Virtual Retreat 2016

[Marianne G.]

Marianne,
I would love to sew my own clothes, like I did when my body and a pattern had the same plan.
I've got that 'swallowed a watermelon' look going on. I really should use a piece of clothing that fits well as a pattern, or at least take the measurements from it. a duct tape body form might be in my future

[Jules M.]

I'm glad to see a new thread for 2016. I saw some of the 2015 retreat posts and it got so overwhelming and I wasn't in it so....

May I join in this year? I hope to do better at posting and keeping up.

Friday and today (Jan 1 & Jan 2) I quilted the fabric and then made a sewing machine cover for my featherweight. (the one I have cleaned up so far...) My wish is to bring it to my living room and have a corner set-up and decorated nicely for piecing. Then on the dark evenings or if I'm waiting for something in the kitchen, I can go over and piece a few things quickly.

The sewing machine cover is all done except for hand-sewing down the binding. I made it up but was inspired to have the pieced squares down one side by a pix on Pinterest. (I'm Jules, , with a childhood photo there.) I need to get a few pix off my phone and to my computer and then can post them.

Heather (learning-as-I-go) encouraged me to get quilting by her texts & pix to me Thursday night. I just came off the Christmas RUSH with my quilting business and just need time to make things for myself this week. My health has limited my time and energy in many ways. The workload is fine and I keep up with that but not time for personal sewing a lot of the time.

This year I'm continuing to use my stash. It is too huge! Many UFOs and that is what I usually work on. The sewing machine cover is all stash fabrics.

[Jules M.]

I'm still in dressmaking mode but have moved on from dresses and tunics to skirts.
Marianne

I used to be a garment maker and made nearly all my kids clothes (but they are 23 & 30 y/o now!) but I pulled out the cobwebs in that part of my brain this fall and made pajamas for the IQF pajama party. It was mostly fun albeit a bit stressing as I redid the pattern to my liking of course.

I have out wool and a pattern, need lining, for a light coat. I won't do extra interlining or such for more like for April, September & October here.

[Kathryn S.]

That sounds like a good approach, less daunting than me trying to take off 30 pounds all at one shot. Kathy

[Kathryn S.]

Welcome.




Sorry I've been slack on the chocolates, but my sister has kept me supplied here at my house. Here's some no-calorie ones to share and start the year off right!

[Kathryn S.]

Yum Terrie :side: thank you...just what I needed :whistle:

Dorothy

[Jules M.]

Joyce,
Seriously, we enjoy input, pictures of what you're doing, and stuff like that. Just hang out with us and share when you feel like it.

Thank you! I'm supposed to be off of sugars & carbs and have been very strict about it this week so virtual chocolates are best. :P Not quite as yummy in the mouth tho!

[Jules M.]

Thank you, Lottie! You are so kind. Don't be too shocked at my blog... I haven't been updating that either. Ask my mom, she'll complain with you! She likes the pictures and to know what I'm doing. (well, what I post there.... ) I know she reads it so I have to post carefully but sometimes (not enough) go back and add more another day. Don't tell!

I'll be back tomorrow I think and get up some pix of the sewing machine cover. For now, my pajamas are calling me to jump in!

9:30 p.m. in central time... Illinois, US

Hello Joyce, great to have you on board. We're fairly easygoing, no long-term commitment, but kind of enjoy our banter and camera derive on this forum. Sometimes some of us take more or less lengthy time-outs, or keep to lurking on the sidelines until we have more time to join in again, as life happens B) :silly:
You've been busy, I should really go to sleep, but will take a quick side trip to your website
G'night all

[wendy w.]

Joyce you have so much on Pinterest I'm going to be gone for weeks. See you in Feb

[Jules M.]

Oh, no, Wendy! Don't be gone. I haven't been on Pinterest much in the last 2 months. But enjoy! Who are you there?

Joyce you have so much on Pinterest I'm going to be gone for weeks. See you in Feb

[Jules M.]

Terrie, I hope you get to feeling a lot better, A sprained ankle is no fun. Take it easy.

Margarita

[Jules M.]

Happy to see my very dear friend, Joyce (she-quilts) here! Yay!! Thanks for coming to play Those of you who don't know, she is who introduced me to this hobby originally and encouraged me, long distance via email, to try and quilt. Ha! She had no idea it would grow so much as it has!

Terrie, I hope your ankle feels better!

Norma, that little pouch is darling!!

(and now I've forgotten who posted what.....)

The baby bunting for Thomas is adorable! I hope you do come back and show pictures of the other gifts you sent him....(who is that grandma...? Wendy, i think??) (arrgh! sorry to have forgotten!)

Loving also, Dawn, your tote bag and the fabric your son sent; how yummy!

I got my MIL's quilt finished for Christmas, and she loved it. I also opened a little can of worms/got myself into a predicament with my sister-in-law, who had sometime a year or more ago asked me could I make a quilt for her guest bedroom. Queen sized, patchwork, blues with pops of red, nautical, etc, etc, etc. She had very specific ideas, so this was more a commission than a gift, if that makes sense. Well, before she and I could work out details as who would pay for what and all, her husband said I could do it for her as her Christmas gift. ?!?!?! Ha, no, I don't think so, sorry. I talked to my husband (her brother) and he said not to even worry about it unless she brought it up again; she never did, so I dropped it.

Well....as I suspected, when she saw her mom open the lap quilt I made (as a gift), that of course reminded her and she's asked again. This time I was able to explain that I would need her to buy all the fabric and materials, that it would need to be quilt shop fabric, around $10/yard, and need x number of yards for front and back for a queen sized quilt, etc. She quickly calculated what that would cost and decided perhaps maybe just a throw to lay on the end of the bed.....I sent her links to Fat Quarter Shop's website so she can look around, we'll see if she gets back to me. DH again says "wait for her to bring it up" which is fine. So, we'll see if I've committed myself to that or not.....

Meanwhile, I did MIL's quilt, and then a small bed runner for my aunt. Her mother passed away last year, and they saved fabric from the clothes she wore and divided it among the sisters, to make into whatever. So she had me do a bed runner, 7 trees, with the middle tree representing their mom and the other 6 trees each representing one of the siblings (children). Each sibling tree has its own leaf color (from one fabric), and the middle "mom" tree has leaves from all 6 fabrics. Then the mom trunk is red (her favorite color) and each sibling tree has one red leaf. That is mostly done -- my aunt cut the leaves for me (I explained how to put fusible on the fabric before cutting), I fused the applique, then sandwiched and quilted in the tree trunks and leaves, stippled in the background, and now need to quilt the border but was thinking it through. I got green variegated thread and will quilt a vine of leaves going around.











Next up is to plan and do my January row (and maybe February) and then start cutting for my son's graduation quilt. Busy times, but fun times!

[Jules M.]

Love the bed runner Heather!!!

Dorothy

[Jules M.]

Heather,
I admit that I copied this off somebody's Pinterest or Facebook board, I don't remember where it came from but I think this picture is worth a thousand words,,



I think we should all have this info printed out for when asked what it costs to make a quilt. Then if we choose to make one as commissioned to do, they will have an idea of the 'time alone' that's involved.

PS I love the pics of your quilt

[E.M. T.]

First things first...Thank you each and everyone for all the encouragement these last 3 1/2 months ! Now...here are some pics..
Christmas UFO...wool applique....15"x31" part machine blanket stitch, part hand blanket and other embroidery



Next...BOM in progress from Woolie Ladies group at LQS in McCall Have one more row of snowmen and borders with
snow flakes to go...next Christmas !!


Here's the new floor that was such a pain to get done ! That's a story too long to tell here !! But it's wonderful and we love it !!
I still have to sort and put away books, dishes and do-dads ! That'll be a while!


And lastly....DH found this for me in a local consign/2nd hand shop....1934 ...she sews...but slow and needs cleaning. Seems to me that
she is very worn....has not a trace of decal and has been spray-painted blk to cover up the mess...even the motor is sprayed over !
There is a blackside bobbin and bobbin case...???? Think it is a candidate for a repaint....cost was low so maybe.....say, lime green !!??
Time will tell...would have to be sent out.....Anybody know anyone ??