Projects from our retreat

 Here's two of the quilt tops I finished on my quilt retreat.  The first one is a Marti Michell pattern that was a block of the month a few years ago. I was going through all of my projects to get ready for retreat and I found this one in my closet.  I didn't realize until I looked at it that I had never put the outer borders on it.  I have always had a thing about borders. I just don't like putting borders on. I have no idea why but I really have to make myself do them.  Anyway, this one is now ready to be quilted....

 

I made this plus quilt from Marti Michell charm squares.  I saw this pattern on Pinterest and just knew I had to make a plus quilt.  I don't plan on putting a border on this one. I like it just like it is so it is also ready for quilting....

 

Here are the pinwheel blocks I did wrong. I put 4 little pinwheels together to make the blocks but that was not what we were supposed to be doing. I made 12 of these and I now have more fabric since I had to buy more to make the correct blocks...so I will be doing more of these to make a nice little pinwheel quilt for myself.

 

 

Here are the blocks like they are supposed to be. These are 12 inch pinwheels. There are 10 blocks in all but these are the colors I used.  The group chose to do 30's fabrics for these quilts and I didn't have a lot of 30's fabrics so I had to go buy more when I messed up....I will show you the quilts that our group made once they are finished...

 

I did finish another quilt top but didn't take a picture of it yet. I will get one and post it soon..

 

 

Now, to show you some of the projects that my friends worked on this weekend.  Lots of eye candy and we all had a lot of fun....

 

This picture does not do justice to this pinwheel quilt.  It is really beautiful and I want to make one.

 

 

A disappearing 9 patch from polka dot scraps.

 

 My friend Jackie working on her Grand Illusion quilt...

 

 

Here's Bevs half square triangle scrap quilt...

 

 

I think this one is called Fabric Fusion and it was in a magazine a few years ago. It's also on my list of quilts to make with scraps.

 

Here's Deanna's Halloween quilt.

 

Karen was working on her Trip Around the World quilt.

 

This was on the wall in the workroom and I have a panel to make out of it. I've had the panel for a few years and haven't done anything with it but this is what I plan on doing too.

 

 

Sue's embroidery quilt.

 

Diane's pinwheel quilt

 

Jessica's blocks

 

Sharon's Trash to Treasure Pineapple blocks

 

Not sure what this one's called but it's a form of pinwheels too.

 

 

Sue put this together with just fabric.  It's quilter's on the fabric. So cute, got to find me some.

Here's a close-up of the fabric.

 

There was a lot more done but I didn't get pics of everything.  We had a great time and I plan on doing another retreat in November....I hope you enjoyed seeing these great projects.

Talking about retreat time with my friends.

I went last weekend to a wonderful quilt retreat with my friends.  I had a great time and enjoyed every minute of my time with them.  I did get 3 quilt tops finished and got a lot of blocks done that needed doing.  10 of the blocks were for a quilt that my friendship group is making.  I should say we are making three quilts and not just one.  Everybody in the group was asked to make 10 blocks.  I made 12 blocks a few weeks ago to turn into my group and I was told I did the blocks wrong.  Uh oh, I had to buy more fabric and do more blocks.  I misunderstood the directions so now I have 12 blocks to make into a quilt for me or maybe a donation quilt.  Anyway, I got the right size blocks done along with the other things I got done.  I took pictures but I can't upload them to this computer. I will upload them and show them to you tonight.  I love this retreat.  The retreat house is right behind the quilt shop that owns it.  It is one of the best quilt shops in Texas and the owners are super too.  The food was great and the beds too.  They even brought in a massage therapist for the ladies that wanted a massage.  I was one of them too.  The massage therapist was wonderful too.  Ah, a very restful and productive weekend. I wish I had gotten more done but I'm glad to have gotten some of my projects as far along as I did.  In case you're wondering. I went to a retreat called the Quiltatious Quarters in Celeste, Tx.  If you ever get a chance to go, take the chance. It's great.  Ok, that's all for now, I'll post pics later. Have a great day and I hope you get some sewing time in too.

Catching up again! Some swap sewing and retreat hi-lites.

Last week came and went and I just couldn't find the extra time to blog. I was busy every night.  I had to make some choices and the computer didn't win...

Since the last time I blogged,  I went on a quilt retreat with my friends and had a great time.   I only finished one thing but I  got a few things further along too.  Good food, good friends and relaxation.  It's so nice to get away and not worry about making dinner, answering the phone, cleaning, laundry, etc, etc.  Nothing but me time.  That's what I like about retreats. I can sew until I'm too tired to sit any longer or take a walk or even a nap.  Of course, I didn't do those things. I just sewed and sewed. and ate and talked alot!  I took my tatting and my knitting but didn't touch either one.  We did make a trip into the local quilt shop and I bought a new project too.  Like I needed another project, right?  I saw this quilt and just had to have it, it was beautiful and I didn't want it to get away from me.  I'll be starting it soon but I have to finish at least 3 things first.  I started out telling myself I had to finish 5 things but decided to lower it to 3!  Ha, ha, I don't know if I can wait but I'm going to be patient and get some small things done first. 

When I came home Sunday, I was so tired. I brought all of my stuff in from the car and put my sewing room back together. I planned on sewing some but it just didn't happen. I sat in my chair and started watching some TV I had recorded and fell fast asleep. No sewing that day or the rest of the week either.   I didn't get to sew again until this past Saturday afternoon!  Last week was busy with grandkids and friends and family but no time to sew. I did watch TV one night and I knitted for awhile.  I'm still working on my Wingspan shawl. 

Saturday, I planned on finishing my blocks for my current swap but I only sewed on them a little while.  The grandbaby didn't want to cooperate and take a good nap. I had to finally put my sewing away and play with her....What a sacrifice! Not!

 Sunday afternoon, I was finally able to finish them up.  I made my 5 blocks for my swap this Thursday....These blocks took me forever!  Have you ever made a block and had to unsew it because it wasn't right?  Well, these blocks and I didn't get along at all.  I used fabrics for the outside triangles that were two different fabrics.  I had enough to do 3 blocks of one fabric and the other two were supposed to be the other fabric. I had to unsew them because the outside triangle fabrics weren't the same. I wasn't paying attention and sewed the wrong fabrics on the blocks.  They looked almost alike and I started to leave them as they were but I just couldn't stand it. I had to rip out.  I got my trusty seam ripper out and unsewed them. Then, I was stupid enough to sew two blocks wrong again!!!!I didn't think I would ever get these simple blocks done.  I was so aggravated with myself.  I was trying to watch Felix Baumgartner jump out of that balloon 24 miles up and I wasn't paying attention to what I was doing.  OMG, I am so glad those are done too! 5 blocks took nearly all afternoon but I finally got them done.  One more thing out of the way for the month! If you click on the pics, you can see how close the fabrics were....

One of my accomplishments at retreat was my 40 Nine Patches for the month. I love mindless sewing when I'm with someone.  I can chat and sew and not have to think about what I'm doing.  These weren't so bad this month.   We are down to only 4 more months and we'll have enough nine patches for the quilt... Yay! 




I wanted to show you what I worked on at retreat.  I decided I would make both my granddaughters the same quilt.  I think I told you that last week.  Well, I got alot of the blocks done at retreat.  I still have more to do but I am alot further along on this now.  I ran out of white fabric and had to buy some more.  That was my main reason for going to the quilt shop at retreat.  I couldn't stand the temptation though....

Can you tell there are two quilts on my design wall?  I still have some more blocks to make. I'm making them 6 X 8. I'm trying to make them both alike but I have a few blocks in there that are different. The colors are the same but the fabric is different, but just a few.   I think I still need about 20 more blocks.  I have so enjoyed making these blocks.  I even showed the girls at retreat how to make these and they started making some too.  These are my Disappearing 4 patches I've been working on for the Scrappy Rainbow challenge this year.  I've already decided what my borders will be for these two but have to find the fabric.  All of the fabric used is scrap except for the white. I had to buy extra white on white fabric as I used all of mine from my stash.  I hope my sweet granddaughters will like them. 

 

Now, here's a few pics of what some of my friends did at retreat....

 

Karen was working on a Trip Around the World quilt....

 

 

Ruth and Jessica (Mother and daughter team) worked on this beautiful Christmas quilt. Click on the picture and see how pretty this quilt is.  They almost finished this one. They still had to add the beautiful border on it when they left...This was a kit they bought a few years ago. The daughter will get this one...

 

This is a quilt that Judy was working on. The pattern was in a McCall's quilting mag from 2005. 

Some Christmas Dresden blocks. Glenda did these and they were going to be for our Christmas challenge swap but she liked them so much she decided to keep them and make a runner out of them.  She bought two fat quarters and made 5 dresden plates.

 

 

This is Witch Judy...she dressed up for us the last day we were at retreat.  So cute but I wish I had taken a pic of her socks...

 

 

 

Retreat Update

Last week I went to retreat. I went there on Thursday and stayed until Sunday afternoon.  I had a great time except for my allergies and not sleeping....The allergies I tried to handle with pills and staying in.  It was ok except it sure drug me down.  I did rest but tossed and turned nearly every night. By the time I got home, I was exhausted.  I have been kinda off all week but I'm bouncing back, although slowly!!! 
I will go back again but hopefully the no sleep part was due to the allergy medication and next time won't be so bad.  I had a great time and got alot done too.  I started cutting out this quilt Thursday afternoon and cut it completely out before I started sewing.  I started sewing late Thursday afternoon and finished putting it altogether on Friday afternoon.  From a distance, the off-white fabric looked like it had bugs or ants on it, we all had a good laugh about it.  When I got home today, I had cut out the leaves at lunch and I ironed them on. I still have to stitch around them but it looks like it should now. 

Doesn't it look better with the leaves?  I can't wait to quilt it...I've already decided on a name for this one, Autumn Splendor.

Here's a closer look at the leaves.

The next thing I worked on at retreat was this Thimbleberries pattern.  These aren't Thimbleberries fabrics, just the pattern.   I started this last month on Thimbleberries day and wanted to work on it more but never did.  I've been thinking about making it bigger but I've decided I'm not going to. Now, since I made that decision, I have picked out the fabrics for the borders and I'll be putting those on next.

I pulled out this little tablerunner next and put it together.  I still need to add a border to it but I didn't have the right ruler with me and didn't want to mess it up.   I'll be working on this Saturday if not before....

Here's a close-up of the fabrics for the tablerunner.  I have had this kit for about ten years.  I forgot about it and found it when I was straightening up and moving stuff around.  I really enjoy surprises, don't you?

I made a few other blocks to go with other projects but didn't take any pics of those. I did take pics of some of the projects my friends worked on and now you'll see those.....

This started out in a class for a tablerunner but Annalee turned it into a quilt.

This is a great setting for the Barbara Brackmen blocks from last year.

This was a pizza box project that Jackie participated in.  It looks more gold than it really is...

This was a block of the month from last year.

A work in progress....

This is a Round Robin that's taking place over the internet....

Another WIP...

Almost finished....

Another Block of the month. 

A quilt for a future grand child

Some more works in progress.

There was alot of work going on in the room. Some projects got finished and some are still on-going. Hopefully, I'll get to see the finished projects soon and get to show you too. Til next time, happy quilting!