Patchwork in the Peaks
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secret sisters & stashing
One of the really fun things about Patchwork in the Peaks is 'secret sisters' - we were each allocated someone that we gave little gifts to during the retreat. Small makes or treats that we had to try and leave for them without being discovered! Then on the Saturday night we guessed who our secret sister was and revealed our final gifts.
I made a pincushion and Single Scoop Zipper Pouch for my secret sister. I love the curves and handy strap on this pouch!
I used this Allie & ME tutorial to make the pinwheel pincushion - I translated the page using Google translate but you can pretty much get the idea from the pictures in the tutorial.
It was really fun and quick to make and I love the folded fabric, it makes it so tactile. I added a little bead in the centre and it turned out so pretty!
I filled the pouch with some large fabric scraps. I didn't intentionally match the colours of the projects either but they do make a nice pair!
Next I decided to make some gifts for our hostess Elita. She does a fabulous job of organising and running the Patchwork in the Peaks retreat and I wanted to give her a thank you gift. I made a simple drawstring pouch using Jeni's tutorial and a fun sewing print from Patchfinders.
It needed something inside of course so I gave her some lovely handmade soap and this little embroidery hoop, I got to finally make use of the tiny Liberty epp flowers I made some time ago.
I bought some 2" embroidery hoops from Sew Cross Handmade on Etsy. I used Aurifil 80wt to appliqué the flower onto some Kona cotton. I definitely will be making more!
My secret sister totally nailed the things I love and gave me all these lovely gifts, there was also some chocolate but that was immediately eaten by me and my family when I got home!
I couldn't believe how well she knew me when I had never met her before but then she reminded me that I write this blog!! I am grateful she took the time to read to discover what I like and I might have shrieked when I opened my Superman key ring 💘💘💘
Thank you secret sister!
We also played a fun dice game to swap fabric, we each brought three FQs with us and then there was some crazy dice rolling and passing around until it was our turn to chose a fat quarter. It was hilarious and I'm so pleased with the lovelies I picked out.
A pretty daisy on navy dot print, Rising Sun Wall in Sorbet, New Bedford by Denyse Schmidt and Bloomsbury in Parchment, Charleston Farmhouse by Felicity Miller - big thanks to Jamie for identifying the last one when I asked on instagram! ❤️
Busy Needle Quilting also had a shop at the retreat, which was full of gorgeous fabric and beautiful Aurifil. I was restrained but couldn't resist some of the stunning Aurifil Brillo!
I got Silver Black #808 and Silver #800. I can't wait to sew with these! I also picked up this brilliant Erasable Fabric Marker by Marvy - I hadn't ever seen this before but it is both air and water erasable. So it will disappear in several days or you can erase it immediately with water. Very clever.
Hope you're having a wonderful weekend! My mum is babysitting tonight so me and my husband have decided to go for a walk. I'm looking forward to walking and talking while holding hands. It's the simple things in life xx
the perfect retreat 💙 Patchwork in the Peaks 10
Despite my serious concentrating face I can assure you that my time at Patchwork in the Peaks 10 was full of laughter, creativity and great company!
Elita of Busy Needle Quilting hosts incredible Alpine quilt retreats in Morzine, France. Surrounded by the most beautiful scenery at the fabulous Chalet Les 4 Vents excellently run by The Mountain Lodge Company, it was so relaxing and yet totally invigorating at the same time. The four day retreats take place semi-annually and I attended 22-25 September 2016.
You never know what to expect when you haven't been somewhere before and I was nervously excited to meet everyone and see what happens at retreat. Well wouldn't you know... we quilt! And because we all love it so much there was a lot to talk about, a lot to learn from each other and lots of projects to work on.
I took my rose star quilt and knew it would be slow going because that's the nature of hand quilting. So while I made good progress the other ladies were machine whizzes and managed to produce so much incredible quilty goodness!! The group included a couple of 'beginners' and they quickly picked up lots of techniques. People came with projects they wanted to finish, some things were made entirely on the spot and they were all amazing. So many different techniques, styles and fabulous fabric creations!
In between all this making we had the most delicious meals. Really delicious. I am vegetarian and have nightmares about bad 80's nut roasts but this was gourmet food and honestly some of the best meals I've ever had. The sticky toffee pudding was also a clear winner! I failed to take pictures of the food because I was busy eating.
The group also brought snacks, so there was delicious choccies and tasty treats when I needed a wee boost from all the relaxing ;) Which reminds me I actually had a nap one day!! Unheard of for me but perfectly acceptable on retreat and a nice luxury.
On Saturday I taught a class 'Fussy Cutting Snapshots', making Polaroid blocks and having fun with fussy cuts. The ladies produced fabulous blocks - some using their own photographs we had printed on fabric the day before, thanks to Elita's great tutorial!
The ladies were all so inspiring and it was a complete joy to be part of #peaks10. There were so many hilarious moments and I have lots more I want to share. Later this week I will be showing you what I made for my 'secret sister' and also what I received, along with a few other stash additions!
I can't recommend Patchwork in the Peaks enough, it really was an amazing few days with the most welcoming and lovely women. I consider them all friends and hope I will be able to attend again because I definitely want to repeat the whole experience! If you are interested in attending the next retreat you can get more information and contact Elita at Busy Needle Quilting 💙
Make sure you pop back tomorrow for a belated giveaway!
Registration open for Patchwork in the Peaks! 📌
There is something so special about quilters coming together to inspire, learn from each and sew together. Even better when it's in stunning surroundings and I am super excited to share that I will be teaching at Patchwork in the Peaks 10!
September always feel like a new start for me, as an ex-academic and now mother, it is the beginning of the school year and a time for fresh starts, setting goals and opening up to insights and creativity.
The lovely Elita of Busy Needle Quilting hosts this semi-annual quilter's retreat, a four day weekend in the French Alps. With classes and plenty of time to work on your own projects and relax in good company, it will be a rejuvenating creative get away. There is so much going on at the retreat and some lovely extras, like onsite shopping, massages and a nail service! To read all about Patchworks in the Peaks click here.
There are lots of exciting elements to the retreat; Secret Sisters - to provide encouragement, Finished Up Lottery - a chance to win a reward for finishing projects, and I am particularly looking forward to Show and Tell to see what everyone will be working on!
It looks completely blissful and I can't wait to meet everybody, do some sewing and enjoy the get away! If it is something that sounds good to you too, check out all the details and register now as there are few places remaining.
My class 'Fussy Cutting Snapshots' on Saturday morning will focus on the fun of fussy cutting fabric. We will be making make some Polaroid blocks and also explore how you can incorporate fussy cutting into your quilts.
I've been pulling out some favourite fabric in preparation. I am also thinking about what projects to finish on the retreat, I have a couple of quilts in mind!
I would love for you to join us on this quilt retreat for a chance to unwind, quilt, chat and to have some sewing adventures! Click here to book your place:
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