AND STILL MORE RETREAT PICS

We had such fun!

Hope some of you can join us next year.  Who doesn't need a Spring Thaw in FL in March?

The group is:  The Quilter's Thread

MORE PHOTOS FROM RETREAT

Here we are on the shop hop delivering our charity pillowcases at one shop.  It might be the only shot of all of us.

We had music playing as we sewed, and some of us had to stop stitching and put on our dancing shoes.  I think we are all doing the twist here :)

RETREAT SHOP HOP AND WALL HANGING CHALLENGE

I'm back home, refreshed, renewed.  SEW worth going!

Here are some more retreat pictures.

We wore matching Fabric Acquisition Team t-shirts for our shop-hop.  At the Quilt Shop of Deland we were given demos.

We had a wall hanging challenge.  No particular rules except size.  We invited the quilters next door (Orange Blossom Quilters) and the office staff from Lake Yale to come vote too.  The office staff showed up wearing official "judge" badges/ribbons :)

Several of you have asked how to get involved with this on-line yahoo group, which has this annual Spring Thaw Retreat at Lake Yale Conference Center in Leesburg, FL.  We also do fun things like swaps and round-robins all year.

The group name is The Quilter's Thread, and the addy is:
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/quiltersthreadrus/info

Yes, we are welcoming new members.

Next year's retreat dates are March 11 - 15, 2015.

FRIDAY MORNING AT LAKE YALE

TAH-DAH!  I have the first tah-dah finish of the retreat!

This is the mystery tote bag.  We received fabric quantities, and cutting instructions before retreat.  I used a Riley Blake layer cake, and purse handles that I've had in stash for years.  I knew they'd perfect for some bag some day:)

I wanted to share with you how much room we have.  Each of us has a whole long table to ourselves.

This is a look at how many electronics we bring these days.  All these cords for just two of us!  And my cell phone isn't on charge in the picture, so that's one more.

Our first demo today was the double diamond.  I have received gifts made using this technique, but I've never done it nor seen it demo'ed.  Donna did a great job, and gave each of us a book mark too!  Sweet!

Our shop hop yesterday was so fun.  We had to scavenger hunt for things like a picture with construction workers, etc.  So fun!  I'll post those later.  Off to start the mystery quilt.

Hope you find time to stitch today too!

GOOD MORNING FROM LAKE YALE

Early morning quilters.

And now we are off to shop hop/scavenger hunt!

RETREAT!

I'm head to Lake Yale to the Quilter's Thread (online yahoo group) quilt retreat this morning.  Yeah!  Four days of fun and merriment.  Maybe a bit of stitching too?  Definitely I'll be meeting gals from around the states that I have only known on-line.  Lake Yale is about an hour from where I live so we are driving, but many are flying in.

I'll try to post some of my antics as we progress.

QUILT SHOW!

Our guild show was Fri. and Sat.  What fun!

My friend Carol Becker, made this car cover a few years ago.  She parks out front to help folks find us and set the mood.

These were some of my favorites in the show.

This one had sooo much work on it!

This one is so bright and cheery!

This cathedral window jacket had some 'windows' unopened.  So unique.

I love the rainbow effect here.

This is my friend Jodi, with her beautiful bargello.

More pretties.

This photo doesn't do this quilt justice.  All the animals are paper pieced.  The size of some of the pieces is really tiny.  Each feather, each nuance.  Wow!

I've never used a brown background, but it sure is nice.

Can you tell I'm partial to applique?

An Edyta Sitar design all in batiks.  So pretty.

We had a super crowd; especially on Friday.

I'm tired exhausted after two full days at the show.  Next year, I think I'll opt for a sit down job for part of the time :)  I spent two afternoons arranging and sorting in our boutique.  It was fun and busy.

I didn't enter any quilts this year.  I'm new to guild and wanted to see how it all works.  I gave everything close attention this year.  Generally I just browse the shows.

Take down was accomplished in 36 minutes!  They passed last year's record of 45 minutes.  Lots of husbands help, and it really does work like a well-oiled machine!  So many people working together.

Now, what should I be working on?  Did I come away inspired or in awe?  New goals?

AROUND THE WORLD BLOCKS

I am participating in a swap with gals from all over the world, where we select a fabric that represents us, then send a fat eighth of it to each participant.  They in turn select a 6" block to make that represents them.

You then make a block representing you using fabric representing them.  It's a neat way to combine friendship in a quilt.

I chose the common blue fabric you see here.  I love blue and want a blue and white quilt.  I request that the others use any other blues with it, and white or white-on-white background if they chose.

So far five blocks have come back.  The Dutch block is from a Dutch quilter, etc.  I think they are playing nicely together so far.

There are 21 of us in the swap, so there will be many more blocks coming in over the next months.

WHERE DID FEB. GO???

I've had a couple readers ask if I am ok, as it's been so long since I posted.  Yes, I'm fine, but not much stitchin' happened this month.  But here are a few Feb. pictures.

Valentine's from My Guy.

Cool quilts and bags we learned to make at Stashbusters.

And, as you may have seen on the news, Gator's Dockside is now adding a surcharge to your tab, to help pay Obamacare for their employees.  We ate lunch there yesterday.  Here's our bill with the ACA (Affordable Care Act) surcharge on our ticket, and the explanation sheet.  Hmmm....................

Now off to swim with grandkids.  That is where much of March has gone, and can't complain about that:)

FEBRUARY UFO CHALLENGE

This is my February challenge.  I plan to quilt and bind my heart quilt this month.  What better month to work on it?  And since I plan to use big-stitch hand work with perle cotton, it will be perfect to stitch while watching the Olympics.

These hearts are from a swap on the DJ Alternate yahoo group back in 2009.  I finished the top that year, but it has languished along with my other 15+ tops that need quilting.  My bad!!!  The setting is using the Disappearing 9-Patch.  I posted about it on this blog way back then. 

Rosa recently quilted her's (well her DH did on his long-arm), and it reminded me of mine.  I worked on my blocks for this swap at the Dear Jane Retreat in Shipshewana, IN, in the fall of 2008.  Whew, that was a while back.  Brings back memories of the many on-line friends I met there, including Ruthie Quilts.  She was working on her's there too, it's the one with that lovely lace in the center'ish.

Happy stitching to my quilty friends.