Some Scrappy Stuff and a Quilt Retreat

I do love a good quilt retreat.  This summer I was able to go to a retreat for the first time in three years.  (Darn that Covid!)  The Farmstead Inn and Conference Center in Shipshewana, Indiana saw almost 40 quilters who had met and become friends over the years in an online quilting forum, and we were happy to be there.  What a beautiful setting!

This group had a good time and got a whole lot of sewing done.

A few weeks before retreat I came across some projects I had forgotten about.  First was a stack of scrappy 16-patch blocks I thought would make a nice donation quilt if I added dark blue alternate blocks.  I had just the thing.  When my middle grandson was about six years old I made curtains for his room, and when the room was re-decorated I deconstructed them and put the fabric in my stash.  Perfect!  Project number one was kitted and ready to pack.

Here's a little bonus pic.  My grandson, Gavin, jumping for joy in front of his curtains.  I just had to throw that in. 

Next I found a ziplock full of scrappy 4" by 8" bricks I had originally cut for a "Bricks and Stepping Stones" quilt (a free pattern from Bonnie Hunter's Quiltville site) and some black & white 4-patches I had made last year as leader/enders.    

I got a lot accomplished at retreat (in addition to visiting with friends, checking out what they were working on, and eating way too much!), and then got both tops finished when I got home  as well as using up some stash by making the backings. 

 

Now the challenge will be getting both of these finished and donated before the end of the year so they don't end up on the UFO list!

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