Oma's Fall Quilting Retreat

WELL I can truly tell you it was "fun had by ALL" and boy is that ever true.  Hmmmm wonder if that hysterical laughter from the other end was carrying on - but they forgot what they were actually laughing about?  It took nothing at all to set some of them off I can tell you.  Guess that's why they say - laughter is good for the soul - they were stock piling maybe! 


Dianne's helpers!

Dianne's project - deciding on borders


This is the first time that I can say I truly finished a "quilt top" and not only one BUT two I did and even used up a Maureen-tossed-away quilted bag fabric that with help I made into a quilted tote for my foot pedal and cord!  FINALLY my machine is protected from the metal foot!  YEAH! 

See over the years within Canadian Quilt Swappers online group I collected the 6.5 inch charms depending on the theme and actually have a large recycle bag full to the top - two rolls.  I had given some away and some I had sorted to keep for myself and a plastic bag and half reserved for charity quilts.  WELL let me tell you I used 63 charms for this one quilt and it didn't even make a dent in that pile.  Then Sylvia sorted through and chose some for her cream n browns scrappy quilt and STILL it didn't deplete that pile.  Needless to say I was deflated as I thought I'd use up maybe half that one bag at least in a quilt and I even added on two more rows either way!!!  The pattern I used is from Fons & Porter's Fall 2011 Scrap Quilts magazine and by Kaye England. 


Sylvia's table runner completed!

Now she's onto a quilt from her stash!

I'm working on my charm quilt.



Then Adiena from Oma's Quilt Shop in Grunthal (who set-up this retreat) had a surprise quilt race for us to do with a Jelly Roll 1600 Quilt from Heirloom Creations.  Well if it hadn't been for one roll of woodsie fabrics calling with my name on it I would have continued with my scrappy quilts and maybe made two BUT no I bought the jelly roll and followed Friday nights instructions to sew the 40 strips end to end and accordian fold them (which I didn't do and paid the price for in delayed sewing time) ready for Saturday afternoon's instructions. 

So in the mean time I continued sewing up my scrappy quilt and visited the bar and casino sporadically but minimally too!  For some reason my pounding headaches reappeared periodically even with having Advil and a massage this year.  It was awesome to have this student who needed the practicum hours come for Saturday (couldn't return on Sunday though but will try to next year) and he said with the donations he received from us - his debts will be reduced some!  I think he enjoyed himself also, even though at first he didn't know what a quilt retreat was!!!

Then Sat afternoon the 1600 Inch Quilt "race" began and we were given the instructions to sew up our quilts with a prize to the quickest stitcher finishing.  Yep a jelly roll was the prize and the lady did her's in 35 minutes, it took Tami and I just over 2 hours - so she must have flown!!!!  AND Tami did her quilt with FQs instead so it's slightly different in appearances and I think I like that mucho better - the changes are more often and more dramatic I think.  Way to go Tami!!!

 

Just a few examples - more coming soon!


Since I finally finished my charm scrappy quilt on Saturday evening or guess it was Sunday morning at 2:30 am I basically vegged out on Sunday.  I had started my embroidery on the crazy patched heart but did not really get far except plan out the focal point.  DUH!  But that was OK.

After registering for next year (including coming on Thursday so we have a full day of sewing Friday) we packed up and headed back into the city to check out Fabricland's sales and Sylvia picked up some lovely fabrics for a 5 Yard Quilt that Oma's handed out on our Aurora summer picnic out to her shop last year.  AND I found and bought my border fabric for my 1600 Inch Quilt - awesome!!! 

Pat had invited me over for supper and BOY was that ever GREAT as I was too zonked to do anything else, didn't even get through half of my emails nor blogged.  So here it is.