FQ Retreat

..... and a GREAT time was had by all!

Firstly, before I say anything else, a huge thanks has to go to the Fat Quarterly team, for the fantastic job they did this weekend.  Not only was it superbly organised, the team were soooo friendly and approachable and it really felt like we'd known them for ever. 

I nearly hyperventilated on arrival, coming face to face with John Adams, or QuiltDad as he may be better known!  John is the reason I signed up for the retreat - one of my first 'modern' attempts at quilting was a wonky log cabin cushion cover from John's tutorial.  It was the first thing I ever posted on flickr, and I think John's was one of the first comments - my first feedback from a professional!  

John's welcoming speech

Lucie Summers, designer of the fantastic Summersville range, Katy 'I'magingermonkey' Jones and Tacha Breucher were also on the reception desk with Lynne of Lily's Quilts and Brioni Greenberg loitering nearby. There were also some truly stunning quilts which had been made by the team decorating the area, but I have to confess to being so overwhelmed I didn't actually notice them till later! Somewhere amongst the throng was Kerry who was also teaching a class, and Aneela joined us later for her embroidery lesson.  

(I think I've mentioned everyone, but if I missed anyone, I'm so sorry!  And thank you, too!)

Anyway, after a quick game of people bingo which got the ice well and truly broken - 100+ women & 2 guys wandering round staring at each other's boobs in an effort to match name tags to lists...! - John opened proceedings with his welcoming speech and away we went.

Now, at this point, my brain pretty much went into shock.  I completely forgot I had a camera except at one point in the afternoon when someone reminded me to take a picture of my embroidery efforts.  And so because there was so much going on.... and there's so much to tell you ..... and I can take retrospective photos at home this evening.... I'm going to blog about the classes, the goody bag, the ironman challenge, the real pleasure of meeting other bloggers etc etc etc..... later!

I'm sorry - I hate it when bloggers do that - they've been to a brilliant event and then come back and tell you NOTHING!  But honestly?  It was fantastic, it was stimulating, it was inspirational, and if you didn't go, book next year's as soon as it becomes available.... and it was exhausting!  There was just so much to take in, and process, and enjoy, and I will share it with you..... tomorrow.

I'll be there......

So this time next week, I'll have been up since 5am, have travelled into London via East Finchley, have taken part in Lynne's cushion workshop (union jack or circling geese?  Can't decide) and the lucky Aneela will have been trying to teach me to embroider for about an hour. Edited to add - got my schedule completely wrong!  Kerry Green has the pleasure of my half awake Saturday morning post travel traumatised self, Lynne doesn't get to wrestle with my 'skills' till Sunday!

I will also have finally got to meet those fab people who's blogs I've been reading over the last however many months, who have made me laugh out loud, wonder at their amazing creativity and curse them for their ability to make my own attempts seem so second rate..... :-)

Let me introduce myself though, to those of you who haven't yet met me or read the blog before now.  I'm Pennie, I live in Reading with my lovely partner, 2 springer spaniels and a cat.  I run a wedding catering business with my chef other half, and spend most of the rest of my time (I'd say spare, but it never seems to be!) bemoaning the fact I don't have anywhere near enough time to sew.  I was initially going to put a picture of my beautiful dogs here, as they are so much better looking, but then realised it would prove difficult to recognise me next week....  hint - just look for the orange haired lunatic covered in dog hair!

Before Saturday I have to make a name badge, finish getting my supplies together, make a sewing kit and pin cushion, choose what to take for show and tell (not been doing this long, so that bit should be easy)... oh, and finish the 9 pairs of curtains and pelmets I promised in the last blog post.  I also have a big jubilee lunch event to finalise and hand over at work, and a 50th birthday party to arrange for the 4th June... so I'll have loads of time for the other things.....

I'm using the retreat as my opportunity to premier my lovely 241, and my fab Sweetwater tote will be loaded to the gunnells with all manner of sewing stuff. 

I really can't wait to meet everyone...

oh, and for those of you who'd rather see the good-looking ones, here they are :-)

Silly billy.....

We have some friends, let's call them Toby & Jane Oakley* who live in Cornwall.  Back in March, we were lucky enough to have a lovely week in thier holiday home, and in exchange I promised to make them some new curtains.  Jane* and I went shopping for the fabric, lining etc, measurements were taken, one pair were made, although not without many mistakes, during the holiday and I came back home to finish the other 8 pairs and pelmets. 

And here I have to confess, I've been a rubbish friend, and I haven't yet finished them. 

Earlier this year, I applied to join a quilting bee for the first time, and was excitingly accepted.  Half way through April the fabric and instructions arrived and they've been sitting on my sewing desk looking at me accusingly (I think the sweet chocolate bee that came with them was doing more looking than the fabrics to be honest) while I have failed to start the block.  It's a wonky square in square block, I've made them before, no reason not to just get stuck in.

This morning I had a coffee and a good girly chat with a quilting friend.  We got quite carried away (ok, I got carried away!) discussing a secret project, and I was really touched when said friend said she would only want people to help who she could trust to sew things to a really good standard.  Judging by the to do list I've come away with, it seems I am to be trusted to do that.

So, 'what the heck is she going on about', I hear you ask?  (If you're Charlotte or Kelly, that word's probably not 'heck'....) what's the connection?  Am I about to not do another thing for someone?

Nope, far from it.  What this morning made me realise was that I've been having a bit of a crisis of confidence, and not trusting my ability to make things for other people.  Having been less than well since March hasn't helped - I've had little energy and a serious issue with brain fog and lack of ability to concentrate.  Anything I've done for myself has been fraught with mistakes, unpicking, stupidity.  And so I just haven't had the faith in my abilities to do things for other people.  I've blamed it on work pressure, family commitments etc, but cards on the table, heart on sleeve, the fact is I didn't trust myself to do them right, and I was scared to ruin them.  But if I'm trusted to get involved with the secret project , then I need to stop being a silly billy and just get on with the curtains first!

Today, I've tested myself and made the bee block.  I'm not convinced it's what the bee member wanted - I think it might be too sedate, but I managed to make it.  I've sent a photo, and if they don't like it, I will make another one.

But more importantly, here & now, I'm not only apologising to our lovely friends Toby & Jane* for my total muppetness and rubbish-friend-ness, I'm making a promise that I will get them finished before the bank holiday weekend, whatever it takes.  You're all my witnesses - all 13 of you that read this blog! - and you have the right to nag me as much as you like to make sure I get them done.


* names have been changed to protect the innocent

So it didn't go according to plan.....

So firstly, I made that cuppa, and grabbed the cake, and took those and the tired wet spaniels for company and went to my little sewing haven to do Kelly's bidding...

And after an hour I realised inspiration had taken a vacation.  I tried all sorts, Stone Garden, nope.... Heather Ross (wouldn't this be great lining with a ready made pocket?) nope....  even my beloved Pezzy, nope......

I just couldn't get it, that eureka moment when you see the fabrics together and know that's what you want to make.....

And then I remembered this Heather Ross Campers pyjama leg.....

Oh, and I got so excited!  I found stuff to go with it - orange dots and turquoise pezzy, solid orange and red linings....

I ironed it....

I folded it.....

I laid the pattern piece on it.........

And it didn't fit!  Oh, I nearly cried.

So then I remembered I have a name badge to make for the retreat, and thought a fussy cut camper would be just the thing....

Could I bring myself to cut one out?  Could I 'eckers like!

So then I stood.... and thought..... and looked one way.... and looked the other way.... and did a double take.... and then I really did have a bit of a gasping sob when I saw this.....

My gorgeous Hometown tote bag with a big dirty OILY stain on the bottom of one side.  I have absolutely no idea how I've managed that, but I'm gutted.  It's currently in the machine with some Ariel biological, and it'll either be ruined by the detergent or ruined by an unshiftable stain.

So not the lovely, peaceful, pottering-about evening I was looking forward to.

Anyway, to make up for the lack of a 241, although this won't appease Kelly, 'cos she's already seen it, here's one I made earlier.

This was made a couple of weeks ago, with Melody Miller typewriters and some matching Kona solids.  I cheated slightly and used some neutral webbing to make the handle, and I gave it a pretty multicoloured lining.  I love it, although I haven't yet had chance to use it.  But you know what?  I know now why I can't find the fabric to make a 241 tonight....



It's because, for me, I already have the perfect one!

What to do.....

So, I have the evening to myself with the dogs.  Time for a quick poll....

do I:

a) curl up on the sofa with TV / book, a lovely cuppa, piece of OH's homemade cake and 2 tired, wet spaniels for company

b) go and make the Plan Bee 2012 wonky log cabin block I need to finish before the end of May

c) make another 241 tote

d) have a play with one of these high-falutin' pic software thingies and redesign the blog image

e) go through my sewing room pulling out stuff I need for the retreat before trying to work out where everything else is going to come from.....

Answers on a postcard to..... (or alternatively in the comments box below.)  Lines will close at 8pm, votes made after that time may not be counted and you may still be charged......

A lovely afternoon....

After a very busy month, the only time I've had for sewing has been after a stressful or long and tiring day.  I've been working on a 12" mini for the LMQG challenge, and I just haven't been able to get it right, because I've been tired, and so have taken short cuts or made mistakes with proportions when my brain's not working!

So today I sought professional help!  I took my brain-curdling efforts over to Aneela, with the plan to have a cuppa and chat while we did some sewing. Once again, there was too much chat for us to be able to concentrate on stitching!  I got some advice - mainly don't sweat it - on the mini, we talked about upcoming projects, brain stormed an idea for a new tv show (yes, really, we have a great plan!) and then I had a truly breathtaking glimpse into her fabric stores.  Oh my, I hope I didn't get too much drool on them!

There was obviously the full range of Aneela's own designs, and some other ranges I recognised, but the most exciting of all was the stack of beautiful Heather Ross fabrics, that previously I've only read about. There were aliens, cats, dogs, camper vans and ice cream trucks.  And then there were the supermodels of the fabric world - the unicorns and Princess & the Pea of Far, Far Away, and the truly beautiful Mendocino.  I have a fresh understanding of why they have been so sought after.... and a huge regret that I didn't start quilting longer ago, so that I might have bought some myself.

Next time, it'll be my turn to host, although I doubt there is anything in my little range of fabrics that would even compare with the contents of Aneela's sewing room.  I might have to resort to chocolate brownies in recompense!

Oh, and that photo at the top?  They're now mine, all mine.......

Just a quickie..... please vote for me!

OK, so I've got a bit ahead of myself this week, and entered a competition!  I've submitted the double wedding ring wall hanging that I made for my sister to the Quilting Gallery weekly contest.


Please click here and give me a vote.


Please.....


Pretty please.....


oh, and don't forget to tell everyone else you know!