Welcome to Shiralee Stitches. I live on a cattle farm in Australia with my family.
I am passionate about all things fabric so much so I started my own online and mobile store. Link is on the sidebar to my store. I teach patchwork classes and take my shop to quilting and patchwork groups and also attend various craft markets.
I love English Paper Piecing, applique, machine quilting, working with woven wools. I have started making my own designs which I love.

Saturday 30 July 2011

Retreat weekend.....

Oh wow!!!. I am just landing back on this earth (after a whole week!!) following an absolutely fun and fantastic time, as well as productive too (of course), at a 2 day retreat hosted by the lovely Kerry at Cottage on the Hill at Nundle NSW last weekend.

 .................busy girls.........sew, sew, sewing away...........
.........Kerry's lovely shop in the background....it was like sewing in heaven.......lol......

This is my first ever sewing retreat, and only one of very few times I have taken my Pfaff to sew outside my home, and I am hooked now....nothing like some company while you sew, and Kerry is the Queen of help and shortcuts. I learnt so many tricks....thankyou Kerry.
.......Kerry at the cutting board.....what an amazing lady.....she cuts all your fabric and you are left to spend your time sewing........you get very spoilt here.........

After visiting Kerry's shop on Friday and choosing our quilts and fabrics, Kerry turns it all into this pile of yumminess overnight....like the "Fabric Fairy" she is...lol....
.......this is what awaited me on Sat morning.........


........During the weekend, the piles became these flying geese units and 4 patch blocks.....
....and eventually, I joined some together to create these stars, the beginning of Kerry's own design called 1800's Star Quilt, with these lovely Civil War fabrics.
....and here's some of the other quilts created by the other girls over the weekend.....all so varied and in various stages of development.......enjoy........







.......there's a couple of ladies missing from these piccies...there were 11 of us all together.......

....and of course, we had to eat!!!!....and consume beverages!!!!....lol........
.......evenings went something like this.....happy hour at our cabins, a short stroll to the hotel for dinner (extremely chilly dash really!!!), a lovely meal, loads of laughs, great stories, a few drinkies, and then a very brisk stroll back to the cabins for some sewing........
Please don't ask me to confess what culinary delights Kerry created for us during the day.....there was cheesecake, scones, chocolatey delicious something....etc, etc.....Tuscan meatballs, spinach and fetta rolls, cous cous salad......oh dear, I did ask you not to tell....I really broke the diet....!!!

All in all it was a fantastic time, a year's dose of laughter therapy in one weekend, and I have now made some very special friends, and enjoyed the further company of some special ladies who had already found a place in my heart from earlier meeting times. I remain forever grateful to the wonderful friendliness of Chookyblue who extended the invite for me to join her for the weekend.....an amazing lady....

.....speaking of amazing ladies.........I am off to take some piccies of a very special parcel that came home from the PO Box with me yesterday....handmade gift from a very generous someone....
.......
I hope you are having a great weekend, enjoying some special times.....

9 comments:

Unknown said...

Oh You Lucky Duck You...and How Gorgeous is your Quilt in progress I Love your Fabrics...
Glad you had a Good Time...
cheers

Anonymous said...

Sandy lucky you,i love retreats,good friends and lots of stitching,cant beat it.

Chookyblue...... said...

oh it did take you a bit to get over the drive and all the LOL's...........you got some good pics I missed some of the quilts so i'll steal yours.........lol.........
glad you had a nice weekend..........next time the top bunk is calling YOU........(insert evil LOl).....

loved all your quilts you showed us too you will have to share them with blogland.........one talented girl......

it's a long time til March......

Kerry @ Cottage on the Hill said...

SO GLAD YOU ENJOYED YOUR VERY FIRST RETREAT WITH ME, LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AGAIN SOON
HUGS

Googy Girl said...

Looks like a great weekend I am pea green with envy, your quilt is looking great, ..... Can t wait to see more

Peg - Happy In Quilting said...

How good are these weekends,..we go in three weeks...love your quilt Sandy, great photos...

Anita said...

So glad you enjoyed your first retreat! They are fantastic hey!
I hope I can join you all again next year!

Anonymous said...

Looks like you had a fantastic weekend....

Bec said...

Looks like a great weekend away for you, some beautiful quilts! Yes, love the 'fabric fairy', where can I get one???