Retreat Recap

I'm home from the annual Backporch Friends Retreat in Indiana.  I look forward to the retreat every year and these ladies have become very dear to me.  This year was the 10th Anniversary of retreats...but this was my 5th year and 7th retreat with these ladies (2 years there were two retreats per year!).  3-4 of these ladies have gone for all 10 years!  We had special shirts made to commemorate the event too. 

I remembered to take my camera, but wouldn't you know it, the SD card stayed home.  :(  Most of these pictures are "borrowed" from some of the other gals blogs or Facebook.  I can't believe I forgot that card!  I didn't know until I was at the retreat center, or I would have picked one up on the way.  

Here are the lovely ladies at the retreat...

Back Row:  Karen, Me, Robin, Laura, Liz, Angela, Conni, Lori

Front Row:  Vickie, Peggy, Nancy, Patti, Penny

Sitting:  Milah

 And finally, some secret projects can be shared!  One of our exchanges was a mini quilt swap.  You'll have to click on the picture above to get a good look at the beautiful minis.  Everyone did a great job!!

 This is the mini I made.  I love the little twisters!  I hung it on my hanger at home for a couple of weeks before I had to let it go to retreat. :)

 As a special gift to our hostess with the mostest, Angela, we made her this special quilt.  Each of the gals from retreat made 2 or more blocks out of 30's reproduction fabrics.

 Everyone also sent in a signature block (click picture for a closer look!).

 I quilted it using the "Pretty Paisley" pattern.

A group of us are participating in the Quilt Square Quilt Along Challenge and we all finished our May blocks!  These blocks were a challenge...121 little squares!!

I am happy about everything I accomplished....although I always wish I got more done!  I took these pictures here at home today, so they are a bit wrinkly from being packed away, but you get the idea.  :)

This quilt top is from a block swap from about 5 years ago!  They are more than ready to become a quilt.  I love the Ohio Star on point design...and love these homespun fabric stars.  I'm still deciding whether or not to add a border...

This is another sort of secret project.  This is the mystery quilt from our local guild.  I haven't mentioned it much because I didn't want to ruin the surprise for any local friends that might read my blog.  The last clue has been released, so I feel safe to post it.  All this needed was borders and I also got the binding made.  Yay!!

I needed to make a quickie baby quilt for a gift, and MaryQuilts "Quick Strippie" was the perfect thing.  I had this blue owl print from another project, and picked up the browns during our trip to a local quilt shop and voila!!  

This blue and orange quilt is actually kind of pretty in real life.  The picture doesn't show the colors perfectly.  I had about 1/2 of these blocks assembled and finished the rest while at retreat.  It's a gift for a friend that is a Florida Gators fan.

Last is this teeny tiny twister project.  I just love it!!  My secret sister gave me a mini charm pack of 2 1/2" squares and one of the other gals let me borrow her itty bitty twister template.  I just had to give it a try!!  It finishes at 6"x7"!

I know there is lots more to share...and maybe as the girls post pictures, I'll snag a few more to share with you.  I'm already missing everyone, but also happy to be home at the same time.   May has been a crazy month for me, and I'm looking forward to a lazy summer.  

First though...one more big event in our house.   Our son is graduating from college AND will be commissioned in the Air Force this weekend.  Oh my...where does the time go?  I am so proud of all he accomplished and the events coming up this weekend will be extra special.  I'm sure I'll have plenty of pictures to share...if I remember my SD card.   LOL

Happy Quilting!

How much stuff??

How much stuff does one person need?  Well, if that person is going on a 5 day quilting retreat...this much:

Wowsers!

Yay!  I'm heading out in the morning to the annual Backporch Friends Quilting Retreat!  I'm so excited!  I can't believe I have all this to take...and I feel like I'm forgetting something.  Something important, I'm sure.  Oh well, I'm sure if there is anything I forgot, one of the other gals will have it.  :)  Any yes...that is a ginormous sock monkey.  He's naked.  I forgot to buy him clothes.  I hope the other girls don't mind.  :)

I'll be back next week with a full report!

Happy Quilting!

Winner!

Congratulations to JulieQ for being the winner of my blog giveaway!  Thanks everyone for taking the time to comment and enter to win!

Happy Quilting!

Quickie Blog Giveaway

I recently came across these fabrics and I know I'll never use them.  If you'd like to have them, leave a comment and I'll draw a winner Tuesday night.  Good luck and thanks for reading my blog!!  

Happy Quilting!

Quilt Square Quilt Along and Bonus Triangles

Here is my progress on the Oklahoma Backroads workshop that I took with Bonnie Hunter last week.  I have 20 blocks complete...only 100 or so more to go!  :P

One idea Bonnie presented was "bonus triangles."  This isn't a new idea to me, but it's one that I was never too excited about.  It seemed to take a lot of extra time (it does)...and I wasn't sure the time and effort would be worth it.

She pointed out that a couple of her quilts in her newest book "Scraps & Shirtails 2" were made almost entirely from these bonus triangles.  Hmmm...that had my interest a little more.  She also shared a way to make those triangles a size that plays well with other size squares and rectangles.  I decided I'd give it a try for this project since I would be making a large amount of those "half" flying geese blocks above.

I'm going to show you the technique for making 2" unfinished triangles from a 2.5" unfinished flying geese unit.  First, find a business card that is 2" high and cut a 2" square from one side.

 Next cut the square on the diagonal to make two triangles.

Now draw TWO lines on your 2.5" square...one down the center and one with the business card triangle place in the corner.  (click image for a closer view)

 Sew along both lines...I sew just inside the center line for better results....

Cut between the two sewn lines.  Don't fret about the smaller seam allowance!  According to Bonnie, it's going to be okay!!  The seam is sewn...it's not going to come apart or anything.  If you sew 1/2" away from the center line (in order to have 1/4" seam allowance), you'll end up with a HST that is about 1 3/4"...and that dimension doesn't play well with anything else!

Press both pieces and viola!  

 Before long, you'll have a pile of HST like this!  This isn't even all of them....

Look what I made from 90 bonus triangles!!  This is the Quilt Square Quilt Along block for April.  How perfect is that?  My block is a little bigger than the pattern, because my triangles are bigger, but I think that's okay, right?  I love it.  I added a small border and I'm going to finish it for a pretty table topper.  Or maybe I want it to be a wall hanging?  Hmm....decisions, decisions....

Be sure to check out Jo's Country Junction on Tuesday for more Quilt Square Quilt Along blocks.  It was quilter's choice this month, so there are a couple other cute designs to see!

Bonnie...Day 3!!

I was pooped last night after a long day of fun at the Cathedral Stars workshop...I didn't have the energy to post pictures when I got home.  I know I just keep saying it...but it was just sooooo much fun!  If you ever get a chance to take one of Bonnie's workshops...do it!  You won't be disappointed.  

So, here are I am...with my BFF Bonnie.  We're just chattin'...talking about quilts.  

Yeah, that's how we roll. :P

Soon it was time to get to work....there are lots of different parts in this quilt, so Bonnie had lots of demos to share.  The pattern uses the Tri Rec tools...which are awesome for making those "Peaky and Spike" star points.  Totally worth the $$ and makes sewing the block so much easier!

Bonnie used one of the gal's Featherweights to sew up a block and show us how simple they go together!

See how perfect?  :)

 Here is the infamous Hexie quilt!  It's even more impressive in person!  Just gorgeous.

 This is Carrie's Cathedral Stars....she came to the workshop even though she'd already made the quilt!  Now that's a die hard fan!

Here are the blocks I assembled.  I have the parts assembled for more, but this is as far as I got for complete blocks.  Seems like I should have more to show for an all day workshop...but there is lots of time spent making the four patches and the star points, etc.  Even though I had pre-cut most of my fabrics, I was still pushing it to get this much done!  Oh...maybe it was all that chatting with my new BFF (see picture above).  :P

Here's a funny story.  Sunday night I posted pictures from the first workshop and Pam, who stops by my blog occasionally, sends me a message and says, "Oh, there is my friend Robin.  She took the class too."  I'm thinking?  What?  Who?  So we emailed back and forth and she tells me that her friend Robin came down from upstate New York just to see Bonnie!  So the next night at guild meeting, I plop myself down to get ready to hear Bonnie and the gal next to me introduces herself as a guest, and that she and her husband came down for a few days so she could come to the workshops.  I said, "Are you Robin?"  She looked at me like I had horns coming out of my head.  LOL  I filled her in that her friend Pam spotted her on my blog....and now here we were sitting next to each other.  Isn't that crazy that we would end up sitting next to each other in a room of 100 people?!  We were meant to meet for sure!  Here we are at Tuesday's workshop...  Quilters are the best...you find friends when you least expect it!

And to end the day...dinner out at McGlynn's Pub in Dover.

Thank you Bonnie for a wonderful, memorable three days!  It was great fun to spend time with current friends and to make new friends too!

Happy Quilting!

Bonnie - Day 2

 Just a quick post...but I wanted to share the fun we had with Bonnie tonight at the guild meeting.  She did a lecture on leaders and enders and how she got started with them...and then had a trunk show of some of her beautiful quilts.  She did a great job...lots of personal stories and great tips to control those scraps!!

 I won't inundate you with too many photos...just a few of the highlights.  :)

Bonnie was signing books before the meeting started.... 

I love her demo quilt in the background...it was fun to see it up close and in person!

This quilt is definitely going on my "must do" list.  This picture just does not do it justice...it's amazing!  The name escapes me right now, but it's in the Scraps & Shirttails Book 2.  If she has any copies of the book left tomorrow, I'm getting one!

I love this one too...I love mini 9patches, so this is right up my alley!!

And of course..there was plenty of food!!

Bring quilters together and there will be food.

After the guild meeting, we set up the hall for tomorrow's workshop, Cathedral Stars...my spot is all ready.  I just have to bring my sewing machine.  For now...it's sleep time!  

Happy Quilting!