Retreats and Sewing

Well I have been a busy bee since I last wrote.  I have been to Coffs Harbour with Paul on a Conference with him.  Stayed  at Opal Cove http://www.opalcove.com.au/ which was just lovely


View from our Room looking towards golf course and pool

It was hard work for Paul but I did manage to have a bit of a relax (read I got a wonderful massage and manicure one day) and we managed to have an afternoon up in beautiful Dorrigo http://www.dorrigo.com/
The following week 25/4/2011 to 28/4/2011 I went on the Annual SCQuilters Retreat this year held in Kiama at the Sebel Harbour side http://www.mirvachotels.com/sebel-harbourside-kiama?gclid=CK_34ezWjqgCFUmDpAodvRmYCg
Blog .  Was the perfect spot for this to be held.  We had an absolute ball.  I caught up with so many friends I haven’t seen for a few years.  Talked way too much and almost lost my voice LOL.  There was about 140 lovely ladies attending.  On the Saturday I attended a Sashiko class held by Lyn Hewitt.  A brilliant teacher whom I can not more highly recommend.  She is very patient and was just so giving.  I have now found another love.


My first two blocks.  I have now completed the second block.and am on to a pre-printed panel which I am doing in variegated thread.

On Saturday evening we had a Masquerade party which was just so much fun.  Trying to work out who was who under all the masks.



 
Nic Bridges in Silver,    Stephanie McCarron in Pink

If you would like to have a look at what went on a bit more on Saturday night here is a You Tube video

– I am the second person on the screen . 
We also had fun with the Angel/Mortal swap.  I was sprinkled with little paper butterflies for the first two days.  With people saying “Flutterby says Hi!”  Was hilarious as I had a trail of butterflies from one end of the hotel to the other – poor staff.  But Oh so confusing.  Made everyone laugh.  Turns out my Angel had been swapping Siggy Squares under the name of Jane Does Angel with a sticker over my name.  You pulled the sticker off to reveal who I was and on the sticker was a request to go and sprinkle a little packet of butterflies that was attached, on me and say “Hi from Flutterby”  so I had heaps of different people doing this to me at all different times of the day.  In the end when my Angel revealed herself she presented me with a box of a complete set of signature squares.  This totalled  almost 60 .  My Angel was Bronwyn van't Hof  so lovely of her as there was no way I could have made them myself  this year.
I made both her and my Mortal (Kay Dungavel of Charters Towers) for their main presents patchwork bags which I sort of designed myself.

 
The first bag is Kay’s front and the second is Bronwyn’s
 








This is the back of Bronwyn’s bag, Kay’s is very similar just different patches

The last day – Monday about 75 of us – two bus loads of ladies went on a Bus Shop Hop to Bowral, Mittagong and Berrimah.  Was truly an experience.  Traveling up Macquarie Pass on a Bus is definitely something to be remembered.

There where many purchases, but I was quite well behaved and only went truly wild in the Japanese shop buying new Sashiko supplies.
All in All it was a fantastic weekend meeting up with some great friends and making some new ones.  Also discovering new sewing loves.