February Quilt Retreat

Back a few weeks ago I went to the Eudora Quilting Bees Quilt Retreat. The retreat was held at the Barn Bed and Breakfast near Valley Falls, KS. This year due to some vet bills from our cats, I just didn't have the funds to go and stay overnight for the whole retreat which ran from Sunday, Feb. 15th through to Wed. Feb. 18th. So, I made arrangements with my friend Christine Yoder to ride up with her and Dee (another lovely member of the guild) on Monday. In fact, we enjoyed ourselves so much on Monday that we drove up again the next day as well. These are a few pictures from the retreat. This is Dee, who worked on finishing putting together a lovely top for the Quilts of Valor group (quilt not pictured and some handy shopping bags).

Jerilynn was working on one of the applique blocks for our opportunity quilt for (I think 2010). This is one where I love the colors and patterns. I have one of the applique borders to work on and get done before May.
This is Arlene sewing away and her husband who came along for moral support and do some wood carving.
While I was at the retreat I put together the background for my applique round robin group. My theme is inside the secret garden and my background is as if you are inside the walled garden. I loved the way the purple fabric has a brick texture to it, so that's why I chose it as my wall fabric. Then just above the wall you can see a bit of sky and below a bit of ground. I also used a lovely piece of hand-dyed fabric for the green garden door. It should be interesting to see what plants and flowers the member's of the round robin group add to the background. Each member gets the piece for two months and then passes it on to the next person. I chose to to just made the background, but not include fabrics that I wanted the round robin group to use, because I'm interested in what they might add that I wouldn't have thought of. The one that I'm working on at the moment is a chicken theme and I've been enjoying doing some chickens for her piece.
In addition to getting the background together for the round robin group I'm in (there are six of us in the group) I also spent a bunch of time making some more houses and more star blocks. This is not the greatest photo of them, but I was just trying out a different layout. I think I like having the houses in vertical rows rather than horizontal ones. I also think I need another row of some sort of six inch blocks, maybe more stars, or maybe something else. However, since the retreat I've not worked on this quilt at all, but rather been busy with my round robin project and another applique project that I've started. Also, I have made sixteen new blocks 12" for Quilts of Valor, and only need to make four more for the top to be about the right size. These were easy and fun to make as I was simply doing liberated log cabin blocks. I will have to get some photos of all of this as soon as I have the energy. This past week has been a get nothing done week as I've been laid low with a bad cold. Ah well, the joys of spring. So as soon as I'm a bit perkier I will be back with more photos and news.