Craft Taffy retreat - what a treat!

Corrie & Des, at Quilt Taffy, hosted a retreat in beautiful McCall, ID last week. 

I was so lucky to get to stay the entire week! 

(I was teaching a Lone Star class)

Here are just a few photos that I captured....sit back & enjoy the tour!

 

The theme was "Starry, Starry, Night"...
(You can purchase these beautiful stars here.)

 

These words greeted the guests on the window...

 

 

We had Lone Star quilts hanging on the banister for the guests to see as they arrived.

 

 

Every sewing station was personalized...

 

 

Each bed space had these beautiful goodies waiting for them...

 

 

The "starry" lights were everywhere and these ginger caramels that Corrie made didn't last very long - sooooo delicious!

(recipe here)

 

 

Each guest received a schedule and these cute numbered pins which are so handy for every project!

 

 

Cute, cute decorations - love this paper "dot" swag!

 

 

As the guests finish a project, it's hung on the banister for display - a vintage sheet quilt of Shelto's.

 

 

Layers of mint chocolate gooiness.....so incredibly delicious!  Thanks, Des - you're the Master Chef!

 

 

Guests bring piles and piles of potential quilt tops! 

 

 

 Pin cushions - organized by color!

 

 

 

My cute pin cushion & tape measure (thank you, Vicky & Sally) - see the pink umbrellas in the background? 

That's where we ate our dinners outside - so lovely!

 

 

 

This post was all about getting settled in to our "new" surroundings.....there's more, oh, so much more, to come!

"Squares & Strips" quilt & Starry Night retreat

Last fall I attended a fantastic quilt retreat in beautiful

McCall, ID.

It was put together by two sisters, Cori & Des, owners of the online quilt shop, Quilt Taffy.

They are my friends.

Even if they weren't my friends for years, after the retreat I would have considered them my friends.

The retreat was so much fun!

One of the "offers" they showered us with was this darling quilt kit to purchase using the free tutorial pattern from Cluck Cluck Sew. 

It measures about 64" x 80"

 

 

You can view it here.

It's called "Squares & Strips".

 

 

It only took me only 5 hours to sew it up at the retreat.  Seriously!

The fabrics are from Riley Blake - "Sidewalks" by October Afternoon.

I used a wool batt - that's why it's so scrumptious!

And I used a pretty flannel backing from the same line.

 

 

 

I quilted an all-over loop design. 

Very loose - I wanted it to remain puffy!

 

 

I used a cute red print from the same line for binding.

 

 

I walked down to my neighbors place to take the photos. 

I LOVE this old wagon!

Thanks, Danette, for the beautiful setting!

 

 

Cori & Des are offering another quilt retreat in lovely

McCall, ID.

Click here to get all the details!

Hurry, registration is closing mid-month!

"Starry Starry Night" retreat.....I'm teaching!

I'm so happy that Corrie & Des, of Quilt Taffy, asked me to teach a Lone Star quilt class at their upcoming 2015 fall retreat in September.

You can read all about it here....on their craft taffy blog.

 

It's going to be in this amazing old lodge in McCall, Idaho. 

I've gone the past two years and I wouldn't miss it for anything in the world.

I'll be teaching the Lone Star technique and once you understand how its put together, the "Starry, Starry" sky's will be the limits! 

I will have a couple of models to chose from.

You can either make a scrappy looking quilt top, 70" x 70", out of one jelly roll like this one of mine:

 

Or you can make a traditional planned looking quilt top, 70" x 70" or larger, like this one of mine:

(mine is a queen size)

I will have instructions for you at the retreat. 

You can contact me ahead of time for the materials lists.

(skill level:  intermediate)

 

Love the old rusty hinge on this barn door.

 

 

I pieced my backing with Denyse Schmidt prints.

 

My queen size Lone Star out of Fig Tree prints. 

 

I'll be sending a little flyer with the information on the retreat with your finished quilts.

You should consider joining us for the "Starry Starry Night" fun! 

birch tree quilt

Last year some of my friends & I got together and decided to make exchange blocks for a "Birch Tree" quilt top.

 

 

 

You can purchase the pattern from Amanda Jean of Crazy Mom Quilts here.

Her patterns are very well written and easy to construct.

Each of us chose a solid background Kona fabric and made 20 blocks with that one solid.

I had the Valentine pink blocks.

 

 

Then we got together at a fall retreat hosted by Quilt Taffy and exchanged them.

Here they are in piles ready for choosing. 

Aren't they pretty?

 

 

I set mine together and had to show them off at the retreat

It was such a fun quilt block to make.

 

 

I was able to use up small bits of my scraps - very small bits!

I quilted mine with a single wave going horizontal.

 

 

 I didn't want much quilting because I have a scrumptious pink waffle minky on the back that I didn't want to smash with the quilting.

 

 

I had a funky piece of fabric for the binding that had all the block colors in it - oh, yeah!

 

 

This very bright, happy quilt is now living in Pennsylvania - they love it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

oh - the goodies!

Here are just a few of the goodies we received at the Quilt Taffy retreat in McCall, ID.

Des - "Chef".

 

 

Wrapped in this wax paper are the most delicious German Chocolate brownies - ever! 

And they're loaded with nuts!!!  (thanks, Des)

 

 

Everywhere you looked there were pink & white treats.

 

The first night we exchanged "my favorite things" gifts. 

I got this awesome tattoo!

 

And these other gifts....a Christmas CD, a measuring cup filled with chocolate, an insulated drinking glass with a Diet Coke tucked inside and a dish cloth.

 

 

The dish cloth had this amazing hazelnut chocolate bar inside.

(hazelnut & chocolate - one of my most favorite combinations....EVER.)

 

I also received this handy little tote, to tote all of my goodies in!

 

Every afternoon Des treated us to homemade snacks.

Her husband, "hello" Dave, made us these giant sugar cookies - ahhhh....cookies & milk in the afternoon.

 

 

When we arrived we had this pile of wonderful-ness waiting on our beds.

I LOVE the plastic quilt block containers - I could easily have dozens of these in my home....they're perfect for storing your ongoing projects.

Don't you just love the nighttime shades made out of MINKY?

I've already started using my fabric covered notebook and trim.

 

 

We all received a chair massage -

oh. my. goodness. gracious! 

I could have fallen asleep right there. - thank you, Eva.

We played and played.....we even played a lotto game with fabulous prizes.

I won a package of pink Skittles from my ticket!

 

 

Here I am peeking over my scrappy trip with my sister, Leela.

Ahhh - a finish!

 

 

Des had a book review on this sweet little book, "Stargirl", by Jerry Spinelli.

I read it at the retreat and loved every word of it.

It's an easy read which is packed with life lessons.

I highly recommend it!

I'll be dropping quarters on the sidewalk for the rest of my life. 

 

 

So many great friendships were formed.

Here's the first group:

 

 

and here's our second group:

 

 

Our parting goodie was a giant box of pink Whoppers with a personal note attached - safe travels.

 

 

Thank you, again, Des & Corrie, for a fantastic retreat.

You're the BEST!

xxoo