A good beginning ...

What a great way to begin 2016!  I attended a quilter's retreat at the Gasthoff in Montgomery last week and it was a good way to start a new year.  The weather kicked off Thursday with clear blue skies, sunny and warm, then turned ugly on the last night ending in a long drive home.  But in between, wow! -- I got a lot of sewing done!  Although I didn't finish anything, I got a good start on a new quilt the first day, and lots of work on two UFOs that have been lingering in my sewing room for some time the other three days.  Being around other quilters is usually inspiring, especially on show n' tell night!  Double wow!  I can't begin to describe all of the work I saw there but it was enough to get my 2016 off to a good start.  (And since I've been home, I've been sewing ... that's the best part.)

This was the view from my seat.  I'm about in the middle of the room.  It was a wonderful space.  In the distance is the booth that the sponsor, Village Mercantile of Boonville, had set up. 

Here's my table mate and new friend, Brenda from Owensboro KY.  With her sweet little white Singer Featherweight!  She was really great company and we have a lot in common, values-wise especially.  It was all good.  Quilting friend Benjie was to my right.

We had several demonstrations.  Here's Dawn giving a demo on how she made a picture with her scraps.  This is not quilting per se but it's a great way to use your leftovers!

Here's the result of Dawn's fabric scraps ... she's actually an artist, isn't she?!  This was her first attempt.  All done with teeny tiny fabric scraps!  I loved this!  It really blew me away.

On another front, couple days before I left for the quilting retreat our evening hooking group met at the library in Worthington.  We had a good sized group, 7 or 8 of us I think.  It's always fun to get together and hook and share what's been going on with each other!  I want to include a couple pictures from that evening.  Jane was working on binding her Santa with Reindeer rug and I fell in love with this design (again).  I asked Margo to draw one for me, so I see that rug in my future.  Jane hooked it with wide strips and I'm going to do the same.  It's pretty big!  I'm looking forward to it.  I included a close-up of Santa's face because it's so wonderful.  I love the textured yarn Jane added to his beard!  Also, a new hooker, Julie, brought her completed beginner piece to show us and I've pictured it below -- "Two Little Stars".  She's a really wonderful hooker and spent the evening color planning her next piece; a large floral rug which will be a challenge.  It's much more complex than the two little stars I started her out on!  I'll keep you posted ... I expect some beautiful work from Julie; she's a perfectionist.

Jane's Santa with Reindeer rug, in the binding process.

Close-up of Santa's face!  Love it!

Julie's beginner piece, Two Little Stars.  She's on to something bigger and better!

On the home front, Wendell has had a couple near fainting episodes this winter and is now wearing an event monitor.  It's sort of a sensitive devise and sometimes he has two left hands, so it's been slow going on the learning curve.  He's had med changes and visits to the ER and doctor, so he is ready for a better 2016.  Also, my mother had a scare and spent a few days in the hospital, then back in the healthcare unit at River Terrace, but is now back "home" in her little apartment.  I went up there about a week ago and spent a few hours.  She was really doing well considering.  So keep my family in your prayers, will you?  Thanks. 

It's off to the races for another good year.  God is so good to me.