Qld Retreat.........

A few weeks ago my partner in all things quilty Miss Jules and I headed off to QLD for a retreat.........This is the 3rd time we have headed north for this retreat.........normally we add a bit on at the start going to Toowoomba and extras at the end but given everything else going on I cancelled all that............

Along the way we found some stunning cactus flowering........

so delicate on such a harsh plant............

We checked out some new cotton plants.........

We all have such a huge investment in cotton we should know where it comes from............

This is an irrigated crop............but it was not going to be watered for a few more weeks when we saw it..............

Checked out Fairy Girls current rental and enjoyed this lovely waterhole...........so much bird life here to enjoy also............and look at the reflections..........It was lovely to have the night with her even if I had to take a spare bed with me to leave with her...........lol.........

Jenny was finishing her retreat and were were starting so I got to catch up with her and Gail briefly also...............

Didn't think to take a photo.......

Food is always very important and this cafe with a nursery and gift shop at it was just wonderful once again............

I continued to work on my Fat 1/4 mixer quilt..............

enjoying the beautiful gardens.............day lilly.........

the roses were past there best this time sadly.............

it rained every day were were there which was wonderful................

that doesn't usually happen at my place...........

I wanted to web (join) my project and I got it all in one stack to start.................

saved so much space and confusion............I used this tutorial...........

happy and cheeky stitchers..............

a little G & T hit the spot.............

Once I got my top together I started working in these random blocks I made one day ages ago................

Adding some sashing........more on that one later................

We also did some coaster dot things..........mine is the middle right................

it was a bit of fun............

Here is my finished fat 1/4 mixer quilt..........

I just need to flip one block around...........

It is huge and super bright..........

100x90...........just need to find a backing now...........

Most of the fabrics came from The Next Stitch and a few from my stash and I added a couple from the shop in Warwick...........

Also I can say that I nearly have all my blocks for my Chapel Street quilt.............

477/512 so not many to get now.......

I will cut some from the left overs of the fat 1/4 mixer quilt...........

Maureen popped out to visit us one day and joined us for morning tea and lunch............well she did  bring morning tea with her..............

Susan worked on her Chapel Street (I may have coerced her to make this one) and you can see a few blocks on the wall.........she is using a solid black where I used a stripe..........

We each have some of our own bits but we also shared a lot of fabrics..........

I enjoyed a walk every day and I found this beautiful grevillea on one of my walks.............

Thanks heaps girls for having us once again and Sandy for organising.............

it was wonderful to catch up with you all again..........

(not sure why this photo made the back row blurry - sorry)

Catch you all later............

Chookyblue.........

Cancer fundraiser results.......

 Still playing catch up...........

26th October I held a Cancer fundraiser on Zoom.............

I have lost several close family members to cancer and one is currently fighting cancer again.........

Last time I did this I co-hosted with Jude 18mths ago and mostly raising money for Breast Cancer Network Australia........

Once again to join in you had to make a donation to a cancer organisation.....which ever one you liked so long as it supported cancer.............

During the day I got everyone to say who they donated to and what there organisation did.............

Everyone emailed me their donation amount and if international I converted to AUD..........

I had to do some watering during the day and I found this beautiful hippeastrum flowering............

Cheese and nibbles is always enjoyed............

Stunning and flowering madly.............

I worked on my bright Fat 1/4 mixer quilt..........mostly Ruby Star with a few others thrown in and a few from my stash.............

Cutting and piecing some during the day..............

I did spend a lot of time just chatting.........but that's fine also.......

The last stragglers................

we had a very long day sewing..........

6am-8.30pm.........

We were nearly at $1000 at the end of the day and someone made another donation to kick us over...........but then a few more donations came in after the day..........

CONGRATS together we raised $1132.71...........

18 joined on the day.......

plus a few more girls made donations that didn't get to join us.........

THANKYOU EVERYONE 

Together we can make a difference..............

Catch you later..........

Chookyblue..........

don't be too shocked..............

 while I feel like I have lost the last 2-3 months finally I have something to show.........

So much has happened that I feel like I am back in July.........but I find the calendar says mid October and Christmas is around the corner...........

I had a retreat in between but it feels like a life time ago........so one day I will have to come back and do a post about that but I barely have any pics as other things were taking my concentration.........

But at that retreat I brought a little fat 1/4 bundle of 10 Tilda fabrics.......When I found them last week I had even forgotten that I had done any shopping at the retreat.........

Such a pretty little bundle..........

I had a little google and found a YouTube video with a quilt...........OMG my notes I drew down were interesting to say the least..............but I managed to work it out.......

So I decided to see if anyone wanted to chat while I cut it out Sunday night...........Took no time to cut out...........I cut 5 fat 1/4's at once..........

Such a simple quick quilt............perfect for my 10 fat 1/4's....

Fat 1/4 Mixer Quilt....click on the name it's got a link to the quilt.......

Just really shows off the prints...........

Quick simple and took about 3 hrs from start to finish....that includes ironing the fabrics and chatting also...........I got the block cut and pieced while on zoom and had to go to get dinner and shut the Chooks in.......so I laid it out and finished it this morning.........

Stoked I didn't cut any of the peoples heads off............considering I didn't think about it when cutting cause it would do my head in I had it under other fabrics when I cut it out...........

my finished size is 50x60 so a nice smaller quilt...........

HELP

Does anyone have a 2.5in strip of any of the fabrics in the quilt or even 2x 1/2 width..........I need that much more and I can bind the quilt with the left overs..........

Will definitely be making this one again................

I have a Di Ford bundle of 30 fabrics or bright Bonnie and Camille range...........

Which one should I cut up next??????

I feel so good actually getting this cut and pieced.........I have plenty of quilts sitting around I could work on but really just needed to see quick progress.....

and have the feel good moment................

This ticked all the boxes.........

Catch you later......

Chookyblue......

PS sorry have dropped off the planet with blog reading also but I have another months leave so hope to get a little caught up in that time.........and seek out some inspiration from you all........