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.