Still coming down from Retreat High.

This last three day weekend I went to my first Quilting Retreat.  I'm still on a high from it.  It was so much fun, and actually though I got a lot done - tiring.  I'm such a wimp - while the others partied hardy (there were 24 of us), Friday I went to bed at 10 PM - some stayed up til 2 AM!  The next day I was sewing by 7:30 AM and we kept having fun, til I gave it up at 10:30 PM - late for me, and I was going to get up at 5:30 to go to mass with my husband - the hotel is just three miles from the church.  Others went to bed early, too - 1 AM - lol.  The co-ordinators did a fabulous job - we had lots of make and take.  Here are some:

We made a tea cup pin cushion, a felted needle case, a iron carrier that also is an ironing surface, a snap bag and another bag I used as my thread catcher for the weekend , but you could use it for any thing - even my cell phonel

You can bet I will be signing up for the next one!  I'm linking to Esther's Wow, Connie's Linky Tuesday, and Lenore's Let's Be Social.  What have you been up to?

And the winner is...

Hello, I've been at our guild retreat all weekend, and am now just able to get Random.org to pick a winner for my Grow Your Blog giveaway. This was such a fun blog hop.  I got to meet so many bloggers from around the world. It has been a pleasure to get to know them and see what they are up to.  Welcome to my blog, again. I look foward to learning more about you in the year ahead.  I am so in awe of all the talent out there.

So why am I late picking a winner - well it was this retreat I went to. My first and was it fabulous!  They had so many treats for us. It started at 3 PM Friday, but some of us had been there since 10 AM working on UFOs and WIPS ahead of time. To get us better acquainted with the other 23 quilters, we had a progressive dinner Friday night, then we went to the big room and started our first clue of our mystery quilt. Around 10 PM we had our first make and take - a darling bag that we could make in a mere 20 minutes. So useful and cute.  The weekend was just great. Here's a photo of one of the many varieties of the mystery quilt (a Debbie Caffrey patter)  - made various by our choices of fabric.

Mary(she's behind the quilt - lol) was making the larger version - all this lacks is the outer border! She was assembling the top using Elinor Burnes method of sewing rows and then adding the next row without separating the rows from their chain piecing - so saves time and misplacing blocks.

And now the winner - Random picked Beth P of Mossberry Cottage in NH.  Beth said:

"Oh dear, I think we are most certainly kindred spirits Angie! I love many crafts as you know from visiting my blog but applique is one of my favorite quilting techniques... and The Fat Quarter Shop, well, one need not say more! :D I am certainly not going to lose you now that I have found you through Vicki's party! :D I'm your newest follower!  Hugs, Beth P"  I've sent an email.  Congrats Beth!

Thank you to all who came by and commented during the blog hop, or became followers.  I haven't been able to reply, but I'm saving the comments and will come visit you soon.  And thank you, Vicki,  for a wonderful blogging event.  I did grow my blog!

Hexie Weekend

I'll be at our guild's first retreat, and it sounds like it's going to be a lot of fun and much sewing. It's going from 10 AM Friday thru 5 PM Sunday, so I'm posting early for  this week's hexie linky party post.

I finished my part 3 of the Soupçon Quilt Along. I can't believe I'm caught up!  Wish it was so on the other BOMs.

The first fabric I pulled out of the stash felt right for my hexie center. It's a Barbara Brackman fabric by Moda called Floral Trails.  It is so soft.  I just love the feel of it.  Wonder what Karen H at Soupçon QAL has in store for us next.  How are you doing on your project - hexie or otherwise?  All are welcome to post their eye candy. Linky below, ends Monday, midnight (yes, I like long weekends, lol).

An InLinkz Link-up

Oh, and as a reminder to myself to do some hexies by Friday, I've made a button. It's on the right sidebar with the code if you'd like a reminder, too. Have a blessed weekend.

I'm linking up with Amanda Jean's Finish it up Friday, Richard's Link a Finish Friday, and TGIF It's Finished Friday.