Retreat Treat!!

How has your weekend been? I've had a BLAST!! :0) And I'm combining my Saturday and Sunday

TREAT

TREASURE

BLESSING

&

MINI-MIRACLE

... into one post, cos I've had a FANTASTIC weekend that definitely qualifies with more than one of the above. :0) You see ... I've spent most of the weekend with a FABULOUS bunch of gals on a sewing retreat with our Friday Night "Sit N Sew" group. Imagine, if you will, a quiet spot away from suburbia and traffic with one building set up as a workroom, one building set up as a kitchen and dining room and one set up with bedrooms. Now add 14 FABULOUS clever-clogs stitchers (OK ... 13 clever-clogs stitchers and me! Tee! Hee! Hee!), an abundance of DELICIOUS food, lots of stitching and quilting projects ... and you can tell we were in stitchers' heaven! :0)

Now ... I can't tell you the antics that went on during the weekend ... we all know that ...

"... what happens on stitching retreat STAYS on stitching retreat!!!" :0)

... but I did take some photos to share with you.

Here's Sue and Lisa hard at work ... oops! Do you see that purple packet on the table there? I wonder who thought there would be chocolate at a stitchers' retreat?! Tee! Hee! Hee!

Jenny-Lee and Carol were also busily stitching away. Most of the gals were working on the same quilt pattern designed by Nikki Turvo and made with the pretty Tilda range of fabrics. I decided I already had enough projects on the go and really shouldn't start another, so I did some knitting and hand-stitching.

Here's "the other Chris" working on block placement.

And my fellow "Naughty Corner" occupier, Gail (AKA "the other Sue"!!). She was a bit like Cookie Monster counting his cookies ... except she was playing with her fabric stash! :0) She says she saw a whole new side to me by sharing the naughty corner with me for the weekend! Tee! Hee! Hee! And what was being stitched?

Beautiful quilts! :0) All of the quilts I've taken happy snappies of need some applique and stitcheries added to them, but you'll see how great the pieced tops are. The really interesting part ... most of the quilts were made with the same selection of fabric squares and it was the way each lady put her squares together and the borders they chose that gave each their individual look. This one above is Gail's quilt.

I think this might be my favourite combination ... lovely soft blues and aquas ... I think these squares might have been from one of the Tilda pre-cut packs that Marion and Steph have in stock. This is one of three versions of this quilt made by Jo (who is holding the quilt) and her Mum Maree ... they were the power team of the weekend! :0)

Here's Sue (AKA "The other Gail!" ) with her version Nikki's quilt. That blue border is striking isn't it?!

Oops! The photographer obviously had a little giggle in the middle of this one! :0) And "Uh Oh!" I can't remember who's quilt this one was ... maybe if was another one of Jo and Maree's???

This is another by Mother/daughter Jo/Maree team. See what I mean about the same squares all coming up differently

And this is a quilt top Jen put together over the weekend she was working on her own projects, too ... looks like a roll of musk lifesavers, doesn't it. :0)

So my TREATS for the weekend overflowed!! :0) Before I joined the Friday Night Sit N Sew group, I was always a bit reluctant to be a 'joiner'. I don't really consider myself to be a quilter ... or a patchworker ... not even really an embroiderer ... I consider myself to be a hand-stitcher, so have never really felt like I 'fitted' into any sewing groups.  I've also found in the past that some groups can be very clicky and just a bit ... well ... bitchy. So I was a little hesitant to go along when Marion invited me to a Friday evening of stitching ... but I am SOOOOOO glad I went along! :0) This gorgeous group of ladies come from all walks of life, work on all sorts of projects and are friendly, accepting ... FUNNY!! :0) ... not to mention creative and they have not only made me feel welcome, but they have sort of absorbed me into the group. I LOVE getting together with them on a Friday night! :0) Thanks for making me feel so welcome, gals, and thanks for a wonderful weekend! A special thank you to Marion, too, for co-ordinating our retreat weekend ... what a woman! :0)

Well ... now that I've shared my weekend TREATS with you, I'm off to play "Polly" and put the kettle on. I hope your weekend was as enjoyable as mine and that it included some time for your to be creative ... OPAMers ... have you emailed your finishes to Sweet Peg or me?? Sweet Peg is almost ready to do the prize draw. (And a big MMMMWWWAH to you, my sweet Partner-In-Crime for doing most of the blog hopping this month while I was off playing with the Friday night gals! :0) ) Enjoy your week!! Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!
KRIS