Virtual Retreat Aug thru Dec 2015 Info on first post

[rehak]

Your Lone Star is beautiful, Heather! I can't wait to see it quilted! Don't be nervous about putting your work in a show. It's a great opportunity to give back to the community by sharing your work, and, if judged, a great place to get helpful hints for how to improve your work. If you're standing near your quilt in the show, just remember that all art is pleasing to some and not to others, so if you hear any negative comments, don't let it get you down. Not all of Picasso's work is appealing to me, but that doesn't make him any less of a great artist. That's really the most difficult part of putting yourself out there.

Beautiful quilts Luann, Marianne and Dawn! Hopefully I didn't miss anyone. I love everything I see, but don't always remember it all when I get around to posting.

[rehak]

Wendy,
It makes perfect sense. Do you have the names of those working on your piece, or is it a complete surprise when it's finished?
I would love to do this internationally, but for most people, the postage gets prohibitive, so I'm going to see if the group of 8 at 'the clubhouse' would want to do this. I've actually always thought it would be fun to have the first person make a center block/piece and each person would add borders from fabric sent along &/or their own stash. If I put a bird fabric in the center, Then it would be truly a round robin, we'll sort of. LOL
I think I need a nap. I've been running errands all afternoon and I'm lonesome for my machines,,,,,
Luann

[twiglet]

I don't know the answer but will tell you after tomorrow when we do our first swap.

[twiglet]

LuAnne, Heather and Dawn - Love your work. Very inspiring.

Heather you really ought to take the 'jump' into a quilt show. It's a lot of fun, and when you think you are just a beginner, you end up seeing other stuff, that will make you go 'ooohhh" and 'ahhh", but also stuff that you'll think ? I could do that, or even I could do that better!

I've heard of round robins but never have done one. Is it possible to do one long distance, or is that too complicated? I'm mentioned it to my guild but they say they've been there and done that.

[twiglet]

Terrie,
I think that has to be one of the Saddest Statements anyone can utter! Just because someone did something once, and maybe it didn't turn out too great, they aren't willing to try it anew! Fresh ideas are always out there.
I just put together an idea for a round robin, using a lot of Wendy's info. I have sent it to the lady that invited me to 'the clubhouse'. Hopefully she will pass it along and with only 8 of us, we could do something pretty fun within less than a year. I sent myself a copy also, so if you want more info on my 'around it' round robin, let me know and I can forward the email on to you.
I would be very willing to do one long distance. If there are people from other countries an effort needs to be made that a piece stays within one country until everyone in that country has worked on it, then it can go out of country once. This would save a lot on postage and customs!
If there's others interested in this, let me know and I would be willing to coordinate the activity.
It would be a lot of fun seeing how other people would interpret your theme and fabric choices.
Luann

[twiglet]

Yes have fun and post lots of pictures Charae!
Kathy fun to hear you'll be at Alden Lane too - I've added the garden show to my to do list!
Luann really like your wool applique and your latest machine quilt especially like your picture of the quilt model.
Heather - your lone star looks terrific! Go ahead and jump into showing your pieces at your local fair, Nancy's right nice way to share your work etc..
Wendy your round robin sounds like fun I've not done before.
Dawn - your pieces look great! Hope the shows a big success.
Barb

[idaho]

Luann...I'd be up for a round robin...international would be fun...The last group effort here
was totally over the top wonderful !! All our exchanges were fun, too..."Whispers across the Pond''
had 10 members and we worked from each others quilts for inspiration. Keep me in mind .

[idaho]

Marilyn, and others interested in doing a Round Robin,
Can you send a message to me at
Luann.fischer@yahoo.com that way I will have your personal email and be able to put it in my contacts for getting this Round Robin going. I will send you a letter about the idea I have based around a center square or block. If the group is international some of my steps will need to be more refined, but I can work on that once I see how many are interested.
If my email doesn't show in this message, I'm hoping you can get it from my personal page.
Let me know if you have any problems finding it.
Luann

[idaho]

Luann...things are not cooperating tonite...private message won't work for me ..don't know why! and my reg mail is not
behaving either!GRRRR :angry: I'm out of town for DH's Dr. appt so will try tomarrow PM. Could you just make a new topic
here and we can work thru that ??? Worked well in the past.

[idaho]

I'm interested. I like the row upon row idea. I've always wanted to make a row quilt, but I'll go with what everyone says. Note: This is my preliminary response, I reserve the right to withdraw before the deadline. It's late and I might be thinking straighter in the morning.

[twiglet]

I'm going to be the lurker this time, I've got too many monthly challenges going on that I struggle with at the moment. Bet I'll regret it when I see how much fun you have.

[lotti]

email sent - love the idea of a row-by-row-round robin

luann fischer: just for you - i came accross this little guy fishing on sunday night















:P :P :P

[loise98]

I like the idea of row by row too. Have to think about what I've got going. Been too busy with life happening to comment much lately but I have been lurking everywhere when I get a chance. MIL passed away and I've been involved with sorting home items -keep/donate/trash/sell- accumulated 70 years in the same house. We'll see about the Round Robin. Many, many 100 mile trips back and forth to get pieces of this work done. It seems I don't know if I am coming or going. I am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Yeah!

[rehak]

I'm sorry to hear about your MIL, Lois! I know you were very close!

I will also lurk on the round robin. Would be fun, but I just don't have the time right now. I know you guys will produce some pretty incredible quilts!

[rehak]

Dawn, your minis are beautiful! I love both, but that white piece and all the things you used to embellish it....very beautiful! I love the juxtaposition of sea shells and "winter white" -- very cool!

Wendy, your started row is really striking! I hope you have fun! A friend of mine did a Round Robin, where they started with a center (as Luann is trying to organize), and I thought how fun it would be! A row would be neat, too. I hope you enjoy the different rows to make and love your piece when it comes home to you!

Lotti, those duck (it's a duck, yes??) photos are stunning! How wonderful to catch him while fishing....very cool! I'm quite jealous, of your access to such beauty, and your skills as a photographer. Truly a gift!

I did finish the quilting on my lone star; it's only about 38" x 38" square, since it's a baby quilt, so not that big. I don't know how much it shows in the photo, but I outlined the various "ribbons" in the star (following the star shape in each row), about 1/4" from both seams in each row. The one "interrrupted" row (the darker pink in the middle, where the points are the white fabric) I did a decorative stitch instead to accent it, alternating one stitch through the center and then a stitch along the inside of each edge (it's a scallopy looking stitch).

Then in the blue/white I tried to enhance the "woven" look, making gentle curves along the inside edges of each color, one direction (vertical) for the white and the other (horizontal) for the blue, the way ribbons sort of bow a bit when woven in together.

In the 4 corners where the white ribbon fabric is, I did a giant bow (like tied ribbon); I drew this onto card stock, cut it out, pinned/taped it to the fabric and used my walking foot to slowly quilt around it. Then took off the paper to go in and do the detail in the center of the bow. Then I used a cream thread to do a squiggly fill in around/behind the bow, with my free motion foot. I do not free motion quilt very much, so practiced first, and it turned out okay. This machine (I think I mentioned, I upgraded to a preowned Janome Memory Craft 3500) is easier to manage it and I've been sewing longer and quilting longer and so it was easier to get the movement of the fabric at a good speed for nice sized (and mostly fairly even) stitches.

Binding is on the front, I will hand stitch today and possibly take it to the fair as well if I finish, but I also won't rush it. We shall see. I did drop off the other 2 little quilts, so we'll see what happens.

Anyway -- pictures. The front, a close up of the front, and a close up of the back.