Stitching frenzy in Bordertown

No serious quilting retreat is complete without some shopping. 

This store has been in operation for a long long time and the ups and downs of a retail sector are repeated in the wooden floors - which are best described as like walking on a sailing ship! 

The interesting array of fabric keep us busy however and we all got our wallets out. 

Mum was on a mission to make five cot quilt tops, she started with cute dinosaurs and dots.

 The next one quilt top featured fish.  The third (sorry no picture) had the cutest car print.  I think three tops is a good effort, especially as she also started a fourth top, using the big twister ruler. 

Mum is in the black in the next picture, she hid behind her quilts!  Apologies as you can see I take better quilt photos then I do of people!

 There is no hiding behind this quilt, it is so big!  Lisa (right) wanted to get her Scrappy Trips around the World top together and she did!  She had to do some reverse sewing to make the colour coordinated lines in the right place, but it was so worth it in the end. 

 Lisa tackled this large star top next, spending time making sure she didn't double up on fabric placement and it all paid off in the end.  Lisa also found time to start a new project using her triangle ruler, all acceptable when you have ticked off TWO large UFOs!

Vicki started off with nine meters of reproduction fabric, pre cut into tumblers - which she cut in 1 HOUR, using the Go Cutter, which she hired HERE.  I was oh and ahhing over her fabrics when she brought them in.  Vicki is a professional long arm quilter so having a weekend away to PIECE rather then quilt was a real treat. 

She didn't stop at one new project though, she also got out her new curved ruler (also from Periwinkle Patchwork) and started making these Double Wedding ring blocks - which started life as a jelly roll. 

 I spent a lot of time fiddling with the placement of these "modern" blocks, made in a class with Lyn Uphill in April. The pattern/instructions was for a different placement, however this is what I ended up with, hence I have quite a few left over blocks.  I think I will buy some additional background and make another "top" so I can include the left over blocks and make the quilt double sided.  That might be next years project, cos I am still distracted with this project....I got two long sides of my pieced border completed for the big twister quilt.  But I have to find some additional light squares of Indigo Crossing to finish the other two sides.  The third side is 3/4's done, but the fourth side hasn't been touched.  This all took way longer then I had anticipated. 

 I played with my new fabrics, gifted to me by my mother, thanks Mum!  These yummy yellows are begging to be included in the Seven Sisters Quilt. I also got some double pinks, so there is a real dilemma as to when I stop/how big this quilt will be. I did cut some of the teal fabric, ready for stitching at home this week.  Mum had also managed to buy me one shirting (all from HERE) and it was the perfect colour for the background of my teal stars...which solved a big problem!  Thanks Mum!

 

Finally I started a new project as well!  These are the fabrics that Lisa gave me in December and she was the one who introduced me to Zig Zag quilts.  The laying out of the blocks takes a bit of getting your head around, but they were super quick to make.  I made a bunch more, but resisted sewing them together, until I was at home and had more space to lay all the blocks out.

I had a fun weekend, sewing, eating and catching up with friends.  We machine sewed until late (something I don't do at home) and all achieved lots, but this week I will only be looking to fit in some quiet hand stitching in front of the telly.    This week I start teaching 20+ six year olds to make a quilt.  This is going to be an interesting experiment, which is how I am approaching it...suck it and see!

Happy quilting, Sue SA.