April Finish

I have finished my Quilty Fun Sew-a-Long Christmas Quilt.  This was a project from Lori Holt that she ran in 2014 on Instagram - some of the blocks were in her book "Quilty Fun" and some were only on IG.  I didn't do it at the time ...though I bought the book - so thought I'd better make the quilt at least.

Her pattern has a pieced border which I chose not to do and I used a strawberry block from her Farm Girl Vintage book instead of the log cabin block - more appropriate to an Australian Christmas I thought.

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: