Virtual Retreat Aug thru Dec 2015 Info on first post

[wendy w.]

Marilyn--beautiful machine

Well, the twins are 6 weeks old and I have been there for three of their six weeks. Three different trips to Missouri one for the birth, one for a two week stay and one for a one week stay that I just returned home from. I am a tired girl. Twins are exhausting. Feedings every three hours and each feeding (depending on which baby you have) is 45 minutes. This is why God gave us our children when we were young. Then there is the attention that big brother needs. I just tried to download the pictures from my phone to my computer and decided, I don't have a clue what I am doing so I will have to play with that before I can show you the little darlings. They sure like to be cuddled and I did a lot of cuddling and a lot of "eewww gross!". You know those things that make you say that...right?

I think I will have to wait until all details are final before I decide to join you ladies on the row quilt. I just don't know how many more trips I will have to make to Missouri, I know I am needed at the end of October but don't know if a call will come in before then so I am trying to grab some rest while I can. Anyway, I will follow the progress and I think pictures along the way are a great way to get others (read "me") excited about trying something like this.

Off to try to caught up on what I have missed else where.

[wendy w.]

Thanks guys about the inches! I really have no idea and as long as I'm looking at the sashing as a personal choice that may be an added interest item each person can decide on.
When I go on vacation I'm taking my laptop so I can work some things out with EQ whilst the DH watches the TV or snores!! LOL

I'm getting a bit excited about the idea of having something in my home that is a composite of so many people. The hardest thing for me is going to be making some sort of statement about what I want,,, I have no idea,, I want every color, every technique, every 'look', ok, that's it! My theme will be, I want it all, so make me something that says YOU! I know I'll love everything I get. Oh, I can hardly wait for the beginning of it all.

I have been busy in the sewing room. Made myself an over sized mug rug! I like lots of cookies with my coffee. LOL


And the reverse side shows the quilting.


Then I got this piece finished. The tail of my caterpillar did get docked, but I'd already gotten this picture ready.

And here are 96 HST pressed and ready to be trimmed to 1&1/2".

[wendy w.]

I'm getting a bit excited about the idea of having something in my home that is a composite of so many people.

I know exactly what you mean. That is why I took part in both the Sottts and Batiks hst swaps we had here on TQS a few years ago, Then I organised the WotRott exchange because I wanted to do another Edyta Sitar quilt designs, and finished up with suggesting the diy Mug Rug exchange. It is a pleasure and an honour to have pieces made by my friends here on TQS here in my house that I can look at and enjoy. Their choices of fabrics, styles, and patterns being different to mine, help to extend my appreciation of other ideas.

[Geneva C.]

Here's an idea for deciding the rows. What if each person signed up to make a specific type of row. For example I agree to make a curved, circle type row in whatever color scheme each participant chooses. Someone else could do a log cabin row (I call dibs on this one) another does flowers, triangles, applique etc. We wouldn't have to make each of our rows exactly the same for everyone just stay within the parameters of our chosen type of row within the color/style of each owner's choice. Does this make sense? Our row quilts would be kind of similar, but different.

I wish I had become involved earlier with this group. However, I love my mug rugs.

It's a great idea to just mail the row out.

Will we get to see the rows as we make them? Maybe a reveal at a specific date each month. That way when it's my turn to do say, LuAnn's row I can make it to go along with what she has already. That would make it interesting for us to make each row different within our chosen type of row.

Take care my friends!

Geneva

[E.M. T.]

Good idea Geneva...we need to "follow suit" as it were...otherwise we could get some rows that don't play well... :S
Not too sure about all one style of block tho.....might get pretty tired of churn dashes or what ever :sick: !

[E.M. T.]

I need a show of hands,,,
It's looking like we have some that want rows, while others would prefer blocks of various sizes that would fit together in a 'to be designed yet' pattern. If enough wanted to do each we could do both. Even numbered months the row group would be busy and on odd numbered months those wanting to do blocks would be busy. This would accommodate those that want an every other month activity, they would choose one group. For those overachieving individuals :whistle: :whistle: they could choose both groups and have something going every month.

Please let me know 'specifically' if you want to do only one and which one that would be, or,,, do you want to do both on an alternating month schedule as I referred to above?????

This inquiring mind, NEEDS to know! I will put planning and designing on hold until I can get a head count!!

Luann

[E.M. T.]

Luann, As I've been following and as I see it ( not necessarily how everyone else does: I think the answer is BOTH!



I think we all want ROWS. However, those ROWS would be made from blocks sewn together - or not - for example if you wanted a row to be winter(spring) summer scene etc. I've picked out a few from google to give an example..

[E.M. T.]

There are many "robins " in the world ! My vote is for a "row robin" of rows of a chosen dimension . If we were to chose say 6-
6 in. finished blocks per row ....those blocks could be made lots of ways...as long as they measured correctly. We would get rows from
members and we would assemble them how we wish or as necessary to accommodate the number received. Luann has the skill to
design some layouts for those who might need help. I found that generally we all sewed with good accuracy when we were exchanging
and I think that will be good here, too. Well...there's my vote.

[E.M. T.]

Here's another one:



This is fun!

[E.M. T.]

Thanks Terrie !! Pictures are worth a 1000 words !!! Just my thoughts exactly.... :kiss:

[Geneva C.]

I like Marilyn's idea. 6 inch finished rows can be made with 2",4", or 6" blocks. That way the churn dash row can be different from every other churn dash block row....or not. And churn dash blocks can be made wacky or not, small, medium or large just as long as they measure 6" by the designated length. (A measurement equal to a division of 6").

I would like to participate in the row quilt only.

Fun!

Geneva

[Jennifer D.]

I must say though - I'm not thrilled with the idea of assigning a block pattern as someone suggested - even if changing colors of the pattern each month, I would get very bored and loose interest. (knowing myself as well as I do). To be fair I would still complete the pattern each month, but it would become a chore instead of remaining fun.

I pictured a quilt similar to the row-by-row experience that went through the US quilts stores this summer. I believe the "theme" was water this year, but all of the quilts were unique because each row was different. By allowing each person to create a "theme" of their own and simply changing which theme someone may be working on but keeping the dimensions (and perhaps a chosen color theme) similar the quilts will still go together.

[E.M. T.]

yes,jdeluka....variety is good ! I think each could request theme/color .....size should be equal the dimension....
that is...one 6" row or two 3" rows to = 6 inches or three 2 " rows= 6 inches....all all adding up the same volume.
I hope that makes sense :unsure:


PS:...can you share your first name? Most of us do.....

[E.M. T.]

I was picturing something like what Terrie posted, and what JDeluka mentioned, more like I envisioned Luann's original description. We each put our requested theme (spring, or ocean, or traditional blocks, or scrappy, or whatever), and then each month we make one row for whichever person is on our list.

We make something that fits that theme, in whatever manner we are comfortable with. So, for ex, if I want to make all log cabin blocks into rows, I would do that in a color scheme to match each person's stated theme. Or if I love appliqués, I would make some kind of appliqué row for the theme for that person. Either by making one long strip of 6" x 40" (or whatever length we say), or by making six 6" squares and joining them to a row, or whatever. If I prefer miniatures, maybe I would make all my rows out of miniature blocks. Or maybe I like variety, so what I make would depend entirely on whatever my recipient wanted....(this will likely be me).

I think too many rules to what is made might take the fun out, but perhaps we could have a list of rotating blocks and if the recipient prefers that version, she can put "traditional" as her theme, and we know to follow that list for her.

That might look like Jan -- log cabin, Feb -- 9 patch, Mar -- star block, April -- drunkard path, May -- churn dash, etc... And anyone wanting their quilt to follow that would mark "traditional" (probably include a color scheme), and anyone who didn't care could say "ocean theme" or "flowers" or whatever, and then people could have some freedom to do one or the other. I think the open people should be open to recieving traditional, if that is what their maker is most comfortable making, though, perhaps. Like in the example Terrie posted, some of the rows were free form, but some were traditional blocks.

Mostly I want something that ends up reflecting not just my personality (via my designated theme) but also representing each of the participants (via whatever row technique they use to make the rows). Make sense?

[E.M. T.]

To clarify what my thoughts are:

A row by row round robin would be making a row of a designated size. If you want to make it entirely of 1/2" HSTs that would be the makers choice. If you choose to use a solid piece the designated size and put appliqué across it that would be ok too. We would know who we are making it for, so if that person has said 'log cabins' then hopefully each person (when making her row, would design something around her theme of log cabins. Very similar to the images Terrie has posted, or like the Row by Row Experience that is going on in the US.

A 'block by block round robin would have a designated size of block each month. I would make my block for my assigned person for that month using that dimension and her theme. The quilt that this would produce would be more along the line of the TQS's BOM for 2014. Here's a picture to refresh everyone's memory.



So, it really is not a 'block by block row' round robin, but actually two possibilities. One is a row by row, and the other one is block by block.

If you want to do both let me know, BOTH
If you want to do ONE, I need to know BLOCK or ROW

Luann