Collinsville Rowers and rows revealed

A lot of pictures to share for the Rowers retreat. I was in such a hurry to get everything, and me, out the door that I forgot to pack my digital camera. I stopped and bought a disposable camera thinking it was better than nothing. Flash wasn't working. GRRRR. Patti spent some time last night uploading pics to an album to share so that helped. First the group shot---the quilt shop also has custom embroidery machines and did up these shirts for us! Stylin', aren't we?

I got up there about 10 and was home by 4:30 electing not to stay over this year but it sure would have been fun to stay on with group. Joy and I don't see near enough of each other since she moved home to Collinsville. We were missing two of the original rowers this time around. In fact, Patti took a picture of the rocker than Kim sets in to hand quilt, newly recovered with her shirt draped over it. They were going to put a sign on it that said "wish you were here, LOL.

Nessa has a chef cooking now so you order off a menu now. They had a few Greek entrees so I had some yummy moussaka and could have had baklava for dessert had I wanted. I had a cupcake instead as I hauled up half of the Magnolia's Chocolate Cupcakes I made the other day to share. The recipe made two dozen plus some I had to put in a muffin top pan! I would have tried the chocolate buttercream recipe but I swear that the proportion of butter to powdered sugar is not right! It needs tons more from the other recipes I have viewed--like tripled, I'm guessing. I opted for the Fluffy Chocolate Frosting in the Cake Mix Doctor instead.

I got sidetracked and had promised you some row pictures---on with the show!
First, my rows--I had sent along the Fon's and Porter booklet for "Christmas Joy" but I certainly did expect the girls to replicate the rows. I am thrilled that they did but it was not mandatory. Two people teamed up for the baskets so they are still loose. One person is a new quilter and opted out. I have not decided if I want to do all the red and white checkboard sashing shown on the pattern as I have some nice Jinny Beyer border fabric in my stash that might work out well. (I made the Poinsettia row )


Next up, Betsy's rows with Betsy telling the story behind the blocks she made---how they managed to wind up in quilters jail. The row I made was in the last post and was not attached to the body of the quilt. Betsy said it will probably be added just before the 2nd row of Elvis blocks since that will balance the quilt better.

Oh, behind the quilts you will spot some Mariner's Compass blocks that some of the group had been doing as a Block of the Month with the patterns coming from Brenda Henning's book. I'll share that picture next time probably with a link to the book as I don't know the name of it at the moment.


Teresa's Christmas rows finished a little long so the girls were having a hard time holding it and had to do it by halves. I pieced the row at the top--trees on both ends and foundation piecing out the letters for "Merry Christmas" The girl loves red, she says! Here's the top part then in pic one and the lower half follows---



Next up Joy's heart rows--she did not necessarily want just a red and pink row that screamed Valentine's Day so you see multicolored hearts. The row I did is the one that Debora is pointing to above the blocks that used heart fabric.


One of the three fall themed quilts--this one is Kim's and will be shown in two sections again. I made the turkey row in this one using an old pattern from Country Threads which I modified so I could foundation piece it. Patty, her SIL had told me this was a good choice because their husband's hunt turkey.


This one is Debora's--and it might seem like deja vu to you as three of the girls used the same center sections but each one did turn out differently. I did the Ozark Maple Leaf row. The turkey block was still in progress but the maker was intent on getting it done by retreat's end if her machine would just behave itself!



Here is Patty's--again in sections. To balance the quilt it was thought best to not attach the rows so the last four rows are shown in the 2nd shot. I did the row of pieced leaves, using a pattern from Judy Martin's Creative Pattern book and modifying it for foundation piecing. I am being too lazy to go get the book but I think it was called Autumn Whisper or some such thing.



And lastly, here is Vangie's quilt with a Mardi Gras to St. Pat's theme. I did the spiky stars using the fabrics that she had included in the pass around box.



I spent my time at the retreat tracing off the Birdbrain Designs "Here Comes Santa" (link in the previous post) and finished up the job except for the itty bitty cornerstone bits once I got home. I need another pigma pen before I attempt to finish up as I mushed down a bit too much to make a fine enough line. I would rather start stitching anyway! I did enough last night to realize that I would prefer NOT using the #8 perle cotton and removed what I put in. I love the IDEA of it but IMHO it looks too thick for what will be fine detail areas of the designs, especially the aforementioned cornerstones. I'll start over with two strands of embroidery floss in the same color DMC #498 in turkey red. I'll be happier with the end result, I know.

Other than that they are going a different format for next year: 16 inch blocks, how many you make depends on how many want to participate, no mailing or delivering blocks till next August. I am resisting for now, LOL. I am an original rower so they won't kick me out of the group if I don't want to do this. For now I am sticking to my guns about no deadline work.

I stubbed the snot out of my 5th digit left foot this morning when I banged into the quilt rack---it bruised and puffed up in to time. YEOWW! I think Skyler entered into the equation a bit as I was trying to avoid stepping on him but I am not telling DJ that part. He ( Skyler not DJ) has been getting in trouble lately for hopping up and running on the pass through plus the plant in the living room has been getting some unneeded kitty attention. Cats will be cats! Well, no getting walking shoes on to walk today though we have less humid and much welcomed cooler temps this morning. Guess I will just have to stay home and stitch a bit---oh darn!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend in whatever you chose to do---