Harrison Hot Springs 2015 Wrap up

 My last post was the bird quilt with the gaping blue hole that I was deciding what to do with.

This was my view for most of my retreat with participants with their machines and projects on the walls for inspiration and some visiting and consulting of others around the room.

 Several months ago I saw a post on Pinkadot Quilts. It was this particular post that caught my eye Colour My World.  She has a Free Pieced Tutuorial here; it is on her sidebar. I decided to play on some paper to give me an idea of what angles to cut my fabric.  I decided an eraser doesn't work on fabric!

 From there I went to cutting my large piece of blue background fabric on my blue cutting board and spreading the cuts to see how it looked.

 I covered a bulletin board with black flannel to use as a portable design wall.  At first I tried lying various green fabrics that I used to frame the birds but decided it was too busy.

 This is how the piece finished out.  First I sewed the top black pieces to the blue rectangle. Then when I was ready to sew the trunk I carefully added the smaller blue vertical rectangle and framed bird piece that I had lined up and cut the angle for the trunk.  Handling lots of bias was a bit tricky.  Then I sewed in the trunk piece.

 Here is a closer look at just the centre piece.  I'm very pleased how it turned out.  I did use different widths on my branches from 1" to 1 1/2".  I tapered my trunk from 1 1/2" to 2 1/2" at the base.

 Going around the room this is Val's I spy quilt.

 The green tape on this one shows how she sewed four similar units and then rotated them and added the centre square.

 This is Kim's striking bargello.

 Our newsletter editor brought her daughter along, I think she is 15 or 17 and a very enthusiastic new quilter.

 Here Lynne is giving her some ideas how to machine quilt her piece.

 Cathy's memory quilt for a friend who lost a favourite pet.

 Another work in progress by Wendy.

 I forgot my scrappy heart swap, but had the extras in my bag, I laid them out with filler fabrics to sew them together.  This was one of about four layouts I played around with.

 Busy room but loosing participants on Sunday.  26 stayed over until Monday afternoon.

 Daisy's block wine coasters and hexagon table toppers.

 Lorna's work in progress.

 Pink and ready to be machine quilted by Cathy.

 1" strips for a background for Cher...will have even more added.  I will eventually have a galloping horse and train appliqued.

 Sewing rows together by Sandi B.

 A BOM that Donna Mae liked but didn't win so she had her friendship group make her blocks so she could have a quilt.  Designed by Rita it is based on a nine patch.

 Beckie's Jen Kingwell quilt.  She still has some applique to finish but it is amazing.

 Cher's quilt being pinned.

 Betty is working on this Op-Art inspired piece.

 My 2013 bird swap quilt, I took the turquoise headed bird on the lower right out and moved it over 8" and then added borders to the left and right.  I also added one more to the top.

 My mini heart blocks together as a little wall hanging.

So ends another retreat, lots of fun, some good finishes and a lack of sleep.