Tuesday 5 June 2012

FQ Retreat - The Classes

Going to the Retreat wasn't just about finally meeting my online friends in person, and also meeting a huge bunch of other wonderful people too - though overall the people aspect of it was what made it so wonderful. I did not encounter one unfriendly, uninteresting person there. But we all went to learn a thing or two as well.

I did four different classes over the weekend. And I am glad that I chose every last one of them because I walked away with new capabilities. The teachers were great. Honestly, the FQ team and the teachers really were fabulous. The weekend obviously could not have happened without them, but they went beyond organising and truly included everyone, making us all welcome and helping wherever possible.

John kicked off the Retreat with a welcoming speech that set the tone for the whole weekend.
Above you can see Katy, Tascha, John and Lynne.

My first class was learning how to do Lu Summers's porthole technique.
I got this photo of one of her wonderful quilts,
and the back of Terri's head!

Lu was a great teacher and a quick demo suddenly had all of us exclaiming as we suddenly got it.

I stuck with simple circles for my first attempt.
The technique is incredibly easy and versatile once you understand how to do it.

Kat, obviously enjoying herself.

I like my heart more than my circles. The colours work  better  for me.
It just isn't quite finished yet.

In the afternoon I did framed purses with Katy Jones.
Yes, she is as cool as she looks!

I was in the class with Jude and Ceri.
Here are our three finished purses,
Jude's, mine and Ceri's.
We will skip any innuendo about the size of Jude's balls.

With their contrasting interiors.

Sunday morning I had freezer paper piecing with Kerry.
For some inexplicable reason I got a photo of her quilt, not her.
I would have liked photos of both!

Preparation for freezer paper piecing is the most time consuming part.

The piecing goes very quickly.
I never imagined that you could machine piece shapes like this.

There was time enough for me to do two simple blocks.

Though other's went straight for the four inch, incredibly detailed house block.
Those would be Laura's hand fiddling with the smallest of pieces.
 
My final class was with Brioni and Lynne.
The FQ Design Challenge.
It talked about playing with shapes, drawing out different combinations to experiment,
and me finally succumbing to Lynne and her Touch Draw enthusiasm.
Great wifi meant I could download it then and there.

Last but not least,
a fuzzy photo of Katy wearing her name tag
so Annabella could see it in action.
It is the most fabulous embroidery copying out one of
Katy's tattoo designs.

I think there are so many posts out there in blogland that everyone can see the weekend was an amazing success. The FQ team couldn't have done better. I think the only things I have left to show you are the amazing contents of the goodie bags and the lovely items I received in the Sample Swap. Liberty fans would have loved the weekend because they got a chance to not only fondle all sorts of Liberty fabrics but to go home with a sample bundle of their own. Those who travelled a distance had the joy of using brand new, out of the box Pfaff sewing machines which were kindly loaned for the weekend by Pfaff. I can only imagine that work that went into bringing all the details together to make the weekend so good. So many thanks to the FQ team and the many teachers. I appreciate all the effort and can't wait until next year.

Susan

33 comments:

  1. It was a brilliant weekend meeting people, taking classes and hanging out. The FQ team did an amazing job hosting the retreat. Di x

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  2. Look at those curls on my head! No, we won't mention Jude's knockers. It was a brilliant, unrushed weekend all round.

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  3. Hi Susan..just catching up with some of your retreat posts, sounds like it was brilliant!!xx

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  4. So you had a great time AND learnt lots from great teachers? Even more jealous now! :-)

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  5. I will continue trying not to be jealous about not getting any Liberty!
    xxx

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  6. Great piccies Susan, and your blocks were excellent! Lovely to meet you

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  7. Love your reverse applique (?) heart! Can I learn it from afar? (like I need another project!)

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  8. Thank you thank you thank you for coming, being a total hoot, good sport and for this wonderful post. Nearly crying again but not quite phew

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  9. Great pics Suz, and thank you for being discreet about my balls! Jxo

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  10. You took a lot of great pictures!

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  11. Looks like you had a fab time. I hope to meet you next year :-)

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  12. Fab classes weren't they, your purse looks great.

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  13. my goodness this looks awesome! love the purses and your foundation piecing! really great photos thank you so much for sharing these! xxxx

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  14. Great post! I got to see Katy's porthole and freezer paper blocks last night. Would have loved to have done those classes and the framed purse!

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  15. thank you thank you thank you for coming, for being part of it, for trusting it would be worth the trip, and for making it worth the trip (because it wouldn't have been much good without you lot). You have no idea how much that means to us, and how amazing you all are. By sunday every time I looked around knowing it was going to end soon I was choking back the tears. I can't believe it went as well as it did and how much fun we all had. So, thank you xxxxxx

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  16. Thanks for the photo journal of all the classes and fun things you made.

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  17. Looks like loads of fun S. Your heart is fab and I love the three framed purses.

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  18. What a great weekend!!! 'I did not encounter one unfriendly, uninteresting person there.' That's cos I wasn't there *wink*

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  19. Can't wait to get my personal email account of the weekend. So much fun!

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  20. What a great photo diary of the weekend. Makes me wish I'd taken more pics. The heart looks brilliant, great colours.

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  21. Your heart block looks fabulous! I think the portholes class was one of the hits of the weekend, but it was all so fabulous it's hard to choose a favourite bit.

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  22. so glad you had a wonderful time... makes up for those who could not go xx thanks for sharing it with us xx

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  23. Great post again Susan - I`m enjoying my virtual visit and thanks for the last pic!

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  24. What a weekend... I'm still playing the conversations and weekend over in my head and giggling!!! I am so pleased to have met you and would love to stay in touch. Yay to my new fellow Canadian quilting friend!! :)

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  25. Oh my goodness, it was so lovely to meet you! You are just as I expected!!!! (and that is a compliment!) loving your work, as usual - didn't see that heart block before...very gorgeous x

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  26. All those wonderful classes in one weekend. I would have been beside myself !

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  27. oh it all looks just fab! wonderful that you all had such a glorious time together, great vibes eh?!

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  28. What? But the inuendo was the best thing about Jude's purse ;o)

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  29. Aaaawwww.....wonderful post. Lovely to meet you and will see you next year :-)

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  30. Lovely photos S - it was so nice to meet you & hopefully next year we will get to spend some more time together...

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  31. ok that photo is not my best side! LOL
    Making me relive it all again. I'm going to have to get my brain back down to earth soon or it will be floating up in the clouds forever...

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  32. Fabulous to meet you and hopefully next time I will get to chat to you a bit more.

    Love the heart porthole - I think I might have to try a few of those.

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