quilt retreat

Last weekend my sister and I packed up our sewing machines and our projects and headed to the quilt retreat! We were both pretty excited for it this year since there was a time when we didn't think we'd be able to go this fall. But as it turned out we made it happen and couldn't wait to work on our projects. And to make it even sweeter, we were both able to get off a whole day on Friday so we had ample time to get to the retreat and really get some work done.

As always it was so nice to see the other quilting ladies and catch up with them. It's almost like having my Grandma there with me. It's a real comfort to know that they still care about Cassie and I. They get a real big kick over us being there and continuing the tradition of it. There were actually some other girls out age that went this year too so that was pretty exciting for us. It's not very often that I meet quilters my age and sometimes I worry that it may die out after a while. I hope it won't. For all the old lady flack it gets, quilting is still a really beautiful art form I think and people would appreciate it more if they really knew the work that went into it.

Long story short we had a blast. We were able to get so much accomplished and had a really fun time with each other as well. I took the T-shirt quilt that I started during the Spring retreat. I hadn't really gotten much done back in the Spring so there was a lot of work to be done for it. I'm super pleased to say that my hard work really paid off. I was able to get 4 rows sewn on and only have 2 more to go. And I couldn't be more pleased with the way it's turning out. I can't wait for it to be finished!! I've wanted this quilt for so long.

Here are a few pics from the weekend. I don't have any of the quilt currently...I kind of want it to be a big reveal!

yes I had lunchables!

and yes they were delicious!!

the applique FCS square I made. It's a little silly but I still like it

the strips monster

the rooms of ladies

my happy little space

figuring out where I wanted the shirts to go

Row 1 complete!

seam allowance

tada!

One of the first things you learn about sewing with a machine are seam allowances. For those that don't know, a seam allowance is amount of space from the edge of your fabric to your stitching.
As a young sewer, for some reason, I never really payed attention to seam allowances and it usually got me into A LOT of trouble. I was a speed sewer and didn't have time to pay attention to such things. This made for lots of seam ripping and back-tracking and groaning.
I college I HAD to be better about paying attention to seam allowances. I was either being graded on the things I made or they had to go on stage for a show. It was a good thing because I finally started to slow down and take my time. My work became better and better.
------> Fast forward to the present time!<-------
I've been working on a new quilt lately with a pattern called a disappearing 4 patch. With all the other things I've been working on I only sew a block now and then just for fun. Well, this bit me in the butt the other night. I had made two blocks before Christmas and they came out beautifully. This past week I had a little time on my hands and decided to make another block. I cut out the fabric(four 6" squares) and sewed them, cut them, and sewed them again. For some reason things weren't lining up like they were supposed to tho. I looked at the finished product and it clearly wasn't as nice as the other two. I compared them and this new one was VERY much smaller than the others. The edges were uneven and it was much smaller. It was all very puzzling. Until it hit me. MY SEAM ALLOWANCES!!!! I forgot that the first blocks had smaller seam allowances. Luckily I had enough fabric to cut new squares so, today, that's what I did. The difference was astounding.

Granted the edges on the new one are still a little wonky, but that can be fixed. The important part is the difference in size. Clearly the smaller block will not fit in the quilt with the others.
The moral of the story: watch your seam allowances!!!!! They are not to be under-estimated. At all. Ever. Really.I'm serious.  :)
Hopefully the rest of my blocks won't give me as much trouble as this one did! If this is the worst then I think it will be a wonderful quilt.