Two Retreats in a Row

 Yes... Christine and I were at quilting retreats two weekends in a row! I had a second set of projects lined up to take to our annual Spring Oxford Guild retreat before the Camp Kintail retreat.  The truth is that I could go on even more retreats and still come up with projects to work on.  Christine is in the same boat!

I finished up my chain link blocks for the vice president's challenge--I have decided to set them on point but have not decided if I want to add sashing or not before sewing them together.  I will have to audition sashing later.   

As you can see, Finn is very willing to help model my quilt blocks, often artfully rearranging them along the way. 

Next, I worked on my red Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks for March.  I put them on the floor for a photo this am and, again, Finn was there to help. 

I sewed the binding on my scrappy baby quilt and got it sewn down by hand at the retreat.  I still need to add a label.   The backing was purchased at an estate sale. 

I started my 12 Green Bottles Quilt, a Threadhouse Academy class with Jo Avery, at the November guild retreat and have not worked on it since then.  I find I need a good chunk of time and lots of space to work on this quilt as I audition colours for each part.  The first picture is going to be the centre block.  I hope to finish it soon.  

This is one of the borders on a corner section. 

As you can see, I have two corner blocks done and two more started.  I was pleased with the progress I made at the retreat.  Our guild is having a quilt show in the spring of 2027 and I hope to have this quilt done in time for the show. 

I will be linking up with the Slow Sunday Stitchers on Sunday morning, with Angela and the RSC group on Saturday and with Frederique too. 

Home from the Guild Retreat

I just got home from our guild quilt retreat about an hour ago and decided to share some of my projects on my blog.  First up, handwork!  Christine and I watched the World Series  baseball games on the Friday and Saturday nights and  while we watched, we did some cross stitch.  She worked on her Halloween project and I added more stitches to my Fall trees. We had hoped for a different winner of the Championship but it was not to be this year. 

I also did some hand quilting at the retreat --more diagonal lines have been added to my Rainbow Scrap Challenge pineapple log cabin quilt. 

A friend gave me a kit to make some oven mitts a few years ago and before the retreat, I found it in my quilt room.  This was my warm up project for the retreat.  They are ready to use at Christmas time!

I also found a 2.5 inch charm pack in my sewing room and used the little squares to make this little lined basket.  That little package has been in my stash for a while and I am glad to get it used up and made into something useful!

My main project was Jo Avery's 12 Green Bottles quilt.  I am a member of her Thread House Academy this year and this was one of the project this fall.  It is improv pieced and I spent many happy hours at the retreat watching the online lessons and then making the units for the two types of blocks.  This will be a large wall hanging--about 66" square.  I decided on a restrained palette of green and orange with gray, black and white as well as a sprinkling of black and white prints. 

This quilt will take a while but I now know how to make all the units for the remaining 7 blocks. All of the fabrics are from my stash. 

These little houses were made on the weekend too.  They are from another Jo Avery online class.  I already have 6 houses that I made previously as well as two trees.  I forgot to bring the roof fabric with me so this table runner did not get finished at the retreat.  I will work on it at home. 

While looking for supplies for the retreat, I came to realize that I have quite the collection of interesting pincushions.  Some were made by me and some by friends as gifts to me. 

My husband and I belong to the local hiking club and go for a group hike once a week (most weeks).  It was a really pretty walk through the woods this past week. 

It was frosty on my morning walk a couple of days this week. 

Finn has taken to napping with my daughter's yarn .  He thinks the balls of wool make excellent pillows, and no, he does not unravel the balls or play with them. 

My daughter's crochet blanket is growing. 

Finn is a very snuggly dog. 

 I will link up with Kathy and Frederique, even though I am really late to their parties!