Ann Arbor Modern Quilt Guild Sewing Retreat

This past weekend was the A2MQG retreat weekend at the Howell Nature Center. 

 I love going to this place in the winter. 

 However I did NOT enjoy the drive there on Thursday afternoon.

This is what I was stuck in!

This was driving up to the lodge

This is the entrance to the lodge. 

Getting things set up.  This cluster of tables had one of the Pams

HI Debbie!

There was not a Pam corner but a Pam row this year.  Rebekah was sandwiched in between 2 Pams!

I was working on making blocks from the Fireworks pattern by 

Thimble Blossoms for a wedding quilt.  

Each block had 72 pieces so they took quite awhile to make.  

Also they suggested pressing all the seams open and that takes a lot more time for sure.  

I had Rebekah behind me telling me what to do (and which thing to make next).  

It became a game and I quite enjoyed the back and forth banter of it.  S

he would tell others not to talk to me as I had to get to work. 

 Not sure I would have gotten half as much done if not for her!  LOL

The colors I am making are gray and purple or purple and gray.  

I got a total of all 10 gray and purple blocks finished and one purple and gray. 

 I finished another purple and gray and have one more just about finished.  

I didn't get pics of everything but here are most of them so far

I will alternate the purple and gray main stars and am not sure about the borders just yet.

My sewing space looked like this at the retreat.

I had a good view of the outside and also of the food/alcohol table, LOL. 

 As you can see in the photo below I was using my Sew Steady table.  

It was the first time I had tried this and it was AWESOME!!  

Last time I was at the retreat I only had the flimsy table my machine came with and it sucked.  

If you travel with your machine I would strongly suggest investing in one of these to fit your machine as well as the travel case.  

I added my Clearly Perfect to this and I was one happy camper!

We also had a massage therapist there and that was so nice!

My shoulders and hands were much happier after the massage.

I feel like it was a super productive weekend, even though I left for home on Saturday night.  

The weather people were predicting a LOT of snow and I drive a small car.  

I was going to stay later but decided against it when I began making mistakes.  

It was a good decision.

We got almost 17 inches by this morning!

One huge benefit to attending a retreat is the people.  

You get to know your fellow guild members and become better friends.  

Of course there is always something new to be learned from others in a group too.  

I thought this was a really great group of women and we all had a great time!

I hope to be able to work on the rest of the blocks this week and maybe begin to assemble them in the near future.  

How was your weekend?

~XOP~