Sewing accomplishments at the retreat

 HA -- I love the comments - I LOVE them all referring to the Jen Kingwell quilts. Yes, indeed - I LOVE them all, and very hard to pick the one I like the least. They are all so worthy in their own right, and I'm just so darn proud of everyone who finished, and there will be more finished quilts. Those will get posted and added to the appropriate slot to keep them all in the same place. You'll know when that happens. 

It's that bittersweet day at any retreat, as we're going home today. But as usual, it's been a super retreat, and I so much got done! 

I took pictures of other things around here, but today, it's all about what I accomplished. Sometimes, I bring ONE big project, and other times, I bring smaller projects. This time, I decided to work on stuff that needed to be done or would finish off a homework assignment or small projects that had been languishing in the retreat bag. 

Now if my computer cooperates, we'll be able to see some pictures. If not -- well, I'll just have to tell you. OH -- here come the images. 

I started by working on The Butterfly Quilt. This is one of our ongoing classes, and I was behind with all the curved piecing blocks. Now they are done, and I'm up to date with the homework. Just in time to get the next set of blocks done for the presentation!

There are TWO of each block, so a total of 12 blocks, which took me all day to complete. No wonder the group was "bitter" -- there were a lot of curved seams to do! The center of the big blocks needs to be stitched down when I get home, as I forgot to bring the right thread. 

Blocks for the Butterfly quilt

On the second day, I decided to work on my Chunk of the month and got ONE more block done. I had the block beside it (for the pressing pattern), so the two blocks are now together. That means two-thirds of the blocks are done, and I can get the rows together when I'm home. And I'll keep working on the last three blocks. This is a UFO and will be done by the end of the year!

The Chunk of the month

Then I decided to work on this quilt. It's the result of one of the ongoing classes from 2021. It was together, and all the applique was stitched. All that remained was to add the final border. I knew I wanted it to be green but wasn't sure what to do for the border. I had brought a few pieces of bright green fabric with me, and I did a piano key border and had JUST enough fabric. If one were to look closely, one would see that many of the pieces in the four corners have some extra seams. I didn't care -- I wanted the project done! Those rows come from a book called All in a Row.  

I LOVE it -- those bright colors are so me!!!

My summer fun quilt top

Then it was onto another one of the ongoing classes for this year. I have the quilt top together, but not the border. So I sewed as much of it as I could. I obviously couldn't count since I was short some pieces, so this is as much as I got done, which was OK as I had enough to get all the diagonal seams done and trimmed. The rest is easy sewing, so I should finish that quickly and get that border on.  

The border for Among the Stars Again

I had enough of the green bits to make the binding for that bright quilt. There was enough left for ONE more strip, and I used up many fabric scraps -- a win-win!!!

The binding for All in a Row

I had several half-square triangles that needed to be trimmed, so I did that one evening while the rest of the group worked on their projects. Yeah!!!! Sorry -- I did NOT take pictures of what the others are doing -- that's their business! 

Trimming half-square triangles

But I have a ton more of those little triangles to sew and trim from making those diagonal seams on the border!! Oh well -- enders and leaders for the next retreat. 

More enders and leaders

Let's say I'm pretty happy with my progress as I'm clearing up many little things. I usually pack one bag full of projects and then bring an empty bag. As I complete the projects, I move them into the empty bag. It's super easy to track stuff and get the excess off the table at the retreat. We don't have a lot of space to work with - well, not nearly as much as we have at home, and once it's done -- I clean up my area and move on to the next project. 

The next project out of the bag was paper piecing. I had one of these blocks done but not sewn together, and I completed four blocks in total. It was a sample for a paper piecing class. I don't want to make the entire quilt, or do I? I like the blocks. Anyway -- I only had one more paper template with me, so I'll make more copies when I get home and after I decide what to do. I may make only one more block and create a small wall hanging, as there's no need to make another quilt. 

Jem paper pieced blocks

This block has been in that retreat bag for a long time. Michelle had some fusible, so I stole some from her and appliqued the leaves and the stem in place. No threads with me to finish the edges. This is a block from a shop hop several years ago, and I ended up with only one block. I'll use it to practice free-motion quilting and make a small wall hanging. 

Pumpkin block

The bag of projects is getting emptier by the day, but I won't run out! Not with this project in there. This project has been around for years. As a matter of fact, it's the FIRST quilt project I have ever worked on in my adult life. I wanted to make a QUEEN-sized quilt for M for her bed. She was 2, and she's much older now. I quickly decided on another quilt for her, which got done and is now on the guest bed, so she can enjoy it when she's home. 

But what was I thinking with all those Y seams? 

Three tumbling blocks

For some reason, I got slap-happy when cutting and there was a HUGE stack of diamonds already cut. I know -- I could abandon them, but that would not make me happy, so I will get this done. I need to keep it out at home and work on one or two blocks a day. Or when I bring it to retreat, get a dozen done. I got three done last night before I crashed. My body said -- you NEED to go to bed, and you need to do that right now! I slept through the night and had a great sleep. 

Now I'm going to start the day, and I'll be starting with these tumbling blocks. Once I get bored, I have a couple more things in my bag. But this is the MOST I've ever accomplished at a retreat -- well, in the number of projects. There are not many left, so I planned well!!

I love going home and unpacking that bag and putting things away or prepping them for the next retreat - like the threads for the pumpkin block or deciding to finish it at home. 

On that note, it's time to eat! And then to get the day rolling!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!