Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Reentering Reality Since Retreating

Three days and two nights of almost non-stop sewing, away from home, were invigorating and draining. It's invigorating to be with 12 quilters who have different tastes, and fun to see them utilizing different techniques for creating quilts. Draining because I stayed up too late, including until 2 a.m. Sunday morning, sewing!

Here are some of our Hope Quilters, minus one quilter who could come only for one day. That's me, lower right. Would you believe, there are FOUR Linda's in this picture!?

The quilt on the wall behind us is none other than my still-progressing Friendship Medallion quilt that I'm putting together according to instructions parceled out by Patchwork Pumpkin, in Australia. I've completed seven steps now. Part eight will wrap it up.

It has, most assuredly, been the scrap-buster quilt I hoped it would be. But I still have heaps of those colorful 1-1/2" cut squares, used in the nine-patch blocks. I have a basket of them that I'm sewing into my first-ever Leaders and Enders project. 

Here are pictures of what a few people were working on. Lola is showing us the quilt from Elm Creek Quilters, Sylvia's Bridal Quilt.

Lola and her mother have been working on this together for the past five years. It's just stunning!

Jodi worked on this creation using a collection of Kaffe fabrics.

And she completed this creative quilt top.

Rachel used Ezekiel blocks to make this New Life quilt that will be given to a mission.


Help! I've fallen sewn blocks together incorrectly, and I can't get up can't take so many apart by myself! What better place to make a mistake and have friends help deconstruct lots of patches? That's what good friends do!

These are 60-degree diamonds. I began making them with Carla when she and I attended a November retreat. At our Hope Quilters retreat I finished sewing all 225 diamonds for Picket Fence. Yay!

I put only some of the blocks on the design wall, so I could again marvel over the optical effect. Isn't it something?! String-pieced blocks are so easy to sew together, but it's the value contrast - dark, medium, light - that makes this design so striking.  It will be just plain fun to lay out all the pieces and begin sewing them together!

One of our quilters brought along a sack of zippers from which we could take whatever we wanted. I had to giggle when I saw this zipper. First of all, check out the price for a metal zipper. Only 55 cents! Second, see the color name? Tango. This year, 2012, is the color year for Tangerine Tango. Ah, what once was old is new again. Now if we could only go back to those prices!


Reality this week means it's back to Bible study, taking my VW Bug in for servicing, getting my annual check-up, choir practice, and house purging. The list of to-sell and to-giveaway items continues to grow while the piles do too! Pretty soon I'll be needing to actually, physically, move these things out of the house. I'm trying to find deserving homes.

Our three Kansas City grandchildren came for an overnight the day I returned from retreat. They so seldom visit us - we're most often going there - that it was a treat to see them toddling through our house. Is there anything much cuter than little boys wearing fire truck sleepers? Linda
Tay 28 months; Aesa 14 months

15 comments:

  1. I remember that retreat and going into the woods . . . out there. The quilts are great, and I especially like the diamonds you placed on your design wall -- that is a striking quilt. Glad the KC group came to your house and, yes, those two little guys are adorable!

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  2. I think your Picket Fence quilt blocks look great. Looks like you had a lot of fun at the retreat but probably much more fun with your KC grandkids! So cute!

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  3. There isn't very many things cuter than little ones in their pjs. Your quilt is very nice...and I believe it would be a stash buster. I've been going thru my stash organizing and purging. My daughter helped me start cleaning the basement on Saturday while Carson sleeped.

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  4. Oh my goodness Linda, your Medallion quilt is gorgeous. I love your nine-patch blocks, great way to use the colours.
    What an eye-catching quilt the diamond one is. I can see why you like it.Nothing more adorable than little kids in cute pj's.

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  5. oh how I am envious !!! lol !! You look like it was a marvellous time for you all cheers Teri

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  6. So glad you had fun on retreat. The quilts are wonderful. Your two boys look like twins!! They are beautiful.

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  7. Your Friendship Medallion Quilt is amazing. I also love the look of Lola's quilt! The string-pieced diamonds are what caught my eye at WIP Wednesday ... Great idea to be working on Leaders & Enders -- I've got that sort of project going, too!

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  8. Wowsers, Linda! You got a lot accomplished....love both of the projects. I am going to have to get my act in gear on the picket fence quilt....I'm going to a retreat the end of March...guess it will have to wait till then!

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  9. Sounds like we all could use with a retreat like yours, if we could all come away with as much progress as you made! I love the diamonds quilt, even though it is only smoothed up there for effect--it is a stunning effect! I think it makes us all want to start one of those. Your medallion quilt is beautiful as well. It will be fun to see it finished off.

    Happy Quilting!
    Elizabeth E.
    occasionalpiece.wordpress.com

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  10. that retreat sounds like such fun and you got so much done ! love the friendship quilt and the picket fence - wow - the colours are fabulous in both :)

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  11. What a wonderful post Linda. So many neat things to look at. Your Medallion Quilt is looking fabulous, and the retreat would have been enormous fun by the look of it.
    You have inspired me to get on with MY medallion quilt.
    I just love those wee boys of yours ( as a mother of 3 boys) I want to give them a big cuddle!LOL!

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  12. The zigzag quilt is incredible! Never seen any like that. Wow!

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  13. The PIcket Fence pattern is found in my book "String Quilts'. You can purchase the book on my website: http://elsiemcampbell.com

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  14. New website link for PIcket Fence pattern in my String Quilts book: http://www.elsiemcampbell.com

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