The Power of Creative Women

I was curious what would happen if I had many of my favorite quilters in one room.

I was in a creative spin as everyone set up and began making, designing and grabbing scraps... 

So much so, I had a hard time focusing on what I wanted to do.  

I had no clue what would inspire me when the moment came...

I kept hearing things like, "Picking fabrics I don't usually use, finding muddy prints, 

finding brights I don't usually have..."

Phrases like that bouncing around the room,

I had to listen inside myself to hear what I wanted to do...

I found some Bazooka bubble gum colored PINK, a color I hardly ever use.  

It was so sugary sweet, I thought, I had to give it a whirl...  

That is what started me on my mission....

Then we had show and tell, and I saw Karen's quilt with her million pieces in it... 

and thought, well, maybe I could do something more complicated.... 

That would be fun...

I kept being drawn to LeeAnn's BLACKS in her eyelash quilt, so I pulled a few of those...

Jackie brought me a bunch of fabrics I purchased, 

and well, you know how fun is it to cut into brand new fabric!  

So in went the blue fish scales...

And then Cheddar... Andrea had her rose quilt and her star blocks 

with that gorgeous color...

Who doesn't love Cheddar!  I had to throw in some of that for good measure....

Helen, had some bright strings, Bonnie was using up all sorts of colors, 

Kim was trying a little bit of everything...

Jessica had her square block with  BRIGHTS....

I think you can see in my quilt that EVERYONE OF THESE LADIES contributed

to my inspiration in this quilt project I started...  

That is the POWER OF CREATIVE SUPPORTIVE WOMEN.

I highly suggest you put together  a retreat of you own of people who inspire you, 

and embrace the power of friendship and female bonding... 

Be inclusive, learn from each other, support each other, grow from each other... 

I don't mean to leave the men quilters out. I am just as inspired by them as well,maybe even more.

But for the sake of busy women, who don't take time to connect, this is a post for them.

I'd love to do a MEN's quilt retreat too... 

I'd like to see how that creative energy works side by side...

(how many of you are out there?? I can name a good handful, comment please... ;-)

hmmm..something else to think about!

I have embraced the idea of letting nearly all my scraps go and cutting up my new stash to make NEW scraps...  I selected out of the final 6 bins of fabric, down to ONE BIN, 

If you want one of the 4 boxes I am giving away please go leave a 
comment over at the 15 minutes play site...not here..

 I am now finishing using my acu quilt, go cutter to cutup all that remains...

Time for SPRING, spring cleaning and a fresh start...

Thank you ladies for inspiring me.... 

Not just my retreat pals, but all of you...

Here's to CREATIVE WOMEN! 

HURRAH!

Accomplishment

 Here is what we worked on!  I have to say I am terribly impressed with the things 

everyone got done!

Kim worked on several projects, from solids to sock monkeys, 

to scrap tiles, to owls!

Helen will be wearing her new VEST very soon!

(perhaps even have a blog?)

We told her she needs to start a blog and officially call it, HelenNoBlog... ;-)

Jackie labored away to get her paper piecing done, and she did! 

She would not let herself at the scrap bins til she finished it... Looks fabulous Jackie!

I gave each of the "retreater's" a MARY panel...

Jackie then dove into the scrap bins to finish off... Isn't it so sweet!!

remember she inspired my Lady?

Andrea started this project at the retreat I did in MN last summer!  This retreat the top made

itself together! LOVE IT!

 

 Here's what I was working on... I pulled colors I never use... PINK and BLACK.... 

threw in some cheddar, and purple, with splashes of red, and some funky blue.... 

The start of a big medallion quilt... with applique to come...

 

Bonnie was making these squashed hex's that make stars in the middle. 

Very fun!!!

Loads of scraps.  

Be looking for that BOX Bonnie... More coming your way!

 

Karen made a good dent in the scraps as well! 

She whipped up this scrappy top 

and all these glorious blocks below!

Jessica finished her BLOCKs and got this top together!

Below:

LeeAnn, well, she spent at least 4 hours cutting HST's

What a great big glorious pile of HST'S!! right?

And as of 10:30 last night, She left this morning with a  finished top....

Isn't it glorious?

A very prolific bunch!!

Thanks so much Ladies!

Now I need to go play with my gifted HOUSE blocks....

You all ROCK!

SHOW AND TELL

 

Here's a peak at what we all brought for show and tell....

There will be another round of this when we can show you what we have each been working on!

 

Sewing out brains out

 

Here we all are! Having WAY to much fun...

L to R: Myself(V), LeeAnn, Andrea, Bonnie, Helen, Kim, Kim, Jackie, and Karen

Jessica will be by today... ;-)

 

I was creatively STUCK!  Can you believe it?  Then they puled out a BAG of GOODIES for me!  They all made me house blocks, and well, I can say, I'm not STUCK anymore.... ;-)

Aren't they adorable??

  

LeeAnn (nifty), gave me this piece for our swap....  I had sent her the big red poppy for inspiration... Isn't it great?  She added button on the big white polka dots.. Brilliant.. Really very special, I love it.

 

LeeAnn

 

Jackie 

 

Andrea

 

Bonnie

 

Karen

 

Kim

Helen

We are making A  BIG HUGE GLORIOUS MESS! YIPPEE!

More Later, I hear my sewing machine calling me!

Nifty!

 

Finally! Nifty is here in NYC! WAHOOO!!

I can show you the swap piece I did for her.... We swapped an inspiration piece of fabric.

Will show mine later...

She sent me the inner floral piece with the scrolls cut off... so I took that as a place to 

applique the continuation of the pattern, add some color, machine and hand quilting, 

and I can happily say, I am thrilled she will go home with this. It was so fun to work on it for her...

 

The loft looks like a sweat shop...  tables, and chairs, and sewing machines are dribbling in...

Good Lordy, we are going to make some fabric fly!

 

See!  Nifty is already sorted out enough fabric for a few quilts! Talk about a kid in a candy store!

(Hey Bonnie, I think she is having a good time) LOL!

Everyone else arrives tomorrow.... How will I ever sleep tonight...

Sweet sewing dreams.