I recently experienced an amazing 4 day sewing retreat at The Whatever Craft House, hosted by my dear friend, fabric and pattern designer, Jackie Clark (you know, the tutor, amazing sewing enthusiast, accomplished cook). 
For a tour of the Whatevercraft House and more info click HERE.
Immediately, I feel at home here. Dear friends, Tamara Gonzales and Bev Bishop welcomed everyone with gifts. Bev made little packets of notepaper and pencils, printed out the verse that inspired the Whatever House for everyone to read and appreciate, and Tamara gave handmade strawberry hot pads in delightful colors to guests.
I was fortunate to receive some of Tamara’s scrap yarn at the end of retreat (you can tell we love the same colors!) I have been fortunate to spend time with Tamara, a fellow blogger – only those that do, get it!
I worked on a throw quilt that had large patches. This was for my mother, as a gift. I finished with help from Jackie, as she gave up her personal sewing time to demonstrate how to apply a binding.
I have lots of photos of me working on it, of my mom receiving it, but still, not photo of it done (on my list for the weekend).
Since I was close to home, my mom and my sister came to tour the house – I love that Tamara took wonderful photos of me sewing, my mom’s reaction and that you can see how happy she was with her quilt.
After my mom got her quilt, we took a Main Street shopping trip in Newton, KS. I found the amazing red trays and the mini-globe bank at 2 antique shops just blocks from the retreat.
My other project was to add to blocks from retreats past… the houses began as a wall hanging concept two years ago, but has since morphed into a “quilt in progress”. I love the green mini floral and the aqua print that resembles paint splotches (found these and the aqua background fabric at Charlotte’s Sew Natural also on Main)!
There are nine blocks of (the 26) houses that I have lived in over past 43 years… eight blocks are shown here in it’s current condition. I plan to add a few more “applique” elements. I use the term applique loosely, as it is not the traditional applique. I use Heat-n-Bond or Wonder Under then very primitively stitch over the work. At the moment the block sizes vary, but I will get a uniform size figured out on the next leg of the project.
Elements I want to add – one idea in the corner of each block. These additions keep me up at night dreaming in fabric:
- Air-stream trailer
- Pic-nick table
- Swing
- Scooter
- Bicycle
- Vintage truck (1940)
- Dog
- Cat
- Birds on a wire (telephone poles)
Stephanie Macera 