On Retreat – Day 5

My friend Peggy joined our retreat midway in the week, and she came with a project and a purpose. She had seen my announcement of the “Dashing Table Runner” QAL on Facebook and wanted to make one in fall colors. Under my watchful eye, she cut and sewed and pressed and quilted and bound her project. And I think we have found a new quilting groupie! (Instructions for the runner are free and are located on the Patterns page of this blog.)

Colleen demonstrated a quick and easy improv quilt block, “Pick Up Sticks.” She provided the background and 1” fabric strings, and we all sewed several blocks which will be assembled into two baby quilts for charity.

Some of the ladies made bowls from cotton clothesline rope earlier in the week, and Friday was designated as bowl dying day. They soaked the bowls in water and then squeezed on tie dye pigment.

I completed a baby quilt top, the parts of which have long been in my stack of UFOs. Sew happy the top is now finished. I cut the remaining scraps into squares and triangles for another small quilt, but I need to search at home for coordinating border fabrics to complete it.

After dinner we drew a winner for the retreat lotto blocks we had sewn throughout the week. Ann won! The block design is a time honored friendship signature block adapted for 2 1/2” wide strips and triangles. The fabric is an inherited gift from my mother-in-law’s stash. I know she would be happy we used it for this retreat tradition.

And now comes the sad day of leaving our friends and the fabulous oceanfront venue, but we’ll take with us the memories of laughter while stitching, invigorating seaside walks, and delicious meals enjoyed al fresco.