Wow! What a weekend it was last week. As many of you know I held my first big stitching retreat (gathering), actually it was the first retreat I had organised full stop. As you can imagine I was incredibly excited and at the same time nervous that it would all go off smoothly. I was so lucky to have Rosie, Leanne, Melly and Janelle as guest designers for our first gathering. They are just the most amazingly generous ladies as I am sure all of you who attended will agree.
Although I took my camera I didn't have time to take any photographs - Jodie took a few but her camera was not playing the game (hence the blurry photographs) and my little Rachel took some but for the rest I need to wait for Susan to send me back a disc from Queensland. I know there are many bloggers who have posts here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here (who knew there were so many South Aussie bloggers?) - if you have a blog and I haven't found you yet, please let me know and I will add a link.
And even though the long awaited and much needed rain was coming down it was still light and cosy inside. Just right for stitching and talking or was that talking and stitching?
The table decorations.
When Rosie, Leanne, Melly and Janelle arrived we all stopped with our jaws dropped as they pulled all their beautiful projects out. Such a beautiful display.
Rosie's new Block of the Month Quilt It's A Dollies Life - Rosie had just finished this quilt and brought it over to show us all. We are taking expressions of interest in this Block of the Month. Rosie is still to write the pattern and I will need to wait for fabrics to arrive, but if you would like to put your name down, please contact me.
Melly has also just finished her new book Kaleidoscope before she came to Adelaide and she gave us a sneak peak of the projects in the book. We are also taking pre-orders for Kaleidoscope which will retail for $38.50 and should be available in June. Just let me know if you would like a copy ordered for you.
At Gillian's (Silly Gilly) suggestion I have made Flickr Group here where you can post photographs taken over the weekend and of your finished projects - because I know you are all going to finish them.....
Speaking of Silly Gilly here she in the top right hand photograph showing us the first block of her Little Blue Birds Quilt. Gillian is new to stitching so was feeling rightly proud of having finished this. After her needleturn lesson with Janelle on Saturday she was able to applique her blue bird on in no time. We'll be watching for updates Gilly!
I managed to miss Show and Tell on Saturday so if you have photographs you would like to share I would love to see them.
And not to forget the serious bit - shopping!!!!
As you may have noticed I am more comfortable behind the scenes and not at all at home with a microphone so all my well rehearsed words (well rehearsed in my head) fled me when I stood up in front of you all and heard my voice over that microphone - thank you all for coming I hope to see you again next year.
Thank you to Rosie, Melly, Leanne and Janelle.
And as someone wrote to me the other day thank you to my unflappable helpers. They really were, they worked so hard to make the day the success that it was and then all went back to their day jobs on Monday. I am so lucky to have such supportive family and friends. So to my sisters Susan & Karen, my friends Jodie, Ally and Nina, my parents who weren't there but helped out before hand - Thank You - You are all AMAZING!
Of course a huge thank you to my three favourite people, who were just a little weary by the time this photograph was taken, for putting up with me.
Time to start planning for next year....
Although I took my camera I didn't have time to take any photographs - Jodie took a few but her camera was not playing the game (hence the blurry photographs) and my little Rachel took some but for the rest I need to wait for Susan to send me back a disc from Queensland. I know there are many bloggers who have posts here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here (who knew there were so many South Aussie bloggers?) - if you have a blog and I haven't found you yet, please let me know and I will add a link.
And even though the long awaited and much needed rain was coming down it was still light and cosy inside. Just right for stitching and talking or was that talking and stitching?
The table decorations.
When Rosie, Leanne, Melly and Janelle arrived we all stopped with our jaws dropped as they pulled all their beautiful projects out. Such a beautiful display.
Rosie's new Block of the Month Quilt It's A Dollies Life - Rosie had just finished this quilt and brought it over to show us all. We are taking expressions of interest in this Block of the Month. Rosie is still to write the pattern and I will need to wait for fabrics to arrive, but if you would like to put your name down, please contact me.
Melly has also just finished her new book Kaleidoscope before she came to Adelaide and she gave us a sneak peak of the projects in the book. We are also taking pre-orders for Kaleidoscope which will retail for $38.50 and should be available in June. Just let me know if you would like a copy ordered for you.
At Gillian's (Silly Gilly) suggestion I have made Flickr Group here where you can post photographs taken over the weekend and of your finished projects - because I know you are all going to finish them.....
Speaking of Silly Gilly here she in the top right hand photograph showing us the first block of her Little Blue Birds Quilt. Gillian is new to stitching so was feeling rightly proud of having finished this. After her needleturn lesson with Janelle on Saturday she was able to applique her blue bird on in no time. We'll be watching for updates Gilly!
I managed to miss Show and Tell on Saturday so if you have photographs you would like to share I would love to see them.
And not to forget the serious bit - shopping!!!!
As you may have noticed I am more comfortable behind the scenes and not at all at home with a microphone so all my well rehearsed words (well rehearsed in my head) fled me when I stood up in front of you all and heard my voice over that microphone - thank you all for coming I hope to see you again next year.
Thank you to Rosie, Melly, Leanne and Janelle.
And as someone wrote to me the other day thank you to my unflappable helpers. They really were, they worked so hard to make the day the success that it was and then all went back to their day jobs on Monday. I am so lucky to have such supportive family and friends. So to my sisters Susan & Karen, my friends Jodie, Ally and Nina, my parents who weren't there but helped out before hand - Thank You - You are all AMAZING!
Of course a huge thank you to my three favourite people, who were just a little weary by the time this photograph was taken, for putting up with me.
Time to start planning for next year....
