100th Post !!!!

I have managed to write 100 posts !  This means a celebration of course, so there will be a small giveaway.  Leave me a comment telling me what you like about this blog and in a few days I will randomly select numbers.  I will post later about the giveaways, but one of them will be the Chintz Applique book produced by the International Quilt Study Center.    Kaum zu glauben, dass ich nun 100 mal auf diesem Blog irgendwas zu erzaehlen hatte !  Grund genug fuer ein kleines Geschenk, lasst ein Kommentar ueber diesen Blog in den naechsten paar Tagen und ich werde dann Nummern ziehen.  Schreibe nachher mehr ueber die kleinen Geschenke, aber eins davon ist das Buch Chintz Applique.

Over the last few weeks I have been really busy, so I didn't write anything about the PQ retreat.  I took my camera, but was so absorbed that I forgot to take any pictures !!  I did get some things done though, an old project finished (well, the top anyway !)  and a good start on a new one:

The pink and brown tumblers have been hanging around far too long.  I cut many tumblers from my pink and brown scraps, and they just seemed to grow in the basket ...... the border is a lovely raspberry toile.  The quilt is very large, and big enough for a bed - I had to hang it over my fence so you can't see the top of it at all.  The quilt is not stained, the marks are just shadows from the tree next to the fence.  I think I still have as many tumblers now as I did when I started, so some of these might find their way into the giveaway ......

Progress was made on a new quilt:

The first three blocks are complete but not trimmed, and the other 9 have the centers complete.  I love the pattern, and the blocks are very interesting to make.  I think the center would make a lovely scrap quilt block, it is easy and the pieces are large enough to showcase favorite prints.  The pattern is from this book:
Home on the Plains

As always at the retreat, we had an enjoyable, busy and happy time away from our usual cares.  We have been doing this a long time now, about 12 years I think, and I always look forward to it. 

Yesterday, I was invited by Hidden Stitches, an applique group in Largo, to teach beginners' boutis.  It was a large group of ladies, about half of which were from PQs.  It was a pleasure teaching them, and I hope a few will be "converted" into passionate boutisseuses.  We will see !   I almost forgot to take pictures, so here are a couple at the end of class:

Also a few weeks ago, my dear friend
Lou had a birthday.  As usual, I was horribly late in finishing what I had planned for her, so she received a late birthday gift.  I sent her an applique book I thought she would enjoy, as well as this small quilt:

And since our cats add so much pleasure (as well as black hair) to our quilting and needlework, here is a picture of Amelie this morning:

Have a great Sunday - I plan to make the most of this Sunday, which is my first one at home in a month !