Blue and Cream Quilt #3

Many years ago I bought some border prints and matching fabrics.  I have no idea now how much I bought, but I made quilts for two friends and still had left-overs.
I made the first two in 2010 & 2011 and gifted them.

Then in 2020, I made another good sized quilt and in 2021 I used up the rest of the fabrics and made a small one.
But both have been sitting in the pile since then.

The pattern was simple - cut the border fabric into 6.5" squares and cut the other fabrics into various shapes such as 2.5" squares, 3.5" squares, 2.5 x 6.5 rectangles, 3.5 x 6.5 rectangles - any shape that can be matched with something else to make a 6.5" square.
Then put it all together. (easy enough)
Then quilt it (UGH)

I thought it was time to start using the embroidery part of my machine to quilt.  (The reason for buying this machine was that I could quilt some quilts...mmm...)
So, I went to a class and have now machine quilted this one.

This is the pattern I selected

and the finished quilt:

This one will go to the DV Charity Quilt collection.

Just the small one to go now . . .I have bought some fabric for a border, but it needs some additional blocks to make it a good size.

Highfields Retreat

The Qld Covid gods were smiling the last weekend of August and we were able to have our Sunday Stitchers Highfields Retreat.

We had 14 people gathered and started sewing sometime Friday afternoon and went until Sunday night.

I had a few things planned and was able to achieve all of it.

First up was to make a collection of left over bits into a quilt top.  
This is the result of 2 main quilts I made many years ago (in  2011) - plus one more that is "just sitting".  I made that one in 2020.
It's not very big (30" x 42")
If I find something I can add to it I might do that - else I may keep it to finish off as a doll quilt for Miss Adorable Grand Daughter.

I had reserved Saturday for a "Volunteer Leave" day.  My employer gives us 2 days a year that we can do volunteer work - what better way for me to use a day of it than sewing??
This year I made placemats to give to Meals on Wheels - yes more than 7 hours of work and I'm very grateful to Norreen for finishing the bindings for me.

They carried over into Sunday as we made our Secret Project on Saturday afternoon.

Directions and instructions were kindly passed on by Marilyn.

This is mine (it looks a bit wishy-washy here - better in the next picture)

and this is the group of them - what a colourful bunch!

I had taken a bundle of blocks and fabric along as Helen had volunteered to turn it into a child's quilt - the SS group are donating quilts to a Domestic Violence Shelter and we thought this would be a good one for a child.   So I helped a bit with that - three rows had been joined - but this is mainly Helen's work.

I also did some hand stitching and some crochet to fill in a bit of time.

A really lovely fun weekend and we are all grateful that we were able to go.

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.

UFO - Finished

I finished my second blue & cream quilt - started last August - in time for my high school friend's "0" birthday in April.  I couldn't be in Sydney to see her open it - but she loves it and hopefully will enjoy snuggling under it as it gets cooler.

My bestest sewing mate gave me a beautifully stitched label to add to the back:

I bought quite a collection of blues creams and a bit of green to make the first "0" birthday quilt for another friend - and plannned on making two together - but I still have enough left over for a third - wonder who that will go to??

Here is a close up of some of the 'starter' fabric - its a border print but it would have been too wide to use as a border on that sized quilt so I cut it into 6" squares and made coordinating 4 patch and 9 patch squares.

and

Retreat 2010

Well the 2010 retreat is finished.  Dates have been booked and it's too early to start counting how many sleeps til 2011!  We had a fantastic time - sewing, eating, laughing, eating, chatting, eating, sewing, eating etc.  The weather was beautiful - we have been so lucky every year when we go - clear sunny skies, not too hot days, lovely cold nights.

We arrived early Friday morning and unpacked and setup.  Off to the pub for a group hug and lunch.  Not to mention a few jokes with the hotel bosses and the purchase of a dozen free range eggs for most of us.
Back to our venue and sewing by 2pm Friday.
I didn't take as many photos as I should have - was I too busy sewing?? - but I took a few towards the end.

We had a "To Do" board.  Everyone had their own pad of "post it" notes - little flowery ones.  For each project that they had brought along, they wrote out a slip and stuck it on the "To Do" side of the board.  The idea was to move the project to the "Done" side as they finished it (or it finished them because of the lack of some essential ingredient!).  Each time someone 'made the move' there was a little celebration and a round of clapping for the Show & Tell".  It was NOT a competition - since some people had lots of little projects and some (like me) had large projects.  It was all in fun!

Here is a picture of the board well into the retreat!

Still a lot to do - and not all of them got moved over!

Oh - by the way that little bit on the bottom left was an exercise chart - you know - eye exercises, arm stretching.  Did we do it??? NO - we should have but somehow it just never happend.  But I have a cunning plan for next year . . . .

My main focus for the retreat was to make 2 blue & cream quilts.  I did that - made the two tops and got one almost quilted.  I was happy enough with that .  Here is one as a Work in Progress.

Here is another picture that perhaps does not need any explanation!!

All in all we had a great time. 

I think everyone was very happy with what they achieved and we all got on together so well.

Since I have come home, I have finished the first quilt - its quilted and bound, though it does need a label.  A picture soon.

Now onto my next project - counting how many sleeps to the next one??

Retreat 2010 minus 2 days

Ony 2 sleeps to go and preparations are well under way.  Really I could have / should have started cutting weeks ago - but I work best under pressure! 
Here are the strips all cut - still need to cut a lot of squaes - hopefully my maths is OK and I will end up with the right number plus some spares.  Plans are for two quilts - each 10 rows of 10 squares - 6.5" sqaures and no borders.  We will see how I go.

And here is a little picture of our paradise for a few days: