August FNSI...plus

My post is a bit late....I’ve been on another retreat....lol

Friday I was sewing along with another 14 keen ladies.  Here is some work I may have been doing.....can’t really recall now what was Friday Night or some other time.

Some towel toppers.....I only took a small machine so will finish the bulky sewing off later

And a bag I made

We had a great weekend...sewing from Friday afternoon til Sunday night.....a bit of crafty shopping on the way there and the way home.

Nolene's Zippy Pouch

Nolene is the oldest member of my Loose Threads Group.  She is 90 and still sews lots - and gorgeous stuff too.
She may not be up to date with blogs & Facebook etc - but can happily live without it too.

It was her birthday back in March - with one thing and another (Covid = No Meetings - then retreat) it's been a long time - but finally, I can post this finish.

For OPAM I will count it as August!

Nolene asked for purple presents.  The fabric is by an Aboriginal designer and I matched the greeny/teal bits with a little spot.

Retreat 2020 - Last Day

All good things must end . .sadly

Here is the tally board at the end - a marvelous achievement from everyone. 

33 projects finished - 10 people were involved.

Today's Finishes:

Maureen's efforts for her grandsons - they will be chuffed!
Buzz Lightyear & Woody    - I'm sure you recognised them.

Bev's gorgeous quilt - she worked most of the weekend on this one.

Alison's Celtic table runner

Special Project

For many years, we (Maureen & I) organise a secret project.
The first year we did it - it was a last minute thought - I mean literally the night before we were due to leave.   I was staying at Maureen's - to get an early start and we had a "Brain Wave"...lol....a few hours later we had a kit for everyone to make a mug bag - using her fabric stash.

The next year - we were more organised and I purchased some metres of fabric in a coordinating range and we have used that fabric ever since.  (Luckily I was able to get more from a de-stash site recently.)

We try to find something that is useful as a sewing "thing" and that gives everyone the idea/technique so they can make some more if needed.

The project this year was a snappy pouch. 

I supplied some flowers to coordinate with the fabrics.
The one in the middle is made by Louise.  She has a favourite fabric that she likes her sewing "things" to be made in so we tell her what to bring ahead of time.

Belle & Pearl

The tale of Belle & Pearl

Long ago - Erica brought along two cloth dolls - Belle & Pearl - that needed finishing off - and they now come along every year....   It is the only outing they get in a year and are always very excited to be able to join us.
And each year Maureen makes them a little gift.  This year - it had to be a mask - so they each got one. . . . LOL

They sit up on the piano each year - the case behind them stores all their treasures....

We had a great time - we are booked for next year - hopefully things will be back to "normal" by then.

Thanks everyone who came and made it fun.
Thanks all my readers who have commented on the finishes.

Retreat 2020 - Saturday

We are back into the "normal" part of our retreat - this year we are self-catering morning & afternoon tea but lunch & dinner is supplied.

Today for lunch we have some bacon burgers - very nice 

Making great headway with our projects:

Maureen's North Pole quilt

Inca's Sarah Fielke bag

Sue's "Left overs" quilt

Maureen's towels

My Blue & cream "left overs" quilt

I have made 2 quilts like this before - the first one was in 2010...

Erica's dress for a granddaughter

and another one

More cushion covers from Alison

Nolene's red stitchery quilt

Inca's Willowbrook hexie quilt

And the "To Do" board:

The left hand side are the things "To Do", there right is the "Done".

There are still a lot of projects to finish.....probably not going to get them all done . . .this year...LOL

But we still have a morning & a bit.

Retreat 2020 - Friday

Another busy day.  We did take time out to visit our regular Friday lunch spot.  The Mt Alford hotel.  Another 2020 change.  Dave & Robyn used to own the hotel....it had been on the market for years....so every year we would say “See you next year”.  And they would reply that they would have sold and been off travelling.....we have no idea if they are off on their travels....we hope they are having fun, doing whatever.

Here are today’s finishes.

Erica's Poinsettia Spruce Christmas Christmas quilt.

Another bag from Lynda - she is on a roll!!

Erica's Koala & baby 

Inca's 100 Modern Quilt blocks quilt

Maureen's quilt with months of the year

Alison's celtic cushion cover

This is the view from the front of my cabin - Friday

But Saturday - we rarely get rain when we are here....but it's needed so we can't complain!

I love these containers for the tea coffee & sugar in the cabins

and this sign

Still Saturday & half of Sunday to go . . . .got to get on with it!

Retreat 2020 - Thursday

We now have a full complement - I have handed out the "Post-it Notes" from previous years, we have added new ones for the projects we aim to finish and we are off to a good start.

Alison's baby quilt

Lynda's Bag

My placemats

Louise's cat

another bag from Lynda

Sue's Sashiko wall hanging

and another wall hanging from Sue

Inca's Sashiko cushion cover

and another bag from Sue

Maureen's North Pole

The To Do Board at the end of Day 2

we are all being very productive...well mostly . .  .LOL
Still lots to go!

Retreat 2020 - a new experience (Wednesday)

This retreat was always going to be different.  We normally go from Friday and the "normal" part goes through to Sunday lunch - but several of us stay on - some until Tuesday and self cater for that period.

BUT this year - another group wanted to book for the week that we are usually there - lingering - so we agreed to start on Wednesday (if we wanted the longer stay) and finish up Sunday lunchtime or so.
We knew about that change last year.

BUT - Covid came along . . - so although we are all very grateful that we live in Qld and we have been relatively free of too much community spread - and we are all extremely grateful that we can still go on retreat - Covid has changed things.
The venue is the same - but we don't get the usual morning & afternoon teas that were so delicious.  We are self-catering meals until Friday dinner and self-catering all morning & afternoon teas.
True - we could probably live without - BUT we are women and we like to have good things to eat....and retreat time does lend itself to some treats.

So, I will say it once - at the moment I am very grateful that I live in Qld - you won't often hear that from me.  I miss my home state.

And for the record - this is our 14th visit.

Moving on . . .here is the "To Do" board - but it’s looking very sparse as there are only 6 of us so far.  

But already two finishes.   I can’t show one of them, but here is Inca’s Leaders and Enders Quilt top.

Here is my To Do list

My first project is my Tea Time placemats.  It seems I brought them here to retreat in 2018, so about time to finish them off.  I made good progress ...so a finish tomorrow.....I hope!

FNWF - August

August???   Already????

That is so scary - I have now been working from home since mid-March - almost 5 months....OMGOSH.

Friday Night - Sewing Night with friends - the usual - a bit of TV - Better Homes & Gardens - and Fast Ed did some amazing sounding Lamb Shanks - so I may need to try them,...I crocheted a bit - in between messaging several people including DD2 who was driving up to Townsville with her fiance and dog....(it's always a relief when they get there safely.)

Then into Susan's Sewing Space - Retreat is coming up - in fact, two retreats - almost back to back - so lots of preparation going on.
I can't show all of it - some SWB (Secret Women's Busines) going on . . .but I was lucky with Bobbin Lotto tonight!

I can show this - this is a project I plan on progressing.  It may end up being too big to finish off, as I am only taking a small machine and table space is limited.  The blocks are labeled so I hope I get them all going in the correct direction.  I still need to cut 70 1" x 6.5" strips and 70 1.5" x 6.5" strips so I can do a QAYG method.

I think I'm starting to get excited about going - we are lucky - considering everything - that we can still go to both of these retreats.  Some things will not be the same - but we are all grateful that our yearly event is still happening.  More on that at retreat!

Thanks for the virtual company - Thanks Cheryll for keeping us on track with sewing & blog posting.

mmmm - is anyone else on the new Blogger???   I am not liking the new Labels selection - obviously, no User Validation as we call it... Not Happy Jan!

I provided feedback - by clicking on the ? at the top of the Blog post screen - if you don't like it - tell them - the more of us who do - the better the end result.....Also if you are looking for it - the option to go back to your blog is at the bottom of the list of options on the left-hand side....
Suggestion: stay with the legacy product until you have to move....