30 April 2015

Retreat!

Winter Comfort by Dona Olivier, 2014 DNQF
Winter Comfort by Dona Olivier, 2014 Denver National Quilt Festival

It's Denver National Quilt Festival time of year again, and this year, I'm doing it up big, even though I didn't enter a quilt.

Portrait of a Peacock by Laura Cunningham, 2014 DNQF
Portrait of a Peacock by Laura Cunningham, 2014 DNQF
Best Use of Sulky Thread, Hoffman Challenge


Detail of Portrait of a Peacock by Laura Cunningham, 2014 DNQF

Detail of Portrait of a Peacock by Laura Cunningham, 2014 DNQF

A very dear friend and quilter will be joining me for five whole days of drooling over exhibition quilts without getting any of our spit on the masterpieces, trying to keep our money in our pockets when we cruise the DNQF marketplace, watching quilting tutorials and, best of all, working on WIPs together for the first time since 2003!

Nothing like a friend who goes way back and shares the same fiber addictions!

Surprise!

What she doesn't know yet is I picked up a few bright sale fabrics and precuts for us to play with when we get bored with existing projects. She has a young granddaughter for whom she loves to sew, and I may get my first "grandchild" next month. (Fingers crossed, hoping for the best!)

(When your only claim to parenthood is fostering and/or adopting, having grandchildren is tricky, tricky, tricky.)

Piecemaker's 2003 Times and Seasons by Jan Zimmerman, Best Interpretation of Theme, 2014 DNQF
Piecemaker's 2003 Times and Seasons by Jan Zimmerman, Best Interpretation of Theme, 2014 DNQF

Detail of Piecemaker's 2003 Times and Seasons by Jan Zimmerman, Best Interpretation of Theme, 2014 DNQF

Detail of Piecemaker's 2003 Times and Seasons by Jan Zimmerman, Best Interpretation of Theme, 2014 DNQF

I don't know if I'm being realistic, but I'd sure like to finish - completely finish - at least three quilts while my friend is here. If I can't get enough sewing time during her visit (because we'll be sharing my machine), maybe I can finish up the second charity snowflake pdf booklet I've been working on since late in January...

Denim Troll

I've wanted to host a quilting retreat with my closest friends and family ever since I discovered Colorado's ski huts. I thought it would be so fun for them to experience the San Juan mountains I love from a secluded cabin way up near the top of Cinnamon or Engineer Pass.

I always thought if I ever strike it rich, I could buy airline tickets for all my BFFs, then buy a couple of snowmobiles with warming handlebars and shuttle my guests up to our own private little paradise where there would be no phones, no sales people, no television... just sewing machines and beautiful views for a whole week!

Of course, that's not where my friend and I will be going; when not at the festival, we'll be in the comfort of my very own home sweet home with whatever wildlife decides to check out my garden. But the dream lingers on.

Can you imagine quilting with a view like this?

Crested Butte

Or this?

Cimarron

Or this?

Mount Sopris

Or this?

wildflower paradise

Aaaaaaaah... makes me want to be back out in the wilderness!

Meanwhile, we learned the newest member of the extended family, for whom I created this...

Faded Gems

... is going to be Joel Keith. Not a girl. So I made this...

Joel's Baby Blues

The pastel quilt initially was meant to be for Joel, but I didn't know when I made it Joel would be a Joel and not a Joelle... Now, that pastel top seems just a wee bit feminine. I had plenty of blues, that being my favorite color anyway, so I whipped up another quilt top. Literally in one night. I wish the quilting could go as fast!

I plan to free-motion quilt motifs into each square, just as I had planned for the pastel quilt. So I'll still get plenty of practice, and I'm sure another girl will join the extended family eventually. The pastel quilt top will still get finished and gifted.

Stonehenge Blues

perfect corners

More from last year's Denver National Quilt Festival...

Square in a Square by Kaffe Fassett and Liza Prior Lucy, 2014 DNQF
Square in a Square by Kaffe Fassett & Liza Prior Lucy

It's All About Frida by Bonnie Offerle, 2014 DNQF
It's All About Frida by Bonnie Offerle

Detail of It's All About Frida by Bonnie Offerle, 2014 DNQF

Feathered Star by Barbara Karst
Feathered Star by Barbara Karst

Detail of Feathered Star by Barbara Karst

Detail of Feathered Star by Barbara Karst

Linking up with Confessions of a Fabric Addict and Crazy Mom Quilts.

10 comments :

  1. Wow! What beautiful quilts! I especially love the peacock!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Charlotte! I love that peacock, too!

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  2. I hope you are able to keep the drool from showing, that would be kinda nasty lol. We used to have peacocks prancing around in our backyard

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We did indeed keep the drool of the quilts, Pat, but we didn't keep our money in our pockets. :)

      We used to have peacocks next door to the apartment complex where we lived before we bought our home, too, and I loved waking up to their calls in the spring. I miss them!

      Delete
  3. It was a good quilt showing! The overall winner was awesome in detail.

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    Replies
    1. It was in deed a great show, Lizard. I'm so thankful you want to enjoy them with me!

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  4. that seasons/monthly quilt is beyond stunning. wow.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree, Kim. I think she said it took her ten years to complete that quilt!

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  5. Just a moment while I prop up my jaw and wipe the drool from my chin....

    Wow and wow and wow.

    If you ever do run a quilt retreat I'll come. But I warn you that if there are wildflowers like that outside I might spend more time outdoors than in.... :)

    Have an awesome time with your friend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're on, Sue! It may take me a few years to put my own retreat together, but I think it will be a blast when it finally happens!

      Delete


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