Bryce Retreat Day 2

Today was day 2 of our quilt retreat up at Bryce. My girlfriend Judi and I didn't have a class in the morning so we walked around and saw what everyone else was teaching in their classes.
First we stopped by to visit Paula M. who was teaching a Book of Mormon quilt.

Paula does amazing applique.

Then we stopped by and saw Corey who was teaching the"Merry Go Round" quilt.

All of us quilters have kind of taken over Ruby's Inn at Bryce. We have our classes in the most interesting places.

Like around the pool. Good thing this pool is indoors. Last night it was 5 degrees outside.

Leslie taught a log cabin quilt and gave a history lesson on Abraham Lincoln.

Cute Flora always has a bright happy face. She always leaves the nicest comments on my blog.

Flora leads "That Alpine Group" every other year along with Paula and they keep the group in constant laughter.

Ricci was in an all day class that was tucked way down in the basement in the employees dining room, far from the rest of the group. It was a little challenging trying to find her! Ricci always has a unique way of demonstrating her latest accomplishments.

After lunch we met for a trunk show and Door Prizes. Three sisters did a hilarious comedy routine before they distributed the prizes through a drawing.

In the afternoon I taught a class called "Fun and Done". This is a technique where you quilt as you go and when you finish the quilt, it's done, binding and all.

The ladies of my class did so well!

This is a one block quilt. This lady is making hers out of Valentine fabrics.

One lady really broke out of the mold and made hers very scrappy.

Our class was only 3 hours long. April got 6 blocks done completed the first row. Look at the cute fabrics she chose.

After dinner the sisters were back with more Door Prizes!

After the door prizes we had a trunk show by three friends, Susan, Joylyn and Judy. These ladies all work together as nurse practitioners in the Salt Lake Valley. The theme this year is "Sunshine and Shadows" and they told how their quilting together over the years has gotten them through the good times and the sad.

These ladies are very prolific quilters. They had 2 luggage carts full to the top with quilts to show us.

This is just a portion of the trunk show.

JoyLyn's family surprised her with the most wonderful gift. One day they came and took all of her quilts. They then displayed her work all over Gardner Village and took pictures of her works from 1998-2008. The pictures were then published in a book with wonderful quotes and stories. Isn't this a great gift idea?

JoyLyn went through a "Sunflower" faze, where she made one Sunflower quilt after another.

One of the sorrows they went through together was the loss of Judy's son in Iraq 3 years ago. The other 2 got together and made her a tribute quilt.

What is it about the gift of quilting with our friends that makes life's tragedies easier to bear? Or the joys even higher?

I know the memories I have with my girlfriends have sustained me so much over the years.