Ft. Morgan Retreat

First beach retreat in Fort Morgan, Ala. There were 8 of us.  We rented a great beach house and set up in the great room.  I took some pictures and thought I'd share a few.

We ate at Rips in
Mandeville, La where we had stopped to eat lunch and visit a quilt shop Bright Hopes.  Food was absolutely wonderful and we liked liked the quilt shop.  

A view of the water

Once there we all set up to sew and I took random shots of our set ups and the ladies I was with.

Liz and Mono

Vonda and Patty

Brenda who arranged our trip

Denise and Patty

 The view from my set up was gorgeous.  I would 
spend time just looking out the window.  It was wonderful.

A & E fabric store in Pensacola, Fl.

When you first drive up to this fabric store I doesn't look like much but has tons of fabric.  It a Pharmacy/fabric store.  Some combination!

My one walk on the beach.  The sand was whitened pretty but so hard to walk through.  It  was neat to go down there though

Here we are at Lambert's in Foley, Ala.

Outside as we're going into Lamberts the home of the thrown rolls

Another day outside my set up

Waiting for the ferry to cross the bay to come home.

As we traveled home we drove to New Orleans and visited the Quilted Owl.  Really loved that store.  They had Jo Morton, and lots of other 1800's.  They also had wool.
Then we stopped in Baton Rouge at the Red Stick and it was neat tool  Totally different line of fabrics.  Found some grey.

"Old Blue" top is done

Blur Ridge Mountain or "Old Blue"

This has been a big project after all.  Lots of sewing and I have been working on this a while.  Naturally, it's not been the only thing I did during the months I worked on it, but I stayed pretty steady.  I had trouble deciding on the border.

One choice

the selected one

There were many neutrals I tried, finally realized I needed more color so it wouldn't bleach out, then I had to look at the two outside choices until I was satisfied.  I do have a big back for the backing and will see about getting this quilted soon.

One of the next projects

Our Happy Scrappers groups had a swap of signature blocks. The challenge has been to think up a way to make a quilt.  I knew I wanted stars and settled on the Sister's choice block.  I have all the blocks set up with neutrals and this brown for the points.  I want to put it together with sashing too, but haven't selected that yet.

Possible setting

Putting the rows together

An update on the quilt from Kathy brown's class.  This started with a jelly roll.  Have cut and sewn the blocks and now in the process of putting rows together.  This has been going on between other things.  I do have two borders to add to this.

I've been working on the X blocks and will take a picture later.  My current Leader and Ender is a log cabin with centers of red at 2.5 blocks.  I plan on 100 blocks and will be working on this for a while  

Catching Up

Thought it about time to do some posting and catching up on activities.  I have been fairly active in my sewing, but doing that instead of the blogging.  I went to a great retreat and got just a few pictures. As you can see we are quite busy.

View from my machine

A block I thought I'd try

An inspiring quilt, I love it.

I've been making progress on Ole Blue, I've named it and am putting on borders now.  I tried it on the bed and it is getting very big.  I worried about the inner border last night and will revisit that before adding any more to the quilt.

Border choice 

Ole Blue put together in barn raising setting

 I took a class after the retreat and set up my Featherweight in the dining room to keep on sewing instead of mixing it with the blue quilt.  I enjoy this machine so much.  I liked having the machine set up to sew on when John was still asleep, however he wasn't crazy about the idea.  Still I keep on sewing and got the inside pieces made.  Now on to the design wall trying to set it together.

Set up to sew

I got very comfortable after a while

Meanwhile, I have been looking at what seemed like so much chaos in my sewing room and in an effort to make myself more comfortable, I tried to rearrange, sort and so on.  Progress so far.

New containers to hide collections

Refolded chunks of material for easier access

I've cut a kit from two layer cakes that will be spring like to me.  I want to take this to retreat in Ala. in a few weeks.  Of course keeping up with scrap cutting pieces.  Started a log cabin for my niece as a Leader, ender.  I worked on Scrappy X blocks to fun sew between putting Ole Blue rows together.  I've also been straightening some of the wire baskets.  I have enjoyed myself and made tiny bits of progress and this and that.  I guess sewing doesn't necessarily have to have big finishes.  Oh also have been making backs to get some of the quilts laying around quilted.  Till next time