Daniels Summit / Part 2

For Quilts, Ect. retreat they always offer a mystery quilt. Meaning, when we arrive we have no idea what the quilt we will be making will look like. They offer two different challenges. One is considered hard (lots of pieces and takes more time) and the other easy. That's about the only information they give us before we start.
We met Friday night at 6pm, and had a wonderful dinner. Right after dinner we had a show and tell from last years quilts. We bring them back finished, bound and quilted.

Beth and Judi picked the same fabric pack last year. One used green as the main focus, and the other red.

This paper doll quilt was from one of the kits that was won as a prize last year.

Next comes the fabric selection. This is the stressful part. We are each given a number. Then Jan H. pulls numbers from a basket. When your number is called you are given a minute or two to run up to the table and select your fabric bundle. You have to hurry in your selection because there are people all around you grabbing bundles too! Remember, at this point you still don't know what the quilt will look like.

The next step is to get page 1 of instructions to start making your quilt. Usually page 1 has the cutting instructions. Once you finish that step, you go up front to the Quilts, Etc. staff and get page 2. You continue that process one page at a time. This quilt is truly a mystery. We have no idea how it will turn out until the end of the retreat when we see how the completed projects start forming together.

Our 8 girlfriends pull two tables together for our work stations. We race back to our tables and furiously start cutting away and piecing sections together.

Ricci, Patsy and Louise

Pam, Beth, Ruth and Judi

We laugh a lot and eat too much chocolate.

The room is full of quilters working away. We start on our projects Friday night and then try and complete the quilt by Saturday evening. Some of us get it done, and others take their time and get finish what they can.

Daniels Summit provides 5 wonderful meals. It's worth going for their food alone. Fabulous cooks that provide more than we could ever eat.

Every year for the retreat Quilts, Etc. picks a theme. For example, this year the theme was "X Marks The Spot (Pirate Adventure at Daniels Summit)". The room was decorated in Pirate decor. We played pirate games, winning "booty". Our gold coins could be turned in for quilt prizes. I came home with some pretty nice quilt books and fabric.

Arg!

Ricci was met at the door by Captain Jack Sparrow

Shiver Me Timbers. Me too.

On Saturday evening after we have had a full day of sewing, we party. There was a contest and we were asked to dress up in pirate costumes. I went as Captain Hook and Ricci was my parrot. As a group we danced around the room to the music from Pirates of the Caribbean.

I dragged Ricci around on a leash, offering her crackers as a bribe to move forward. All went well until she tried to climb on my shoulder.

They asked us all to pick a pirate name for the event. Pam went as "Plundering Pam".

Some ladies really went all out with their costumes.

Look at the detail in these hats!

Sewing with an eye patch on is a little challenging!

Ahoy Maties!

The retreat ends on Sunday at about noon. They let us sleep in and then serve us a wonderful breakfast. Before we head home, we show our quilts to each other. One of the things I love about this retreat is seeing the same two quilts done in so many varied fabric combinations. Even though they are the same patterns, they all look so different!

Mine/ aka "Boar Breath Ned"

The staff picked a mystery quilt that went with our pirate theme of "X Marks the Spot. Notice the "X" in the center of each block.

Ricci/ aka "Rancid Ricci". Ricci made the other pattern. It looks like the stars are floating.

Judi/ aka "Jewel Thief Jude"

Beth/ aka "Barnacle Betty"

Patsy/ aka "Chicken Legs" (it's an inside joke!)

Plundering Pam

Ricci and Louise/ aka "Crab Louie"

Ruth/ aka "Toothless Rudy"