Last Day

Sample Quilt pinned up

I'm going home today after five nights and productive sewing days. As well as the blue and white DNP to I've completed two more sample pieces, this time of the DNP triangle variation. This morning I need to pack. load up the car and then I plan to sit and hand sew more of the binding of the quilt on my bed.

On the floor

Nautical medallion sample

Detail

Quilt retreat

Latest quilt on my bed: I'm still sewing down the binding.

It has been a productive and busy retreat as usual. My main job has been assembling and and working on DNP blocks and units from and for my workshops.  Each of the last two days I've made 20 flying geese for the border of my White Cottage quilt.  I've only just got round to posting as until now the Norfolk Youth Orchestra were in residence and using up a lot of WiFi. Some of us went to hear  them one evening and the experience of being right next to the huge orchestra which filled the retreat's modern chapel was wonderful - the sound reverberated through ones entire body. It was fun seeing which youngsters we had seen in corridors and at mealtimes played which instruments. Ages ranged from 11 to 18.

This month's Siblings Together block:
mint and chocolate chip

Detail

My DNP top: side squares of nine patches same white as background of feature print in corners: chickens and
butterflies.

Two more sewing days

After the hall day on Tuesday and fond goodbyes the six Usual Suspects met up for lunch (delicious) at Judi's on Wednesday and then yesterday the five Bonnies met up to start our new quilt.A day at home today and Oast UFO day tomorrow. Quilt retreat next week for five nights and the following week Quilters' Guild AGM and Conference in Newcastle.

Usual Suspect, Maggie,is waiting the get the chance to custom quilt this lovely piece on
her Gammil. It was started in Tracy,s Star Rose workshop.

This is Bonnie Quilter Sue's super pirate quilt made for grandson, Oscar. It generated a
degree of quilt envy in our hostess.

The back looks good too.

Sewing Day

We had a rather tricky sewing day as we arrived to find no kitchen but we retrieved various necessary items from the piled up contents and someone brought in a  slow cooker so we had hot soup, cheese scones and two sweets. I was pleased to get the chance to photograph two recent quilts on my quilt stand and I completed trimming my Katie's Krazies and attached the binding having quilted it yesterday afternoon . I'll start sewing the binding down at Usual Suspects tomorrow.

3 score years and 10

Japanese DNP

This is Maggie's

Becky's super fabric choices

My Katie's Krazies

Workshop project

I am determined not to let workshop projects fester though my undoing is I always want to make something big enough to be useful.
So having done a 3 hour evening workshop with Katie Pederson, great fun, I decided to make two more sets of blocks on my return,  add fabric to size them up to 11" finished blocks to make a quilt 55 x 77". I plan to quilt it this afternoon - oh for a simple long arm at hand!!
It's taken a lot of grey, first the crosshatch patterned one and then the swirly one bought for something else. The back is a length of Zen Chic which I don't like with extra black added on the side. Cupboards emptying fast. Backs are very greedy. Not counting the cost - will try to sell it in the first instance, then give it if noone wants it. Made for the sake of learning and making, not to keep.

Blocks

Top done

Detail 

Bits and Bobs

Just a few pictures of recent activities ; ogling my Quilt Con purchases, Quilt of the Crosses pieces sewn in Madeira, not so much a BOM as a BOD, block of the decade to do when there's nothing else on end. Also one of my blocks for the Quay raffle quilt, not my finest hour.

Now, where to put it?

Last year's Bom from Sew and Quilt with mainly Liberty fabrics/

QQ block

Queen Beez

The three Queen Beez met for one of our irregular get togethers to celebrate a birthday.

Mary's large Liberty hexes laid out ready to sew

This is from Carolyn Forster's January Oast workshop: Mary used a selection of her stash rather than a jelly roll.

The birthday girl (with Mary's quilt on the back of the sofa)

Maggie's quilt orr a soon to be born grandson: quilted on her longarm machine

Trish's DNP

Bonnie  Quilters had a Disappearing 9-Path session and here is Trish's for a family baby and ith lots of pictures to enjoy as he/she grows older.

My final U3A day

It was the end of term day for me at the U3A class as I shall still be on my way home when the next and final session takes place. Some members showed their split 9-patch blocks and variants Margaret and I had done with them.

 Jane made some variation blocks.

Janet's using sashing like Margaret's

Juanetta's

Linda's - a blurry photo, I'm afraid.

Home and Away

Now I am in Madeira enjoying the colourful surroundings but inbetween I caught up on a bit of duty sewing making my Siblings Together block (12"  sailing) and Perkioman Valley blocks which I pledged to the Ventura MQG at Quilt Con for victims of the California fires.

For Siblings Together

The view from here:

Perkioman Valley blocks

From the balcony

Finishing my meal

Mother's Dy flowers came too -
in a shoe box

QUILTCON: Piecing

Jessica Levitt: I am enough
This is about letting go of  the need to measure oneself and ones quilts against  "perfection" and to 
be "enough" in oneself in in ones quiltmaking. 
A  deeply personal quilt relating to the inner struggles of the maker..

Detail

Hilary Goodwoin; Shine a Light
Embodying her response to the Presidential election: not to spend energy  criticise the other side
 but to devote her efforts to volunteering in the community and making the world better place.
Trump voters were keeping a low profile at this qult show.
I have made a couple of modest size Moon over the Mountain quilts in the past so was very
 interested to see this treatment which was not one I would have thought of
and in such lovely colours

Detail

Robert Bosscher: Take Flight
Inspired by a flock of birds taking flight.

Detail

Juli Smith: B4U
Love this quilt, the colours and the font..
Another political quilt.
"B4U Hate was hiding but LOVE will prevail In memory of Heather Heyer and all
those who have lost their lives while fighting against hate and intolerance. I will stand
with you always."

Joel Ignacio: TXIV
Cut 5" squares for a bag class and then cut them again.

Detail

QUILTCON: Youth

I always find some very successful pieces in he youth sector at QuiltCon on as young people go to work emboldened by the teaching and liberal approach of those close to them and their work is often technically assured.

Ann Guiam: America  the Beautiful
Made to raise awareness and to honour the lives lost in school shootings
The rows of pupils at the bottom of the quilt echo the design of the American flag.
First prize.

Detail; the message is clear.

Ginger Conner: Fragment
Inspired by a design in Sujeta Shah's book

Caitlyn Baxter: Hearts and Stars
Made with and by members of the Kids Round Robin, ages 7-8,  with help from mums.

Kyla Farquson:Family
Based on her own family: who can resist? Second prize. Aged 10

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