Wandering Camera Post #7

What has been happening this month? Sometimes I think you could make a reality television program around us with the dramas that seem to happen. So I thought I would start with sharing the cement truck bogged in our yard. The picture doesn't quite give you the angle needed to see how close it was to the rain water tanks as it slowly sank deep. They had to emptied the cement into wheelbarrows to get it down to the new shed at the back of our yard.

I was away on a quilting retreat a couple weekends ago with 22 ladies sewing up a storm. Here are some of the pictures taken but of course the drama continue when I couldn't start the car outside the post office. What happened was I went to do the weekly shopping and on returning home it was raining so I stopped at the post office which is almost across the road from home. Imagine my dismay when I couldn't start my car, when my shopping in the car and so much to do before I was leaving. Let alone the thought what happened if it is big problem and I have no car to get me to the retreat (1 1/2 hour drive from home). It was all good, the mechanic got me back on the road and I got there. My friends did have a backup plan if needed.

The teapot challenge

A view of Adelaide from the balcony.

Until Next Time
Keep Stitching
Cynthia

Retreat Round Up

Our Quilting Retreat is officially over for another year. Sad feeling all around I think. Time to go home and back to the real world. There is always a few things you can count on when we heading up to Nunyara Conference Centre for our annual retreat. Firstly all the ladies attending this retreat.  They are a great bunch of ladies. Lots of work went into setting everything up. There is always plenty of laughs and stories shared. There is some of us that only catch up on this weekend so it makes it a special time.  Plus we never go hungry with breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. There is plenty on offer.
This year I was the shop for the retreat, which was very exciting. Even though Friday didn't go to plan, when I couldn't get the car started out the front of the post office and had to call for assistance. I was worried that if it was serious I wouldn't have made to the retreat but I was back on the road an hour later. In the end I was running a little late but I was happy to be loaded up and heading on my way. Luckily two of my closest friends had a backup plan in place just in case I was car less. Thank you to them for being prepared.

I took six projects with me, three from my Project Uninterrupted list and three newer projects. Now my Project Uninterrupted project were in various stages of completion but the aim was to get them to the quilting stage for next weekend. Here is the link to the previous post on them. In the end my Scrap Dance Mystery quilt has made it to the quilting stage along with my Quiltmaker New Year Mystery quilt. So I will prepare them for quilting during the week.

The third one is my Forget Me Not quilt I have made some progress but not as much as I hoped. Then again it is English Paper piecing.

The three newer projects included my Victorian Chest quilt, let's just say I touch it but I didn't sewing anything on it. I did finished off a replacement Raff the giraffe for the shop and I did stitch a  tiny bit of my Pemberley BOM.

Progress may not have been as much as I hoped but I did run a full day workshop on Saturday on my newest pattern the Tea Party Table Topper so there wasn't much sewing for me but I did enjoy running a workshop and the progress the ladies made was great. We even had a completed Tea Party Table Topper by Sunday, thanks to Barbara and Liz is turning hers into a cushion so it won't take her long to finish hers.

So until next time we head off together for another adventure we returned to our normal lives for the time been.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Retreat workshop Update

Saturday was workshop day at our retreat. I was running my Tea Party Table Topper workshop.

We were working in a few different colours Ardently Austen by Amanda Herring and Harrington by Leonie Bateman. All very beautiful. Fabric is all available on my online store along with the pattern for this or the kit. 

Early progress was made. Four plates started.

At dinner the progress is a lot further along.

It was a great day and we continued well into the evening.

Until Next Time 

Keep Stitching 

Cynthia 

Retreat Project Update

Friday is the day to load up our cars and head off to our annual retreat at Nunyara. After careful consideration I have selected to following projects to take with me.
These 3 are on my Project Uninterrupted list
1. 2015 Quiltmaker New Year Mystery quilt.
All the blocks are made ready to be sewn together.

2.Scrap Dance Mystery quilt.
This one just needs the rows sewn together.

3. Forget Me Not Sew Along quilt.
A English Paper piecing project about 2/3 completed.

4. Victorian Hope Chest Quilt.
Which is a newer project. All the blocks are completed and I have cut the 1st and 2nd borders.
I don't believe I have no pictures of this one. I will take some when I unpack it at retreat.

Plus I have thrown in a couple other projects just in case including the new Pemberley BOM.

I will share more later. Hopefully I get some of these to the quilting stage.
Until Next Time
Keep Stitching
Cynthia

A Quilters Odyssey Retreat Update.

This Friday I am taking the shop and myself on the A Quilters Odyssey annual Retreat at Nunyara. It will be a cold weekend perfect for sewing. Previous I have just been a participant at this event, so it is an honour to be asked to bring the shop with me. Plus I am teaching my Tea Party Table Topper in a workshop.
The key for this week is to top all the boxes up, pack the pre orders as I asked if anyone want anything in particular as I can't take everything. Put some prizes together. Packing my workshop kits and tools.
I think by the time I pack the car on Friday morning it will be full. I hope I can get my machine in. I have decided not to take my trolley bag that way my machine can sit on the floor behind my seat or it may have to be in the front with me and the Cynthia's Ark Animal crew who are riding shotgun this year. Have you met them? There is Larry the Lion, Raff the giraffe and his brother Raffe, Dee Dee the dolphin, Oliver the Owl, Pete & Piper the Penguins, Platte the Platypus and I hear Diggles the Dragon is going to fly in at some stage. Some of the gang from last year's road trip to Kapunda.

I am sure  the team at A Quilters Odyssey will host another great retreat. Only three more sleeps before the fun starts. I will share pictures over the weekend and do a round up early next week.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

A Quilters Odyssey Retreat

The Sunset on Sunday night at Nunyara Belair, you wouldn't think turning 90 degrees to the right and you would see the City of Adelaide below you. I should of taken that my picture.

A Quilters Odyssey annual retreat was on over this last weekend. Beautiful clear weather, no rain in the forecast. All 23 of us packed our bags and head for Nunyara Conference Centre at Belair for a weekend of sewing, chatting, games, shopping and good food. Kate and Sue are behind this gathering and they have done a great job once again.

I always take too many project to work on. I didn't want to run out of sewing now, do I? This year's goal was to finish my Double Wedding Ring bed runner as it came with me on retreat last year and wasn't touch. So that was Saturday project, the top was completed and it is ready for quilting.

Also I tackled the remaining 8 large Ohio Star blocks that have been cut for months. Done now just have to sew the small ones which I cut just in case I got to them but that didn't happen.

Another lingering project was my Batik Half Square Triangle quilt, it just needed the 3 borders added to them.

This was Sunday job after we had the wonderful Michele Hill visit us and speak to us about her quilting journey. Very inspiring she was and her work is stunning to see close up. I may even have a go at one of her patterns in the future. It may be time to try machine applique for real. I brought her new book on the day so I will share which project I pick and how I go when it happens.

Sunday night gave me a chance to sew a Melly & Me project for the next fair. I need a few more samples and I do like to try the patterns I sell because it helps me advise my customers. So I made Dee Dee the dolphin and she was a breeze to make and you can get the pattern at www.cynthiasark.com.au with lots of other Melly & Me patterns including some I have made kits up for.

On Monday I had Piper & Pete the penguins to make up as I cut them out before the retreat, but I got about 3/4 quarters through making them and I needed to stuff them before I could finish them off and I didn't have enough stuffing with me. 

Lastly I finally finished April's Bitty Blocks. The lag of sewing over May and June is noticeable to me with me falling behind in some projects. I have May's blocks cut ready to go so we will see if we can catch up a little bit before the end of July or not.

No matter what, lots was achieved over the weekend by everyone with lots of fun thrown in. A great weekend was had and it was sad when we had to return home and most of us back to work. If only we had another day together but there is always next year.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia