Candace’s random observation last year, that my newly moved into rural home would make a fine place for a quilt retreat, became a reality this past weekend. Five women (including myself) filled my house with fabric, projects, sewing machines, food, drinks and fun. The weekend commenced Friday evening with a walk to the back of our woods before cooking hot dogs over a campfire. Saturday was for sewing, shopping in nearby Mason, watching MSU football and celebrating Brenda’s milestone birthday.
Happy Birthday!
All too soon it was Sunday and time to pack up. The sizable fabric stash from my recent studio purge had been set out for the taking and, happily for me, it was nicely depleted. In fact, my favorite moment of the weekend came when I heard uproarious laughter after the ladies discovered this panel in the stash…
Okay, it’s not exactly my style but there is a method to my madness! I see lots of good texture in this image…stones, dirt, sticks, shrubbery. I imagined cutting it up for use in other art quilts. Now, I’m determined to keep and use it for the backs of future challenge quilts. All because someone tlhought the bison was hilarious! 😉
Another humorous moment: During a discussion on ironing we discovered that 2 of us have ironed money and 1 of us has ironed pajamas…and let me just say, none of those three is me!
Brenda, Candy, Jill and LizWorking on projects
Our weekend retreat was the perfect place to have our latest quilt challenge reveal. The theme for this challenge was Vacation/Travel and here are the quilts…
This is a portrait of my grandson, Chase, on a family vacation we took to Disneyland a couple of years ago. His happy lack of self-consciousness while wearing a foam lobster hat around the pool tickled me then and still does now.I combined a photo printed on fabric with a “color is irrelevant” theory & technique taught by Susan Carlson. Not sure I would choose green again for a face but, overall, mission accomplished.The highlight of Candace’s quilt is a 3-dimensional hammock that hangs between palm trees in her idyllic vacation setting.Ruffled leaves and beautiful stitching.Brenda actually took an extended vacation to Bali this past spring. The fabrics in this quilt are all batiks she purchased in Bali and in the scene her feet are up in relaxation and a margarita is on the table nearby. 🙂Alison wasn’t able to attend the retreat due to illness but sent along her challenge quilt. For this quilt she altered a pattern she had for the bicycle by placing her dog in the front basket. Orange was a personal choice as it represents the fight against leukemia and she quilted ribbons using a double needle for the first time. The flip flops, sunglasses, bathing suits, and bike all sing ‘vacation’!
When choosing a theme for the next challenge we decided to borrow an idea from the annual AQS competition “New Quilts From an Old Favorite”. We’ll all be choosing a traditional block pattern an updating it in a modern way. With the aforementioned panel still in my stash I may have to consider the ‘Bear Claw’ block…but that remains to be seen. 😉
Ellen Parrott 
Wow! Amazed by the quilts, the talent and the country house! Tina!
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