There is magic happening at the JSS retreat this week!  Are you sitting down?  I know you’ll never believe this one.  I have completed an entire quilt top.  I know.  Shocking, isn’t it?  The gals still can’t believe that they haven’t seen this one during at least 5 previous retreats.  That’s usually how I roll.

Never mind that it was a simple pattern.  And one that goes together quickly and easily.  It’s done.  That’s all that counts in my book.

But before I show you, let’s take a tour around the design walls at some of the other projects that are coming together here at retreat.  Because I just know you’re dying to see what’s happening here.  Especially Judy.

Cookie is working on these cheerful churn dash blocks!  And in the time I’ve been putting together this blog post while hiding out in my bedroom, she has probably completed 368 more of them.  I’ll try to post an updated pic of these soon.  Along with the 735 other projects she’s already completed.  You know how most people are in a Block of the Month program?  Davene declared today that Cookie’s are a “Block a Minute.”  A whole new meaning for BOM.

These are Cookie’s too.  And she paperpieced each one of them in about 5.4 seconds.  She’s a whiz, that Cookie!

Cindy and Vicki are piecing these side-by-side wonderful carpenter’s wheel blocks in black and white/cream.  They are fabulous.  Suz is doing a bigger version but I failed to get a pic of that one yet.  You can anticipate that one in the next blog post.  Or perhaps over at Cookie’s Creek!

Cindy also did this sweet quilt.  All pieced since she arrived at retreat yesterday.  Magic is happening here at retreat!

Linda is doing fusible applique on this chocolate quilt.  Looks good enough to eat.

How about this fabulous one by Madelyn?  With wonderful Kaffe Fassett fabrics.  Those of you who know Madelyn are not at all surprised.  And this one is coming together quickly even as I type.

Davene made this absolutely spectacular dress for a granddaughter.  It’s beyond words amazing.  You need a close up look……

Smocking.  Oh, my.  Words fail me.

And how about that beautiful hem?  It’s just fabulous.  Wonder how long it will be before there are grass stains on the knees?

I think this one is Vicki’s.  She can correct me if I’m wrong.  Nice.

Don’t these faces just make you want to grin?  Sue G is putting these together…….

…..with these fabrics for a cute baby quilt.

This one is Lani’s.  Lani came to retreat pretty much straight off the boat from London.  Well, maybe she came on a plane, but straight off the boat sounds so much more special.  We are glad she is back in Texas again!  And at retreat with us.

Oh, my!  I just realized I don’t know whose quilt this is?  I think it is Sue’s.  But which Sue?  It’s a mystery……

Patti is making these wonderful hearts.  And doing yoga in between blocks.

And this one belongs to Sally.  She’s had these BOM blocks laying around her quilting room for way too many years.  Time to put them together.  And this quilt is growing and quite possibly is all finished by now!  I better stop typing and go join the sewing again.  You can’t believe how hard it is to lie on my bed and type (not) while listening to the laughter coming from the sewing room.  Well, the laughter does make it a bit difficult. But the relaxing on the bed?  Easy peasy.  I love retreat.

Melissa has quite a treasure of batik bolts here at the Compass Centre.  Just waiting for quilters to slice some off to buy and turn into quilts.  This is just a small sample of the shop she has here.  Yummy fabrics.

What’s that you say?  Oh, you want to see my quilt top that I finished?

Here it is.  A simple Magic 9 Patch.  It goes together so quickly and easily from an awesome pattern by Beverly at Quilter’s Dream, the shop where I work.  You can have a pattern and whip one out too, just by sending her an email or calling the shop.  It’s magic, truly it is.  Strip pieced and made with two simple 9 patch blocks.  Fabulous.  And finished!

More to come…..keep watching at Cookie’s Creek too.  I bet Cookie will post real soon!
Hugs,
Barb