Virtual Retreat 2016

[Zarah]

Terrie,
Praying your ankle feels better very soon.

Geneva,
The Smilebox link worked perfectly. Very nice presentation of some lovely work.

I got my snowman Wallhanging quilted up last night. Now it needs the binding.
I also quilted up these four Inspiration placemats. I wouldn't put food on them so I guess they're a small table topper.



They also need bindings.

Went to Joanns today and picked up TWO thread holders. One for spools and I'll use the other for cones. Both are for in the longarm room. So, I'm off to put them in place and have my thread visible.

[Zarah]

Norma...nice to see you as well....Are you sewing very much?

I sew as soon as I can, but my items are mostly small pouches and things like that. At the moment I try to use up fabric from a leftover bin and I make some rather funny (read weird) things. I'm working on conquering metallic and wool threads on my Bernina 830 and I think I'm nearly there.


Here I gave up and used my B 440. How cool is that?
Just to give you a bit of eye candy

[twiglet]

Norma, that pouch is right up my alley beautiful!

I've decided to get more of my 'leftovers' used during this upcoming year, too. In the past I would take all fabric left over from a project and, keeping it together, put it in a basket. I had this idea that I wanted to make a quilt that would have a representative block for each quilt I had made, in it. When I took a good look at what I've collected I don't think I want that much chaos going on! A string quilt perhaps, but not that many unrelated blocks and fabrics. Well, I've started whittling it down by using what was leftover from one of the quilts to make this top, about a 48" square:



And then I made this back for it, only needed to pull one extra piece not used in the original quilt.



Now the problem is that I like the back as a modern design front. I just need to get them on the machine and quilt them up as a reversible before I make it any more complicated. LOL

[twiglet]

These projects are lovely, an inspiration.

Ow Terrie, hope the pain goes soon

[lotti]

Get well soon, Terrie. I know that Walter will look after you!

Lots and lots of great projects being shown - such a talented and productive crew!

Been rowing and mystery quilting the last few days ... Hope to finish the January blocks tomorrow

[Marianne-is-sewing]

Happy New Year everybody.

Congratulations to all the grands and parents of the LLL that have arrived lately and a big thank you for uploading so much eye candy already. Do any of you get any sleep?

I'm still in dressmaking mode but have moved on from dresses and tunics to skirts. Cut out two today - one woollen and one cotton. With the weather we are having it's hard to know what to sew Daffodils about to flower - how insane is that?
Marianne

[Marianne-is-sewing]

So sorry Terrie .Hope you are feeling better real soon!
Love the projects!

Dorothy

[Marianne-is-sewing]

Marianne,
I would love to sew my own clothes, like I did when my body and a pattern had the same plan.
I've got that 'swallowed a watermelon' look going on. I really should use a piece of clothing that fits well as a pattern, or at least take the measurements from it. a duct tape body form might be in my future

[she-quilts]

I'm glad to see a new thread for 2016. I saw some of the 2015 retreat posts and it got so overwhelming and I wasn't in it so....

May I join in this year? I hope to do better at posting and keeping up.

Friday and today (Jan 1 & Jan 2) I quilted the fabric and then made a sewing machine cover for my featherweight. (the one I have cleaned up so far...) My wish is to bring it to my living room and have a corner set-up and decorated nicely for piecing. Then on the dark evenings or if I'm waiting for something in the kitchen, I can go over and piece a few things quickly.

The sewing machine cover is all done except for hand-sewing down the binding. I made it up but was inspired to have the pieced squares down one side by a pix on Pinterest. (I'm Jules, , with a childhood photo there.) I need to get a few pix off my phone and to my computer and then can post them.

Heather (learning-as-I-go) encouraged me to get quilting by her texts & pix to me Thursday night. I just came off the Christmas RUSH with my quilting business and just need time to make things for myself this week. My health has limited my time and energy in many ways. The workload is fine and I keep up with that but not time for personal sewing a lot of the time.

This year I'm continuing to use my stash. It is too huge! Many UFOs and that is what I usually work on. The sewing machine cover is all stash fabrics.

[she-quilts]

I'm still in dressmaking mode but have moved on from dresses and tunics to skirts.
Marianne

I used to be a garment maker and made nearly all my kids clothes (but they are 23 & 30 y/o now!) but I pulled out the cobwebs in that part of my brain this fall and made pajamas for the IQF pajama party. It was mostly fun albeit a bit stressing as I redid the pattern to my liking of course.

I have out wool and a pattern, need lining, for a light coat. I won't do extra interlining or such for more like for April, September & October here.

[lotti]

Hello Joyce, great to have you on board. We're fairly easygoing, no long-term commitment, but kind of enjoy our banter and camera derive on this forum. Sometimes some of us take more or less lengthy time-outs, or keep to lurking on the sidelines until we have more time to join in again, as life happens B) :silly:
You've been busy, I should really go to sleep, but will take a quick side trip to your website
G'night all

[lotti]

Joyce,
Here at retreat we enjoy just getting to know each other and share whatever is on your mind. It's really quite like a physical retreat, except that we have to write our thoughts down and then hit the submit button. And of course, if someone shares their sweets with us, we don't gain weight from theirs. The flip side is, if you have enough to share, you'll probably gain it yourself. That's what has happened at my house! LOL
Seriously, we enjoy input, pictures of what you're doing, and stuff like that. Just hang out with us and share when you feel like it.

[kathyst2]

That sounds like a good approach, less daunting than me trying to take off 30 pounds all at one shot. Kathy

[kathyst2]

Welcome.




Sorry I've been slack on the chocolates, but my sister has kept me supplied here at my house. Here's some no-calorie ones to share and start the year off right!

[kathyst2]

Yum Terrie :side: thank you...just what I needed :whistle:

Dorothy