Quilt Retreat Projects

This past weekend I went on retreat with a group of women that have been retreating a couple times a year for over 10 years. It's the best bunch of women. We all seem to get along really well and just enjoy each other's company, ideas, and encouragement. Pam is in this group as well as Sharon, however Sharon didn't make it this time. She lives a bit far away now so she isn't able to make it twice a year. We missed you Sharon! : (

We stayed pretty close to home at a local hotel that caters to business travelers. They offered their conference room at a discount because we used it on the weekend (Friday through Sunday). They also gave us a group rate for anyone who wanted to stay there. It was so nice! My friend and I shared a two bedroom suite. We each had our own bedroom with a queen size bed and our own bathroom. There was also a livingroom and full kitchen. The hotel offers a full breakfast bar in the morning which was yummy! We all decided that we want to Retreat here three times a year instead of just two times.

I didn't know what I was going to work on prior to coming to the retreat so I made sure I packed enough projects to work on. I think I must have brought about 6 UFO's and another 6 yet to be started projects. In the end I worked on just two of the UFO's. I guess I was a bit more optimistic about what I would get done. I worked on putting these Garden Exchange blocks together in a quilt.

I wanted to give it a garden 'feel' so I chose to put random floral fabrics in with the blocks to unite them all. I really had fun creating this quilt although it took much longer than I thought it would.

I really like the way it turned out! I have the back just about pieced together so it will be ready to send to my friend Shari to do her magic with the longarm machine quilting!


Putting the binding on this quilt was the other project I worked on during retreat. It's kinda funny how these two quilts seem like companions. They have a lot of the same fabrics in them. It's very flowery and springlike. It'll make this winter seem like spring!

Tushy Cushion from a great Tutorial

As I said in a previous post, I have been spending time reading lots of sewing and quilting blogs. I found this great blog http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/ This blog has lots of tutorials and I've been perusing them for awhile. I saw this great tutorial for a cushion here. http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/?p=527 I thought, "I could do that"!



My close friends and family know that in my kitchen I have a built in desk area where I spend most of my day doing paperwork and playing, I mean working on the computer. I sit on a chair with two pillows under my tushy. I like to be sitting taller than the chair alone gets me. I thought it was time to make my own fancy tushy cushion. Here is what I came up with with the help of the tutorial mentioned above.

The tutorial explained everything very clearly. It made piping easy! The zipper was even easier!!!

It even has handles so I can take it to my quilt retreats. I'll definitely be bringing this to my next retreat which so happens to be on Friday!!! I can't wait.

PIQF and honest quilters!

Last Thursday I met my friend Jeanne at PIQF as we have done for several years. Every year it amazes me. There are so many talented and creative quilters out there. This story however is about the amazing honesty and goodness that quilters possess.

As you know, my son was married not too long ago and he and his bride honeymooned in Mexico for two weeks. Upon their return we had them over for a "non salsa, non tortilla, beanless " dinner on Tuesday. They brought me this lovely turquoise bracelet from Mexico.

I wore this bracelet to the quilt show and didn't realize it was no longer on my wrist until the next morning. I was just sick about it. I realized that it must have been lost at the quilt show. I dreaded the fact that I would have to explain to my son and brand new daughter in law that I had lost the bracelet they gave me.

That evening I was talking with my husband and commenting on how maybe someone had turned it in at the quilt show. He said that whomever, if anyone, had found it would just pocket it.

The next morning, Saturday, I searched online for a phone number for security at the convention center. I called and they said they didn't have it but they gave me the number for the quilt show registration desk. I called that number and told them about losing the bracelet. The nice lady on the phone asked me to describe it which I did. She said it was there! I couldn't believe it!!! I told her I was on my way.

When I got there I went directly to the registration desk and picked up the bracelet. I asked if anyone had left a name or an address so I could thank them but there was none. I hope that the person who turned my bracelet in had the best feeling inside when she did so and I sure hope that something amazing happens for her. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! Whoever you are!

I wasn't planning on returning to the show but since I still had my entrance band on I thought I should take another look around in celebration of finding my bracelet.