Quaker Haven Quilt Retreat

 

PHOTOS are missing!!  Where do they go??? Hopefully Blogger will figure this out!

If not, I'll repost soon

Hello Everyone!  I hope you're enjoying a beautiful Spring day where ever you may be.

Today has been incredibly busy, packing up for the bi-yearly four day retreat.

It is always a challenge for me to decide which quilting project to take, and what to take for "show & tell". 

I've decided on my great-grandmother's quilt I finished last year, and one of my recent "Around the World" quilt (which still isn't bound!!).  I still haven't decided which quilt project to take.  I'll probably end up taking two or three different projects with high hopes of actually finishing one or two.

While looking for photos of the campground, I came across this beautiful quilt on a wonderful needlework website.  Click HERE to check out this wonderful blog.  The quilt is from the Indiana University Library's collection.  When you check out the Needleprint website, scroll down for a look at the incredible stitching posted.  The quilt above is a friendship quilt, and has blocks with signatures, verses and dedications.

I'm seriously thinking a sample quilt like this would make a great project for my Quaker ladies group! 

I'd better get back to packing....  I'm so behind schedule!!  ttfn,  Holly

A very long Spring Break!!

Yes, indeed, a very long Spring Break!!  I will spare you all the details, but my time away from blogland has been quite productive and restful.  Spring here in Indiana has been lovely and we've enjoyed warmer than normal temperatures.  Soon my little garden will be blooming and producing fresh salads.  Of course, there was Easter with grandchildren, and flowers from the florist.  But most of all, there has been sewing... none of which is finished, but much progress on all projects.  I've tried for years to only have one project at a time, but it never has worked well for me.  When I have a new idea, it takes over all my creative energy, until it's developed to a point where I can see the end.  This is not a good habit to have.  It results in many half finished works, in little plastic bins on my shelves.  But as time has proven, eventually I do get them done, so I've stopped fretting over it.

My big news is I've decided on which quilting frame and sewing machine to buy, and to start machine quilting many of my own quilts.  I've loved having my quilter finishing my UFO's for me, and they've all turned out lovely, but I'm missing the part of the process I do enjoy.  So with much comparison, and fretting, and more comparison, I've decided on the Grace King frame.  It's really been quite a confusing ordeal because there are so many choices, and one can get quite carried away with options.  But, this system seems like it will fit well, and if I want a larger machine later, I can just buy a new machine.

This thing...   is big!  The length alone is 135", but I happen to live in a loft/converted warehouse, so space is not the issue here!  Delivery will be early this next week, so there is much excitement here!  I'm just lucky to have a resident engineer living here with me, who loves to build things.

I've done a bit of machine quilting before, and really enjoy the process.  I know there will be a learning period, but since I've been machine quilting with my Singer 301 for years, I hope to be quilting without problems quickly.

Spring cleaning has also been happening here.  It's been a long process this year, as furniture has been moved, rooms rearranged, and still a bathroom to finish tiling.  My summer sewing room has yet to be completed though.  I'm making room for a daybed in there, and selling one of my commercial machines to make room.  In fact, I think there is a yard sell in my future.

I'll be showing you some of my new projects this week!  Enjoy the rest of the weekend!