Virtual Retreat 2017

[Eileen K.]

This will be the place to hang out with other stitchers during 2017.

Check the subscribe button at the bottom of this page of posts, to follow along.

We live all around this big ball we call Earth. Getting together for a physical retreat would be awesome, but we've all agreed that it's pretty much not going to happen. Sometimes, someone goes traveling. Then a few of us are able to connect and have a cuppa with our online friends. Until TQS gives a retreat, complete with all travel expenses, to this group of folks, we will just continue with the virtual type.

Very few rules. Actually there aren't any rules! We all care about each other and enjoy seeing pictures, when you have them, of what's going on in your part of the world. Sharing the ups and downs are just as much a part of this, as are bringing chocolates and champagne!

Feel free to ask questions about something you've seen or are interested in. We're friendly. Post when you want to, and watch from the sidelines if that's more you're style.

I'm posting this mid December in hopes that everyone will be able to get here, and check the follow button, before January 1, 2017.

Let's have another great year
Luann

[Eileen K.]

Where is the follow button? I see favorites.

[Eileen K.]

Thanks Luanne! I clicked the subscribe button at the bottom of the page!

Barb :-)

[Eileen K.]

Thanks Barb,
Because I set it up, I don't see what others visiting it will see

[Pat L.]

Eileen, I also clicked the subscribe button but have always been able to see and respond to all blogs, pat

[wendy w.]

Ready for 1st Jan :cheer:

[Geneva C.]

Happy New Year everyone!

As promised I have brought champagne for everyone!

Cheers!
Geneva

[Geneva C.]

Arriving at the virtual retreat today we have champagne, thank you Geneva, and these are the blooms of today:
















Welcome,
What are you working on today? I'm putting dishes, food, pots, and pans back into my kitchen.
Decorating tomorrow, I hope!
Sewing starts again on Tuesday

[Jules M.]

Thanks for setting up our new year thread, Luann!

We went shopping a bit this morning... the good shopping starts one hour away, all highways, so not an often trip we make. Hubby wanted a few things at Harbor Freight which is not a side of that town I want to go to alone but I do have things I like there. Our son (24) is home a bit with a new degree (BS in Electrical Engineering & Computer Engineering with emphases in things I can't remember or understand! :huh: I was glad he wanted to go along. Our times with him will be few & far between soon. (but I can't mention those things yet...)

One project for January for me (in my head) was to do the Stonehenge challenge of the 5 chip fabrics I got at the Houston IQF. I had 2 ideas in my head, had sketched and noted a few ideas and decided on what to do. So last night I finally found the fabric I wanted and had it in my online cart. To the tune of $120. Because it is my pattern/design and I was getting a 1/2 yd bundle and a layer cake, etc. I was quite excited about the fabrics and my idea. I was ready to hit the purchase button and decided to double-check the website for rules, etc that may not have been on the paper with the fabric I got at their booth. Wow! I'm glad I checked!! It is online voting, popularity contest basically, and only one prize of $150 in their fabric. NOT! Not worth paying $120 in fabric, my time that is needed other places, etc for a small prize. I was so bummed!! Emptied my shopping cart!

I hope to finish a quilt top tomorrow (from my stash for a friend with a queen bed) and have the backing pieced tomorrow as well. I'm using stash. Then I want to have it quilted and finished, ready to ship by the weekend. Slightly possible... I tend to have loftier goals than physically able!

A long wish list for this month...
finish painting our bedroom hallway (still have some spackle to sand & repeat at least 2 more times before painting)
this friend quilt; mentioned above
coasters for friend too
bed runner sample for a customer
catch-up on Christmas Countdown blocks (I only made 9 in Dec!)
Scrappy Applique Cityscape pattern by Shannon Brinkley
Organize and clean up a bit of the mess in my sewing room

And there are already 2 customer quilts coming in but they are know it will be the end of January as this owner is on vacation! :cheer:

[Eileen K.]

Happy New Year everyone! :woohoo:

[Terry K.]

My plan is to finish quilting this quilt by the end of the month.

[Terry K.]

Beautiful quilt, Terry! And nice long list, Jules!

I am piecing today on a quilt for my niece -- my sister's teens all keep stealing her lap quilt, so I asked should I make them each their own. They all loved the idea, so are getting them in turns on or around their bdays. This neice's bday is Jan 15.... I need to get at least the top finished by then and we'll see about quilting.

I have a customer quilt due by Jan 28, main top is pieced but needs borders, then quilting. I want to quilt a sample piece before hers, to both practice and help her pick what she wants done. Quite a lot for me for this month, although this week should be good for being productive....DH returns to work tomorrow after two weeks off!

Once I pass that I can start on the rest of my list.....

[Geneva C.]

Well, we woke up to a lot of snow today. A lot for us that is. Sew, it's another sewing day for me! And I only have a small headache from that champagne...

I've been working like a crazy woman on my two quilts, Color and Passion. I got the first one done, it just needs some trim sewed on and label and sleeve. I started the second one yesterday. They measure 70" x 75" . I am very happy with the way the quilting design turned out. It looks like a plaid. The close up picture doesn't show it all complete, I still had to do the lines going the other way. I used about 20 different variegated Superior threads. It was a bear getting it through my 7 1/2" harp space. :unsure: And I get to do it again!

Here's Color and Passion 1 without quilting.



Here is a corner with some of the quilting done.




And here is Color and Passion 2. I am sewing the 1" cut sashings and borders on now.




Believe it or not, I still have about ten 4 patch squares left. I don't know if you remember the history of this mess I got myself into. In January 2014 I retired and decided to cut a square and a rectangle from each of my batiks. This was my way of "packing" my sewing room for our move to Washington. I made a 5" square within a square or economy blocks, mixing up the center square, inner triangles and outer triangles to make mini quilts. I made the blocks using them as a leaders and enders while making other quilts. Fast forward to 2015, and I counted over 300 blocks. I sewed them into 4 patches into various color groups. Then in September 2016, I finally said it's time to get these puppies into a quilt. There was no way I could sew them all into one quilt, and quilt it. That's why I have 2 quilts!

And to prove I am insane.... Remember those squares and triangles I cut? Yup, I have enough for two more quilts. :blink:

My goal is to have the two quilts done for our guild quilt show in March. I am the member featured artist and I would love to see the quilts hanging together.

This is why I am glad we are snowed in!

Happy 2017 to you all! geneva

[Betty J.]

Happy New Year everybody. Wow! This retreat is off to a roaring start already...champagne, flowers, quilts, plans! What more can any quilter want?! I am making what seems like miles of covered tiny cord to go in my current project..a quilt designed by my oldest son that I have been working on since March of last year. The big challenge of piecing all the big sections together accurately is just ahead as soon as I finish all the tiny covered cord a la Susan Cleveland methods. Some of the sections are separated by the cording. I'm not showing photos until I finish the quilt and maybe until I get it into a show. I also have lots of fun plans for 2017. I wrote about them in my blog here: 2017 and here: A Year Full of Promise
May all of us have a wonderful prosperous and productive 2017!

[Kathy H.]

Now I've found it!
Kathy