(1/31/16) Thursday, Bluff Challenge Met (Or not...)
ELEVEN members of the Cherry Creek Lane Quilters met at Joy's house for the Bluff Challenge Reveal. After coffee, cinnamon muffins, and LOTS of chatting, Ruth S. called the meeting to order.
Let me explain the back story, in case you are new to our blog:
Near the end of the CCLQ @ The Bluff Retreat, (in Upstate New York over the summer) Joy passed out "party favors" and issued a challenge. Photos of the challenge squares can be found near the bottom of THIS post. TODAY'S meeting was the deadline. What was the challenge issued???
Do SOMETHING with your Retreat Square!!!
And, SOMETHING, they did. I am SEW excited to share these!!! :o))
Would YOU like to see???
OK, but first, I have to tell you about the bomb that Mr. Wonderful dropped on me this morning...
Him: "What time are the quilters coming?"
Me: "About 9:15. Why?"
Him: "We have a problem."
Me: "Oh!"
My mind was racing. WHAT on EARTH could it be?!?!?!
THIS was the problem:
Here is another angle:
Since that would NOT be easy to step over and MIGHT be a bit dangerous to step ON...
Mr. Wonderful took it upon himself to shovel the walk before leaving for work:
That's better! Thanks, Hon!! The quilters appreciated not having to schlep their stuff through the garage.
OK, back to the topic at hand...
Joy issued THIS challenge:
Do SOMETHING with your Retreat Square!!!
And, SOMETHING, they did.
Something totally phenomenal...
Joy was SEW excited to see everyone's Challenge that she started us off with the explanation about what she thought she was going to do with her block. She THOUGHT that she would use it to decorate a T-shirt. As the deadline approached, she had a change of heart. The T-shirt application ended up morphing into an art piece:
Joanna has a bag in every shape and size! She used coordinating stash fabrics to add to her collection. This one is perfect for carrying a book or two or three:
Britt will use her Challenge square as a label for the quilt that she was working on at the retreat. Photos to follow at a later date. The quilt is just now being assembled and them must wait its turn for quilting!
Ruth S. asked everyone for a piece of fabric from their Bluff Mystery, but wouldn't share what she was planning to do with them. Well... she created the MOST AMAZING shadowbox, absolutely filled with memories of the CCLQ @ The Bluff retreat! I believe everyone wanted one of their own (or maybe that was just Joy!!):
Ruth B. wasn't particularly inspired by the Challenge Square that she received. What inspired her were the beautiful Bluff sunsets, so... she decided to do some slicing and dicing. HERE is what she came up with (and on time, too!!):
To which Joanna announced that she REMEMBERED that bush!! LOL
In the close-up, she assured us that the green plant was NOT a cactus... it was a bush near the edge of the bluff:
To which Joanna announced that she REMEMBERED that bush!! LOL
Candy recalled a technique that she learned when making THIS bag...
... And decided to use it to make a Challenge Quilt (which she gave to Ruth S.):
This following photo shows a close-up of the interesting texture the technique creates:
... And decided to use it to make a Challenge Quilt (which she gave to Ruth S.):
This following photo shows a close-up of the interesting texture the technique creates:
Deborah didn't know what to do with her Challenge piece, but decided that you always need a basket or bin while quilting. She used Timtex stabilizer (which is a bear to work with) to make a useful supply catch-all. Here's the box...
... (And after a few outtakes, which I won't post,) the photo below shows the quilter with the box:
What you CAN'T see... is that Dee Dee holding Deborah's hand and counting to 10 so she will be still long enough for me to take her picture!! LOL (TOO funny!!!)
Donna has been concentrating on her art and didn't complete her Challenge. :o((
Catherine has little kids and a VERY active family, so she hasn't had time to do anything with her Challenge square. Maybe some day...
FABULOUS Challenge results, ladies! I'm SEW proud of us!!
Then we moved on to "Wonderful Weekly" edition of Show and Tell...
Joy passed along the beautiful block that Britt made for Gayle:
Here is Joy's Bluff Mystery quilt:
This is Gayle's birthday block from Ella:
Candy brought along her Bluff Mystery. This shot showed a bit greener than the one taken pinned to her shower curtain at home:
Side one...
... And side two of her now completed table runner:
Jean worked on preparing her Ramses quilt for applique:
Cheryl K. grimaced at having a photo taken:
Deborah worked on a knitting project:
Candy completed the quilting on a Donation Quilt:
Joanna busied herself with some drawing...
... for a Diamond Spiral quilting pattern:
Deborah was pleased to report that she finished her husband's hat just in time for the snow:
Candy continued binding a(nother) Donation Quilt:
Dee Dee brought the quilt that she made for her hairdresser (so we could see it in person):
She's working on rewriting the instructions for this pattern, as it leaves too many steps out of the process. All of the fabrics came from her stash:
This is a quilting sample that Jean made before tackling...
... Her Dresden On Steroids quilt:
Here is a closer shot of the radiating line design done in a deep rich BROWN thread:
Cheryl K. has been busy making a Baby Quilt:
And quilt backing:
She also made one with a green border that I missed photographing until she sat down:
For YOU, I made her bring it out again!!
Ruth S. made a Donation Quilt NOT in PINK!!! She opted for red and yellow:
Here's a (nearly) full shot:
Joanna got a new book...
... It's filled with beautiful quilts:
It also has a wonderful selection of...
... Quilting patterns:
Ella cut apart a panel and rearranged it:
She also made a Black and White Quilt:
Does anyone have any ideas about what color thread to use to quilt that beauty???
Dee Dee did some designing:
Ruth B. stitched on her knitting project:
Joy passed around her new magazine (shown in the photo above) and people were offering to buy shares!! It was priced as a book, but the number of patterns (almost) made it seem worth it.
Eventually, Dee Dee's lunch alarm went off and nine of us went off to eat at Anna Maria's Pizzeria in Hillsborough. Unfortunately, one of us didn't stay very long. You see, the restaurant is remodeling... before, after, and DURING business hours! We ate to the tune of hammers and saws. :o((
Until next time...
Challenge yourself!!!
