Retreat 2015 Wrap up

Some more pictures of things worked on . . .even though we have Friday afternoon to Tuesday afternoon to sew - its never long enough.
Over the years I have learnt to not take as much...but I am still overly optimistic as to how much I will get done . . . 

I did finish off the last block for my Quilt Fun Christmas quilt and had time to lay it out before I had to pack up.  I'll get it together this week before I go back to work.

I made this bag:

I did a lot of other stuff too but its Secret Stuff so you will need to wait . . .

One of our group who couldn't come last year decided to make up her 2014 Challenge - it was a Mug Bag...and last year we all made a matching  coaster.  This year it was a Thread Catcher ...and a few of us made Owls...Luckily Gail had enough fabric in her pack from last year to make a Thread Catcher to match her Mug Bag...and enough for an Owl...and a pincushion...and a tiny needle book...

She has a small piece left - she had cut one side of her mug bag upside down - its a perfect shape for a...scissor holder...I'll get a picture of that when she is done . . . 

Here is the "Score board"...still quite a few tags on the left but a lot moved over to the right...(the first two columns are the "not done" - the rest were finished)

Every year Belle & Pearl join us - it is the only time they are allowed out - they sit on top of the piano and keep an eye on us ....and watch over the space at night - every year Aunty Maureen makes gives them a present - this year they each received a scarf.

 Here are some other things that were finished over the long weekend:
Gail:

Erica made a few things for her grand daughter - including this camera.

 Another Sashiko project from Gail

 These are Jan's beautiful hand appliqued blocks 

There were so many more . . . . . .I'll try to be a better photographer next year.

It's only 358 days til the next one . . .  

(time to plot the next Challenge...)

Retreat 2015 Day 3

More sewing and of course fun & chatting . . .

I worked on this...

and a few other things - photos to come . . .

We had another Retreat Challenge . . ..
this year we made  thread catchers . . . .I wonder what a collection of thread catchers is called???
(maybe a "treadle"???)

Retreat 2015 Day 2

Still having lots of fun - sewing madly..eating gorgeous food...
Included in my work today:

FNSI - August & Retreat 2015 Day 1

For FNSI this month I got to sew with real friends as well as all my cyber friends!!!!


Day 1 of my retreat...
I've been working on this ...can't show too much....

I drank a bit more of this wine (only a small glass....truly)......I was keeping it under wraps . . . .

Before I left home on Thursday I collected this from the Post Office

I was one of the lucky winners for July OPAM - Peg sent me a gorgeous dilly bag, 3 reels of thread and a Cottage Garden Thread - wow!!!  I was stumped - amazing generosity - thanks again Peg & Khris!!!

Hope everyone had a fun productive night - I had a ball...too much happening to be drifting off to sleep in my lounge chair.....

"Ekka" Holiday

It was a Public Holiday in Brisbane today - for People's Day at the Royal Exhibition Show - fondly referred to as "The Ekka".

I took the opportunity to hide in SSS and added the peeper, the creamy squares and blue border to my SAL project.  I still have 46 squares to applique between the cream and blue to finish this month's target . . . .

And since it's that time of the year, I also filled all my bobbins . . . 

in anticipation of . . "Retreat".

Yahoo!!!!  Only 9 sleeps to go!!!!

FNWF - late...

Oops - I missed posting for FNWF last Friday night!!

I did sew - I enjoyed knowing others were sewing with me.

I worked on this:...its an old Jenny of Elefantz project and I'm adding these little bits to my DD1 Give Thanks hanger.

and may have had a bit of this:
(only one small glass...just to try it...you know...)

See you next month - I'll try to be more diligent then.

That's not supposed to happen

Today I thought I would post about my Natures's Journey - its time to finish off the centre block, but while filling in some time stitching out a flower or two - and tidying up around me at the same time - this happened....

The excess fabric and stabilizer has folded over onto the stitching area and got caught under the needle...

Poop!
just as well I am not desperately short of fabric...