Earlier this month, I traveled to Kennebunk, Maine, to retreat with the New Hampshire Modern Quilt Guild, a group I’ve been a member of since 2014. We try to retreat twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall, and although we’ve had fun sewing in middle-of-nowhere New Hampshire and Cape Cod, the Maine coastline is my favorite retreat location. We spent the weekend sewing in a huge gymnasium with tons of natural light, only breaking to grab some food or walk down to the beach.
I had cut and organized six different projects in preparation for the trip to Maine and, in the end, touched only three of them. That was fine with me—it’s always better to have too much than too little to do when you’re sewing away from home.
I dedicated the bulk of my time sewing Pineberry, a pattern by Pen and Paper Patterns. Ignoring my own advice to read patterns through carefully before leaving for retreat, I managed to make several silly mistakes right off the bat. But I pushed through, unsewing and resewing when necessary. I’ll share some Pineberry blocks once I have a few fully sewn.
The rest of my weekend was spent finishing my Brightly top (pattern by Cluck Cluck Sew; see the second picture above) and snowballing star points for Patchwork Sky (pattern by Thimble Blossoms; see the first picture above and the one below). The momentum I had built with Patchwork Sky served me well, and I’ve nearly completed the top since returning from Maine.
All in all, it was a fun weekend away with friends—we shopped for fabric, caught up with friends, drew inspiration from the projects being sewn around us. I look forward to finishing these projects up and showing you the bound quilts!
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You've made some beautiful quilts! Retreating in Maine must have been awesome, sounds like a wonderful time!
ReplyDeleteAs someone who is completely incapable of following a pattern, I know just what you mean about ripping and restitching! You made lovely quilts, though! Maine is always beautiful. Lucky you!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a great retreat, and what an extra bonus to get time on the beach!
ReplyDeleteBrightly looks awesome! Sounds like an amazing retreat.
ReplyDeleteMichelle
https://mybijoulifeonline.com
Sounds like a great retreat! Would love to know which navy grunge you used!
ReplyDeleteIt's blue steel! : )
DeleteHi Michelle, that sounds like a great time. Love your WIPs!
ReplyDeleteI know exactly what you mean about over-preparing and taking too much on retreat. Same for me. And you have two retreats each year, with the NHMQG?! Wow. Unfortunately our Central Florida MQG manages only one a year because our favorite retreat place is in such high demand; we can't get in more frequently. Your location sounds lovely - right on the ocean, huh? Wow! Is food provided? Or do you have to go out to "grab some food"? Our meals are provided, and the food is fantastic! It's good to see your progress in spite of a couple mistakes. I learned quickly that I can't take along a pattern requiring particular cutting details because I'll assuredly mis-cut, as I did while attempting to make one Posh Penelope block (pattern by Sew Kind of Wonderful). Have to save attention-demanding patterns for quiet, at-home sewing time.
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