Let ME ring the bell!!!

First things first on the third day of our in-store retreat. I NEEDED to fuel up the car. This is the MOST I have ever paid for a tank of gas. Two reasons - the price per liter and that tank was PRETTY EMPTY. It must be a 40 liter tank - there wasn't much left.

Gas fill up

Once we arrived at the store (had to make an emergency pick-up as Marian did NOT have wheels) - well it was time to fuel the bodies for the grueling day ahead. Joanne made the MOST PERFECT pancakes I have ever seen. I wonder how she did that?????

Pancakes - YUM YUM (there were hardly any left after we attacked them)

A perfect pancake!!!!

Then it was down to work.

Now I am no dummy - as much as a retreat is a place to work on a BIG project - I like to take several small things so I can finish them and move onto another one. I decided that when one was finished a project - they get to ring the bell (OK - it is the dinner bell - but works for projects too!!!)  Well after I finished my first project yesterday - I was BANNED from ringing the bell. Oh those girls just did NOT appreciate that I could ring the bell and they could not!!!!  But some of them brought HUGE projects. At one point, I went to ring the bell FOR SOMEONE ELSE and when I went to ring the bell - it was GONE!!!!!   WHAT?????

I searched and searched and found it in the kitchen. AHA!!!!   I rang it extra loud and extra long - just so they all would know I found it!!!

But yes - it was another good day as far as getting work done. I finished this Stack n Whack.

Original stack n whack

Stack n Whack PIECED backing

Original fabric AND the binding is done!!!!!

This is the original Stack n Whack pattern. I started it a LONG time ago. It just needed the two borders. Got those on and made the binding out of the dark blue, but then did NOT have enough of the blue for the backing so a little piecing and I got VERY LUCKY - made the backing. Another project DONE. Well at least ready for the quilting.

I often joke and tell people that when I die - at my funeral - everyone will get a quilt top, backing and binding but not a finished quilt. Of course - those that were mean to me yesterday will get nothing!!!!! - OH - I know - they will get a pizza box with a bunch of scraps!!!!!!

Anyway - it was a fun day. But yes - I did get more done.

Patchwork Sampler - Clown's Choice - Number 42

Yes - ONE MORE block done for the Patchwork Sampler. Do you know what that means?????   Yes - there are TWO more blocks to go. This is very exciting!!!!!   Then a bunch of trimming. But after searching through my cupboards in the last couple of days - there are a LOT of quilts where the blocks are completed, but not sewn together. Well now that the guilt of the tie quilt is done - I should be able to crank those out in my morning sewing sessions. Got to focus - focus - focus - focus!!!


Then I dug out this project which I have been wanting to complete a while ago, but I DID NOT want to do it.
It is a Buggy Barn pattern -

Buggy Barn book - A Little Bit Crazy

Anyway - you take 20 fat quarters and layer them - then slash through all twenty layers (using a template). Do a switch a roo with the pieces and then sew them together to get the pattern. Well I had made TWO blocks and there was NOT enough contrast with either block. And I had sewed some of the sections together and there wasn't enough contrast with some of those either. ACK!!!!!!!   I hate when I do something like this. Well a retreat is a good place to do an ICKY job. I got out my seam ripper (I was pretty good at seam ripping before, but after yesterday - I'm an expert!!!!). I ripped some of the pieces apart, ripped the two blocks apart, we had a consultation about the values of the pieces and then I sewed them back together. I got 14 of the 20 blocks complete.

Buggy Barn - A Little Bit Crazy - a pile of pieces!!!!

Buggy Barn - A Little Bit Crazy - FOURTEEN blocks (and all but one has great contrast). OK - so I am happy that I stuck with it - I really like the quilt NOW)

I don't think I will get to ring the bell today as I have crappy little jobs to do today - yes it is the fourth and last day!!!!   I'm sad as I was on a roll and was ready to bring out many more projects!!!!   No worries - going on another retreat in a couple of weeks!!!

Oh yes - did you notice where on the design wall those blocks are positioned?????   At the top - I needed a chair and a ruler to put them up!!!   But they were out of the way of the rest of the people.


Now I wasn't the only one who was productive. Cathy was working on this EYE POPPING quilt that she was going to make for the bedroom. I think they are going to need SUNGLASSES AT NIGHT in order to sleep under it!!!!

Cathy's BRIGHT - EYE POPPING quilt

Detail of Cathy's quilt

It was BRILLIANT and the pictures just DO NOT do justice to this one. Then Cathy got working on her One Block Wonder (she was in my class a couple of weeks ago), but she took her blocks off the wall before I realized that she won't be back (a thing called work). Take my word for it - her blocks were AWESOME.


There seemed to be TWO themes for the weekend - ONE BLOCK WONDER/Stack n Whack or MYSTERY.

Karen was working on a mystery quilt and here is her top.

Karen's mystery

Karen's mystery - with the border added

Sharon's mystery

Karen and Sharon's mystery quilt. Although they are the same pattern - the look is quite different. 

Railli was also working on another mystery

Karen, Railli and myself were working on the Border Creek Mystery which Karen and Railli are almost up to date and I am on clue 5 of 7, but NO PICTURES. Strict rules!!!!!

Barb was working on some Thangles blocks (boy - a cuss jar was sure needed in that corner!!!), but look at the show n tell she brought in. Remember these mitts from a couple of sit n sews ago???   She was in the process of knitting them. Now they are complete - felted and all. I LOVE THEM.

Barb's felted mitts

Barb's felted mitts - I LOVE THEM

Barb's entrelac scarf. I WANT to learn how to do this - I bought yarn, but no chance to sit and try it. I LOVE THIS!!!!

Gillian's One Block Wonder

Gillian worked very diligently and got her one block wonder together. It looks awesome!!!!

Marion was doing applique - she started off by machine and then moved to finish the little bits by hand.

Marian doing hand applique

Now it was warm in the store and all that food - it just stands that someone was going to doze off. I did manage to snap a picture of Marian having a nap, BUT - I won't post it. I value her as a friend and well - let's just say that I won't post that picture - see how nice I am!!!!!   But the second she heard the shutter click - she was awake!!!!   She even sort of yelled JIM!!!  until she saw who took the picture. Then she told me she knew how to make the shutter silent, but did not offer to show me!!!!!


And then we have Andi. Andi is a relatively new quilter - I think she has been quilting for about one year. But - well I think pictures are a better way to get to know Andi.

Andi - cutting - what is she cutting - just wait for it! Every day I brought her some scraps and she diligently cut what she needed. 

Andi - cutting orange scraps

Andi's little bag of pieces. And how big are those pieces????

YES - these are ONE INCH squares!!!! - most were NOT fussy cut

Let's put those squares on the design wall!!!   Just kidding - she DOES NOT fussy place these. And what is she making????

Andi's OBSESSION

Detail of Andi's obsession

I won't share with you how big this is supposed to be - but let's say that Andi won't be ringing the bell for a while. Though when you see what she has done in the past - well maybe she will be ringing that bell before we know it.

Andi's FIRST quilt  (I know - I can't believe it either!!! - but it's true!!!)

Andi's log cabin

Detail of log cabin

Andi's cathedral windows

OK - I'm going to tuck my tail between my legs. This woman is AMAZING. She jumps in with feet first and doesn't look back. No complaining - no fussing - just work!!!!!   I'll have more on Andi for tomorrow.

Well it is time to get ready to leave and I have a few things to get done first - like find out why my laptop is BEEPING at me. It is the strangest thing.

Have a great day!!!!!


Ciao!!!!