Dorinda Quilt Retreat and My Progress

How does Wednesday, June 3 to Friday, June 5 sound for our Dorinda Quilt Retreat. I have other conflicts on Saturday the 6th, but if you can't come until Thursday and want to stay overnight Friday that may work, but we'll have to leave early Saturday morning. Let me know if that works for you.

I love your idea Tracy. I'll start putting some pictures together and writing a little more history. Let us know how you want us to get our information to you. Is it best to just add it here?

Congrats Lyn on finishing your second border. Mine is coming along, but not finished yet. I'm having fun working on it. I tried Deana's method of needle turn applique and it really works great, but since some of my pieces are so small I've found that I like her method on the bigger pieces and my method on the smaller pieces. I really like basting the pieces onto the fabric before I take it somewhere and then it's so easy to work on it away from home.

I took my border with me to the doctor's office the other day and two little boys were really interested in what I was doing. They wanted to know what I was making and what everything I was using was for and how I did it. One of them really wanted to get his hands on it. I'm really not interested in having any help, but I love "show and tell".

When I transfer my pattern to the fabric I use dressmaker's tracing paper. I put it underneath and on top of the fabric and then put the pattern on top of that and use a tracing wheel to copy the pattern and then the pattern is on both the top and the bottom. I like to have the vine pattern on both the top and bottom, but I put the leaves and flowers only on the bottom. If I am going to baste them I trace around each piece, but if I am not basting I just make one line over the length of the leaf or flower so I can see where it is to be placed. I don't like to put that line on the top because sometimes it isn't completely covered when I finish the applique. I hope I'm making sense to you.

I've been finishing up a quilt for Shanna. From the time my girls were little I saved pieces of fabric from the clothes that I made for them, and I did a lot of sewing; so there are lots of different fabrics. I've already completed the other girls, but it's taken a long time to get Shanna's done. It isn't color coordinated--it's a sentimental quilt. I'm using a black background, and it's turning out great. Since she doesn't get to see it until I give it to her I'll post pictures after she gets it. It still needs borders and quilting; so who knows how long it will be, but I'm hoping it will be finished before you all come for the quilt retreat.

I want to post some pictures of the wallhangings I've made and a couple of baby quilts, but since I'm having trouble getting them from my computer to the blog and Hubby just called is is on his way home for lunch I'll see about getting them posted later.