A great Arty Farty weekend

Well what a weekend.....on Friday Sandra and I caught a plane to Canberra to spent a weekend with Helen Godden and 18 other beautiful ladies.........

Helen picked us up from the airport and took us to Federation Square.........so that we could have lunch and check out the patchwork shop there......lots of nice fabric.......but service was a little disappointing.................

as you may see from the photos it was a little chilly....especially for us living in Queensland...........it was about 24 when we flew out and about 5 when we had lunch...........

It is our Autumn at the moment and the colour in the trees was just amazing........

isn't this awesome...........I have no idea of significance of these pieces but I just loved it........

At about 4pm Helen came to pick us up and off we went to our retreat.........

What a view

work room for the next 2 days

 

Helen showing us her award winning quilts and a few welcome drinks to meet all the lovely ladies

Ineka ( Helen's daughter ) showing us her work in progress.........such a shy little thing......

We had a fantastic weekend...the food...I think I put on about 5 kg's well it feels that way.......


Friday.....roast lamb and veges with sticky date pudding topped with custard and sauce..........

The rest of the night was a get to know you and look at all the beautiful quilts......Helen is just amazing letting us actually letting us hold ....touch....and take photos of her quilts.......

On Saturday it was up with the sparrows as 3 out of 4 of us could not sleep....for me it was so quite.......we live near a railway line were 43 trains go passes every day and during the night......being up early did not worry me.......so Sandra and I got up to watch the sunrise........and watch all the wild life.....


I think the Kangaroos might have some treats after breakfast.........they are very tame.........

On to the day........following are some photos of our very productive day

the original pattern

after some tweeking ( well lots of tweeking )by Helen........it is starting to look good

by the afternoon most of us had finished painting our pieces and were starting to baste our quilts......

this is Sandra's seahorse

so by now it wine o'clock.........you know 5pm on a Saturday......... time to relaxed and for those who chose to keep sewing it was time to do the Chardonnay Stitch.......a relaxed free motion quilting.........

Our masterpieces by the end of the afternoon........

Roast beef and veges for tea tonight .......yum......

The food has been delicious.....piping hot porridge for breaky........smoke'o was .....     lunch Chicken and Corn soup then yummy salad sandwiches.....afternoon tea was a freshly baked fruit slice......and we also had supper was .......

I will post photos of all the ladies with their master pieces on Friday...........

Until then.........happy stitching

Cathy