Wonderful Retreat!

So yesterday I finally had to come back to The Real World... having spent a few days away with my Patch group buddies, it was hard to do! Isn't it wonderful how even a few days can feel longer, when they're filled with good times & great friends?!

The drive out to the town of Dwellingup is very pretty... sadly, this year some of it is scarred by the recent bushfires in the region... but evidence of new growth is everywhere.

Didn't take me long to get Miss Pfaff set up... & get to work on my main project... don't you love my view from my little work station?!

Of course the days are full of chatting & much laughing, refreshments, snacks & meals, sitting on the deck outside, magazine & book perusal, and plenty of sewing. Toss in a 60th birthday High Tea, a stunning roast lunch on Saturday, a toast for a recently deceased group member & a swig of port each evening.

As for the meals, I'll just say we wanted for nothing... it seemed that the fridge was growing its own food, there was so much of it... good thing the grounds are so lovely for a long walk around!

Last year I started working on a quilt I'd seen on the Moda Bakeshop site... & then it got packed away for a few months... take a look at it now!

I've pieced together all 12 blocks that make up the quilt... they're big ones at 20inches square... here are half of them on a design board... pinned for admiring, not for final layout... I'm so pleased with what I achieved.

 The fabrics are a range called 'Honey Honey' from Kate Spain... love, love, love this range.

The writer of the tutorial suggests to press all seams open... I'd never done that consistently throughout a project before, but decided to do it this time... it's a fiddly process but wow the seams are so flat & look so sharp, even where columns & rows meet in a seam corner... care & patience is the key to success here.

We played a game after dinner one evening... Strip Poker... but not as you know it!
A jelly roll is divided evenly between all players & fabrics are gained or lost depending on the roll of the dice.

Golly, there was much silliness going on with this one... and guess who the final winner was?!
Me, yay!

Apparently I have to "make something" with it within a certain period of time... but I'm not sure whether the game organiser was serious or not... it's possible she's not! In any case, I already have an idea. Batiks are definitely not a fabric style I like, & these colours are hard to love, but I'm sure I could make something work.

 It was a fab few days, & I'm so grateful to have these ladies in my life... just the re-charge I didn't realise I needed.

Thanks for popping by & have a great week!