Rockin R Retreat with Bonnie Hunter

A year ago I heard about an opportunity to attend a Bonnie Hunter retreat being sponsored by Minding My P's and Q's Quilt Shop.  I watched and watched for the newsletter to come out so that I could register immediately and I was successful.  Finally, the weekend has arrived.  It's been a year since I was able to spend time with Bonnie as she modified her calendar and wasn't available over holidays anymore.  Boohoo for us, but super good that she is with her family for those times.  For four New Years, I was fortunate to spend time sewing with her.  Perhaps something like that will come along again and I will latch onto it as well.  For now, I have this weekend.

Mister has graciously given me the car for the trip and I am out of the house before 6 a.m.  The retreat instructions said we could arrive anytime.  Well, alrighty then.  Let's get this party started.  There are a couple of ladies already there when I arrive, but they haven't gotten into the center yet.  It only takes us a few minutes and I have unlocked the door.  Let's go.

Rockin' R is a new retreat center to me so I walk around a bit and take some pictures before the barrage of women and "stuff" take over.  The main room is huge.  Seriously.  It appears to be designed to accommodate scrapbookers, but will work nicely for us quilters too.

There is a nice kitchen and "parlor" as you enter, giving it a warm feeling before entering the work area.  Perhaps one of these sofas will work for some time with my book.

Sherri arrives shortly after me and we soon have our nest designed and built.  It's time to sew.

I'm so glad she is here with me.  We haven't had a lot of one on one time (and she may wish she didn't have this MUCh before it's over) and so I am just delighted for this opportunity.  She hasn't met Bonnie before, so after introductions are over - that's it.  Just another friend.  Irene arrived with Bonnie (or the other way around) and it's great to see her again as well.

Yesterday, in Denton, there was another Bonnie class and several of the ladies in here too it as well.  They are still working on the blocks to the split nine-patch and Ami has started to lay hers out on the design wall.  This is so bright and fun.  Ugh -- run, Debi run.

I am getting to see ladies I haven't seen since last winter's classes in Plano and it's fun to reconnect.  Here is Siri working with some beautiful Kaffe fabric.  Ami with her split-nines in the works and Jane, also working on split-nines.

Mary is here as well and I've only met her online before.  Woohoo.  New "in-person" friends.  (She really is not a "picture" fan.  She's coming to retreat in April -- poor thing has no idea what I am capable of.)  You can see Bonnie, Ami, Siri, and Jane in the background as well.

Since the Garden Party clue released today in the group, there are a few around the room.  This one is Sherry's and I adore the green chains.

Jerri is working on a HUGE flying geese block.  Oh my goodness.  I love them though.  How super bright and cheery is this?

I spend the day working on my own Garden Party and manage to complete all the blocks.  Yay me.  If you want to read about all the steps in this, please click HERE.  Next week, onto setting triangles I think.

In the wee hours, before I give up and treat my body to some sleep, I manage to get one more sewing mat bound.  That's it.  I want to read for a bit and then crash.  Be back in the morning.  Oh, as I go up the stairs, I grab a quick pic of these plaques.  Love, love, love them all.

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Well there, good morning.  Our day today is centered around Bonnie's Midnight Flight class.  It doesn't start until 10 though so we have time for a demo from Jill (our hostess and owner of Minding My P's and Q's) on the new Quilter's Select Tools - mats, rulers, and cutters.  I can only say that I am super impressed.  Wow.    She says they are selling like crazy and I can certainly see why.  If you want to check them out, here is the link to Jill's shop.  Just click on "shop" (yep, pretty self explanatory) and you'll find them there.  I am adding them to my own wish list for sure.

A quick peek around the room and I stop at Bonnie's table.  She was busy sewing on her Straits of Mackinac blocks.  I am absolutely in love with these colors.  All I can think of is beach, beach, beach.

She is working with a cute little Featherweight borrowed from Irene and her station is just a piece of loveliness.

It's almost time for class but visiting is still ongoing.

Ramona is at this retreat too and I am super excited to meet her.  She will be attending the beach with us for all 10 days.  So happy to meet her ahead of time.  Hope she doesn't change her mind now.  HAHAHAHA.

My dear friend, Stephanie, author of the best blog ever written - My Imperfect Life - lives just down the road so I invited her to stop in for a peek and a pic.  Being a new Bonnie fan, she was happy to take me up on the invitation and Bonnie was super gracious and happy to meet a new convert.  I even got them to have a picture taken together.  (Oh yeah, Bonnie loves the shirt.)

A few minutes later I see Irene with a TA-DA (there are not many of those at this retreat???)

It's time to start the class.  I'm not going to go into a lot of detail about that in this post, but if you wish to see all that we did and learned, please click on THIS POST.

The best thing about retreats is that there is always time to share and visit.  Always.  I think I go to retreats for that more than the sewing.  I can sew at home alone.  I can't really enjoy the other women by myself.

We now have another split-nine patch design on the wall and I really like it.  Jane has created a star medallion with hers.  Oh my.

Sherri with her finished Midnight Flight block.   I have a surprise for her.  She was almost finished with the block and I managed to get a video of her singing.  It's right after this picture.

After dinner, we did a show and share.  To see all of the other's shares, please click on this LINK TO BONNIE'S blog.  I was able to share a few of my own: (I've been saving up since the last time I saw her -- heehee and thank you, Bonnie, for sending me the pictures)

Double Delight

Roll Roll Cotton Boll

Old Tobacco Road

Weed Whacker

Mad City Mama

Allietare

and En Provence - Whew

We grabbed Bonnie for a group shot of all the Our Quilt World Members - Ramona, Bonnie, Sherry, Mary, Irene, Sherri, and me.  What fun this was.

Sherry had a bit of a rough weekend and then her sewing machine decided to add some stress to it as well.  My new sweet Featherweight, Judy, came to the rescue and she sat in peace making more Garden Party blocks.

Sherri finished sewing the strips for her four-patches and for those of you who don't know her -- she has a thing for Bob Marley.  Hahaha -- just kidding.

Jerri commented that she now had "threadlocks."  Awesome.


Meanwhile at our table:  Ramond is concentrating very hard on her Garden Party blocks.  She is just churning them out.  Her reds are so pretty.

And day two is a wrap.  Once again, I finish a sewing mat and then take my book off for some quality "me" time.  The room is dang empty and a quick peek around nets me this amazing picture.  I wish I knew who was working on it.  So pretty.

As I head up the stairs, only Irene is left in the room.  Yep, gonna be cheesy here -- goodnight Irene.

Day three dawns and I am still working on Midnight Flight.  I didn't bring anything with me except Garden Party, Midnight Flight and some sewing mats to bind. I'm staying focused this weekend.

Sherri has gone from dreads to a boa.  Creative woman, she is.  Why am I writing like Yoda?

The day passes with us chatting, sewing on Midnight Flight, and eating.  It seems like one meal ends and another is started.  Continuous eating.  I'm pretty sure I have gained 5 pounds this weekend. Ugh.   I look out the window and see some beautiful light so make a trip outside with my camera.  It paid off.  These are simply beautiful.  Four pieces of eye candy coming your way.

Now it is time for more food.  See, I told you.  We have gradually gotten to know each other a bit better during meal times and I'm thrilled to have new friends to share quilty moments with.  From lower left to right:  Siri, Ellen, Mary, Sherri, Ramona, Jerri, Jill, Ami, Jane, and Sherry.

It's that dreaded last night.  We are all kind of trying to get some of the odds and ends off our tables and hit some arbitrary self-imposed goals.  Why do we do this?  Jill has finished a flimsy that I have been watching all weekend.  TA-DA  I like the H - but then I would, right?

The two Sherri(y)'s find my bubble gun and soon the tables are coated with little soapy wet spots.  The smiles are worth it though.

Well, I'm the last one in the room tonight.  I was determined to finish something and did it.  Lots and lots of little bonus triangles trimmed and ready to pack away.  As soon as I finish, I complete packing everything up as I am going home first thing in the morning.  Retreat doesn't end until tomorrow afternoon, but, dang it, I really miss my sweetie.  I just haven't seen enough of him lately.

My area is packed up and ready for departure.  Kinda sad.  So is Sherri's but she went to bed a long time ago.

One last walk around the room and here is Sherry's Garden Party

Mary's Midnight flight block and another project

Beth's (why didn't I get a picture of her?) Midnight Flight block and her Split Nine-Patch Blocks

I THINK these placemats are Jill's

Jill's - something insane I'm sure

And that's it.  1:30 a.m.  Last woman standing.  Time for some sleep.  It's been fun and thank you Jill and Rockin' R for a great time.  Oh -- and Sherri -- love ya so very much girlfriend.

See ya'll around, I hope.