Virtual Retreat Aug thru Dec 2015 Info on first post

[idaho]

Yes, after the holiday sounds best to me.
I was thinking 48 x 60 as both those numbers divide equally into 6 inch blocks ( or twice x 3 inch blocks.)
Would we have a theme for our quilt and people would try to keep to that theme?

Marilyn - how did you begin? Did everyone first do one row for themselves and the pass it along to be added to?

What about each month (or other period of time) as Luann suggested, someone from the group chooses the block or theme and we each make a row onto our own quilt but must follow that choice. I think I maybe like a theme could be picked such as 'flowers' and we have to do a row with our version of flowers. Next, someone might add ' log cabin., or Christmas, or stars or house., birds, churn dash etc.
Is this what you meant, Luann?

[idaho]

That would be a good size for me, Terrie And you guessed right...we did start by drawing a block and making the first row.
Then they went into a brown bag along with any requests /special fabric and passed on. As you can see, we did pretty
good"following suit". I could make a row quilt any ol' time but part of the fun here is sewing for and receiving from someone else.
That's what made the other exchanges so fun. We could declare a theme...so all would love their quilt....all flowers, all cats, all
dogs or color.....

[Jdeluka]

Luann I like your idea of shipping strips or blocks to each person to cut down on postage. The way I read your idea was that everyone would pick a theme...each month you would be assigned a new person to create for and size of block/strip. This would then be sent directly to the receiving person. This would allow each quilt to be unique and for everyone to get a new creative challenge for the month.

For example if Rosemary chose flowers and I was assigned her name I would create a flower block or row to a certain size and send it to her. The next month you might have her name and you would then create your own flower block/row and send it. Meanwhile I would be creating an animal block for Lottie and so forth.

I picture it with a general quilt layout (perhaps made by EQ) that has so many rows/blocks. Each month a row or block or two is assigned much like a block of the month. January we make two 6 inch blocks, February we make one 6 inch by 40 inch strip, etc. This way everyone makes the same "shape" but the content is specific to the person or people we were assigned for the month

Or am I completely wrong and we are planning something else :whistle:

[Jdeluka]

Jdeluka,

Correcto Mundo!! I think that's what Dora the Explorer said. Gotta love those kid shows,,

I really want to 'exchange' with everyone, as I'm wanting something tangible and viewable. I am planning on having a
"Great Wall of Friendship" in my house.

I think if each person writes a description of what they would like their quilt to look like we would be able to refer to that when making their block. I can email those notes with the physical addresses and the method of rotating thru the names with the first month's "size" info.

I'm thinking about the fact that not everyone is as accurate as the next and how to adjust for this. Also that we use inches in the USA and those living else where use metric measurements. To accommodate this, we each will sash out our pieces received with our own fabric to bring them to a proper fit. Wendy's comment about her first strip rec'd being 'short' made me think about this.
So, if a person has said they would like: spring time, floral, loves green, hates bright orange, thinks appliqué is terrific but never does any, she may decide to sash her pieces all out with the same green.

I'm also going to try to come up with at least two alternate layouts.

Luann

[twiglet]

I think inches are pretty universal in quilting Luann. I just added some extra squares on and if that didn't work I'd have redone a couple of seams.

[twiglet]

Here in Canada we have almost everything in Metric, but most quilting is in inches.

[twiglet]

Marilyn--beautiful machine

Well, the twins are 6 weeks old and I have been there for three of their six weeks. Three different trips to Missouri one for the birth, one for a two week stay and one for a one week stay that I just returned home from. I am a tired girl. Twins are exhausting. Feedings every three hours and each feeding (depending on which baby you have) is 45 minutes. This is why God gave us our children when we were young. Then there is the attention that big brother needs. I just tried to download the pictures from my phone to my computer and decided, I don't have a clue what I am doing so I will have to play with that before I can show you the little darlings. They sure like to be cuddled and I did a lot of cuddling and a lot of "eewww gross!". You know those things that make you say that...right?

I think I will have to wait until all details are final before I decide to join you ladies on the row quilt. I just don't know how many more trips I will have to make to Missouri, I know I am needed at the end of October but don't know if a call will come in before then so I am trying to grab some rest while I can. Anyway, I will follow the progress and I think pictures along the way are a great way to get others (read "me") excited about trying something like this.

Off to try to caught up on what I have missed else where.

[twiglet]

Thanks guys about the inches! I really have no idea and as long as I'm looking at the sashing as a personal choice that may be an added interest item each person can decide on.
When I go on vacation I'm taking my laptop so I can work some things out with EQ whilst the DH watches the TV or snores!! LOL

I'm getting a bit excited about the idea of having something in my home that is a composite of so many people. The hardest thing for me is going to be making some sort of statement about what I want,,, I have no idea,, I want every color, every technique, every 'look', ok, that's it! My theme will be, I want it all, so make me something that says YOU! I know I'll love everything I get. Oh, I can hardly wait for the beginning of it all.

I have been busy in the sewing room. Made myself an over sized mug rug! I like lots of cookies with my coffee. LOL


And the reverse side shows the quilting.


Then I got this piece finished. The tail of my caterpillar did get docked, but I'd already gotten this picture ready.

And here are 96 HST pressed and ready to be trimmed to 1&1/2".

[twiglet]

I'm getting a bit excited about the idea of having something in my home that is a composite of so many people.

I know exactly what you mean. That is why I took part in both the Sottts and Batiks hst swaps we had here on TQS a few years ago, Then I organised the WotRott exchange because I wanted to do another Edyta Sitar quilt designs, and finished up with suggesting the diy Mug Rug exchange. It is a pleasure and an honour to have pieces made by my friends here on TQS here in my house that I can look at and enjoy. Their choices of fabrics, styles, and patterns being different to mine, help to extend my appreciation of other ideas.

[lotti]

Great stuff i'm seeing here, Luann ...

I also so much like the exchanges for having something made by friends more or less far away, giving me a little piece of their hearts...
I adore my strippers and HST quilts, as well as my fabulous muggies and lizards - and will one day turn those fabulous WottRott's into a hugging quilt for myself. So doing the Row-Robin is an absolute must for me. :cheer: :P :cheer:





Like the idea of doing a row for each participant according to their specs each month, the we can each assemble them to our liking. And this should keep the sewing, postage and handling manageable for each of us as we would only be sending out one single row to one person each month. This will keep the value low and probably fit into a large envelope - so no customs difficulties either. It's difficult to declare half a quilt top as having a value of ten dollars, but a single fabric row is almost truthful... B)

Note to self: do not place a half full mug of coffee on bed when lying accross it checking out TQS on the ipad - this is a big huge NO! :blush:

[lotti]

Rosemary or Lotti,

What was WottRott exchange?

And Lotti, love your quilts pictured. How is the hexie quilt coming along?

Luann

[genevacarroll]

Here's an idea for deciding the rows. What if each person signed up to make a specific type of row. For example I agree to make a curved, circle type row in whatever color scheme each participant chooses. Someone else could do a log cabin row (I call dibs on this one) another does flowers, triangles, applique etc. We wouldn't have to make each of our rows exactly the same for everyone just stay within the parameters of our chosen type of row within the color/style of each owner's choice. Does this make sense? Our row quilts would be kind of similar, but different.

I wish I had become involved earlier with this group. However, I love my mug rugs.

It's a great idea to just mail the row out.

Will we get to see the rows as we make them? Maybe a reveal at a specific date each month. That way when it's my turn to do say, LuAnn's row I can make it to go along with what she has already. That would make it interesting for us to make each row different within our chosen type of row.

Take care my friends!

Geneva

[idaho]

Good idea Geneva...we need to "follow suit" as it were...otherwise we could get some rows that don't play well... :S
Not too sure about all one style of block tho.....might get pretty tired of churn dashes or what ever :sick: !

[idaho]

I need a show of hands,,,
It's looking like we have some that want rows, while others would prefer blocks of various sizes that would fit together in a 'to be designed yet' pattern. If enough wanted to do each we could do both. Even numbered months the row group would be busy and on odd numbered months those wanting to do blocks would be busy. This would accommodate those that want an every other month activity, they would choose one group. For those overachieving individuals :whistle: :whistle: they could choose both groups and have something going every month.

Please let me know 'specifically' if you want to do only one and which one that would be, or,,, do you want to do both on an alternating month schedule as I referred to above?????

This inquiring mind, NEEDS to know! I will put planning and designing on hold until I can get a head count!!

Luann

[idaho]

Luann, As I've been following and as I see it ( not necessarily how everyone else does: I think the answer is BOTH!



I think we all want ROWS. However, those ROWS would be made from blocks sewn together - or not - for example if you wanted a row to be winter(spring) summer scene etc. I've picked out a few from google to give an example..