Grab a cup of tea - this is a long one!

October's Show and Tell was a busy one.  First up was the completed first prize raffle quilt.  Raffle tickets were given out to members to sell, $1 each.  If you are a member and you haven't received your tickets yet, they will be in the mail, or ring Imogen or Charlotte to find out who picked up your tickets for you.

This is the back of the raffle quilt, which shows Leonie's fabulous machine quilting.  You can click on the pic to enlarge it if you want.

At September's meeting, we held a Quilts for Kids Day and the above pictures show some of the quilts that were completed at the day, or donated, or completed by people at home.  A big thank you to everyone - these quilts will go to kids who need them through Women's Refuge or other community services.

Jane worked on these tesselated placemats at Retreat. 

 

This is Judy's quilt for her (I think!) ninth grandchild.  Those are pcitures of sea creatures in the square in square blocks.

 

Carol - the queen of bag making.

More of Carols - always beautifully made.

 

This lovely big quilt is Colleen's. 

 

This lovely placemat is actually woven.  It belongs to Carol.

 

At the beginning of this year, Suzanne organised a new type of block of the month challenge.  Everyone who decided to take part chose at least eight fat quarters, then we cut each fat quarter into the same shapes from a cutting diagram provided.  Each month Suzanne would give up different suggestions for blocks we could make with the pieces.  We discussed final layouts, took sneak peaks at other peoples and generally had a good time.  On Tuesday we had the big reveal and it was amazing to see how different all the tops looked.  Suzanne won viewers choice and donated the book she had as a prize to the Group Library.  Thanks, Suzanne for a job well done in organising and for the generous donation!

Suzanne's Fat Quarter BOM top - viewer's choice winner.

Monika's picnic blanket with the Fat Quarter BOM blocks.



This is Carol's well-planned quilt. 



Ingrid's Fat Quarter BOM quilt.



Beryl's Fat Quarter BOM quilt.



Imogen is turning her Fat Quarter BOM top into a duvet cover.



Delores has almost finished her Fat Quarter BOM quilt.

This is Vicky's Fat Quarter BOM project.

Jane's Fat Quarter BOM - I love the little stripey offset border.

Joy didn't really like her Fat Quarter BOM quilt - but we all did and it came third in viewer's choice!

Diann's lovely coloured work.

Raewyn's Fat Quarter BOM which she sneaked in halfway through the day.

Next month is our annual Christmas lunch.  If you haven't booked your ticket and would like to go there may still be a spot or two left.  Phone Imogen - she has the list!  See you soon - and remember - the Exhibition is coming up fast, start finishing (or in my case, start starting!) your exhibition entries.

Retreat Report.

This blog has been a little neglected for a while, what with me missing September's meeting and then my son's birthday party to keep me busy.  But I'm back and I have a few pictures from the Spring Quilting Retreat to share.

Here is the first prize quilt for our January Exhibition.  It has been fabulously machine quilted by Leonie and the binding was finished off at retreat by some dedicated hand stitchers.

 

Ingrid used her time at retreat to tackle a few UFO's.  Here is the first FO.  What a beaut!  The background is a piece she hand-dyed - well, rain-dyed she says, as a big rain storm happened by whilst it was drying on her deck.  No matter, as it was the perfect piece for this little quilt.

 

Here is another of her FO's.  It is the wall hanging started in the class run by Sonya Prchal.  What a perfect border fabric.

 

Carol put together this top.  The reproduction 30's fabrics are absolutely luscious up close.  And it's a two-in-one design.  She was also putting together a little cot quilt with the half-square triangles cut off when the red squares are attached to the light and dark strips.

 

This is Diane's quilt-as-you go to cover the divan bed in her sewing room.  Lucky divan bed! 

And the backing fabric is fantastic - what a find from the upholstery fabric section.

Stephanie managed (after a little bit whole heap of frustration with the pattern) to get this three dimensional kimono wall-hanging finished.  It's lovely now that it's done, and I'm glad she persevered!

 

This is Beatrice's beautifully subtle quilt she finished at retreat. 

There was lots more being done but I think I got so caught up in racing to finish what I was working on that I stopped taking photographs!  Sorry!

It was a really great weekend.  As a first time retreater I learnt heaps (like bring some earplugs and a wineglass) and I had a great time.  Everyone deserves a pat on the back for their part in the kitchen work - the food all weekend was delicious - and who knew that gluten-free carrot cake could be so good?!

Lonsdale Park was a great setting and it's not so far away that devoted husbands couldn't bring in a replacement sewing machine when Leonie's first one bit the dust.  In fact all those machines need a pat on the back too.  I think mine needs a service after all those hours!

So put my name down for the next retreat, I'll be there.

PS - Camilla the Gorilla - you were missed by all!!