. Don’t have a question but just want to say hi? That’s ok too! You know I love reading your messages. And to sweeten the pot, every comment you leave either here on my blog or on my YouTube channel earns you a chance to win a prize… Just like Kristina W. and Linda E. – our lucky comment prize winners this week! As always, I am not posting last names or email addresses for privacy’s sake, so if you think you’re one of these lucky winners please check your email! You can also contact Heidi at heidin@primitivegatherings.us if you have not already received a prize confirmation letter from her. She will use your email address to confirm that you are in fact the winner!

I hope you all have a nice evening. It was just about 90° and sunny out there today, which makes the bike ride I was thinking about taking later a heck of a lot less appealing for some reason. I might just bite the bullet and go anyway considering the forecast doesn’t look like it’s going to be changing anytime soon. I guess I just need to get used to the torture… I mean hey – It’s not a workout without a little pain, right? Either way I will see you all tomorrow bright and early at 9′:00AM for “Shop Talk with Shelley“ LIVE on my “Stitch with Lisa Bongean“ YouTube channel. As usual Shelley will be going over any shop announcements along with some hand-picked projects we think you’re really going to love. Set your timer, you’re not going to want to miss it!

 

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Primitive Gatherings Triangle Paper – Your New Best Friend!

Hey everyone! I hope you’re having an excellent Friday. It’s been a very rainy day here in Wisconsin so far, and it looks like we still have more to come before it’s all over later this evening. I’m hoping it will be ending just in time to get a good sunset out of it. Nothing beats the sunset over the water after a storm, and wow – do we get some great ones around here! The clouds, sun, and sky combined with the reflection off the water makes for such spectacular color, it’s almost like magic. God really is great!

As another weekend approaches, I’m excited to be at home with my family for the next couple of days. Of course as usual, I’ll be taking a whole bunch of things home from the studio so I can make some progress on a few of the many projects I’m working on at the moment. Good news – I do have one project that came to fruition recently and is now complete. For those of you who have been following along with my “Heartfelt“ charity quilt-along project, I’m happy to say that it’s all finished and has been sent in for auction! I promised you a photo of it once it was all quilted, so here it is!

In case you’re not familiar, “Heartfelt” is a darling heart-themed quilt-along designed to raise funds for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America, an awesome organization that makes dreams come true for children with life-threatening conditions. This charity driven project is a heart-themed quilt made up of six stunning sampler blocks, each featuring pieced hearts – it’s super adorable! If you’d like to make your own and contribute to this great cause, follow the link below for more information!

It always feels good to check a project off the list, especially the ones that are done for a good cause. Even though “Heartfelt“is in the books, I still have the O’ Say Can You Sew, Moda Blockheads 4, and Meet Me in the Garden quilt/stitch-alongs in the works (along with a bunch of other things) so obviously there is still plenty of work left to do. Speaking of Meet Me in the Garden, don’t forget that the “Round One – Square on Square” video tutorial is scheduled to release this coming Monday July 18th, 2022 at 1:00PM CST. I hope you’re ready to get your hands dirty because we’re about to officially get to work on this long anticipated stitch-along. You can tune to watch Val and I tackle Round One by clicking the STITCH button below!

Since Meet Me in the Garden is still hot off the press, we still may run into a kink here and there along the way, but don’t worry! If that happens we’ll let you know as soon as we’re aware of it – both here on the blog, and LIVE on YouTube during “Stitch with Lisa Bongean.” Fortunately things have been going great so far, aside from one little nuance that was brought to our attention. If you’re quilting along with the  Meet Me in the Garden stitch-along, please note: in the layer cake portion of the cutting instructions (page two) it states that you will need only one layer cake square for 5 – 3 ¾” squares. Instead, you will actually need two layer cake squares to have enough fabric for this portion of the instructions.

Seems like there’s a lot going on around here, doesn’t it? LOL! Never a dull moment at Primitive Gatherings. The shop has also been busy this week with stitchers from near and far coming to enjoy the 25% OFF fabric SALE that we have going on. If you haven’t heard about it, let me give you the deets! Now through July 17th, 2022 enjoy 25% OFF all fabric in stock – including pre-cuts and yardage (minimum of 1/2 yard cut). Sorry but the offer does NOT include my Garden Gatherings line or any fabric that is already on sale.

Whether you have a project in mind or you need some outside inspiration to help you think of your next one, now is a great time to stock up on pre-cuts and yardage alike! Visit us in-store or online to order yours before it’s too late!

It’s crazy to think that according to the calendar, summer is already a third of the way through! Before we know it we’ll be thinking about falling leaves, chilly air, and pumpkin spice lattes… Ooo as good as that sounds, I’m not quite ready yet! We all have a lot to accomplish before we can start down that rabbit hole. I know you might be feeling a little overwhelmed with summer projects right now, and that’s ok. Challenge is good for you! Some of the best advice I can give you to help stay on track is to adopt methods and techniques that help you work smarter, not harder. Efficiency is key!

My custom designed Primitive Gatherings Triangle Paper is a perfect example of one of the ways you can save yourself a lot of grief during a tedious project – especially those of you participating in my O’ Say Can You Sew quilt-along. In fact, I want to say thank you to those of you who went ahead and purchased the TWO recommended packs of 1″ Finished PG Triangle Paper for upcoming Clue #5. Trust me, they really are going to make your life a heck of a lot easier. I know half square triangle are scary for a lot of people, but by using these papers you’ll see how truly simple they really are. Never used them before? No problem! Yesterday during my LIVE show on “Stitch with Lisa Bongean“ I did a hands-on tutorial on my custom designed  Triangle Papers, showing you exactly how to go about using them correctly from A to Z. I also have a handy chart to help you figure out what size paper you need for your project, which I have posted both below and in the main menu at the top of this page. You can also watch the tutorial by clicking the STITCH button below! Still need to purchase your PG Triangle Paper so you can be ready for Clue #5? You can do that simply by clicking HERE!

Alright gang! That’s enough information for one post… I don’t want to overload anyone. LOL! I hope you all have a safe and restful weekend and that the weather cooperates for everyone who has a chance to spend some time outdoors. It’s always nice when I’m able to get out of the studio and into the sunshine. Whether I’m at work or play, I’ll take it either way! One of my favorite things to do lately is to sit in my boathouse while I read all your comments and answer questions. No reason I can’t take my office wherever I go – as long as I have a good wifi signal that is! What are your plans for the rest of the summer? All work and no play or do you have something fun coming up? Is anyone coming to retreat any time soon? Let me known in the comments – I always love to hear what’s going on with all of you! Enjoy your weekend everyone – and remember to set some time aside to stitch every day… Dr. Bongean’s orders!

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Meet Me in the Garden Stitch-Along Intro & Supply List

Can you believe it? After what feels like an eternity of waiting, the “Meet Me in the Garden“ Stitch-Along is finally ready to begin! This is a summer stitch-along that will feature a custom quilt project designed by my good friend, Val Krueger. Val based this intricate pattern on my new Garden Gatherings line, which after much anticipation arrived here earlier this month. Check out this beauty of a design. I can’t tell you how gorgeous it is in person – absolutely stunning!

Completed "Meet Me in the Garden" Quilt

Planning to join us for “Meet Me in the Garden?” This post will take you through all the fabric and tools that you will need to participate in this stitch-along. This is the beginning of a six month long project, so having everything you need prior to starting is a great idea. It’s never a good thing to get half way through a quilt project, only to realize you’re out of something you can’t get anymore. We’re talking serious bummer there…so let’s try to avoid that by setting up for success! Fabric requirements for “Meet Me in the Garden“ are as follows:

There are also several required rulers and tools that you will need. Ruler and tool requirements for “Meet Me in the Garden“ are as follows:

Excited to get started yet? Video tutorials featuring explanations on the different rounds that make up this quilt will be released each month. Below you will find a list of rounds along with their video release dates, so you have an idea on how to plan for this stitch-along.

Alright! You only have a couple of short weeks to get your ducks in a row for “Meet Me in the Garden.” Remember, you can find the video tutorials posted to my YouTube channel, “Stitch with Lisa Bongean” each month on the listed release dates. You can watch the intro to Meet Me in the Garden now by clicking the STITCH button below! If you have any questions feel free to email the shop at store@primitivegatherings.us and we’ll be happy to help!

I hope you have a great week everyone! I’ll be back here on the blog on Wednesday for Moda Blockheads 4 Block #15 release, plus this week’s blog comment prize winners. Until then I know you have plenty to do so be sure to make time to stitch every day! Bye for now! ~Lisa

 

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