Post Retreat: Prioritizing WIPs

Retreat was wonderful! Due to a date change beyond our control, we had a different configuration of members, and two guests from the Jacksonville (Florida) MQG), for a total of 15 retreats. Each of us had opportunities to get to know new people, and become better acquainted with those we already knew. 

Also, something different for us this time was sharing dining room space with three other groups: 1) a small quilt group (I knew them from Big Cypress Quilters); 2) homeschool parents and kids (we've never retreated with children around!); and, 3) a church leadership group from South Florida.

II accomplished most of what I wanted, in between taking pictures of members who had "tah-dah" moments when I snapped their picture and put it on Instagram. Go here if you'd like to see some finished quilt tops, and our great group photo. Everyone posed with a rotary cutter or scissors, "cutting" themselves or their neighbor! 

In three whole days of sewing, my only tah-dah was this completed Plus Quilt top, an easy piecing job. I'll be sandwiching, quilting, and binding it to donate to Children's Home Society of Florida.

I pieced more Sunny blocks and I love how they look! I need to make 100 more blocks!

The first blocks were foundation paper pieced through newsprint paper, so when I ran out of those, I tried Tara Faughnan's method of using regular printer paper, a dab of glue, and folding back on the lines to edge stitch (no paper to remove). I'm not sure which method I prefer, but I do have a lot of newsprint I need to use-up.

I also pieced all 98 blocks for the Bonnie Lass quilt. Setting triangles for the sides need to be cut before I can complete that top. 

Assessing where I'm at, I now have EIGHT WIPs! Good grief!

Needing to prioritize these projects, the modern potholder quilt (on the design wall) is number one on the to-do list. Binding each block is taking more time than I anticipated - 15 are bound; 26 to go.

The reason it's taking so long is that I'm piecing Pewter-color fabric into many of the bindings, so the Pewter curve appears continuous. It's tedious to do this, getting the curve right, and making it single-fold. There's been as much unsewing as sewing. 

Block made by Maureen @maydecemberquilts

But I know, in the end, this will be worth the effort. 

Top block by Jane @gonequiltinginfl
Center left block by Maureen @maydecemberquilts with my hand appliqué added
Center right block by Betty @zcabed

As for the other WIPs...

• I've been hand-quilting the 2023 "30 Days of Improv" since last fall.
• Last week I pin-basted two quilts (Minimal (Ha!)), and an Honor Flight quilt top I was asked to quilt. 
• To piece Glitter and Bonnie Lass into tops I need design wall space. One design wall is not enough!

Book Recommendations

Bewilderment by Richard Powers is about a special nine year-old boy, Robin, who's the son of astrobiologist Theo. They're both struggling through life changes since the sudden death of their mother/wife. Robin is not coping well. Several incidences at school cause school administrators to recommend psychoactive drugs. For a while, Theo copes with Robin by homeschooling him, but then turns to a friend of his wife whose experimental neurofeedback test might be just what Robin needs. 

Using recorded tests of Robin's mother, Robin's treatment gradually turned him into a changed boy who's energetic, engaged, artistic, inquisitive, and full of potential. When government control and investigation conspire to shut down the testing program, everything changes. 

Though much of the scientific and technical aspects of this story went over my head, and political perspectives were woven into the story, it was a compelling listen.

Linda's score: 4.1/5.0

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth is about several young girls in child welfare. Jessica, Norah, and Alicia stayed at Wild Meadows, an English farming estate with a foster mother, Miss Fairchild. The three are now grown women whose experiences with Miss Fairchild forged their relationship of protecting one another, and made them sisters in every sense of the word.

The house at Wild Meadows has been demolished to build a McDonald's, and a child's body is unearthed. All three women must leave Melbourne and return to Port Agatha to meet with police investigators. Each of them is dealing with some life difficulty of their own making - drug use; relationship avoidance; lewd behavior - all of which are coping responses to what Miss Fairchild put them through decades ago. 

The unexpected plot twist at the end, once again proves Hepworth skill at delivering an engaging tale of wrong behavior, mistreatment, and it consequences.

Linda's score: 4.2/5.0

Something Different

While on retreat I learned about the Mountain Dulcimer Club where my quilt-y friend, Anne plays her dulcimer. Intriguing! On Tuesday I skipped Big Cypress Quilters and visited. I didn't know what that instrument(s) sounded or looked like, so if you're curious like I was, take a quick look/listen. I created this 32-second YouTube clip of a regular dulcimer followed by a hammered dulcimer.

At this time, I'm not planning to join the club, but I'm considering attending a beginner class where I can borrow a dulcimer to try. For now, playing the ukulele is enough. Linda

Three Day Retreat Plans

Whenever I'm going on retreat, I assess which WIPs are candidates for taking along. Over the years I've learned that it's best not to machine quilt while on retreat because there's never enough even surface space to support a quilt. I've discovered - to my dismay - that quilts I've quilted while on retreat finish distorted or wonky. My home set-up is ideal for domestic machine quilting (large tables to support a large quilt) so it's best not to mess with a good thing.

And not wanting to haul piles of stash on retreat to cut out projects, I've been cutting and cutting so I can simply sit and sew during most of retreat. 

Always on the look-out for a good scrap quilt - so I can "scarp my scraps" 😀 (lookin' at you, Char!) - I opened my copy of the book Quilt Lovely by Jen Kingwell, and quickly chose the design "Bonnie Lass." Entirely from my scrap bins, I cut 400 low volume neutrals, and 400 prints in all colors. I should end up with a 59" X 67" quilt.

Also, as luck would have it, Tara Faughnan (Did you know she'll be the keynote speaker at QuiltCon 2025 in Phoenix?) released a new pattern for a quilt I have admired for several years.

"Sunny" is foundation paper pieced. Honestly, when I first saw it, I liked it so much I attempted to duplicate it in EQ8. Well that was a futile attempt! Happily for me, the pattern was released last Thursday - on sale too! - and I snatched it up. 

It's felt very rewarding to dig into my almost-empty large bin of solid fat quarters, some remaining from 2022 when I won all 100 colors of Benartex Superior Solids, to cut pieces. I'm also using-up leftover chunks (bigger than scraps) of other brands of solids. I feel so frugal! 😉

I sewed these blocks during Central Florida MQG's Saturday Sew-In, and I sure like them.

I'll be taking along parts to make 34 "Sunny" blocks.

Since I'm participating in Jeni Baker's (In Color Order) Quilt Along to make a "Plus Quilt" I cut blocks to piece. I'm not following Jeni's table of block size options, but have cut all my pieces 5" X 5". I should end up with a 40½ " X 54" quilt -a nice size for a child. 

After three full days of retreat sewing (I tend to burn the midnight oil) I hope to come home with two completed quilt tops: "Bonnie Lass" and "Plus Quilt"; and make a good start on "Sunny."

As quilters do, everything for sewing time is prepped and packed - including cleaning and oiling, and putting a new needle in my Bernina 440. Now it's time to pack clothes and personal items! Ha! Don't admonish me! Priorities, right? I know you get retreat-ready the same way I do.  Linda