Retreat Weekend, Plus...

Brynwood Needleworks - DPQG 2016 Retreat Group

I didn't get to our guild retreat on Friday, when it began, but I arrived on Saturday for the fun. This photo was taken on Sunday before people left and headed for home. (L-R: Front Row: Joanne, Pat, Shirley, Arleen, Pat, Lynn, Peggy and Julie. Back Row: Jackie, Rozie, Jamie and me.)

Brynwood Needleworks - Saturday Night Dinner at Sarasota's Der Dutchman

I got to Sarasota in time to set up my projects, get started and then break for dinner at 5:30. We went a bit across town to Der Dutchman - an Amish restaurant that many of us have visited before. I personally love their homecooked vibe, and chose a small portion of liver & onions (a favorite) for my meal.

Dinner together is a great chance to catch up with friends and enjoy each others company, and we certainly had a great time together.

Brynwood Needleworks - Peggy and my roommate, Jamie

Jamie and I make for great roommates. She's a far superior quilter, and I'm learning a lot from her. She also has a wonderful sense of humor, so she's fun to be around. I definitely think I'm on the winning end of our friendship.

Peggy sat on our end of the table, so I was able to find out what she's been up to. She recently have a shoulder surgery and is healing well from it. It's certainly not keeping her from participating and creating wonderful things of her own. She was working on a project to give to a friend.

Brynwood Needleworks - Lynn and Shirley - Shirley's Finished Quilt Top

Shirley is a dear friend. She (on the right) completed a quilt top over the weekend that I photographed to share with you. It's made from colorful batiks and will look even better when it's quilted. Lynn helped hold it up for this picture.

Brynwood Needleworks - Pat's Finished Kitchen Yo Yo Towels

Pat (on the right side of my first group photo) worked on the group project for this retreat. I didn't make any this time, but Pat created six different sets, including these...and flamingos. All of them are finished with yo yos. Aren't they fun?

Brynwood Needleworks - Lynn's Finished Kitchen Yo Yo Towel

Lynn also made a set. Hers have yo yos as the center for the flowers. I don't think my photo does justice to the project. Her colors were lovely and her workmanship impeccible.

Brynwood Needleworks - Jackie's Beautiful Blocks

There were other projects in progress. Many of the ladies were working on their own quilt tops and creating gorgeous blocks.

I wish I knew for sure who was working on these. I think that Lynn C. was working on them, but will amend my post as soon as someone tells me. They're "stack and whack" stars. Only quilters cut up beautiful fabrics to rotate them and join together in new ways. Such is the way with "stack and whack"...with stunning results here.

Brynwood Needleworks - Joanne's Blocks

 Joanne worked on these blocks all weekend. It's also the "stack and whack" method with a completely different result.

Brynwood Needleworks - Shirley's Block

Shirley had a whole set of colorful blocks that she was appliqueing, in addition to the batik quilt top she finished. These remind me a fresh fruit!

I actually had a busy weekend with my shop, and spent my retreat work time making up special orders that I'll ship out today and through this week. It was fun to have the gals to chat with while I stitched away.

Brynwood Needleworks- Deliciousness From Der Dutchman

It was revealed on Saturday night that the Amish have a plan for world domination...Amish Peanut Butter. What a sweet treat...especially swirled on their soft serve vanilla ice cream that was served after our dinner. The Apple Butter is also wicked tasty!

So, if you've read this far today, I have a reward...a chance to win your very own bottle of Der Dutchman Peanut Butter Spread. (Note: This is not low-cal.) Sorry, but due to the cost of shipping, this will only be available to my readers in the U.S.

Also, I'm not going to put up a giveaway button or mention the giveaway to anyone not coming to this post to read about it. Just leave a comment below to be entered in the drawing, and I'll use the Random Number Generator on Friday, June 17th to choose the winner. Make sure I have a way to contact you if you don't have an email link to your comment. If I can't contact you, I'll immediately choose another name.

Good luck!

 

Preparing For Another Class...

Brynwood Needleworks - Atkinson Classmate Organizer Class

I'm preparing for another class with guild members on Saturday. This time I'll be teaching them how to assemble the Classmate Organizer by Atkinson Designs. (I suspect many of them could easily follow the pattern, but there's fun in doing a project together.)

Brynwood Needleworks - Classmate Organizer - French General Fabrics

I've chosen two different fabrics to use. This French General array will become another class model to show at the beginning of class.

Brynwood Needleworks - Classmate Organizer - Lilac Fabrics

 

These coordinates (featuring lovely lilacs) will be organized into my class materials, so I can show them step-by-step how to assemble theirs. I have eight students for this session, so they'll all get hands-on help, too.

I lost a day after the elections, thanks to a 24 hour bug of some sort, so it's going to be a busy day today while I catch up. I've made eight or nine of these already, so I'm not worried that I'll be ready. Plus, I'm feeling much better, thanks. I'm off to my happy place now.

Some Days Are Dresses; Some Days Are Socks...

Brynwood Needleworks - WIP Socks

  Little girl dresses are cut out, along with the coordinating dollies... I have a wallet and tote on-deck to donate to the Florida Corgi Picnic... I have special gifts I'm making for all the dressmakers for our inaugural "Dressed In Joy" project... my guild challenge project (due in Nov.) is still simmering in my head... and I still haven't placed the sleeves into the wedding gown muslin!

I had all sorts of things planned for last weekend and life happened. Instead of making dresses, we had multiple showings of our home! Our realtor, Mary, has been busy, busy and we're reaping the rewards. The result was that we had to vacate the premises and find other things to do during that time. My list would have to wait.

It's a good thing I have portable projects! Handsome, Tag and I headed out and I took my sock project with me. I'm behind schedule on those, too, but managed to get close to closing up the toe on my first one. 

 

I can tell it's going to be a busy week, and as always, Life is good.

Brynwood Class Pineapple Show & Tell...

Brynwood Needleworks - Pineapple Class Projects

There's nothing quite as gratifying as teaching a technique and then watching your students run with it. Such was the case for me last night.

Last night was our monthly guild meeting for Disconnected Piecers Quilt Guild, and we always have a Show & Tell time. Prior to all the members with projects standing up to show their accomplishments, we asked all the gals who finished a project from the Pineapple Block class I taught to stand as a group.

(This photograph: l-r: Karen W., Linda S., Lauralye, Kathy W., Nora B., Marti C., and Barb C.)

Brynwood Needleworks - Pineapple Class Projects

I was so pleasantly surprised! They showed table runners - long and short - and Jamie has a quilt assembled! How much fun is that? (I can tell you from my perspective, a LOT!) Karen forgot to bring hers, so she stood in front, holding up a picture of hers on her cell phone. So cute!

 

They all did lovely jobs and said they're addicted to making the blocks. I can certainly understand that. So am I.

 

(This photograph: l-r: Nora B., Marti C., Barb C., Percy A., Jamie S.)

I'm heading to my aunt's in St. Cloud today. I'm staying with her so I'm only about a half hour away to go to Orlando on Thursday morning. She welcomed me with open arms when I suggested coming up for a visit the night before. I haven't seen her since my grandmother's (her mom's) 97th Birthday...five years ago. (Grandma passed in March, 2011.) 

 

We're both looking forward to the visit. I'll share more on my trip tomorrow.

I've Been Sewing On The Edge...

Brynwood Needleworks - Selvages

Fabrics edges, that is. I have great friends who have been saving their fabric selvages just for me! I spent part of yesterday cutting and sorting through all the remainders of their projects, along with a few of mine.

Brynwood Needleworks - More Selvages

These will be added to my growing assortment to make more quilt blocks, as well as smaller blocks for pincushions and project bag. For me, playing around in fabric, buttons and patterns is nearly as much fun as actually creating finished pieces. 

I'll be stopping in to say "hi" to the ladies at our guild Saturday Sew-in, but only for a little bit. We have an open house tomorrow, which means today will be dedicated to yard work and de-furring the house. So far, everyone who has viewed our place can't believe we have dogs. Guess we're doing something right!

That means there won't be any sewing time this weekend, but I have been knitting. I'll show you what I'm working on when we visit again on Monday. Happy Weekend, my friends.

Working On Wallet #30...

Brynwood Needleworks - Fabrics For Wallet #30

I worked on wallet #30 over the weekend, and I'll finish it today so that I can get it in the mail. Our elder daughter-in-law has a Birthday on Saturday, so I want it to be on its way by Tuesday, latest.

Brynwood Needleworks - Fabrics Already Cut From Templates

I can't show you more of this project until after her big day. I don't want to ruin the surprise. I'll show you Saturday, though. I think I'm going to love this one!

It's going to be a busy week, too. Monday - finish the wallet; Tuesday - Guild Sew-in and teach some of the quilters how to make our Dressed in Joy dresses so they can make more; Wednesday - Nifty 50s, continuing work on the Wooly Critters Sampler quilt blocks; and Saturday, I'm teaching a class to our members. They'll be learning how to make Pineapple quilt blocks using the Creative Grids™ Pineapple Trim Tool. Oh, and yes. My days and evenings will be punctuated with "let the dogs out - let the dogs back in - repeat"! 

Hope you have a great week planned, too.

Working Out The Kinks...

Moda™ Water Garden fabric assortment on the grid base - on my ironing board

On Saturday, I showed you the fabrics I'll be using for our guild challenge. I know exactly what I want to make, but I need to make a miniature version first. I want to make sure that the basic design works.

Of course, I don't want to use the actual fabric I'm using for the finished piece. (I've learned that lesson the hard way!) Instead, I pulled out a Moda™ Honey Bun (1-1/2" strips of all the fabrics in the line...like a Jelly Roll, but narrower strips), and my Pellon™ Fusible Grid (820P) and got busy. The fabric is from my stash, and it's called "Water Garden". Don't you love the dragonflies?

The way this works is that I cut my 1-1/2" strips into 1-1/2" squares. Then, I played around, placing the squares in a pleasing pattern on the bumpy, fusible side of the 1" grid sections. I had to be careful not to iron past the fabrics so I didn't get fusible goop on my iron. (Success!)

Once everything is fused, all I had to do was fold each line of fabrics and sew until I'd sewn all the widths of squares, and then sew them lengthwise. I ended up with sweet, little 1" blocks.

Look at all those tidy intersections! That's the benefit of using the fusible grid. Everything stays put and there's no distortion. I love this stuff!

 

Next step is quilting, and then I'll start cutting. (Did I say "cutting"?!! Yes, I did!) You're starting to get curious now, aren't you? (giggle)

Sometimes Things Aren't Black Or White...

 Sometimes, things are gray.

Such is the case with our November guild challenge.

Every year, Disconnected Piecers Quilt Guild holds a challenge for our members. This year, the challenge is to create something quilted using background fabric(s) that only contain shades of gray. 

We are allowed to use other colors in our project, but any fabric used in the background can only have gray or shades of gray in them. No colors, and nothing that doesn't read "gray".

This is only a sampling of the gray fabrics I have in my...ahem...inventory. I've had my project in mind since the challenge theme was decided. Now that November is inching ever closer, I need to turn my thinking in this direction. 

All the projects that members submit for this competition will also be displayed at our 2016 quilt show in February.

I can't wait to start sharing peeks as I work on it. When I'm finished, I may even share a pattern for what I'm making. I'm very excited about this idea I've conceived and am looking forward to the entire process. I hope you'll follow along as it becomes a reality.

More Dresses For The Girls...

My friend, Marti has been busy! She's a member of the same guild to which I belong, and she brought a surprise to me at our board meeting on Wednesday night...five more dresses for the little girls! (She's made eight so far!)

She even embellished a few of the pockets with the cutest appliques'. This one had a cute, little elephant, and another was embellished with...

  a green goat! hee hee

I have ten dresses in hand so far. Only 90 to go to meet our goal! I'll be working on more of mine throughout the weekend. I'm looking forward to seeing the numbers of dresses grow. There are going to be a lot of happy, little girls.

Gift Exchange Pincushion...

Next Tuesday is our Guild Christmas Party. We're asked to make a 

handmade item for our gift exchange each year. This year, I decided to make 

a pretty, weighted pincushion. I think the recipient will be happy with it.

This one measures approximately 10" long by 5" wide. I used printed, cotton fabrics, vintage lace and button, and pretty pink seam binding, which I ruched down one side.    I didn't sew down the lace over the printed fabric to insert the pair of embroidery  scissors that I'm including with the pincushion.The pretty pink bow holds them in place when they're not in use. I filled it with crushed walnut shells to keep it  from scooting around a sewing table when it's in use. I finished it in about an hour.
Now, it's wrapped and ready to go with me to the party on Tuesday.  All I have left to do is make a dozen cookies for our after-dinner dessert.  Perhaps pink iced sugar cookies this year?

Fascinated With Feedsacks...

 We had a special program at our guild meeting last night. Cecelia Reed

brought her vintage feedsack quilts, garments and bags to share with us.

I took over eighty photographs, but have managed to pare it down to ten to share.

 Cecelia's business is called "Pat's Sacks" after her mom, Pat who was a self-
proclaimed "hoarder" of all things related to feedsacks. Not only was Pat's home
decorated with feedsack creations, she had an entire room designated for all of
the vintage pieces she acquired over the years. Cecelia has taken over that role.

 As Pat began her program, she kept saying that the early quilts were boring and
drab. I kept thinking that I couldn't agree. Each of these quilts was an exercise
in color and frugality. Women of yesteryear saved and used every little piece
of fabric they could find to dress or warm their family members and loved ones,
and the designs were anything but boring. There was so much work in each one!

 This particular quilt is actually covered by another quilt in an 

effort to conceal and preserve the blocks beneath that were deteriorating.

Cecelia shared fully-intact sacks, as well as those which had been sewn into

aprons and other items. Even though she only brought a small selection of her 

favorites, there was still a staggering number of them displayed for our program.

Some of the nubby cotton sacks were cut up and sewn into baby (or adult) 

undergarments. Many of the original bags were burlap. Can you imagine 

wearing a pair of scratchy burlap undies every day? Those were the days!

Cecelia did mention that she sleeps on now-soft, cotton feedsack sheets.

Her quote was that sleeping on those vintage sheets is "absolute Heaven".

I was especially taken with this feedsack nighty with a crocheted bodice and 

sleeves. There was a soft, blue ribbon woven through the crocheting. I would

wear this in a heartbeat! I loved the air of nostalgia and those simple days gone by.

We all gasped when Cecelia opened up this Drunkard's Path quilt. So much work!

Likewise, this quilt was made from tiny scraps of vintage feedsacks. Many of these

 quilts were referred to as "summer quilts", because they were made with sacks on the

front and the back, with no cotton batting in between...lightweight for hot nights.

(These certainly don't read "boring and drab" to me. How about you?)

  Cecelia's mother created many of these quilts. She hand or machine pieced them and then hand quilted them. She was a nationally recognized and awarded quilter. Looking at her work, it was apparent that she loved creating every one of them.
Pat saved a 2" square of every feedsack she ever came across. Those squares  were then stored in slip sheets in multiple looseleaf binders - now in her daughter's possession. They are a definitive record of printed sacks in the United States, and will eventually reside in an archive in Utah, where a person can actually earn degree in feedsack expertise! She plans to hand deliver them when  she decides that she's able to part with them. For now, she and guild members are able to enjoy the vast wealth of knowledge Pat left in her daughter's hands.  

PS. While my friend, Ellen's surgery took longer than expected yesterday, her surgeon is very happy with the results. We stayed in Ft. Myers until late day for a post-op appointment, and when the bandages came off, Ellen could see where she had previously been unable to see. She nearly cried for joy. I was blessed to be with her as we shared her happy results. I took her back home and then I returned home after 6:00. It was a long, tiring and thoroughly miraculous day. She wanted me to tell you, "Thank you from both of us for your prayers and kind wishes."