Retreat Results

3" Squares Neonatal Quilt

34" x 34" 

The first day I COMPLETED this neonatal quilt by adding the borders, pin basting, quilting and then binding.

That was all I accomplished because the loading of the car, the drive north through occasional white-outs, and then the unloading of the car took quite a bit of energy.

Saturday I made half of the blocks for this neonatal from 6 FQs of bright fabrics I was given by my cousin Trish.  Later I made the rest and put on a border.

My next task was sewing together two pieces of "Quilt As You Go" that I had finished quilting maybe three years ago.  There had been three pieces and I got two of them together then, but was so disheartened by the process [I hate hand work] that I filed the pieces away, and kept ignoring them on the shelf.  One of my January goals was to get PAST this "awful" step.  And I did!  I don't plan to ever use this technique again.
Here's the front of qhat I was working on: Carolina Crossroads quilt from a Bonnie Hunter mystery in 2008:

Now I can look at it with new eyes and decide whether or not I think it needs borders.  Probably, Yes.

Sunday I pin basted and quilted this Colored Bricks neonatal quilt, using a fishy background fabric.  I tried a new quilting stitch for me -- and elongated zig-zag stitch.  This creates a bumpy or scalloped effect.

Lastly on Sunday afternoon I sewed together more 3" squares for a neonatal center.  I am trying to use up my 3" squares because as Bonnie Hunter says, "They don't play well with others."

I felt I accomplished quite a bit during my time on retreat, and of course enjoyed the companionship of other quilters.

Next post: how well I did on my goals for January and what goals I can set for February.

Sara

Gratitudes:

Mostly resisted the snack table on retreat
My own bed again
Safe trip again on snowy roads