Last weekend was our club's Spring Retreat. We hold these twice a year and it's a chance for group members to have a weekend of non-stop quilting, chat, friendship and relaxation. We each take responsibility for one cooking task so that we aren't all cooking all weekend and it's a kids' school camp, so we aren't shelling out big bucks either.
Many hands make light work of basting. Gaylene, Robyn and Darryl are pinning a healing hearts quilt for a club member. We make these quilts for member's who are going through a hard time - illness, bereavement or some other reason.
And then Robyn and Gaylene set to work hand quilting it (after a long discussion of the exact pattern they were going to use!).
Here is another heart being made. This one is being appliquéd by Valerie. Valerie also made the most delightful Christmas wall hanging, but I seemed to have missed taking a picture :(
Judith worked most of the weekend on a Community Quilts quilt - one that will be gifted to someone in the community who needs a hug.
I managed to finish hauling my Old Maid's Puzzle quilt through the machine and boy was I glad to get all the quilting done. I even got a few threads tied in too.
Ingrid finished off this top that was started by Diane. She managed to get it pinned......
and quilted over the weekend. It is also a Community Quilt.
Stephanie was busy making bags. This was a lattice bag and the fabrics are actually upholstery samples.
One panel finished.
And here is the other bag Stephanie started and finished over the weekend. A Great Big Hawaiian Bag I think it's called. Easy to make and such a useful big bag - I've put it on my to-do list!
Carol was busy making the cutest wee bibs for her granddaughter - she was also busy waiting for the news of the impending birth. I'm sure she jumped two feet in the air every time her cell phone beeped!
The other Carol was making lovely little quilts for sweet little girls. I love the bright, cheery fabric panels.
A year ago I took a photo of Darryl procrastinating by doing the cross word instead of quilting her log cabin quilt. And here she is again - still quilting the log cabin and still procrastinating! (She's going to kill me when she sees this!)
Alison is a master embroiderer. She is making a huge stack of healing heart blocks and finishing them with lovely embroidery. Here is just a selection. (And the famous retreat couch in the background. It must be a hundred years old, very comfy, and hard to get out of.)
Once I'd finished quilting my Old Maid's Puzzle quilt I had enough pins to pin my Tree of Life quilt and start the quilting on it.
And isn't this the cutest wee rotary cutter pouch? I wish I could buy a pretty patterned rotary cutter like the one on the front.
The other Steph worked hard on completing this Community Quilt. She did a lovely job on free motion quilting - the first time she's tried her hand at it.
Well, that was it for another retreat. Everyone went home tired but happy I think. And looking forward to the next one in Autumn.
