Quilt Camp Group Two

Group Two arrived the next day, consisting of two of our lovely Friday students, Ellen and Marg; a very loyal customer, Billy Jean and her friend Bronwyn; and Margaret from Townsville, whom we had never met! At only our second ever QC group, we were a little nervous about having a guest we had never met before, but as soon as she arrived we were at our ease with Margaret. What a terriffic and friendly addition to Group Two!

Almost as soon as the girls arrived they were in the sewing room, eager to start and get as much of their projects done as possible - cups of tea and bikkies not withstanding of course. Ellen is working on a Piece O' Cake quilt from their book, A Quilt for All Seasons, which she started in a Friday class not long ago. Ellen makes all her quilts by hand and is a great lover of applique, so getting her onto the sewing machine on day 2 to piece a liberated star block was a gigantic step! She did a great job, but was soon back at her hand applique and used her time to make big inroads into her pile of blocks.

Marg has also made all three of her quilts by hand, and done some lovely applique, and is also working on a Piece O' Cake quilt. She had done quite a few blocks and was quite keen to learn how to strip piece the long pieces which are to seperate the applique pieces from each other. A few minuites on the machine and she was away, and managed to complete over five metres of strippy bits to put in her quilt! Something tells me she's going to be making a few machine pieced quilts in amongst all that hand piecing from now on. (The applique in the top strip is from something special Kathy is working on.... more about that later!)

Margaret had come from Townsville with Kathy's quilt, The Carlton, in mind, and she was away and cutting straight out of the starting gate. Margaret managed to get heaps of her top pieced during her stay, and was fantastic company to boot. You're welcome back any time Margaret, it was great to meet you!

Billy Jean and Bronwyn are old friends who have recently met back up with each other, and decided to use Quilt Camp to renew their friendship. We can't think of anything better than spending a few days away with a special friend, sewing and gossiping - and eating, because there was plenty of that.

Billy Jean decided a while ago that she would make a version of Kathy's Retro Starburst for the couch at her beach house, and picked some fantastic bright and funky fabrics to do it. After a quick trip to Morpeth for a quarter inch foot for her machine, Billy Jean put together the most gorgeous top, all ready to quilt when she gets home. Well done you!

When Bronwyn came in to the shop to pick the quilt she wanted to do at the retreat she was concerned that she would have trouble getting anything too complex together in the time she had. We think she was pulling our leg, because with the greatest of ease she whipped up this colourful and beautifully made Tokyo Rose - so lovely in fact that she sent Margaret scurrying back to Sydney for a Tokyo Rose kit of her own to take home to Townsville. Make sure you send us a photo when it's done Margaret!

All in all Group Two were such a delight.... two groups in and we were feeling pretty good about this retreat business. Great company, good food, good wine, more good food, more good wine... and we haven't even showed you all the sewing Kathy, Carolyn and I got done yet! But first things first... Group Three is coming your way, and "the Ruler Group" certainly got some work done. Stay tuned..... Sarah :)

Ellen and Marg stitching in the corner.....

Bill Jean and Bronwyn working hard

Willing hands in the kitchen