"The Best Thing about AWOL"

The last few posts, I've mentioned the work going on at our AWOL retreat, promising to show you more. Tonight I wanted to show you some of what we do there. So much is done that it's difficult to choose just a few, however, I have chosen some photos that I think will allow you to see for yourself what kind of work goes on there...and this is just scratching the surface.

By no means should you think we are all sitting around quietly with sewing machines whirring away. We usually ARE sitting, the machines ARE whirring away, but at the same time we are all talking back and forth...sometimes clear across the room...telling stories, jokes, showing people how to do whatever we are there doing, and laughing ourselves silly. It's wonderful!!!

So, while I show you the work, really and truly....just being out there with friends is the most special part of the weekend. This is a wonderful bunch of people and boy, do we have fun. I mentioned earlier that entire quilt tops are made that weekend. UFO's that have been lanquishing away in a drawer are brought out and finished. Fat quarters are traded, embellishments are brought out and exclaimed over, how-tos are shared with anyone who wants to see. Snacks abound. No, I'm not showing the snack tables. Yes, plural, one needs sustanence working this hard.

No one will leave without making new friends and that is the very BEST part of the weekend. So, here's something I was working on.....and some work from my friends too. You can see it is a diverse selection of work.....not all of it is by machine (me, of course, the 'by hand' person).

First you will see a small quilt (about eighteen inches or so) that is in dire need of finishing as it is a UFO. I did manage to embroider a feather stitch on that white line you see in the border and that's about as far as I got on this piece that weekend. I did, however, finish one of my hearts and also did some reverse applique on nine quilt blocks. I'll show you those some other time.

Remember me showing you the beaded buttons, etc., made by Brenda H.? Well, she also had an assortment of lovely crazy quilted sewing kits made. You can see them here. I bought two.
I'm giving one of them away on this blog in a couple of months or so....maybe for Mother's Day.
These are really nice ones, with pockets and 'pages' for needles, pins, scissors, etc. You can email me if you'd like to have her email address.

My friend, Sherry, worked on a UFO also, and it's GORGEOUS....see this beautiful piece of crazy quilting. She will finish it soon and show it on her blog.....at least that's my hope. She does very beautiful work and I'm trying to encourage her to show it off by blogging about it.

I have another friend named Brenda W. She is always working for someone else....most especially her grandchildren, her church or at the flea market where she has a booth. You can check her blog out here. She wanted to bring a UFO to AWOL so she could get 'caught up' on something and while looking through her 'stuff' to find something to work on, she found enough piecing started to make a wonderful wallhanging. And, she got the top made at this weekend retreat. I think she is planning on adding borders, but in my book, if you can get a pieced wallhanging together like this over a weekend...you are doing a fine job. She, too, got additional work done, but I can't let the 'cat out of the bag' on that one. These people I know are amazing!

My friend, Mary Jane, is making something for a special person....and being a person who loves handwork, I was particularly impressed with this reverse applique "initial" block she was making for a wallhanging. It's to be a gift. Lucky recipient.

So, there you are.....more from AWOL. Wish you all could have been there!!! take care, pat

PS. There are some of you who send me an email and give me no means to reply to your questions or to give you additional information. When you send an email and it says "no reply" then I can't answer you. Just know I sometimes feel bad because I can't reach you. Just sayin'.