Design Wall Monday and Retreat Report

Last week was my final retreat for the year. 

I had plans, lots of plans.

I worked and worked, chatted and laughed!

My first project was to make this table runner for my friend for Christmas.

I just need to add the buttons to the intersections.

Ramona showed it last week on this blog post and I knew it would be the perfect gift.

Then she sent me the link for the tutorial.

Thanks Ramona!

Next I worked on bow tie blocks for another table mat.

Insert my sad face here when I did bring enough of my background to finish the blocks.

And then I cut for another table runner and the fat quarter I wanted to use was all cockeyed crocked!

It was so bad! 3" bad!

I have the charm squares cut and ready to go so I'll find something else that will work with it.

It wouldn't be a retreat without a Whoopsie or 2.

Next project--UFO #8 for August from Patchwork Times UFO Challenge.

20 Garlic Knot blocks were from a block swap and I made 28 more.

We layed them out and arranged them and pinned into rows at Binding Friends last week.

The sewing went pretty fast.

(After I made the last 3 blocks that I needed.)

Next up will be to quilt it and bind it with a scrappy batik binding.

Then I pulled out my Garden Party #2 Blocks and worked on them the rest of retreat.

I am almost finished with them.

Retreat started Thursday for me so I spent lots of time quilting the secret project before I left. 

I'm almost ready for binding and gifting and sharing.

Here is my favorite snag on the road into retreat.

The rains and winds knocked all the pretty orange leaves off the trees.

I take a picture of this at every retreat. 

I love this old snag!

Check out all the great design walls at

Small Quilts and Doll Quilts Design Wall Monday.

Design Wall Monday

 I've had a fun week in my sewing room. I got my new ruler foot for my machine on Wednesday and had to play. After some fun practice pieces, I found this block that screamed out for some straight line quilting . I'm sure it came in a scrap bag from one of my generous friends. So I played and now have a bright, cheery little table mat.  I am counting this as finish #6 for the year. After all, it is a finished quilt.

Since the backing fabric I ordered arrived, I'm pretty excited to start making a batting (sewing together the big hunks) so I can get busy quilting the next quilt. Oh boy do I have a plan cooking up in my head.

Speaking of batting, I added to my stack of quilt as you go blocks. This helps empty out one bag of small batting scraps and lots of strings from the bin. I have 30 blocks done, 18 to go.

Sunday found me making a stack of 31 little string blocks. Sometimes I get started on these and forget to stop. I settled in for some TV watching and some de-papering. 

I also spent some time cutting the last 2 rosettes for block 7 of Millefiore. I'm using scraps from Allietare. Next for this quilt will be to join the rosettes I have complete so I can figure out which colors to use on the remaining rosettes.

See what other quilters are working on at Patchwork Times.

Slow Stitching Sunday

I have an obsession with hexagons.  I admit it freely. I love those little things. I seem to have a hexagon project going all the time now.  After finishing up the hand stitching on Circle of Jewels (I can't believe I don't have a picture of the whole top!), I had to start something else.

I had a bin of strips the my friend Billie gave me. Her friend gave them to her, they were samples of a fabric line. I had kept them all together hoping someday to find the perfect project for them.  This table mat was it. I had ordered a template and papers kit over a year ago and knew it was time to use it.  I have enough cut for another mat but I'm not going to start it just yet.

Today I will put the outside border on and get it ready to quilt. I'll try quilting by hand but no promises.

Last year Mickey Depre worked on Castle Wall blocks as her year long project. This year I am doing it. (Although her new project is pulling at my heart strings!)  I wrote about my Castle Wall beginning here. This is my first block and last night I started my second one. But first I need to finish my table mat so I can dive in and create these.

I'm linking up with Kathy's Quilts-Slow Stitching Sunday and after my coffee cup is refilled, I'm seeing what everyone else is working on.

Happy Stitching.