This week is our guild’s Sleep-At-Home retreat, and I look forward to going every time we do it. It is three days of sewing time with friends, where we can set up our machines and projects, and leave them overnight while we go home to sleep. In spite of spending a lot of time chatting, and eating, looking at other ladies’ projects, and generally just enjoying the time with friends, I usually get an extraordinary amount of work done. I have run out of projects in years past, so now I take more than I think I can get done. And I still manage to get most of it done, more than I think I can manage. That means prep time. So this past weekend, and yesterday, I pulled projects and cut fabrics so I would be ready to sew. First, I want to finish a bunch of pot handle pads for the Quilt Shoppe, so I cut heat resistant fabric, insul-brite batting, and some fun prints to 7 inch squares. There is enough here to do 20 pads.
At the retreat last October, the last project I worked on was this honey bee layer cake. I really had no idea what I wanted to do with the fabrics, but I knew it would involve some half square triangles. I like doing these with Moda Cake Mix Recipe papers, this is set #3. So I did a few of those.
Sew on the lines, then cut apart. No squaring up needed, they come out perfect.
Just tear off the paper, open up and press. In no time, you have 18 done.
Just a bit later, four pages sewn means I have 72 hsts ready to put into a project.
I took some of those and made a few pinwheels, but that is where I left it. With the holidays and other things going on, I have not sewed another stitch on the project. So, I got out its box and put it with the projects to take this week. I’m thinking I might make another Quadrille quilt in a lap size. I just realized that I have not put that together in a pattern form yet, so I need to get that done, too.
In my Fat Quarter Shop Holiday surprise box, I got this little potholder kit. So, it will go to retreat as well. I haven’t even opened it yet, so I don’t know what it will entail or how long it will take to complete. This kit is not available anymore, but there are lots of other June Tailor Kits at Fat Quarter Shop.
I have this jelly roll too, with no real plan on how to use it. But I have a new ebook on Jelly Roll Quilts from C&T Publishing that might give me an idea.
And if all else gets sewn up, I always have elements at the ready for another Quilt of Valor.
The fabulous people at Benartex have given us three 5-inch square packs for use as door prizes at retreat! So fun, we’ll give away one each day.
This past weekend, I finished the quilting on the red Hungry Animal panels.
I had a long piece of backing fabric and batting, so I could do both quilts only having to load one backing on the longarm. When I got near the end of the first quilt, I stopped before quilting the final row. I stitched the edge down across the bottom.
Then the next panel is placed very close to the first one, and the edge stitched down.
Now I can quilt a row across both quilts, eliminating the need to do half rows on both.
And then, just continue quilting to the bottom of the second panel.
When the quilting was done, I checked the backside to be sure the stitching was good before I took it off the frame. This is the Fascination pantograph in white thread. The print is a coordinating one to the panel.
All looked good, so I took it off the frame and trimmed the two panels.
Now, a decision on binding. The backing has a green background and I did not want to use it for binding as it might come across as Christmassy. I found a light blue blender that matched the blue sky in some of the pictures, and cut the binding from that. I test fit it to be sure I don’t have seams landing on corners.
I sewed it on the top side then pinned it on the back to see how it looked. It coordinates well on both the top and backing.
I can take it with me if I run out of other things. Sometimes a bit of handwork is nice to do while chatting. But we’ll see how much gets done. I do need some finishes as our Stashbuster check in is this Friday! Some yardage out will be from fabric I’ve pulled to donate to the swap table, but it remains to be seen how much of the swap table comes home, LOL!!
What are you working on this week?
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From My Carolina Home 
The retreat sounds divine. 3 local churches have a January Sleep at Home Retreat here in SD but it’s only 2 days. An extra day would be nice.
How do you handle the food ? We rotate every year. This year we had hot cheesy turkey sandwiches/salad & soup/bread on Friday. Saturday was brunch because we had to be cleaned up & gone by 3:00 pm.
Thanks, we are having a great time. Everyone just brings their own lunch and we eat together.
This sounds like such a fun retreat…….
Sleep at Home Retreat is my kind of event! What a treat to only pack up once for 3 days of sewing. If you run out, you can always pick up something from home. The biggest hassle is preparation & hauling everything. In fact, I have club sew day today, just packed the car. LOL. Time to assess what was accomplished this month for stash busters.
I just love that you have this retreat. It sounds such fun (and you’re smart to overpack — beats running out before your time.) I am just wild about your ABCs! That’s the cutest fabric ever and I love seeing it together like this!
those quilts you show are so cute. Have fun on your retreat – I would want to sleep in my own bed also and I would think this kind of retreat would be fun for so many – some don’t think about the fact that some quilters can’t afford to go on a retreat as they are on such a limited budget. A guild or group will plan a retreat to a really pretty lodge or guest house and some really can not afford it. But something like this would be for all
I’m sure you will have a great time. Here?…I’m doing a little outside while the weather is nice. More rain coming. Spring is still a little ways out but I’m so wanting to get on with it. In the mean time I am starting a book binding class online. Nothing serious …just a small notebook type for journaling or drawing or water coloring . We will see how it goes….Enjoy the retreat and I will enjoy reading about it.
The sleep at home retreats always sound like fun! And I would definitely be on board for going home to sleep. Looks like you have some good projects to take, too. Hard to believe it will be March on Friday already!
Always fun to get together with “like minded” people. The church has graciously given us a room on 2nd Wednesdays for many years. 9 to 2 pm (school hours) Sadly I never get any sewing done! Last week we had a demo on paper piecing, always nice to see other people’s way of doing this. Thanks!
I’m sure you will have a great time at the retreat. You are taking lots to keep you busy, including those two lovely panel quilts. Stitching binding down is very restful, I find.
Sounds like a great time. Your post reminded me that I have a couple of those Moda Cake Mixes. I’ll have to dig them out and do something with them. I am working on my second Mesa Verde quilt by Villa Rosa Designs. I made one for hubby for Christmas and this one using similar fabric is for me. Have fun!
I am tired just reading all you plan to do in a short time. Guess I’ll have to have another cup of coffee and maybe I can finish something, before starting anything else.
Great projects, great friends = great retreat time. Hope you’re having a blast … I’m sure you are. I love “sleep in your own bed” retreats! It’s also the only way I can retreat what with Mom moved in with us. Yay!
That is a fabulous retreat…sleep at home but 3 days of fun and work. I love it. Have a blast…it looks like you are or will be well prepared to get a lot done.
Retreats are so much fun! Our local quilt shop is having a retreat, held at a hotel. We have the entire banquet room that holds about 110 women plus the displays set up by the quilt shop. Sometimes our group, called Fab Friends, stays overnight and other times we go home as it’s only 20 miles away. Enjoy your weekend!