Retreat ReCap

Nothing super exciting has been happening this week. I just haven't felt in too chatty a mood.

I had a great time at Quilt Retreat this last weekend. For once I actually got everything worked on that I had planned. I have this Buck-a-Block Block of the Month project from Big Island Quilt Shop where you use Thangles to make really quick, accurate half square triangles. I had 5 or 6 blocks to finish. I got them all done except on the last one, I wasn't paying attention and I forgot to use a 1/4" seam allowance, so it was too small. I have enough leftovers from the previous blocks, that I plan to make another block instead of ripping this one. Marti and I took a side trip over to the Big Island Quilt shop in Schoolcraft to get our border fabrics for the buck-a-block project. Oh Marti's doing it too. While we were looking around, we found out that they are going to do another Buck-a-Block quilt for 2008. I had fun with the last one, so I said what the heck, it's only $1 a month. And if I don't want to lay it out like the pattern shows (which is a queen size) I don't have too. So we both signed up. I found out later that Marti had been looking forward to the end of the Buck-a-Block quilt and here I sucked her into another one. Oh well! The next project I worked on, I can't describe until next week. It is a gift that is being sent out this week, so you'll have to wait. But it was super easy and I got lots of compliments and lots of requests for the pattern. It is a free download from the web, so I will post that also next week. And finally I worked on my Temple Guardian quilt. I got all of the background fabric cut for the blocks and I pasted up 5 more of the blocks. I would have had all 9 pasted up, but I realized I still had 2 blocks worth of cat parts to glue stick. Just a quick note on this for those who are reading this and don't quilt, I use freezer paper templates and a glue stick to do my appliqué projects.

And of course the food at retreat was delicious as always. And of course I really really tried to be good, but it was just so good! There was homemade beef stew on Friday with a store bought bread that tasted just like homemade when the warmed it in the oven. For Saturday brunch, my meal crew made an upside down pancake, muffin frittatas (recipe by Giada), and a tropical fruit pudding. It was all yummy, but the Frittatas were to die for. For Saturday dinner, we had 3 types of lasagna; traditional, spinach and a chicken. All were yummy, of course I only sampled 2 for dinner and I took a piece of the 3rd to work on Sunday for lunch. I would love the recipe for the spinach and chicken ones. Sunday breakfast was much simpler, but I think it was great, because after all the other things I had stuffed myself with over the weekend. We had scrambled eggs, cheesy potato casserole and danishes.

I had such a good time, visiting and seeing everyone's projects. I even got a little knitting done on the Never Ending RPM Socks. Don't get me wrong, it is a nice pattern, but I just don't seem to get far on the 2nd sock. They are taking forever to get finished. But I will get them done, I promise.