Quilters' Retreat.

Starting where I left off on Thursday. Picking started by 8.30 am Friday and went smoothly. I wrote out all the documentation for the rest of the day and walked off the job at midday. In my absence they finshed just after 3pm with a satisfactory number of bins ( more than last year );  but the fruit size is slightly smaller because of the dry season.

     The car was mostly packed so after a quick shower I set of for Quilter's Retreat about 34 kms away by the sea at Papamoa but had to go via the supermarket to get the food. Everyone going to stay at Retreat has to take a main meal dish and a sweet that can be used for dessert or afternoon tea. People make wonderful dishes. The food I was getting was all the breakfast things and enough  bread rolls and salad ingredients for lunch for 38. I bought brands I use so on Sunday when we packed up anything unopened I took off the docket thus saving unnessecary expense.( I still felt the need to explain at the supermarket checkout that it wasn't all for me! )
 AS always at these event we all ate far more than we needed.( you want to try a bit of everything! ) The only item in the catering,  I totally mis calculated was milk. I purchsed 4 x 2 litres plus some soya. On Saturday afternoon I had to go out for a  further 4 litres.

It could have been this....afternoon teas ; morning teas; supper etc....but they are lovely times for sitting and chatting and getting to know each other more closely .When you see ladies just out of bed walking around in their dressing gowns you do see them as they really are. But chats over a first morning cuppa are so enjoyable. Most of us took the oportunity for lovely walks on the beach.  I did early both mornings. Another friend, with the same name as me, slightly older who is a tramper, walks at just my speed so we team up happily.

  In our club it has sort of become a tradition that a certain lady prepares a group task for us all on the first night. It is usually fiddly, challenging and often ....ummm gross. She spends hours preparing little kits for us all with what we will need to make -  in this case tea cup ladies seen here at a later time on the piano in the lounge.

I ended up with a pack with red hair, so did 3 others and we decided maybe they were sisters, so I took a family photo.

Mine is the one in the mug ( as I didn't happen to have a nice china cup and saucer with me.( she is now sitting here by my computer) (R just rolled his eyes when he saw it! )

On Saturday we ( the committee ) had organised a tutor and a class of 8 went to another more modern  nicely lit building to make "Kimonos, " with Tutor Sheryl. They walked up the garden for lunch and tea breaks and we all went down to seethat  they were making progress. Here is our lovely tutor in red and D is showing us her kimono so far.

 Here is S squaring her fabrics on the floor.

Ladies had all chosen different japanese fabrics for their project. Strange how that always happens, but wonderful as they all turn out quite differently.

Back in the main building where we sleep, dine and lounge we also sew. Machines on the dining tables and hand sewers and quilters in the lounge or outside. You can see from this photo ( taken during a tea break ) that space was tight.( almost double the number of ladies who attended last year ) ( probably my fault for promoting it too well! ) The numbers threw up some other sleeping problems ( bunks ) which I won't air here but I was responsible to resolve...and did but we now will make a loss instead of breaking even ! I wanted ALL happy campers.

Saturday night  - a double bill of DVDs for those who wanted. The Topp Twins, followed by Dirty Dancing.  Some of us had to sit on the floor so we could all see.

Outside the BBQ wooden seats were a bit hard but great for getting some fresh air or tea breaks.

Just before we left to return home we had a Show and Tell session, which is always one of the best times.  Personally I didn't get a lot done, nor did Camp Mother ( who has to be one of the world's most competent scone makers - so I watched and listened )  but that is fine. I worked on my felt embroidered ball. My sewing machine and butterfly quilt never got taken out of the boot of the car!  

A final photo of the quilt I liked best. Here S is machine appliqueing the flowers .

So that is  that for another year. I am having a quiet day doing camp washing, catching up with all our tomatoes and feijoas that contiued to ripen while I turned my back.