Sunday, November 11, 2012

A Retreating Weekend

 I had a lovely couple of days retreating with my local quilting group. I have recently re-joined and received a lovely welcome so attending the retreat allowed me to renew old friendships and get to know new members. It was beautiful sunny weather and the tables and lighting were ideal for sewing. We went to a lovely camp amidst farming country, just 30 mins from home which made it very convenient.
  I took far too many things to work on but was happy to have a variety so I could change from machine quilting when I needed a break. I have almost finished quilting the 1940s vintage star quilt and have finished deconstructing the 1930s /40s Sawtooth Star quilt blocks.
  I also started taking apart another vintage quilt I'd bought some years ago from the US. It is also from the 1930s or40s and the top has worn away with the fabric being shredded from use. The batting is also quite patchy in places and the backing is very thin. It was quilted in Baptist Fans and it was OK but not that close together that it would be a shame to remove it. There is also a large burn mark on the top. I'm taking it apart and will repair the blocks where a few seams have frayed, and I'll remove the outer border which is quite worn and use the better pieces to replace the fabric with the burn mark. Then I'll make a new border using reproduction fabric from that time but I will probably choose a print as it will be hard to match a plain blue as the fabric has faded. The embroidery is in very good condition and repairing it will help to prolong its life, so although it's a slow and somewhat tedious job, it will be worth it.
 I enjoy doing some hand work so it is a nice project to have when I need a break from the sewing machine.
  I had a lovely time and it was great to spend time with such a friendly group. I'm working night shifts again for a few nights so I hope to get back with more progress soon.
Thanks for stopping by.
Hugs, Jan Mac


2 comments:

Caddie said...

The reversible quilt as you go looks fantastic in he photo.
It's a shame we can't see the other side which was blue.

Maria said...

How lovely for you to have re joined your craft group.
It is sew much fun spending time stitching together..