Retreat Follow-up...

I have wanted to do this post since I got home from retreat!  

Sorry it has taken me forever. :-/

I go to a wonderful retreat full of quilters every Spring.  This year they asked if I would teach the Mystery Class that is held at every retreat. :-) I jumped at the chance and this is what I taught~

a simple wallet pattern, called the 'Wherever You Go Wallet' by Fishsticks

It really is an easy pattern!  What made it difficult was presenting it as a mystery.  Well, that and by the time I got to retreat I had 50 people in my class!! :-o  And by the time it was class time, there was no where to accommodate 50 people for the class. (the retreat center gave one of our classrooms away to a youth group at the last minute) So I had a hallway.  Knowing that wouldn't work for teaching how to put in a zipper, I divided the class into small groups of 5 or 6 and spent a whole afternoon rotating everyone through.  It worked!  I got a lot of positive feedback and I really did enjoy the teaching.  There were 109 retreat participants, so I go to know half of the ladies there.  :-)

Did you notice the white cloth under the pattern in the first photo?  That is one of my pressing cloths.  We needed them for the class since we were using fusibles.  I went to Hobby Lobby and bought some 99 cent white bandanas~~ they worked great!!  Just the right weight, totally washable, 100% very light weight cotton.  Perfect when you need one and really inexpensive. ;-)

Another thing I always take along to retreat, but use here at home too, is my sewing machine mat.  It is actually a floor mat (and I have one underfoot at my cutting counter).  At retreat it works wonders for bouncing machines on long tables.. really absorbs the vibrations wonderfully.  I like it under my machine at home too because it cuts down on any vibrations when speed sewing. ;-)

I got mine at Ross.  They come in two sizes and lots of prints on the front. I chose the big rooster to remind me of a chicken-lovin' friend. :-) LOL

That's all for today~

Until next time~

Happy stitchin!!

June!!

Are you as shocked as I am that it is June already??

Where did May go? :-)

For me, it was spent cooking~ DS is home from college. LOL

I forgot how important meals can be! ;-)

And I did get some sewing done, but not much~

more time was spent outside with my flowers. :-)

I finally caught myself up with Pam Buda's Market Day Sew-Along.

This is Steps 5 and 6~

As I was doing the HST's I snapped a photo of a quick trick.

When I only have a couple HST's to do, I cut the squares and draw the line

and sew on either side. I'm sure you probably do that too?

But, I keep a big nail file with my sewing supplies for this step~

It works great to hold the fabric to draw the lines. No wiggling out from

under the ruler at the corner. :-)

 

 

Do you have some things that don't necessarily belong in your sewing box, but

work great? I'd love to hear your tips and hints!

 

Happy June!!