NEW CHANGE FOR FQ BINGO !


The committee has decided to put a change in the FQ bingo game.  We will now make it so you can PLAY UP TO 4 FQs per game... With everyone flying in, we thought that it might be a challenge for everyone to get 4 FQs here for each game... SO HOW BOUT A CHANGE!


So if you only want to play with 1 FQ, we will give you 1 card... if you want 2 or 3, we can accommodate that as well :)  But if you're feeling REALLY lucky, then you will want to play with 4 FQs... that's what I'll be doing!


Do ya remember the choices of fabrics to bring?  I'll refresh my ... I mean your memory :)

~ ASIAN fabrics ... those gorgeous Orientals! (4 FQs per player)

~ REPRODUCTION fabrics ~ can be Civil War, 30's or other repro (4 FQs per player)

~ FALL ~ Gotta have those FABULOUS fall fabrics! {NO HALLOWEEN} (4 FQs per player)

~ BATIKS !!!  What would a party be without Batiks!!! (4 FQs per player)

~ BLACK & WHITES ~ fabric with black background & white print, or white background & black print (4 FQs per player)

~ NEUTRAL fabrics ~ beiges, tans, off whites, tone on tone lights (4 FQs per player)

~ UGLIES ... Everyone has some they are tired of or wonder WHY they ever bought those!  No limit as to how many go into the pot, but 4 minimum.

and possibly (time permitting)

~ ANYTHING GOES ~ this will be anything you want to throw in, or maybe you won some you don't really want.  Please make sure this is 100% GOOD QUALITY COTTON FABRIC.

This will be the last Bingo game.

Now for those that are flying, if you win big and don't want to carry them in your suitcase, or you do some shopping you just couldn't pass up ~~

WE WILL HAVE PRIORITY MAIL BOXES AND ENVELOPES AT RETREAT FOR ANY ITEMS YOU MAY WISH TO SEND.  THEY WILL BE FLAT RATE, SO YOU CAN WRITE ME A CHECK TO MAIL THEM (WE WILL ALREADY KNOW THE POSTAGE AMOUNT), AND I WILL GET THEM MAILED ON MONDAY AFTER RETREAT.  We will also have DELIVERY CONFIRMATION forms available as well.  Just please MARK ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE PACKAGE "FQ BINGO" ... 

Last year, I mailed my dirty laundry home via USPS and packed up all my fabric purchases and souvenirs in my carryon for the plane :)  I didn't care if my laundry got lost :)

So there's your categories for FAT QUARTER BINGO ... It's a retreat tradition... one we mean to carry on ~ big time! 

And what would the tradition of FQ Bingo be without our awesome bingo caller...  THANK YOU CHANLADY Lois for stepping up as our Bingo caller once again.  When I sought the advice of previous hostesses when I was considering having the retreat come to Branson, the previous hostesses HIGHLY RECOMMENDED Chanlady be kept as Bingo caller ... and after meeting her in NC and seeing her in action, I was MORE than appreciative of her "talents" ...  So THANK YOU LOIS !!!  I know you'll do a great job as Bingo hostess once again.

And remember... the games don't just have one winner!  THEY HAVE MULTIPLE WINNERS!!!

Quilters and their sicknesses

Just read this on another message board and thought I'd copy/paste it: 


A recent study indicated that fabric gives off certain Pheromones that actually hypnotize women and cause them to purchase unreasonable amounts. When stored in large quantities in enclosed spaces, the Pheromones (in the fabric) cases memory loss and induces the nesting syndrome (similar to the one squirrels have before the onset of winter i.e. storing food). Therefore perpetuating their species and not having a population loss due to their kind being cut into pieces and mixed with others. 

Sound tests have also reveled that these fabrics emit a very high pitched sound, heard only by a select few, a breed of women known as "quilters." When played backwards on an LP, the sounds are heard as chants, "buy me, cut me and sew me." 

In order to overcome the so called "feeding frenzy effect" that these fabrics cause, one must wear a face mask when entering a storage facility and use ear plugs to avoid being pulled into their grip. One must laugh, however, at the sight of customers in a quilt fabric store, with WWII army gas masks and headphones! Studies have also indicated that aliens have inhabited the earth, helping to spread the effects that these fabrics have on the human population. They are called Quilt Fabric Store Clerks. 



It's also been experienced that these same Pheromones cause a pathological need to hide these fabric purchases when taken home (or at least blend them into the existing stash), and when asked by significant other if the fabric is new, the reply is "I've had it for awhile." 

To "FIX" this sickness.... check out our friends at DJ's DISCOUNT FABRICS ...   you can find them on the internet at www.djsdiscountfabrics.com .  Diane is a sponsor for our retreat, and a new fabric store on the web ... so go check her out!  And tell her that you saw her on CIRCLE OF FRIENDS RETREAT BLOG!

Have a great week and happy sewing!

Row Robin FUN !

Here's the last of the row robins that will be finished and on display at the Circle of Friends Retreat in Branson!  These are fun and creative, and interesting to see what the quilters are in to for their choices of quilts ... it's been challenging AND fun for us all!

McPatches

Mountain Laurel

Pegsami

SavedSinnr

SD Granny

Shauna's Crafty Quilter

Shawlk

TeaSea

Toryam

TX Wildflower

It's time for the ROW ROBIN FUN !!!

We're lining up MORE FUN for the retreat ... Have you ever heard of a ROW ROBIN ??? We've heard of singing robins, round robins, even batman's friend robin ... but we're gonna mix it up a little bit and have a ROW ROBIN

Have you seen the post on the HGTV Quilting Message Board for the ROW ROBIN ???  It is well under way now, and the second round of posting is in progress, but ONLY the first row can be shown. 

AngelaC

We will run 2 different row robins; a throw/lap size (approx 48” by 64”) and a small wall hanging size (approx 24” by 28 +/- inches). We have 4 groups of 7 people for the lap size and for the wall hanging size, 2 groups of 6 people.  Rows can be pieced, paper-pieced or appliquéd~ no raw edges on the appliqué and no heavy fusibles.


It started out that each participant will make their own center row, and will be bordered on the top and bottom with a 2" sashing piece for lap size, and 1" for wall hanging.  We also had to include enough sashing strips to finish the row robin to be added by each participant.

CBQ

~For the 48” (throw/lap size) quilt the center strip will be a 12” (FINISHED SIZE) row composed of blocks of the makers choosing.
~For the 24” quilt, the center row will be a 6” (FINISHED SIZE) row.

We could also include any other fabric we wanted to be used in every row, and a notebook for the next person to jot their thoughts.

CharmingSister

Each row will be a different size, with  detailed instructions for the size and placement of each row.   At the end of the robin, each quilt will be mailed to the Circle of Friends Retreat in Branson (via SavedSinnr), and then unveiled at the retreat.    Doesn't that sound like fun?

At the North Carolina Retreat last April, hostess Quiltaholic did a round robin and unveiled them in the large meeting room... all the quilts were hanging around the room above the tables, and walking in, it just took your breath away.  It was SO VERY BEAUTIFUL and really gave a GREAT atmosphere to our retreat.  I was amazed at the beauty of them all, and how 5 people could take 1 person's idea and make it so complete in the quilts.  They really were beautiful, and I don't know how many laps around the room I took just checking them all out!

So I've put a few pics of the FIRST rows in here ... and no more pics will be published after the first row ... but when the unveiling happens in Branson, you can bet there will be some gorgeous pics included!  And stay tuned ... I'll keep adding "first row" pics as the year progresses ... wouldn't want ya'll to faint from the overload of beauty!  Hope everyone has a great weekend!

WELCOME FRIENDS and QUILTERS

WELCOME to the launch of our blog for the upcoming Circle of Friends Quilters Retreat in Branson... we are excited you are here !  Here's a little bit about these quilty friends ...    

I have a Circle of Friends ... we are quilters united by the internet and our love of quilting, thru the HGTV.com message boards.  You'll find us at our favorite board... the Quilting and Needlework Message Board. There are a group of gals (and a few guys) who join together in cyberspace and share skills, experiences, tips, love, prayers, concern, and bond a true friendship. Thru this love and friendship, there are many projects done as a combined effort. Sometimes a friend going thru chemo needs a quilt of love, or one of our friends has lost a cherished family member, or a member of our military service needs some hugs from home... I call them our "heroes". A quilt is something that wraps that special someone not only in comfort, but in the love and care it took to make that quilt. 

These Circle of Friends also do many charity benefits, making quilts for raffle to raise money for donations to such charities as the Ronald McDonald House charities, and the Muscular Dystrophy Association. There are quilts made for Relay for Life, or for devastating circumstances, such as Katrina, or the recent tornado destruction in Joplin. I truly believe QUILTERS ARE THE MOST GENEROUS OF SOULS!

Back in 2006, some gals on the message board wanted to get together and meet in person and do some shopping... so the first Circle of Friends was formed, and a small group spent a weekend together in Minnesota. Since then there has been a Circle of Friends in different parts of the country... from Texas, to New Hampshire, to Oregon, to North Carolina. And it has grown from that very first small group to an annual tradition of meeting new friends and catching up with old friends.

Come check out our CIRCLE OF FRIENDS ... they're a GREAT bunch of folks who love quilting, love helping each other, and who love to travel around the country making friends doing good deeds!  And the retreat adventures continue .....