Today's Quilter - UK (2020-01)

CREATIVE CORNER l sewing with others

Weekends away

Despiteallthehardworkinvolved,I dolovehosting

theseevents,soa fewyearsbackwhenI wasapproached

bytwoofmyquiltingfriendstostarta newretreat

venture,I jumpedat thechance.RegularToday’sQuilter

contributors,LynneGoldsworthy,KarenLewisand

I hostedourfirstThreadHouseweekendretreatin

January2017.AssoonastheStitchGatheringis out

oftheway,I willbebusyallocatingclassesandswap

partnersforournextWinterRetreatinJanuary2020.

Thiswillbeourfourthat FollyFarminBristol.Lynne

bowedouta coupleofyearsback– sheis a busylady

afterall– butKarenandI havecarriedonandnow

inviteguesttutorstohelpwiththeteachingduties.We

stillteachthreeworkshopseachandforthenextretreat,

I willbeteachingmybirdappliquéaswellassome

embroideryandtheDandelionClockagain.Weonce

developeda wholemedallionquiltpatternmadeupof

allthedierentclasseswewereteaching.Wegavethe

patternasanexclusivePDFtoalltheretreatattendees

andsomehavecompletedtheirownversions– wesent

ourstoTheFestivalofQuilts in 2018 where it hung in

thegroupquiltsection.

A wholeweekendawaygiveseveryonethechanceto

relaxandgettoknoweachotherbetter.Eveningscan

stillbespentsewingtogether,butwitha glassofwine

at hand, which I find improves every activity! It gives

everyonetheopportunitytofinishupitemsstarted

inanearlierclassandenjoya lengthyshowandtell,

whereeveryonegetstosharesomethingtheyhavemade

andtellitsuniquestory.With 45 attendeesanda full

programmeofclasses,however,it’sstillquitea full-on

experience,sowedecidedtotrya dierentapproachlast

summerandheadedtoYorkshirefora muchsmaller,

moreintimateaair.Insteadofteachingindividual

classes, Karen and I designed a project together that

JoandKaren'ssweet

Flower Teacup block

HeadtoFollyFarm

in Bristolforsome

appliqué magic

StitchGatheringattendeesthrowtheir

MegaPinniesin theairwithjoy!The

patternbySheilaDonnachiewaslater

featuredinToday ’s Quilter (issue 6)