Tuesday, March 18, 2014

A Weekend Away

Back home again after a wonderful weekend filled with quilts, fun and friends. The first photo is lunch at Kyneton on our way to Maldon where we stayed in a lovely old Guest House. Below are Bev, Linda, me and Randi. Moreen joined us on Saturday.
 
 
Saturday, was up early, well for me anyway, breakfast and off to Threadbear to do a bit of shopping before the workshop with Di Ford and Margaret McDonald started. I bought a Yoko Saito book called Daily Quilt with quilts, bags and a few stuffed animals. There's an elephant I'd like to make for a new addition to the family due later in the year.
Arriving at the venue we were given a bag of 'goodies' which contained a large bundle of fabrics to use in the quilt we were there to start ,while learning applique skills and fabric use. The bag was full of many good things. In the morning session we had Di Ford and her version of the quilt and this is where we sat with her quilt in the corner. The fabric for the inner sashings is no longer available but Di had brought a number of fabrics that would be suitable for the job, some turned on point and cut diagonally would be spectacular but my eyes don't see what Di's eyes can see in a fabric before I'm shown, and this is a great ability that she has. This is one of the reasons her classes are wonderful.
 

 
re note at bottom of post, I now have a couple of photo's one of the centre.
 
 
 
and one of the 'fussy' cutting and the applique sashing.

 

Here is a photo of Margaret McDonald's version. The centre is the same but she has different surrounds and borders and we spent the afternoon with her. Again techniques  were shown for appliqueing pieces with curves and how to tackle smaller pieces and pieces that overlap or go under adjacent shapes. It was all very interesting and we had a wonderful day. 
 
 
From there it was onto the Quilt Show and here are a couple of photos. The first one, the Antique Wedding Sampler and Moreen standing beside her quilt. This is her first quilt! and it is stunning.
 
 
Here is Bev beside her quilt which is gorgeous and the colours are soft and wonderful.
 

 
To see a large range of photos from the quilt show please visit Buddy and Me and Every Stitch blogs.
 
Sunday was a lie in and then a visit to the shops in Maldon before a few stops at old-time country cottages for photographs and a visit to the first school in the area, now just very old ruins.

 
but surrounding it was the biggest delight, as none of us had seen Gum trees like these before. The bark had peeled off, as gum trees do, and the trunk was now a spiral of light and dark colours. It was amazing how it ran up the tree and along the branches and all the trees around the school were the same.

 
We then returned to Castlemaine and had a wander around the shops, going to Habadash, the button shop, and the  Castlemaine book shop,[one of the best] and the Restorers shop and also another trip to Threadbear before leaving to come home.
 
p.s. if I can work out how to get my IPad photo's to transfer across to this computer I'll show  some close ups of Di Ford's quilt and all of her 'fussy 'fabric cutting. At the moment it is not cooperating with me!
 
 
 
 
 

9 comments:

Heather said...

Thanks so much for this great post. I so wish that I lived close enough to go to those workshops and quilt show but since I can't, it is lovely to participate in a small way via blog posts. Thanks again, such lovely quilts and ladies!

WoolenSails said...

It looks like a wonderful retreat and so many beautiful quilts and I can't believe that is her first quilt, that is gorgeous and beautifully made.

Debbie

Lori said...

Beautiful quilts. Looks like a fun outing!!
That tree is pretty amazing. Inspiration for an art quilt?

Pat said...

Dorothy sounds like a great time. The quilts ewhere beautiful. Try emailing your photos to your self and open on your computer.

Linda said...

Dorothy, I also wish I had the gift of being able to "see" each fabrics possibilities. Thanks for sharing about your retreat :)

Every Stitch said...

Great post Dorothy - what a wonderful weekend it was! Moreen and Bev's quilts are gorgeous - such a talented group of ladies. It must be constant inspiration to belong to that Applique group. I drove to Maldon too - loved the historic buildings in the main street but I missed those trees - great photo of the bark!

Every Stitch said...

Forgot to add - love your header! It's a beautiful colour scheme - love the mustard wreath and the pretty broderie perse.

pandchintz said...

What a fabulous weekend you had!

Raewyn said...

Gosh what a great opportunity - classes with those 2 fabulous tutors! What wonderful quilts!