Last day at the retreat!

 Good bye retreat sewing until next time and oh yes - there is a next time and a next and a next.  Already booked, already filled up!  I'm packed and ready to go!   How many sleeps?

Here are the last pictures from the retreat.  It really was a great group of people and was so much fun to see what everyone worked on.

One thing that retreats are good for is focusing on something.  Let's say you have a project that has a mistake or just needs a bit of work to finish.  If you bring it, you're more likely to get the project done - provided you don't bring so many that you can't finish them all, but that's another story.

Paula had a couple of goofs in this quilt, but she perservered and now the quilt is fixed!  And it looks awesome!

Paula's quilt  (version of split nine patch)

 Susan finished off this project from a workshop last year.  It is stunning!!!

Susan's finished quilt (pattern by QuiltWorx)

 The weather is a bit bizarre these days and there is still a nip in the air.  No different at the retreat where at times, it was a bit damp and chilly in the house. Not to worry - we had a wonderful wood stove in the sewing room. Now I wouldn't touch a wood stove - I'm not good with that kind of thing. No one else was either, but then we had Cinder-Paula with us who has a similiar stove in her great room so Cinder-Paula kept us nice and toasty warm during the retreat.  So much so that a couple of times, we were sweating!  It created a super atmosphere!

Cinder-Paula

Speaking of finishing, this BRIGHT one is by Katheleen and has a gorgeous cat print in it and look at all those brights!!!!

Cat quilt!

Paula finished off a Halloween quilt.  Sitting Paula in front of her sewing machine was like unleashing the hounds.  She was off and running and I don't think she stopped for five days, except to tend the fire. Although, I think she did spend a fair bit of time at Fabricland!

Paula and her Hallowween quilt

Ronda, our games coordinator, made sure that we were entertained.  This time we had a murder mystery which was hysterical. There were eight of us and eight required for the game.  We all got into character - some a bit more than others.   I didn't get a picture of Susan AKA high society Susan Smythe  (gosh was that her name?)  anyway - she had the most divine DIAMOND earrings as we all sat down to our seance. Sadly, like Susan Smythe, the diamonds were FAKE!

It was loads of fun and I'd do it at a retreat again!

The murder mystery

Murder mystery evening - half the culprits

The other half!

 Funny - NOT ONE of us determined who the real murderer was!!!!   I guess we weren't paying attention?  Thanks Ronda!!!

And here's a picture of that April Fool's alarm that went off in the middle of the night. I wonder what Katheleen said to her four year old granddaughter - not that the granddaughter would care!

Work has been crazy busy and it's only going to get worse as we prep for the next couple of shows. And like a true quilter, I have an idea.  Actually I have had it for a while, but why start until there is absolute pressure.  Nope - I want to make a quilt for our booth in Paducah and I started last night. When am I leaving?  Not until next Monday - more than a week!   Plenty of time and I'll have loads of time this weekend with NO CLASSES to teach so I should make good progress.  I got loads cut already, marked and sewn and I'll share that with you tomorrow.  The final quilt, you won't get to see until it is in the booth.

On that note - I hear a sewing machine and a cutting mat calling me.

Have an awesome day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!