Retreat report

At the risk of boring you totally I am now writing a second posting for today. It is either drought or downpour I fear - after weeks of only one posting per week (and that about my block of the week) I have inflicted several posts on you this week.

 Here was my work station on Saturday afternoon. I had sat and drafted my pattern for the "Rocky Road to Kansas" block  by hand using freezer paper and pencil and guided by my invaluable copy of the Jinny Beyer book "The Quilters Album of Patchwork Patterns". Then I sat on the floor and sorted through my BOW fabric bag seeking fabrics to create my string piecing base for the block. The block was done and photographed (as seen on the previous post) and then I was back to my major focus for this retreat; the completion of the sashing units for my red and white quilt begun in Jo Morton's workshop back in April.

In the April/May period I had made great strides on this project but work had almost entirely stalled since then. All 36 blocks had been made and I had completed 12 of the required 84 flying geese sash units.  Each unit needs four "geese" and with a finished "goose" to measure 1" x 2" that is a lot of cutting and trimming. Additionally I had the crazy notion that  I "should" be able to make these using 21 different reds and the same number of cream/whites. Above you can see some piles of my work on Saturday.

 By Sunday afternoon, around 5pm I had achieved my goal and had stitched, pressed and counted such that I had 84 finished sets plus another four or so full sets and some individual geese as well for "insurance" purposes. Hooray.

By this time many of our retreaters had drifted off home. Carol and I had been over to the nearby fabric store armed with our "20% off your entire purchase this weekend" card. I was seeking red check/plaid/gingham as a potential corner stone for my red and white quilt while Carol was looking for a binding fabric for her really beautiful weekend project of a baby quilt for a brand new great niece. Carol did not find her binding and decided she would make her leftover fabric work by using very creative cutting and piecing. I came back with four one yard pieces of fabric for sashing/setting for my Grandmothers Choice project but no red and white fabric. Gosh, I guess I am going to"have" to go visit another couple of quilt shops this week.

The sharp eyed among you can see that I get through a retreat by constant refueling of tea made the right way - yes, I carry my own electric tea kettle to every retreat (it is a popular item and I am always asked in advance if I am bringing it) and brew tea to drink out of a ceramic mug (no nasty polystyrene taste for me!). My addition this time of a nostalgic item - the tea cosy from Mum and Dad's teapot - made for a good conversation starter.

It was only late this afternoon that the television got turned on so the football fans (and you know I am absolutely not in that group) could watch their favorite team play.

All in all it was a great break away and I enjoyed my time with a bunch of women surrounded by fabric and sewing machines. Do you go on retreat with your quilt group?