Back from the Honeybee's quilting retreat

The guilt was getting to me today. I kept feeling like I needed to be doing something I wasn’t. I snapped out of it because I was doing stuff. It didn't matter that it wasn't my taxes (unless you ask my husband, our accountant) or the church anniversary booklet that really needs to get to the printer's on Monday (Have I started it? Well, in my head I have.) Last week was very inspiring and today was MY Thursday. MY day to play. So I needed to remind myself that I was doing exactly what I was supposed to be doing.

I'm fresh from the Honeybee's quilt retreat. I look forward to it every year. Here’s what I packed this year:

Notice this doesn't even include my suitcase. The tall bag was all things to sell, plus another smaller bag full of things to sell, my machine, my laptop, a table, and lots and lots of projects. Next year I need to remember one of my cropping lamps. Just the lightbulb (yes, I brought my own lightbulb) wasn't enough this year. I'm getting old and blind...

I'll share some classes, projects and other things I did for and at this weekend in the next few days. Here is the class that had the most prep.

I cut almost 400 squares. I started out with some 30's or 40's reproduction fabrics that I wanted to get rid of. My plan was to use up what I had for this scrap quilt. I cut and cut and then decided I needed a little orange and a tad bit more red and yellow...so much for using what I had. Off I went to the quilt store for a little more. Our teacher said that was using our fabric. We didn't have to use it up, just use it.

Then began more mass production. I sewed them into 96 4-patch blocks. They were all done and stacked neatly with my cut batting and white squares (96 of each of them too). Ironed nice and flat. It was fun to just pet them. I got to class and had to mess with the centers and re-iron all of them. Sigh...

Now the magic starts--fancy new templates, pins, sewing in circles. I stayed up after my roomie went to sleep. (Bless her snoring husband who trained her to sleep through noise. My machine was nothing compared to him. Teeheehee.) I ended up having to resew about 30 (Crap!) because my tension was off but I mangaged to have them all sewn and cut by the brunch the next day.

I sat at the brunch and listened to the guest speaker and turned my circles right side out. I had a lovely stack. Now I need to sew them all together. Can't wait to show you what they look like sewn together! Maybe tomorrow...It's amazing because you quilt as you sew so I can say it's almost done...almost...maybe...until I get distracted...