A Mad Hatter's Tea Party

 What a wonderful way to see each other in real life - an outdoor tea party! (I wonder what we will think in 20 years about this Covid-19 year and a half.) Much appreciation goes to the organizers and their helper elves - well done! There were cloth tablecloths, lovely flowers on the tables, hats galore, bunting . . .

We played bingo with the 25-patch squares we had made and brought. Squares were covered with directions like: a square with a word on it, a square with a fabric that is tone on tone, a square with a pink floral, and so on. Lots of fun!

And there were prizes . . .

The bingo blocks were collected to make a future comfort quilt.

A tea party of course had tea, iced tea and wonderful cookies. A quick bite confirmed their yumminess.

We had a surprise visit from Madame Pekoe, a noted reader of tea leaves. Rose-Marie willingly drank the tea and had her tea leaves read.

We were able to see our Whimsy and Wishes quilt in person. You will recall members were invited to make a block of their choice last spring during the Covid lockdown. These were picked up and arranged into this quilt. So nice.

Members brought Show & Tell items to share. 

Heather continues to organize her sewing room and finish those unfinished projects. This jellyroll quilt was pieced years ago. Now it finished. The quilting design is dog paw prints quilted by Gwenda. Very appropriate since it is now Chester's quilt (Heather's dog). Lucky Chester.

Susan F has been making rope bowls.

Pam has made quilts for her two 13 year old granddaughters. She wanted something a bit modern. How could they not love them! 

And Pam made a sleeping bag by request for Junie, the Bengal cat. You can see Junie approves!

Ruth has been busy making things for family and friends. I love how she can repurpose old bits of lace, ribbon and embroidery.

Rose-Marie has made an eye spy quilt for her great-granddaughter. This time she has the quilt finished in time for the move from the quilt to the big bed. 

Rose-Marie says this blue and beige quilt is a wedding quilt for a grandson. Apparently he has shown no sign of getting married yet. Thinking she might not still be quilting when he is ready, she has planned ahead. He lives in St. Stephen so she is calling it "Blueberry Fields of Charlotte County".

The pandemic had Rose-Marie digging out burgundy/blue Mexican Star blocks she had pieced about 25 years ago. They are now sewed together with borders added. She is not sure what is happening to it next.

Debbi D has started making these baby receiving blankets. 

And has made twin size quilts for a friend with the Disappearing Nine Patch pattern.

Christa continues to keep busy. She made this for her new couch which is blue. the cats sleep on it.

Christa made this quilt for a friend in Ottawa who has breast cancer. Her friend was promised a quilt from Victoria's quilts, but when Christa called and asked if she liked it her friend almost cried saying she wasn't getting one because of Covid. So Christa made her one using the pattern she had started at retreat.

For this quilt Christa tried to use as many 2 inch (1 1/2 inch finished) pieces as she could - she thinks well over 300. It is a log cabin but uses single squares in the logs with the first and last pieces in black. It gives the impression of a "trip around the world". It is hand quilted quite extensively. It is going to good friends.

Debby H has finally finished her mystery quilt from a number of years ago. Finishing things long undone seems to be a bit of a theme. Is this a positive aspect of the pandemic?

Gisele shared some of her own quilts she has quilted on her longarm. I will call it a new longarm since it has only been about 8 months since she got it. A Bow Tie quilt she started at retreat.

A chandelier quilt 

And this one for her granddaughter. Her granddaughter loved the Shades of Grey pattern but not the colours. She chose her colours and the quilting design. The result is lovely.

Evelyn took on a challenge. This quilt was machine pieced in the 60's by her granddaughter-in-law's great-grandmother. (I think I have that right.) It was not a very good job with puckers and seams sewn down. Through the years it had acquired yellow spots. Evelyn was successful getting the spots out but even though she had machine washed the quilt top on the gentle cycle, it ended up having lots of wadded up threads on the back. It took 4 days on and off to get the threads cut off and the top ironed flat. She decided to get right at hand quilting it so that would not happen again. 5 months later - ta da!