Retreat!!!

Our workroom, where we spent most of our time.

 The last few days, I was one of Twenty-one members of the Museum Quilt Guild who spent a happy weekend at Camp Asbury on a retreat!!!

The afternoon of the day we arrived.

 It is a lovely location, right on Silver Lake.  A few of us spent at least part of the weekend with our cameras pointed out the window.  Partially because of the scenery, and partly because of the "interesting" weather!






On Friday- the day we arrived- it was warm for February and a few of us went for a walk.  That's when I took this picture.  We were gone maybe 20 minutes.  By the time we got back the sky was ominously grey and the wind was picking up.  less than 5 minutes after we got back inside, the rain/ sleet started pelting the windows.

The next morning- after listening to the wind howl half the night- this is what it looked like outside.  We were all very glad it hadn't been like this the day before, and that we could just stay inside where it was warm and sew!!

Saturday afternoon

Later on Saturday, the wind was still blowing, but the sun peeked out!

Morning on the day we went home

On Sunday Morning, the blue sky was back and the snow started to melt a bit, so we had an easier time packing up and driving home!  Winter in Western NY isn't usually this cooperative.










Aside from the weather, there was sewing, of course!

I brought a couple of things with me that I had been pushing aside, but really wanted to work on.  The first was a "One Block Wonder" I started a couple of years ago at another sewing day with Guild friends.  I had the blocks all pinned out, just had to get them sewn together.  Now I'll be looking for a border fabric.  This started with a piece of Jane's fabric from her "Sunshine and Shadow" collection. (not sure it's still available anywhere)  I may have one of the other pieces I can put with it, even!




The other project I really wanted to get finished at retreat was a mini"twister" quilt.  I got the pattern and the tool at "Jamboree" last spring.  It looked so cute on the store, and I had done the "Square dance" quilts before- using a template instead of the rotary cutting tool.
Here's how it works:

You piece squares together and add the border.  The border fabric was way too wide, which p***ed me off, because I wasted quite a bit of my lovely fabric!
The whole thing is about 23 inches square at this point.

Then you use the teeny little tool and a baby rotary cutter to cut it all apart. This step took me over 2 hours!  Cutting around this ruler requires some acrobatics and a strong wrist.









Sew it back together

The quilt top is now 10 inches square!  Each little pinwheel block is one inch!

Quilt and bind!  (Not easy or peasy!)

If anyone wants to try it, I know where you can get the pattern and tool- cheap!









My Green Tip this time may be a repeat, but it is timely after the retreat!
When traveling, attending a meeting or conference- or retreat- remember to bring your own coffee cup, travel mug, or water bottle. Many of the ladies had them and used the coffee service all weekend or refilled their water from the cooler upstairs,  eliminating the need to use disposable cups, etc.  (Thanks, girls!!)

I am grateful for:
A wonderful weekend with good company!
Getting two projects out of their ziploc bags!
Well scheduled weather.  :-)
The girls who put the time into planning the retreat.
Hubby taking care of himself for a weekend so I could go play.