It Opened and it was Grand, oh and some FINISHES!

The Grand Opening of The Retreat was fun filled and exciting.

Several people came to see what The Retreat is all about and I got heaps of positive feedback.

I also got to have a wonderful weekend with some very special friends and family.

It's one thing to have an idea but actually doing it and then putting it out there for all to judge is rather nerve wracking.

Lucky there was some nerve calmer (I managed to wait until 11am on Saturday which I was advised was a decent time...somewhere)

Due to the GIVEAWAY there are lots of photos popping up of the retreat so I thought I'd show off some of the quilts that I've managed to complete and get onto the beds.

I must say, I had help! It's handy to have mates who love to bind. Very handy.

I'm very proud of the Giant Dahlia quilt.

It hangs on the huge wall in the Studio to really show it off.

I made it with Michelle Yeo in a class at the now closed Primitive Patches.

I had the top done for several years but I knew it needed some special quilting to do it justice.

Kerry from Black Forest Quilting did a brilliant job with the most perfect feathers quilted onto the petals.

I love how it looks - it's even better in person.

'Chocolate Lollipop' was in the pipe works for a long time. It's super busy and crazy and no doubt not to everyones' taste but it's fun and I like fun. It lives in the purple bedroom these days.

There was no way that I could cut up this stunning Amy Butler fabric and same goes for the backing.

My lovely friend Jenny from Bayside Quilting did this one and it looks great.

This quilt didn't have a name other than 'More bloomin Amy Butler fabric!!!??!?' until I took it to Kerry for quilting. After a quick chat we settled on 'Persian Princess' pantograph pattern and I fell in love so meet my 'Persian Princess'

It's a very cool pattern.

Under the influence of Dresden Girl aka Dear Fii I made a quick trip home from craft camp, grabbed some extra supplies and zoomed back. A fortifying sip of champas and I cracked out my dresden templates. I have been stashing hoarding my fat quarter set of Hope Valley by Denyse Shmidt for quite a long time. 

Now that I've cut into it, I actually like it more than I previously did.

So much so, that I now intend on using some of my other all time favourites so that I can enjoy as the patchy, quilty gods really intended.

For some great house pics check out Nic's blog at Yardage Design and Cam has done a post at Curly Pops.

It was so wonderful to see them both as well as Bronwyn who stopped in for some crafty time.

Dates are starting to fill up at The Retreat.

If you're hankering for a getaway, don't forget 20% if you pay and stay before August 31st.

Thanks again for all of the emails, messages and posts of support. I'm a lucky girl.

A HUGE thanks to my helpers - Jules, Fii, B, Faith, Pam, Jude, Gis, Bec and of course my CP boys.

I'm really, really lucky.

Ab xx 

Another Finish for WIP 2012

I didn't realise that I hadn't blogged this one.

Lots of my favourite Amy Butler prints with some off white quilter's muslin. Obviously a very simple quilt but sometimes it's more about the fabric than anything else.

I quilted straight(ish) lines between the blocks and then practiced my stipple quilting in the blocks. It's the first time that I have free-motion quilted on a big quilt and I was surprised I didn't find it harder, which is great because it's encouraged me to do more.

But.... I don't seem to have a pic of the finished quilt and I took it up to The Retreat yesterday. It's the last day of June and therefore the last day to get another entry into the 12 WIP in 2012.

I hope they'll believe I've finished it, especially since I actually completed the binding on the 2nd of June. 

I should have blogged it then!!

It seems I'm dobbing myself in for the actual amount of WIP's I have.

I've already finished off a few that weren't even on my original list for the year.

This is another one of those....

It's a challenge one that I did with my aunts and supposed to represent the four seasons.

I did some stipple and some meandering for quilting as I needed it to be a quick finish. I machined the binding on this afternoon during Harvey's nap and it folded and ready to go to the retreat. 

Pretty floral backing

I got this back from Kerry, the long-arm quilter (Black Forest Quilting, Macedon) and she has done an amazing job. It's destined to be a wall hanging in the studio at The Retreat.

Only a sneak peek for now, you should come and see it.... 

Remember The Retreat OPEN HOUSE is on Saturday the 14th and Sunday the 15th of July.

Contact me for address details.

Abbe x