We had a great time, as usual. Our theme was "snowbound", and the focus was making scrap quilts. We had a gallery in our classroom for inspiration that included finished quilts, quilt tops, and even some blocks. My sister-in-law, Jan, finished her Kissin' Cousins quilt top. She had all the blocks made when she arrived from Texas, so she assembled that, added the borders, and made four-patches to frame the whole thing. It is stunnning.
The "Garage Sale" area had a couple tables full of free scraps of all sizes. No one could resist "grazing" now and then. In another area, Jackie Conaway (half of the Whimsicals team) brought fat quarters from the Whimsicals fabric line that she was clearing from her stash. As you can imagine, those went pretty quickly.
Friday evening, we had "Make it - Take it" class. The offerings were a mini-sewing kit made from an Altoids candy tin, a pet-screen gadget bag, and fast four-patch coasters. All were well received and many were made.
Saturday morning was a discussion of cutting half-square and quarter-square triangles, and Garnet Roesel talked about "crumb piecing" on a foundation, and displayed her "crouton" quilt top . . . small squares reminiscent of a postage stamp quilt. Garnet explained that she didn't want to work in the usual "round the world" set of a postage stamp quilt, so she began by making two-inch four-patches, and built those into larger squares.
Saturday evening brought a challenge to the 44 participants to each make two 9-patches for a charity quilt. Ninety-seven blocks were turned in, with more promised. Since we were "snowbound", we had a pajama party, with cocoa and popcorn, and shared blizzard stories. Most everyone said they would welcome a blizzard, provided they were home and had food and heat, because they had fond memories of previous blizzards!
Before leaving on Sunday after lunch, we put next year's theme proposals to a vote. The offerings were: The Hen House, with Hen and Chicks as the theme block, Down on the Farm, with Corn and Beans as the theme block, Fowl Play, with Birds in the Air as the theme block, and Run for the Border, with border and finishing techniques as the focus. Run for the Border was the overwhelming choice.
With the work of this year's Retreat behind me, I'm recharged and anxious to work on my own projects. But, now my job is interfering with my chosen activity!
Monday, September 11, 2006
Home from Camp
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7 comments:
What fun you all had on retreat! Great idea to bring a quilt ready to go - I always have a hard time with borders so doing it in company would be a great motivation! Borders for next year definately sounds like you will bring home a completed top!
Cheers!
Evelyn
The Kissin Cousins quilts is a real beauty. Can you tell me more about it?
There's nothing like a week end retreat with quilting friends!
Sounds like such a bundle of fun. Sure wish I could join you some day! Quilting retreats are the best - I'd love to go on one every month. I don't think we could ever tire of them. I hope you will post some pictures - or were you all too busy sewing?
Love the kissing cousins quilt - it looks great. It also looks familiar, but I can't remember the book it's in. Do you know?
Sounds like such a fun retreat! Your sister-in-law's quilt is beautiful, too!
Oh good picture of Jan's quilt! I"m going to try and get some more pics up this week too. Still raining here so my poor baby is still in the case - AND - the internet went down because of the storms. Ughhh.
It was fun! Now only 2 months until Florida!!!
Sounds like you had a ball!!!
Melanie
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