Fat Quarterly Retreat – My Reflections

 Apologies for posting this twice, It is my first time using livewriter & I needed to change a couple of things that I wasn't happy with.

Time flies!  Almost 3 weekends ago, (Jubilee weekend) I was at the Fat Quarterly Retreat and it is only now that I have had the time to write about my experience.
  
In the time since,
We have had half term, I have spent a couple of lovely days with the family by the River Thames at Hurley, redecorated the hallway (I spent weeks deciding on the colour to find once the paint had dried it was very almost the same colour as before sigh) Did lots of baking for my baby boys 3rd Birthday Party (just when did he grew up?), Went To Paultons Park aka Peppa Pig World (I absolutely LOVE that place and will have to do a review one day)as well as all the usual day to day running around/chores and going to work. I have been working a lot more days than I usually do, as I won’t have any work over the school holidays.

So the retreat (this is going to be quite a long post)
 
I went wearing this

a lovely name badge that had been made for by Kathleen. 
I had entered a surprise name-tag swap. My allocated person was Jo from A life in lists.
She sells Liberty fabric bundles so I used a piece of fabric that I had bought from the remnant box in John Lewis.  I thought it might have been Liberty fabric.  I wanted to have a London theme, so I used double sided tape to put the fabric thought the printer to print a London Skyline onto it. I then appliqued a little aeroplane and hand-embroidered Jo's name. I am not really into hand sewing so that took me a while to do.  When finished, I decided to give it a quick press with my new iron but....  scorched it! 
The lovely bluey-green fabric completely changed colour and I melted the ribbon loop.  I showed it to the husband, and he agreed with me that I couldn't send it.

So I made another one.  This time I had no more little aeroplanes so made the nametag to look like a London street sign.

On arrival we were given an amazing goodie bag of lovely things from the Retreat Sponsors. 

We were also given a "bingo" card of names and had to go and find all the people on our lists, a great ice breaker. The room was full of very excited women (and two guys) and so many conversations started like this "Oh hello...(reads name badge) Tammy, who are you?" meaning what is your blog name/flickr ID.  In the end it was easier to say that I don't blog as my blog is so tiny I very much doubt any of my readers where there (where you????) 

I also signed up for a sample swap, the rules were to simply make 4 useful items to swap, we would be told who to swap with on the day in a random draw. I wasn’t going to sign up for the swap as I knew I was going to be quite busy, but I was tempted by all the lovely things appearing in the Flickr group.
Unfortunately, I ended up finishing my samples late on Friday evening and forgot to take photos.  I made little pouches/purses from a  Keyka Lou pattern. 
These are the lovely swap items that I came home with

A London Pouch containing a Retreat Survival Pack from Amy A Prism Pencil Case from Christine Flower corsage from Mary and Boris the Bear Embroidery from Jo 

I also received the little blue pouch in the photo (with a tape measure inside) from one of the lovely ladies on my Iron Man team, who was only there on the Saturday (and whose name I have shamefully forgotten! Sorry & Thanks)I think that I did very well in the swap! Thank you ladies. 

Here are a couple of more swap photos that I “borrowed” from Amy and Christine. (can you guess which one is me?)

Somehow I signed up to participate in an Iron Man competition.In groups, we had to make a quilt between us over the weekend.  We didn’t win, but it added to the fun of the weekend and the quilt will be going to charity. Ours is the large Orange/Yellow one, 4th from right. (can you spot me again?)  

Photos once again borrowed from Amy & also Muriel

On the Saturday evening, I wanted to eat before heading home. I ended up tagging along with a group heading out to a restaurant nearby.  We were quite a big group but I ended up sat with just three other ladies and had lots of very grown-up and sensible conversations.  (covering all sorts of taboo subjects, such as mental health & politics) Such a nice change from the usual yummy-mummy conversations I seem to have these days. (I seriously don’t get out enough lol) Thank you, Shevvy, Judith and Jennie for a lovely evening.

After the retreat, I was reading all the blog posts here, and I was a bit embarrassed to find out that I had gate-crashed a pre-planned booking (oops) and most of the ladies “knew” each other through belonging to the same online groups and quilt guilds.  Very typically Me!
 
Still, the meal reflected the whole spirit of the weekend which was Community. Despite not “knowing” anyone, I never once felt excluded or lonely and spent the weekend in the company of some lovely people and had an amazing weekend!
You can read more reviews/reflections about the Retreat here. 
 
Next up, the actual classes….

FQ Retreat - Last minute rush

I would rather be an hour early than 10 minutes late.  For someone who absolutely hates being late, it may come as a surprise to you that I always leave everything to the last minute.

It is not always my intention, but other things always manage to get in the way.   This week, has been a bit of nightmare for that!!!

I have had job applications to do and then an interview to prepare for and attend, as well as  three days work on top of the say spent at the interview (which I didn't get) and the usual chores that come with having a home and two under 5's.  One of whom has been total  nightmare this week,  I started to write done some of the things that he has got up to this week, but it is enough for several posts! So for once, I was actually rather pleased to see the pair drive off in the back of Nanny's car.  (Nanny as in Grandma not the Mary Poppins type) They have gone to Hurley for the weekend.

So I have just about managed to finish my samples for the sample swap tomorrow, sorry I can't be bothered to take  photos, will do that tomorrow, and I am now (ha ha) in the middle of packing.

Except - I cant blimming find anything!

However, I am now really excited and cannot wait till the morning!

whoop whoop!

(and completely random, but I really enjoyed the Prince Charles documentary that was on BBC1 this evening. God Save The Queen.)

FQ London 2012 Linky Party

Next weekend I will be off to the Fat Quarterly London Retreat, so I am joining the linky party (better late than never) to introduce myself to some of the other lucky people who will be going.

So welcome to all my newbie visitors.  Not much goes on around here as I am very good at starting projects but not so good at getting things finished.  As I started this blog to record my makes, it means that I often have long silent periods.

couldn't find a nice photo where I am either childless or not showing all my awful teeth

I am a 30ish (36 I think) Mum to two boys almost 3 and 4 1/2. I work part time as a Supply Teacher. I was born and raised in West London, and love going back into "town",   I still live in a London Borough, and consider myself a Londoner, even if the people at the post office say I live in Surrey. Although given the choice, I would much rather stay put thanks.

I have always done some sort of making/crafting/doing ever since I was a child.  My Nan knitted and croched, my Mum knitted but also made me some beautiful smocked dresses when I was little, as well as my First Holy Communion dress. 

When my Grandmother died, my Mum was very keen for me to inherit a sewing machine that she (my Mum) had bought second hand in the 80's.  She had lent it to my Nan and never got it back lol, so had bought a new one.  After several homes around the house, the hubby decided it needed to be gone out the house as it was never used.  So I decided to start using it.  The Football World Cup/Euro Cup?? was on at the time, so it kept me entertained during a Summer of constant Football matches on the TV. I have sewn all my projects on that machine, an old 1950/60's Bernina. My projects have mostly been clothing for my boys and quilts.

I will be attending both days of the retreat but I shall be staying at Hotel Happyis and travelling in by public transport.

I will be wearing this name tag made for me by Kathleen (I don't know anything else other than that)

I am really exited about the classes I will be doing (with some amazing teachers)

Union Jack Pillow with Lynne Goldsworthy aka Lily's Quilts
wonky log cabin with John Q Adams aka Quilt Dad
Freezer paper pieceing with Kerry Green Verykerryberry (I hope that is the right link, I follow 2 blogs with very similar names, with similar style)
Embroidery with Aneela Hoey aka Comfortstitching

I am also participated in an Iron Man challenge?????? I have no idea how I signed up to that one but I am in Group 5.  I think it is a race to produce a quilt in the quickest time - who knows!

I still have my swap samples to make eek, and haven't even started sorting out what I am taking with me!

I have always been bit of a last minute rush girl, although you will find that I am never, ever, late - it is my biggest fear.

So I will be at the front of the queue on Saturday, having arrived at silly o'clock, so I am not late ha ha!

ta da!!!!

 The finished quilt.

I really struggled to get good photos due to the quilt's size and the recent wet weather.  The sun has been out today but of course, it clouded over as soon as I attempted to take any photos outside!  Also the fence and most of the garden are still very damp and it was a real task finding somewhere to hang it where it wouldn't get dirty.

 I sent it away to Chris at Fathers Heart quilting - she did an amazing job, quilting an all over daisy pattern to match the daisies in the centre panel.  Then she free-motion quilted around the figures in the panel.  If you look closely, you will see little daisies there too. Her usual turn-around is 6 weeks, however she squeezed me in so that I had time to bind the quilt.  The quilt was there and back within a week! Amazing service and beautiful work!  I only wish I had taken better photos.

 I wasn't sure of the backing when I sent it off with the quilt.  (A 100% cotton duvet cover from TK Max) The shabby-chic style roses didn't seem to go too well with the other prints.  But I didn't have the time or money to go looking for an alternative. However I am really pleased with it.  The blue looks great and makes a nice contrast with all the yellow. And because the colours in the backing are slightly muted, it makes the top really "pop".

I finished with a stripy pink binding.  I also used the same print in blue and green in the quilt.

All ready to wrap and present on her birthday at the weekend.

You can read my earlier posts about the quilt here and here

Happy Birthday Mum!

The colours are much brighter in real life.

 I have finished the quilt top :)

The pattern is from Blue is Bleu (quilt along 2010).  I only changed the centre panel.  The original pattern uses scraps.  I used 20 fat quarters and had little left over.  The yellow solid is Klona Young Yellow from Backstitch.

The instructions were really easy to follow and the quilt came together quite quickly.  However, I found pressing the seams open a real chore (I usually press seams to one side) but it does make a real difference and hasn't put me off doing the seams that way again.  Also trimming the dog ears off all those HSTs was another task that I didn't enjoy all that much.  The worst task however, was removing all the loose threads from both sides of the quilt.  It took the best part of an afternoon.  I think in future, I must remember to do it as i go along and not leave it until the quilt is finished.

I had the perfect backing - a vintage green striped sheet, but sadly it wasn't big enough.  So I dug out this 100% cotton duvet cover that I bought from TK Max for my upcycled linen quilt (longterm UFO).  The colours go but I don't think the pattern is the perfect match.  However it has to do because I need to get the quilt posted off to the professional quilter today, to have any chance of it being ready before Mum's May Birthday.  I hope that I don't regret my backing choice later on!

The pattern said that the quilt is a generous lapsize but it is far bigger than I imagined.  More a single bed size.  it measures 70X83, four inches bigger than the size given with the pattern (66X78)  I have no idea how I managed that!  All my blocks measured the appropriate size.  Just to give you an idea of the size, the fence panels that I have pegged the quilt onto are 6 foot.

So now it is on it's way to Chris at Father's Heart to be quilted.

flying past!

2012 seems to be zooming past for me!  I have so many posts that I have started and just haven't got round to finishing and posting!

The hubby had some time off work which as usual for him, meant that he ended up being unwell!  Seriously every time he stops working his body shuts down and he ends up ill.  This time it was a fluey-virally thing with ear infection. He is very hands on, particularly with the pre-bedtime routine so I didn't get much sewing done during my time as a single parent.


Then it was the Easter Break.  The boys spent the first week at our family caravan in Hurley whilst I stayed at home and had a good ole sort out of all our cupboards and drawers. Why does tidying-up make such a mess!  For most of the week I was unable to sew because I just had so much stuff laying around.

The River Thames at Hurley (picture actually taken summer 2011)

 I am still busy working on my Mum's Birthday Quilt.  All the blocks are now complete and I am busy putting the blocks together.

This is the centre block, which I have machine appliqued and finished the details by hand.  The appliques are of my Mum's three grandsons.  My two and my Brother's little boy.  I used the templates in "Freya and Fred" by Janet Clare.  I love this book and I really enjoyed putting the little figures together, using scraps from the quilt and an old linen tea cloth. 

I didn't manage to get the panel completely centered but think once quilted it will be hardly noticeable.

Sewing-for-boys sew along update.

Sadly I wasn't able to get February's pattern started, (simple joggers/trousers) other than to trace the pattern pieces.

The March pattern was one that I have been looking forward to making and I have had the fabric ready for a while.  It is "The Easy Linen Shirt".  I have cut two sizes out and made a start on one but have yet to finish.  The Mother's quilt really needs to be my priority at the moment.

April's pattern is also another favourite of mine - "The treasure pocket pants".  I have some fabric from the charity shop that would be good for these.  I will have to try and catch up on the sew along whenever I can.

I only sew in the evenings once the boys are in bed.  When do you sew/craft?

Fat Quarterly Retreat Name Badge Swap

This is another urgent project.  I signed up to a secret name badge swap, which I must post out by the first week of May.  I have made a start, but need to get this finished.  I have gone for a London/Queen's Jubilee theme.

I did it!

Finally after lots of doubts, umming and urring and penny counting, I have booked my place on The Fat Quarterly London Retreat happening in June! 


Two whole days of sewing! (hopefully nothing too big as I will be travelling by public transport unless I can cadge a lift off a family member.

I am a bit nervous as I do not know anyone else that is going but I am really looking forward to it.   I follow many of the Fat Quaterly Designers' Blogs and so I just couldn't let this oppourtunity pass.

I am also off to the Knitting and Stitching Show at Olympia next week, with some old work friends that I have not seen for sometime.  We just have to decide which course/s we would like to do on the day and get them pre-booked. :)