Retreat at Ness Lake 2015

Passing a few days in the company of quilters is bound to be entertaining,  informative, relaxing or stressful, all depending on the project you're working on.  Your meals are prepared especially for you and your mouth watered at everything. At times I thought we ate more than we sewed. Is that's all we do all day. Eat, eat, eat!? Another thing I look forward too is the fellowship and sharing ideas with so many brilliant women. And being with women with the same interest is rewarding and worth the lack of sleep we get by sharing a room with someone who "purred" when she sleeps.

Some assumed a retreat is a place for those who crave quilting-in some serious case, it is- but most of us, normal people, it's just a good time together with friends. Moms who needed time-off from being a "Super-Woman-Hero"   at home or at work. They need time to themselves, a short reprieve. A break from a very busy, busy, busy life. A mini-vacation that won't cost too much. (Warning here, some retreats have booths that sell fabric and after a long day in the chair, to have a muscular masseuse working those sore muscles is great.

It's a good idea to bring a different project to work on, like a UFO or community quilt or a mystery quilt or whatever work for you, because if one is stubbornly difficult, another project will certainly feel a blessing. Some retreats have door prices, games, goody bags, and sweet snacks too. Oh, don't forget the "show-and-tell" too. I'm sure I forget to mention all the pros of going to one of these. Forget the cons. If all these don't seem compelling to your fancy of a long relaxing weekend, then don't go. Don't make yourself miserable and others too.  It's okay not to like a quilter-retreat, but you're missing on the camaraderie.

 We had two booths. One sold Batik and print fabrics, kits, needles, threads, jelly rolls and so many other awesome things and was thankful that I wisely made a budget before I left the house. The other booth sold threats and embroidery in all colours imaginable. So beautiful, it was difficult to choose among them. I purchased Batik in the red /orange/ yellow that will complement my greens for another Big Ten quilt. Another fall quilt ahead of me.

This bag was made from one of my Moda jelly rolls I purchased three years ago at a quilt fair in Alberta. The carry bag by Tina Lamborn was a quilt as you go pattern. Fast and easy too! You can find the pattern in the Jelly Roll Quilt book by Pam and Nicky Lintott.

Project 5: Building blocks Part 1

When my bag was done, I continued working on my Building Blocks Quilt Along by Leah Day. I'm also finished sewing all the blocks.

 The retreat gave me plenty of times to free-motioned block #1-5 The circles were the most difficult part so far. The circles were my first attempt. The rest was easy enough. With a little bit of patience and love, this quilt will be finished in no time.



*To purchase or view the Building Block Quilt Alone free-motion beginner simpler, go to Leah Day's blog:  http://freemotionquilting.blogspot.ca/p/blog-page.html


Quilter4Him

Apple Core

At our last share-workshop from our guild, with skeptical thoughts and trepidation, I learned how to cut an apple core pattern from an AccuQuilt and sewed them together without pinning. Yikes!!

 Curves!  Something I avoided for years.

 

After my first precautious tentative to sew two pieces together than four, things were not looking so bad.  By gently pushing and/or pulling the right amount of fabric, my middle notches aligned and edge too and made a perfect apple core.

 After sewing in a group of fours, I sewed them in rows. My project was small, so not too overwhelming for my first attend with curves. I'll say that if you are a beginner at quilting or an over-pinner, this technique could end-up to be a challenge. Also, I, noticed my body shifted over to the right of my sewing machine in a crooked way and tension build in my shoulders. Just something to have in mind if you consider doing a longer quilt.

 

In the end, I loved the waving pattern it formed.

 The quilt is 52" x 52". It's a community quilt for Victim Services our guild is supporting.  Now that curves aren't a big deal, I want to make another one.