Retreating

Mid-January makes an excellent time to get away. The Christmas crapola is packed up and put away. At long last, we seem to have time to devote to creative pursuits.

Thank goodness. I knew there had to be some reason for winter.

Green Lake 2006 was a great time. Very congenial group of quilters (and knitters). Much was accomplished--the sewing, the sharing of opinions, the constructive criticism, the knitting, the yakking, the eating.

The eating is always especially memorable at Green Lake. All our meals are prepared by the eminent Mary Salter, who is such a treasure I cannot even begin to relate. EVERYTHING is homemade. We all were totally spoiled by it all: The Taffy Apple French Toast. The Chicken Yahoo. The fresh rolls filled with mashed potatoes. Oh my.

We did manage one field trip--to Neenah and Menasha, hitting one outstanding yarn shop, Yarns By Design and one outstanding quit shop, Primitive Gatherings.
I chalked up one major accomplishment, but it only very loosely fits into the definition of "quilt". I pieced, out of scads of old jeans, a papasan seat cushion cover for Caroline. It was wrestling match with all that denim, but the Bernina, equipped with a jeans foot and a 100 needle, just glided through it all. Bernina love...

After that workout though, the machine is probably entitled to some R&R, otherwise known as a machine tune-up. Don't want to abuse that lovely machine.

I also got in some solid time on the Ephemera quilt. I now have 102 blocks made, as well as some stip sets. I'm hoping to get it up on the design wall this week. And maybe, just maybe, start sewing blocks together. It's time to assembe this quilt and get the show on the road. And then to move on.

Good to be home! But heaven help us, DH is looking at Westie web sites.