Sew Much Fun With Friends at our Quilting Retreat

Bright and early last Monday morning twenty four quilters arrived at Mount Eagle packed and ready to work with sewing machines, sewing tables, chairs and more projects than we could possibly complete in tow. Within an hour we were completely set up and ready to work.

I thought I would give you a glimpse of what goes on at our Quilt Retreats.

Eloise is busily working on a set of beautiful placemats.

Mom's enjoying visiting and hand quilting.Betsy is taking a break and checking out the progress of Ida's "Yogi Bear" Quilt.

Pam and Jan are working away........along with Anna

 Romona is working on a beautiful quilt.

When Linda wasn't teaching us a new technique she was seeing what else was going on around her.

Looks like Rene is changing the setting on her sewing machine

while Janet and Ida get their exercise walking around the room.

Linda's back at work sewing away.

This is a beautiful quilt that hangs in the Lodge at Mount Eagle. This quilt was made by Daisy Patch Quilters several years ago and given to Mount Eagle. Members made blocks and while we were attending a retreat this quilt was born.

Brenda is sewing on her paper pieced Double Wedding Ring quilt.

 Can't wait to see it finished.

                                                                                                                                                                                                              Judi is working on her Piecemakers Challengea work involving half square triangles along with Linda.

Marylou is completing her Civil War Quilt.I am so proud of Marylou. Sue, Carol, Victoria and I all started this quilt at the same time and I am only on month seven and have a long long way to go......... 

Barbara is certainly concentrating on trimming blocks.

Eloise and Rene visiting while Eloise is looking for more fat quarters to complete her project.

Janet is working on a Georgia Bonestein quilt as you go she started some time ago.

What a great time sewingand

visiting with friendsand of course no retreat

would be completewith out all the food you can eat. (This was just a midday snack....)

Over all I'd say we had a wonderful four days!

Quilted Travel Bag / Sewing Bag Tutorial

Several folks have asked for my directions for making this quilted travel bag, so I thought I would make a tutorial. Hope this helps.

Items needed for this project are two pieces of fabric measuring 14” x 20”. One of these fabrics will be the outside of your bag and the other will be the lining of the bag. You will also need a piece of ¾” Hook & Loop tape (Velcro) measuring 12.5”.

 

Make a quilt sandwich using your fabric and batting. Quilt this sandwich with any design you like such as crosshatch, or meandering.Once quilted, trim to measure 12.5” x 18.5”.

Sew hook piece of Velcro on outside of quilted fabric strip along the top. Stitch the bottom of the Velcro.

Repeat on the other end of quilted fabric strip sewing the loop piece of Velcro on the outer edge of fabric. 

Fold in half, right sides together.

Sew side seams.

Open bag and sew a 1.5” gusset on each side of bottom of bag. (Match up the seam on the bottom and side , pin through all thickness and stitch straight across the corner for form a guesset.)

Turn bag, now fold Velcro down

and top stitch in place. 

I made tabs to help me open my bag

And this is the finished project.Hope you have fun making your travel bag. This could also be used as a sewing bag. Enjoy...

Tuesday A Day of Sewing

Mom and I, along with Marylou, Victoria, and Judi joined Carol for a day of sewing, visiting, laughing and eating. All things quilters love to do! Searching for a quilt block named "Hunter's Star" on the Internet.


Laughing at a song by Tom Rush entitled "Remember Song" on YouTube..

Marylou worked on her beautiful "Grandmother's Flower Garden", Judi worked on applique` for her "Calendar Quilt", Victoria worked on hand sewing her binding, Mom was hand quilting a quilt projects she has been working on while Carol and I set out sewing on our machines.

Carol worked on blocks that will go on the back of her "Build A Quilt" once Travis and Marylou removed a lint ball in her new vintage Singer sewing machine.

Me, I was working on half square triangles for a challenge we were given at Piecemakers in January. For years my sewing friends have been giving me their trim up triangles, chuckling and wondering what on earth I was going to do with all those triangles. I keep them in the box my friend, Sue gave me for Christmas several years ago setting on my shelf just waiting for an opportunity to come out and join the party. I use these as my leaders and enders each time I sew. Most quilters have found if you start with a piece of folded fabric under your needle to sew on and off at the beginning and ending of your chain piecing, you won't end up with a thread nest when you begin sewing. Not to mention the fact that you save thread when using this method of sewing. After reading Bonnie Hunter's book "Adventures with Leaders & Enders" I adopted Bonnie's method and instead of using that piece of folded fabric, I use the triangles my friends gave me and make half square triangles that are just waiting to be included in a quilting project.  Never throw trim up triangles away, this is what you can do with them........Now to add a border, this wall hanging must be at least 36" so here is the first border.Still not there yet, so a second border........Eureka! my project is done.....thank you sewing friends. Do you see your triangles in my project?

This year at Piecemakers we are working on a Civil War Quilt. For the month of January we are to make three blocks. The first block is the Arkansas Crossroads The second is Union Square and the third and last is Red River Campaign. When working on quilts, I like to make two at a time. I figure the hardest part of making a quilt is the construction of the block, so if you do one more block while it is fresh on your mind, it isn't as difficult as starting from scratch. So, here are my second set of blocks My friends think I am nuts.... What do you think?