It Doesn’t Get Any Better…

A gathering of friends… quilting friends… over several days – it just doesn’t get any better than that!

My annual (6 years now!) summer mini retreat has come and gone all too quickly – but the memories remain and I know I am looking forward to next year for many reasons.

I think we have a nice mix of people – Some of us have been friends for more than a decade… (gosh now I’m starting to feel old) and some for just a few years… but when we come together it’s all about sharing our knowledge, talents, and friendships. 

 

Our best intentions never seem to remind us to get a group photo until after someone has left… so I cropped a picture of her out of a group photo from another year!

Our Challenge this year was to use a color – shading of that color – to show shape or movement in their project.  We set a 36” minimum size and here are our entries.  Although everyone seemed to have a busy year we had a good showing – many projects completed at the very last minute!

This was a stunning entry – inspired from a photograph of the splash-down of a flamingo in a pond… complete with beads for the water splash.  The second photo shows the birds head partially submerged.

A landscape to ponder…

Someone worked outside the box…

 

by showing the inside of the box.

I want to see the light at the end of this tunnel…

Love the pop of color with some hand painted work in the center.

Lovely light table cloth with the shading in the prairie points that surround it.

Pictures don’t do this justice… she dyed her own fabrics for the shading of the reds.

And last but not least – the winning entry this year! Beautiful undulating work here… and the quilting lines enhance the flow.

I could use the words lovely, beautiful, stunning in describing all of these quilts – I love what my friends create…. such a talented bunch!

I am always amazed at how quickly our days together go by.  Most folks who travel arrive on Wednesday and leave again on Monday… we sew Thursday through Sunday.  There are always a few trips out to this, that, or the other store… and we have even discussed starting a day or two earlier so that they can fit in some more shopping trips around the area.

Our weather was spectacular!  I live in an old stone house that doesn’t have central air – so we have to rely on individual room units when it’s hot.  Some years it’s been miserable – but this year – no AC’s!! It was cool overnight and dry… DRY in July!  And the temps only in the 80’s during the day.  I couldn’t have planned better weather… if I could plan such a thing.

My only regret was not having everyone bring a 5 gallon bucket… so that they could pull weeds to take home… sounds like a good idea huh? LOL

Monday after everyone left I ran a couple errands and then took a 2 hour nap.  Then Tuesday my handyman helper showed up… so I’ve been out ‘helping’ him pull weeds.  I ordered 3 yards of mulch which we will be spreading as soon as the weeds are all out (ha, ha, ha… that’s optimistic huh?)  Anyway – he’s out there right now and I’m sitting here… so I’ve gotta go… pull weeds…

Another Year… Another Retreat…

Each year since 2009 I’ve had a group of friends arrive to spend a few days sewing, chatting, eating, shopping, and laughing.

We moved our gathering this year to September from it’s traditional mid-July date and by consensus I think this will be the preferred time to gather.  It’s so much cooler outside and inside!

Here is the 2013 (Year 5) group picture taken with some of the Star Challenge Quilts behind us.  Listed below left to right are those pictured with a note as to their attending the Retreat (sewing with us), submitting a block, top, or finished quilt for the Challenge, and those regular attendees that were unable to make it this year but either sent a Challenge quilt in and/or were with us in Spirit ( we sure missed you! )

• George – Retreat & Challenge
• Lori – Retreat & Challenge
• Ginny – visitor with sister TJ
• TJ – Challenge
• May – Retreat & Challenge
• Me – Retreat & (I don’t enter my quilt in the Challenge)
• Brian – Retreat & Challenge
• Bev – Retreat & Challenge
• Melissa - Retreat & Challenge
• Neen - Retreat & Challenge
• Wendy - Retreat
• Sue – with us in spirit & Challenge
• Dawn – with us in spirit
• Elaine – with us in spirit

This is the 2009 (Year 1) photo.

Here are the Star Challenge Quilts in no particular order…

Bev’s winning Lemoyne Star Quilt

Brian’s combination Lone/Lemoyne Star top

George’s Lemoyne Star Block

May’s Sawtooth Star top

Melissa’s Star Quilt

Lori’s Tropical Stars

Sue’s Carpenters Star Quilt

TJ’s Star Sampler Quilt

Neens Birthday Star Sampler Top

Again this year we gathered in the classroom at Piece by Piece Quilt Shop in Ephrata, PA.  If you ever need a large retreat location… this is the best! 

First row of work tables – yes there are seven tables

Second row of work tables ( 3 )and extra large cutting table (6 large cutting mats fit easily around it) behind that (with challenge quilts laid out) and against the far wall are ironing stations and more tables if we needed them.

Everyone headed out for home Sunday afternoon and Monday was declared a PJ day for me.  I had intended to finish the few little areas left of hand quilting on my Challenge – but took a nap instead!  Maybe later today I’ll finish it up and get the binding cut and sewn on… maybe…

I will post a picture of my quilt when it is finished later this week after I wash it… hoping that the wonderful rumple look will hide my newbie hand quilting.  I have decided that I am consistently in-consistent – it’s all about being consistent.

Developing New Skills…

Do you try new things? 

Like maybe hand quilting?  Like maybe hand quilting on a Challenge Quilt project?  A project that is due in just a few weeks…

Yeah – probably should pick something a little less public for a first real attempt at hand quilting – you know something I could throw on the dogs bed when I’m done… but no… I’m just going to go for it.

Usually for these quilt challenges I just get my ‘top’ done and I never get it to the point of being quilted… like last years Crayon Challenge Quilt.  I just love this quilt!

I think the last quilt I completely finished to the quilted and done point was the Swimmies quilt for my grandson (who is almost 5) – and that was handed over about 3 years ago – Dec. 2010.  This picture is from when I finished piecing it while we still lived in the townhouse – spring 2008.

I also did some machine quilting on some (4) of those Calendar Quilts… but after I broke my knee in Feb. 2011 I was lucky to get the remaining tops assembled and nothing else happened with them after that. 

Last year I saw an Ulmer Quilter frame at a new quilt shop in the area.  As I was finishing up the piecing of the Star Challenge Quilt for this years retreat I decided to go and get the frame and give hand quilting a try.  I liked the frame because of the way it’s constructed, reasonable cost, and portability.

The Engineer came over to where I was working last night – scrunched up his face and said “why are the stitches so big?”  He saw all the basting stitches and thought that was what I was doing… I guess by comparison my uneven quilting looks just fine… LOL

I decided to just post a picture of my work in all it’s ‘new quilter glory’… I selected a ‘light brown’ thread because although it stand out in the white squares it isn’t all that noticeable through the colored fabrics… and there is more color in the blocks than there is white.  I thought about changing thread color – but it is actually helpful to be able to see the stitches.  This is the first area I worked on – I hope to gain some consistency as I go along.  But I know once I wash it and the wonderful all forgiving rumpled look sets in… all is forgiven!

Do you hand quilt?  Do you have a favorite method?  Favorite Thimble?  I suppose I could have done all this research before hand… but what would be the fun in that?

Finally… Actually…

I cut!

Before I go on… let me tell you that I love my Shape Cut Pro!  It’s a bigger sister to the Shape Cut Plus and ONLY cuts at 2 1/5 inches… but cuts across a full width of fabric.

I sewed and I made blocks!

OK - it’s a fairly simple block but that’s the first I’ve worked up in my sewing room in… well… just about forever!

I’ve joined a block swap with the wonderful ladies up at Southampton Quilts – a simple 4 patch swap done over 6 months.  Half a yard each of a light and dark – cut into 2 1/2 inch strips… sew, press, cut, sew, press and you are done!

It felt good!

And yes I had to clean off and dust the cutting table, ironing table and sewing machine…

Oh and look what I found whilst cruising around the countryside one day last Spring with my sister.

I think I got the whole set for $15.00… there are these 9 hex flowers.

I don’t remember how many of each of these two different style Dresden Plate blocks… one with a curved edge (these look like they have been removed from a quilt)…

and these with a pointed edge.

In the good news department… my husband installed a new electrical line to the 3rd floor sewing room… now I can have the A/C on and IRON at the same time.  I might actually do more sewing soon!

F5…

Refresh…  You know… you want to refresh your browser page you hit the F5 key.

That’s what I’ve been – Refreshed!

Back in October I had set a date to teach a couple Four Patch Stacked Posie classes at Southampton Quilts… my old Home Sweet Quilting Home!  Last week was that week.  I left here on Tuesday, had classes on Wed., Thur., Sat., and Sunday…. then had a little bit of a girls day on Monday and headed back home on Tuesday.

Friday was suppose to be a day out with my daughter… but I had heard it was suppose to rain off and on thru the day so after breakfast out and some errands we sat at her place and I taught her to knit while we watched the day long news coverage of the manhunt going on in Watertown.

You know it’s still hard to wrap my head around what has happened out there.  Hopefully the story will unravel and we can come to understand the why and how… but in the end – I think the simple answer will be that this is what happens when people hold on to hate and resentment and want retribution.  And what they do – hurting innocent people – only feeds the cycle of hate and misunderstanding.  This hate is not limited to any one ethnic group, religion, or country… history is a testament to that.

Anyway – I am refreshed and energized mentally.  I liked that I was able to visit with some quilty friends (yes – teaching too) while hanging out at the quilt shop and I was able to spend some much needed time with my kids!  I’m going to try and work this into my agenda a little more often.

As I said I taught a couple Four Patch Stacked Posie Classes… here is just a sample of some of the lovely quilts in the works… not sure how but I didn’t get a picture of everyone’s work.  Trust me when I say they were all stunning!

This tumbling block layout has beautiful soft grey blue fabrics…

Bright colorful blocks with a simple sashing and cornerstone setting

A lovely poppy fabric in a tumbling block setting.

I wish I had gotten a picture of the other lovely fabrics for this log cabin layout.  I love the strips!

A beautiful soft log cabin setting for this beautiful pink and green fabric.

Very pretty oriental print again in the log cabin setting.

A pretty red/green paisley & floral in a log cabin setting.

Lovely rich print for the blocks softened with the pink & cream for the tumbling blocks!

These were the blocks I made from the same fabric for the posies.

These blocks were from a large Dahlia print – so pretty with the blue and purple logs.

I love teaching this class – everyone does a wonderful job and with offering the optional layouts the quilts are all different and fun!

 

I had picked up this CNT “A Little Somethin’ Jacket” back at the Lancaster Quilt Show along with a pretty rayon batik.  I took everything up with me and the “Master Clothing Artist Louise” made my jacket… she got it done so quickly I smartly purchased some other fabric and left it with her too.  This will get lots of use this summer with a crisp pair of capris and a tank top!

 

I made a trip up to Webs in Northampton, MA with Nancy and Maureen… that yarn shop has more yarn than you can shake a stick at!  After I got the nickel tour from a helpful salesperson – I headed right back to where he pointed to the ‘room’ of sale yarn.  And room was right – every bit as big I think as the store front which was huge and already had everything a knitter could want.  The sale area had rows and rows of yarn marked down.  The good news was that I only had 2 patterns printed off with me… so I got the yarn I needed for those two projects.  The bad news was that I ONLY had 2 patterns printed off with me… I could have spent all day shopping!  I picked up a couple other things for projects… but I’m being good and only buying things for specific projects now… otherwise I’ll end up with more yarn than I know what to do with.

While I was going through quilt pictures the other day I found this one of my first grand child Miss K with the Baby Honu quilt I made for her.  Oh those cheeks and that strawberry blonde hair!!!

Here she is at a recent surf competition in South Carolina!  Sweet!

And because I just can’t leave them out… here are the two boys.  The older one had some minor surgery and has band-aids by his ears.  The little one wanted him some band-aids too… and cried until he got them!