More Retreat Pix

Here are a few more pictures from the retreat. The purple sampler-type quilt is one that was put together from friendship block exchanges. This is where some of those purple blocks I was making went. The nine patch quilt is another one made from exchange blocks. Also, the orange log cabin type quilt (with the nine patch centers) is from an exchange. I am still making more green and purple blocks from the same exchange so that my quilt can grow up to be as big as this one (its big!). I will get pictures this week of the projects I finished, and post them.

The picture of the quilt hanging on the curtain (it looks like a star block) is really a dahlia block, another block exchange. When we all agreed to do this block, we did not realize the type of work that would be required for the construction. We each made 12 blocks for the exchange. The coordinator of this exchange received lots of flack from all of us about this block after we were done sewing them! We were still dishing out complaints to her at retreat. I should find my blocks (they are in a box in the closet) and get a close up of a block so that you can see the three dimensional petals. I remember that my hands were sore after finishing them!

It was so fun to see all the blocks from block exchanges that were being sewn into quilt tops. I have all these blocks still to put together. They are in bags under my sewing table, and in boxes in the closet. I have blocks from exchanges from over 15 years ago that I have not sewn together. Some day I am going to get them all out, make a list, and start putting them together. This is one of the reasons that I say that I could sew quilts without buying any fabric for years to come. I would only need fabric for sashing and backs, or if I sew the blocks together without sashing, only backing fabric. I want to do some different sets for some of my blocks, so I would need fabric for that as well. I am fairly confident that I could find most of this fabric in my stash, so I would not NEED to buy more fabric, but I will still WANT to buy it I am sure. I could be busy sewing for months, even years, with what I have under my table and in the closet!

There are some ladies in our exchange group that sew up their blocks fairly quickly after the exchange. I am in awe of these ladies, and admire them greatly. To have that kind of ambition makes me envious, and very humble! I have decided that I am definitely a process person more than a product person. I love the process. I spend lots of time thinking of what fabric to use, sometimes what pattern to use, how will these blocks be received by the group. So many things come into play for me in getting exchange blocks finished.

Sometimes I have a definite plan for what I am going to do with my blocks once I receive them. I have a set of tree blocks that I want to set into the same pattern that was published in the book where we found the pattern. That involves making another set of blocks, and setting the exchange blocks on point, and an applique border. But it will be worth the wait when they are finished I am sure! I know once I retire, I will not be bored for want of something to do! I also have enough sewing machines to use that if one is broken down, another one can be enlisted for finishing any projects!

Right now I need to get busy finishing my PIF projects. I finished one PIF gift at retreat, and gifted it to the PIF quilter at retreat. She came down from Washington for our retreat. I forgot to get a picture of it, though. Maybe she can send me one.

Well folks, I hope you have a great week. I am off work this week for Spring Break, and have a lot of things I want to get done. Maybe I can get at least half of them done, who knows? But I want to have lots of fun this week no matter what I do, or don't do. I wish this for all of you as well.

Happy Quilting