Virtual Retreat Aug thru Dec 2015 Info on first post

[twiglet]

It's great Dawn, you're going to have fun finishing it. Wish I could have been with you. Inspiring location.

[loise98]

Scoupie, What a great class to have taken. Like Wendy, wish I could have joined you. Your retreat setting was lovely. Terrie, I can imagine. Hope it was fun with good fellowship with enough light and space to work.

[loise98]

Dawn...was that Glacier Presbyterian Camp? Did you paint the eagle, or is it appliqued? I absolutely love your piece...very cool!
Wendy...really like yours too....very soft looking
LuAnn...glad you got your star done right, love the colors!
Rosemary...love your blocks too!
Heather...very nice quilt..your MIL will love it

Dorothy

[genevacarroll]

Wendy, your torn piece is wonderful! I love the colors!
Dawn, your piece is amazing! You two have been really creating!

I finished the top of the quilt for my grandson Dylan Christopher due in mid January. I was really stuck on what to make for this baby. I fretted and futzed and finally came across a pattern I liked, adjusted it, used all stash fabrics except the teal and wow! I really like the way it came out.




and here's a close up of his name. I used the new appli-quick stuff I got from TQS for free for signing up for another year. I really like it. It's sticky on the back so you can place and replace things really easy. And it's really easy to sew through.




I am currently making two "Frozen" no sew blankets for my granddaughters for Christmas. It's 2 layers of fleece, with all 4 edges cut into 1/2" strips and all those strips knotted together. The fleece is a living thing, I'm sure. No matter how I smooth it, it grows and shrinks. Once I got beyond these blankets being "works of art", worthy of a blue ribbon, and realized they are for cuddling and spilling hot chocolate on, I was good to go. However, do you know how boring it is to cut all those little strips and tie all those knots? I will post a picture when I finish the 2nd one. I know the girls will love them. I took them to JoAnns last September when I visited, and Sydney found the fleece Frozen fabric and in all her 4 year old glory said "Oh Graneva, will you make me a blanket with this?" as she was literally hugging the bolt of fabric. I am a happy Graneva, cutting and knotting....

I am so very thankful for all of you, my TQS friends. Whatever would I do without you? In America we will celebrate Thanksgiving this week. I have so much to be thankful for, including all of you!

Take care,
geneva

[rehak]

Beautiful quilt, Dawn! You really got a lot out of that class!

Love the torn fabric quilt, Wendy! The soft, torn lines of the fabric go really well with the soft colors.

Love the baby quilt, Geneva! Yet another lucky grandchild for you! I know what you mean about the fleece blankets. I made them for my nieces several years ago. The fabrics really slip against each other and I was very frustrated until I figured out to pin them together before starting to cut and knot. That helped a lot! My nieces made one for me the next year and I absolutely love it! They are so warm and cuddly!

[rehak]

Wendy, Geneva,and Dawn,
You are all making such lovely pieces.

Wendy, I'd really like to try something similar to your piece with my hand dyed fabrics
Dawn, I'm sure your piece took a lot of work to achieve the composition
Geneva, your baby quilt is so colorful and the pattern would lend itself to fussy cutting if one wanted to make an I Spy quilt.

Enjoying the eye candy,
Luann

[twiglet]

Thank you

Carrying on from yesterday I have made the left over fabric into a journal cover



and the back

[twiglet]

Like the look of that, Wendy.

[genevacarroll]

Wendy, that's awesome!

geneva

[Lorna1021]

This is a busy group! I just unpacked my sewing machine today but haven't turned it on yet. (Can't find the 110V cord for it) It's been a hectic summer with a few diversions in our original plans. We are now settling into our home and unpacking boxes that arrived last week. We have more household goods that were in storage the last 4 years while we were living in England coming this Wednesday. Eventually I'll post a few pics of things I completed before our stuff was packed up in June. Can't wait to get sewing again!

[genevacarroll]

We've missed you Lorna. Keep us posted on what you find in those boxes.

Geneva

[genevacarroll]

Geneva - lovely!
Lorna - good to see you, you've been missed.
Wendy - nice project. I think I'd have a hard time explaining to my husband why I'd want to be taking a course on how to 'rip' fabric
Luann - trying to think what 'my' flavour is - you're first on my list!
Lois - The fellowship and sun coming in the large windows with a view of the lake was great. The menu left something to be desired, as did the 40- year old feather pillows and beds. But I got a lot done! I'll try to post pics soon!

[twiglet]

Ooh Terrie your retreat sounded wonderful too.

Lorna you're going to have to tell us more about what happened between France and now

[loise98]

Lorna, Welcome home! And a great big thank you for your service to our country. Have you retired from the military? Can't wait to see what you've been sewing and hear how you've been settling in. Thanks again!

[Scoopie]

WENDY, love the torn look! Very creative, and very soft looking!
DOROTHY, Yup! It is Glacier Presbyterian Camp. Such a beautiful place!
TERRY, I took my own pillow to retreat. Always do! Makes for a better night's sleep! And, our food was incredible! They have a really good cook now. Her pot roast and her pork roast were excellent, as was her French toast casserole. Yum!
GENEVA, You are being very productive lately, in both quilts AND grandkids! It was requested that I do not make any more quilts, when the last two grandkids came along. Oh well! More time for competition quilts!
LORNA, It's good to see you again! I hope the unpacking goes well!

Thanks for all of the kudos on my confetti quilt. (The eagle is just a fussy cut from fabric). I did a lot of tweaking on it this past weekend. I also finished the handwork on the wool pillow that I started in a class in Houston at Festival. I need to find a really cool antique gold button for it. The one in the picture is just a cheap plastic one.


Dawn