Spring Retreat 2011

There were fifteen of us on this Spring Retreat.  We stitched and quilted and chatted and ate chocolate.  Some of us went to bed early, some of us (the ones determined to finish something) went to bed late.  But I think I speak for us all when I say a great time was had.  

I was sitting across from Carol and got to watch her bag-lady bag take shape.  A lucky recipient will be getting this for Christmas.

Steph got busy putting together her embroidered panels for the centre of her quilt.  

The notice board in the hall makes a pretty good design wall.  

Valerie concentrated on two mosaic type wall hangings/table runners.

And despite a few hiccups and disappointments with the kit, she finished them and they were beautiful.

Both Friday and Saturday saw me machine quilt, quilt, quilting.  

And Sunday morning saw me tying in thread ends.  No more quilting, yay!

Aida worked away at Christmas presents - quilting the tops she showed at October's show and tell.

Ingrid was foundation piecing these little blocks around an embroidered butterfly.

And by the end of the weekend she had a quilt top to show for her efforts.

Many of us took a turn at hand stitching the binding down on our exhibition raffle quilt, "Nora's Delight".  Here is Nora threatening to swallow Imogen!

The couch was a productive place to be this weekend.  Margaret stitched and stitched (and regaled us with funny stories!).

Although Camilla the Gorilla was on the couch too, and she did nothing except loll around and gossip about Richie and Dan!

Darryl was machine quilting her lovely scrappy log cabin.  Although she complained that she didn't really get much done.....

I wonder why?!

Carol and Margaret were busy in the corner.

And Carol really was busy.  I watched this top for Quilts for Kids grow and grow over the weekend.

I think it's a stunning pattern and I can see it in a taupe background with red and cream diagonals....hmm, the last thing I need is another quilt on the to-do list!

Imogen won the 'longest chain-pieced chain'.  These are lovely hand dyed fabrics that she bought when she had a holiday in Australia.

Here is Nora's Delight in all her glory.  She is the first prize in our raffle for the January Exhibition.  Members have tickets to sell for $1 each.  If you want to buy some, flick me an email (look in my profile).

And a close up.  Needle turn applique interspersed with machine pieced blocks.  Machine quilted by Leonie Wihongi.

Carol was really concentrating on those Christmas presents - these are cushion tops for her daughter.

And once I tied in threads, I did a little basting on a quilt for Quilts for Kids.

Last pic of the day is Margaret showing us her 'finish'!!  Margaret is a master of embroidery and crazy quilting and she just finished the little stitchery in the top corner.  And she's hiding her usual cheeky grin!  I better not repeat any of the jokes she told us at Saturday night's dinner, Blogger might object!

Happy stitching everyone.

Show and Tell - October Meeting

Bia has been making bags again.  And isn't this one a stunner?!

Dolores showed us a lovely Christmas table runner.  I think she told me she was planning to make six more!

I missed who made this cushion - Elaine, was it you?

Vicky showed off her wonderful cat quilt.  She got this block of the month when she first started quilting but took one look and wisely put it away until she was more confident.

I could resist a couple of close ups.  Vicky has done embroidery on their faces.

Aida is busy making more Christmas presents.  Someone is going to get a nice surprise on Christmas Day.

Terri quilted this quilt made by a family.  Every member made a block.  And with a little judicious realignment, it has turned out wonderfully.

Beatrice made this bright and cheerful one for Quilts for Kids.

And this wee mini attic windows, which apparently has no Y-seams.  I forgot to find out how she did it.

Ingrid thought she'd have a go at painting - actually it's machine embroidery, but it could almost be a painting.

A quirky jar quilt done by Beatrice.

And a real scrap buster.  I'm pretty sure this was Elaine's.  Please tell me if I'm wrong

And I didn't catch the maker of this cute little bag.

I've just come back from attending the guild retreat, so shortly I'll be uploading more photos for you.  Including our stunning raffle quilt for this year's exhibition - stay tuned!

Show and Tell - September Meeting

Welcome to September's Show and Tell.  We hope you enjoy browsing our member's work.  Remember, the Kerikeri Patchwork and Quilting Club annual exhibition is on the 13th - 16th of January 2012 at the Kerikeri Primary School Hall and there will be plenty of work on display then.  Members - have you got something organised to exhibit?

 First up was Chris, who made this for a wedding present.  It uses a clever cutout technique for the centre.

 Judy has been blessed with ten grandchildren and this quilt was made for the tenth.

 Judy used to hook rugs and the first few grandchildren got rugs instead of quilts and Judy brought in an example to show us.

 This is Lyn's cushion - too precious to put on a couch!

 Imogen has been so busy she hasn't got enough hands to hold it all!  These are made with teeny bits of kiwiana fabrics.

 This is Lois's quilt.  Covered in cats - just the way she likes it!

Darryl shows off a new table runner.  She is trying to decide what to quilt in the centre squares.

 This is also Darryl's, destined for one of her spare beds.  Made of lots and lots of strippy scraps and quilted in a variegated thread on the front and back so it can be turned over now and then to save it from fading too fast.

 This is a wee quilt made by Caroline for Quilts for Kids.

 These are all destined to be Christmas presents for Aida's lucky family.  They are beautifully embroidered.  Click on the picture for a closer look.

 This is one of Alison's pictures, shown to us to entice us to have a machine embellishing workshop.

 And here's another one.

 This is Shirley's, made in a class at Whangarei and is another example of machine embellishing.

This is Shirley's too and is very intricate.  There is even copper shim incorporated.

And after show and tell, we had an informal class on template making and hand piecing run by Margaret.  We are trying to run a small 'technique' class at each meeting to help members increase their skills or brush up on certain techniques.  We think it's going well and have had lots of positive comments from participants.  Members - if you have any suggestions for classes you would like us to hold or you would like to run, just see someone on the committee.