Autumn Retreat

What a fabulous weekend!  Because of a slight hitch with dates, we are running two Autumn retreats this year and this first one was attended by a much smaller number than usual.  So we had plenty of space to spread out, less dishes to wash and fewer sewing machine motors to talk over.

Because this only needed the binding sewn down, I grabbed the first 'finish' of the weekend. 

Steph showed us her finished beauty of a quilt.  She was working on this at her last retreat.

And here is part of her next masterpiece.  I've seen the pattern and it's truly stunning. 

Here's Edna contemplating what to do to turn these orphan blocks into a usable quilt.  Aren't they a neat pattern?

Margaret joined us for a day and managed to get several bindings sewn down.  This one has a skateboard fabric as a feature. 

Here's Dianne and Daryl basting Shirley's troublesome quilt that just won't lay flat!  The problem is in the fabric we think - such a gorgeous soft damask.

This is one of a pair - or will be if Dianne can find a few more inches of the purple stripe inner border fabric.

Imogen managed to complete the quilting of her lovely batik bargello.

This is another of Margaret's that she managed to get the binding finished on.

And here is a detail of the quilting from the back.

I managed to finish the border on this round-robin block.  Just in time to send it off to Australia.  Remind me never to work with teeny tiny pieces again!

Carol had been lucky to attend a workshop with Kaffe Fassett recently - here she is working on the layout of her quilt started that day.

Ingrid has been experimenting with fabric paint.   And now she's using the painted fabric to fantastic effect in this cathedral windows piece.

Mmmmmm, colour!!

Carol finished this top off for her brand new grandbaby. 

I managed to piece together my centre applique block into my big blue and white quilt and add a border.  I've yet to decide whether to add another one - what do you think?

And that's about it for photos.  Plenty of stories though!  Like the cricket hunts that had varying degrees of success! 

Anyway - take care and enjoy whatever it is you are working on. 

Show and Tell February

Apologies for taking so long to get this posted.  Hope you enjoy it.

Jane showed us a couple of lovely children's quilts.  Isn't the green and pink one a clever design?

 

Ingrid has been productive with a lovely table runner and her first drunkard's path.

Terri is the proud owner of this - I've take a photo of the back to show the quilting better - very intricate.

 

Terri also made this wallhanging incorporating photos printed onto fabric.

 

Alison has finished her embroidered white and cream quilt that she was working on in retreat last year.  What a stunner!  She also made matching pillowshams.

 

Imogen finished her bargello top in record time.

 

A quilt for kids made by Caroline.  There was another, but that may have been when my camera battery ran out!  Sorry!

 

Jan was the lucky recipient of this gorgeous table runner.  She doesn't know who made it for her - her Patchwork Angel sent it to her!! 

Bia had a beautiful and practical bag to show and the cutest wee wallhanging for dog lovers.

 

We were lucky enough to have Bobbi, a visitor for Australia, show us some beautiful handwork made by the Tentmakers of Cairo.  Bobbi just happens to be friends with Jenny Bowker (!), who let her choose a couple of pieces from her collection.  Click here to read more about the tentmakers, written by Jenny Bowker.

 

And here are two of Bobbi's stunning quilt tops she brought over to show us.  Thanks Bobbi - we much appreciated meeting and listening to you.

This is a sweet wee box made by Ingrid.  We're hoping to persuade her to give us a workshop!

And last but not least - this is a picture of all the blocks members brought in for our 'Guess the Block Name' game.  Steph got the highest number right with 14 out of 32.  Well done!