Sunday the last burst and sad time........Part 5

One thing I forgot to tell you from the dinner........I think it was Friday night???? I did this at the first retreat I think anyway I went around the table and said how I met each person/how they fitted into the group.........given we have had a change around of some people from the first year I went around the table again..........it was lots of fun and realising for most of the girls I have known them for a very long time.....3/4 would be more then 10-15 years.....some much longer..........now not everyone knows everyone like I do but there are some other very long friendships in the group also.........

this is something to treasure........which I do.....

Finally after burning the midnight candle going to bed at Jo's stupid o'clock and waking up at my stupid o'clock I got my twister top together...........I do get pretty distracted during Scrub Stitchin' organising stuff but that's all ok............like I said more on the twister quilts in another post.........
Finally it was time to take the last group pic and start saying goodbye to the girls.............

Jenny, Gail and Lynda missing here.........they had already headed home............

As people go I get them to put their table away.........they are heavy tables so makes the job a little easier.....but the rooms starts to look more empty............

After seeing a few drunkards paths in show and tell Di decided to buy a kit from our little shop.............

I forgot to mention we had a little shop of goodies........I forgot to take pics.........

Someone asked before about the kits for these drunkard path quilts.........I can now tell you who made them so just flick me a comment...........Di was going to take the kit home and make it later but I convinced her to start and said she would get the blocks done before she goes.......she didn't believe me but she sure did and she would of had time to join it but she is going to quilt as you go to finish it so stopped...........

Miranda had this bright quilt laided out..........she busily got the blocks made over the weekend...........slow process but looks great...........

Jules got these crazy blocks laid out.........found a suitable colour for the border but needs to find some yardage......

Brenda the matriarch of the group quilted this quilt over the weekend...........yes she puts me to shame but go Brenda........just mostly in the ditch but it looks good and she did it on her little machine........it took some quilt wrangling..........

Last year she didn't want to commit incase she was "over the bridge" (the cemetry is over the bridge)........we have clearly told her this year that if she thinks she's going over the bridge she need not bother because we will go dig her up and bring her to retreat......she did have a good laugh.......and said she would come next year.....phew....

Once everyone left Annette and I could not go home due to rain (my dirt road is a disaster) so we sat and sewed for awhile chatting to Di......my niece arrived and she wanted to sew so I let her do the sewing I was working on which was the borders to my drunkards path and joining a backing for another quilt.........I did achieve high in the afternoon......Di eventually left and we packed everything up into my car and finished the weekend with dinner at the pub......we ended up staying another night in the cabins so we didn't need to pack all that up and go somewhere else.........

Ok well that's brought us to the end of the retreat.............few more posts to come on bits and pieces.........Twisters, show and tell and the project if I make it that far............

Catch you later........

Chookyblue......

Red, red ready for dinner......Part 4

Each year we have a themed dinner...........mostly simple..........

I am so not a dresser upper..........

We've had "pink" 2018, "sparkle and bling" 2019, "little girls birthday party" 2021 and this year it was "red"...........this was supposed to be 2020 but that got cancelled due to covid so I had even forgotten what I had purchased for decorations........other then last year which was OTT this is usually done with the least amount of effort for maximum effect.........

Jo, me and Sue

Everyone one was sent off to "red up" and come back to the room.........

Di, Me, Jenny, Miranda and Sue

It's so much fun seeing everyone come back in.........

some very simple some go all out........the birds may have a few red feathers to add to their nests.......

being a little buggered this year myself we all set the table instead of me and maybe a helper to two...... the table was set for dinner........Thanks to Brenda for starting to make some fans with the serviettes I didn't know how to make them easy but I sure as hell know how to make bishops hats so between us we folded all the serviettes................they did look pretty.....

After dinner we did the swap............"Make It", "Fake It" or "Bake It...........easy for everyone to join in....presents are randomly handed around to everyone......

I "faked it" and had a Red Tractor mug and a mini charm pack which Annette received.....

I got Jo's swap parcel.....she made a table mat/cutlery roll..........saves me making one now..........

And a cute little pair of scissors with a beaded fob...........

We even "redded up" our wonderful caterers..........they are such good value and fun.........nothing is a problem......I had forgotten to tell them the theme and got in trouble....woops.......BUT between us we shared the red love and they looked the part...........Janine also had a red scarf wrapped around her hair which you can't see............

Some more fun pics around the table.........

So many happy faces............

Another one of me and Jo.........

Jenny missing from the red group pic............

she had to head to bed early...........

So much red...........fun and laughs and a wonderful evening together...........

OK end of dinner and back to sewing...............

Stay tuned for more........

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

Chookyred..........

Sat/zoom.........Part 3

Saturday started bright and early with zoom at 6am...........all the blog girls joined in either in the room or when the echo was playing up Jenny went outside and found Sue........

Even Jo @ Butter Z got out of bed for this which was a major milestone........as we all know mornings and Jo don't mix.........but then it was the "zoom girls"

Anyway back to Jenny and Sue they did the outside broadcast........Sue snapped this pic of Jennys Ipad...........I completely forgot to think of taking a pic at all............how bad is that.......I think you all enjoyed the tour around the room and the show and tell that we could find in people's spots..............was fun to have you join us even if it was only for an hour........and it was pretty hectic............

Bloggers at retreat.......

Beside Jo listed above........

Jenny @ Bird on the Border

Janice @ Jannimary

Sue @ Kiwi Kid

Jindi @ Jindi's Cottage

The outside broadcasters also captured this photo while out zooming.... 

Sun just rising......the ground are always so peaceful.....lots of birds including one blue faced honey eater who decided it needed to swoop everyone every time they moved between the cabins and dining room.......Only a few people using the caravan park..........nothing on at the showground while we were there so very peaceful...........Mind you every second lady in a caravan must have been a quilter..........we had a few pop there heads in and say g'day once they knew what we were doing.........

One guy was asking if we had a conference.........I said I suppose you can say that.........he then said we worked very late..........I said we are sewing and we sew from early until very very late..............

having done the second cut on the twister quilt I worked on joining more of my quilt top..........

Joining using a new to me method that Jo showed me.........

managed to not stuff it up even..........

Lea's quilt.........love it especially the pops of orange spread thru it..........

Jo's mini version made from her quilt leftovers........Janice has a stupid small twister template and challenged Jo to make this...........Of course we all know Jo likes a challenge and she had this made in no time.........She ended up turning it into placemat/cutlery holder.......

Tina was making these gorgeous pineapples...........love the colours...........can't remember if there are two or three more rows.............

it was a busy day............Mum made scones again for morning tea..........sorry no pics.......and I guess during the day I was busy and didn't think to take photos.......

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

Chookyblue.......

Scrub Stitchin' continued..........part2

Thursday dawned and the room was open by 7am and girls wandering in for breaky and to start stitching very soon after..............by mid morning the room sure was humming.......

That's my mess at the bottom of the pic......working on my twister............

Thursday afternoon drinks and nibbles...........

yes we eat to much but hey it's only a few days..........

Peta arrived with the group project Friday morning so that were handed out at morning tea..............more on that in another post..........

I could be wrong but maybe Georgina???? 

Its very pretty...........I do love soft florals........

So nice to look over the room and see everyone happily pottering away at their projects.........Some helping others or just general chit chat getting to know each other a little more..............

Help and advice is always on hand...........

so many skills and levels of knowledge in this group........everyone just helps everyone.........

Gail got this oldie together..........gorgeous tiny neat stitches..........such a pretty quilt........

Jenny got her twister together...........more on this group option in another post.............

Sue got a few quick quilts together.........


Janice got this one finished......she had the hour glass blocks made before she got here..............
love it so may make one.............

Late Friday night we had a special delivery...........some of the girls had gone down town to the markets that were on..........well Lea won the easter eggs.............Irene knowing we would still be wide awake and sewing called in late to drop them off...........

Thats a quick summary of a few days..........back again soon..............

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

Chookyblue...........

binding........

I'll get back to Scrub Stitchin' but for now...............

Happy Easter............

It was very dark when I took this photo on my phone as I got up to get ready for zoom....... 

Love the stars I also captured......

How many stars can you see?

It was a strong international zoom this one....... Janice was on early for a short patch but nearly 1/3 the zoom time I think I was the only Aussie.......

The bummer with the times now due to daylight savings finishes here and starting in Europe it was late Friday night already when I started...... this didn't stop Ellen and Hanne...... They stayed up late.......

Deb joined us for the first time from Canada......

You can see in the bottom of the zoom screen pic I was binding....... No epp today as I committed to a binding challenge with Rose Marie and Mary earlier in the year........ Except they have made the challenge each month Rose Marie is even one extra up.....I have done about 1 metre one month, a few inches another month and nothing another....... Rose Marie being so kind said even the few inches is progress..... True that but at a very slow rate.......But I got my quilt finished............Its been washed this morning and I'll take some pics later...........probably should have taken it for its photo shoot before I washed it oh well...........

So the discussion then went on as to how many did I need to do.... Rose Marie had several and some being quilted..... She said Mary had heaps......... I've just sent a few quilts away to be quilted so I need to do something before they return.....

I thought I had 3-4 to do ......... OMG how wrong.......

Friends came to visit after lunch and while the boys were out I said what if we go to the Chookshed to chat as I can keep tidying things up after the Scrub Stitchin' dumping.............I started pulling out quilts to show as she enjoyed seeing them...........

OMG BIT OF A SHOCK...........

I have another quilt with binding attached.......I had two bindings prepared see the angle ones above on the top right.......I saw I had two pieces of fabric sitting around with binding written on them.....I cut them......... In the end I cut 5 bindings....I had to choose a couple........So that means I have 8 bindings to do........ All big quilts......because what else would I make..........Oh dear........I need the "binding fairy" but she doesn't travel this far north...........dam........

Here's another view of the tank the day before.......I was capturing the wispy clouds and they didn't last long like this...... Such a brilliant blue sky........

So do you have any binding to do?????

If yes how many?????.

Catch you later.......

Chookyblue.......

zooming?????

OK I had good intentions of posting more while away but I was on overload already so that didn't happen.........I have several more posts to come you will just have to wait till I get them sorted out............

In the mean time whos' ready to ZOOOOMMMMMMM

 

This one will be 6am til lunch time at least my time..........

could be a bit longer but I have Fairy Girl coming home......YIPPEE......

Definitely will not be a marathon session......

Catch you tomorrow.........

Chookyblue......

let's get started......Part 1

The site this I love...........its a sign of switching off...........its beautiful and green with all the rain.........

the grounds are always so peaceful.........

Got the room set up.........missing the flowers and a couple of quilts to hang up............

I love fussing around organising the room.............

dinner at the pub tonight..........

the grevilleas are in full flower and just gorgeous...........

Photos with friends to send to a friend..........

Crawling around for setup.........

Now Jo the over achiever of the group.......on zoom I am always astounded how fast she gets stuff done............now I have seen it for my own eyes............she is unbelievable...........She's giving me tips today......too brain dead last night to learn something new..........

Di was working on this one before she got here clearly but now it's all together............

She's a wizz on the embroidery machine now...........

ok off for a coffee run and into sewing.....

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

Chookyblue.........