Busy Week at Russellee

The past week has been very busy at Russellee BnB Craft Retreats.  To start I had my first Scrapbooking Retreat for the year.  This group book at the end of a retreat each time and it is very difficult for anyone else to get into it.  Over the years they have all become very good friends and look forward to catching up twice a year.  They come from Cooma, Queanbeyan, Cootamundra, Wagga and locally.
We had a guest presenter for the weekend.  This was Pauline Cartwright from Canberra.  Pauline gave classes in the Azza method of scrapbooking.  Every one was pleasantly surprised with the results of their layouts from these classes.

The Scrappers left Sunday, a couple Monday morning, and Helen Godden arrived to give a two day workshop.  Eleven ladies thoroughly enjoyed Helen's wonderful personality and her 'Crack Pots' class.  We had a lady from Melbourne, one from Wangaratta, four from Batlow and the rest were locals.  Helen fitted this two day workshop into her very busy teaching schedule for which we are very grateful.  Having a world class teacher come to Tumut is wonderful.

We finished the week with Sandy's Quilters coming from Canberra for their fifth year.  Sandy is the one that suggested that we have a Quilting Cruise and it is from her suggestion that the Australian Quilting Cruises came about. 

Bookings have already been very strong for our 4th Australian Quilting Cruise February 2015.  Helen Godden is coming as my guest teacher on this cruise.  I have also invited Janet Pilgrim to come as a teacher with her wonderful surface stitchery. This gives our cruise another avenue for other ladies to come and enjoy a 'Retreat at Sea'.  If you have any questions on this cruise please contact me.

We are also filling up for the Bali Quilting, Fabric and Cultural trip next October.  I booked my airfares this week and was surprised to find that they were cheaper than last years.  We would love to meet new ladies on this trip.  If interest please contact me.
Until next time.

Dorothy

3rd Australian Quilting Cruise Report

The 3^rd Australian Quilting Cruise was a great experience.  Thirty four wonderful ladies from as far away as New Zealand, Western Australia and in between attended this retreat.  Laraine Callinan and Christine Dowell helped to make this a very successful Quilting Cruise on the Royal Caribbean ‘Voyager of the Seas’ on a 10 night retreat at sea. 

 

Christine designed two lovely appliqué wall hangings which comprised of all hand dyed fabric kits.  These designs when completed on the ship were very well received by those on the cruise.

I presented a ‘Jelly Roll’ workshop designed around lovely batik fabrics purchased on our Bali Quilting Retreat last October.  I also designed a freezer paper class with a picture as the central inspiration for the piecing.  This was inspired by English patchworker, Angela Madden and her ‘Piecful Sceans’ book.  Angela sent two copies of her book out from England which I used as lucky draws in the workshops.  In all I embroidered 14 lavender fields using free machining and 15 programmed beach scenes.

The final workshop was designed and presented by Laraine Callinan and featured a tool caddy for carrying small quilting equipment. I ordered 40 A5 cutting mats from England for this workshop. This workshop was very much appreciated by the group.

As well as workshops the ship visited Noumea, New Caledonia, Suva and Loutoka in Fiji.  Many exciting shore excursions were enjoyed by all.  Laraine, Chris and a friend, Roz, braved wooden canoes up a river and through rapids to a waterfall followed by a great visit to a local village.

The Voyager of the Seas has a Disney theme.  We had visits to the workroom by some of the characters.  They added a fun atmosphere to the room.

A pre cruise challenge titled 'Tropical Colours' had 17 entries.  A viewers choice award of a Bernette sewing machine donated by Bernina Australia was won by Lydia McGreagor from Queensland. The winner was announced at a Cocktail Party held near the end of the cruise.

A ‘Quilting Retreat at Sea’ is a wonderful way to combine the love of patch working with a great holiday where the ships staff pamper you like royalty and the food is varied and wonderful.  

Roz was my ‘Official’ photographer and did a wonderful job of capturing all aspects of the cruise from the workshops, to around the ship and the ports of call.  I would like to give Roz a big thank you for doing this. This is a link to her Album on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/roslyn.sephton/media_set?set=a.10202528232141585.1073741868.1069076082&type=1 

Our cruise would not take place without the behind the sceans work with bookings and following up the ships requests of our group with the wonderful Lorelle Hardt of Crafting Cruises.

The next Quilting Cruise is scheduled for February 2015 and visits the north Island of New Zealand.  Two special guest tutors have been included with world renowned Helen Godden presenting her 'Flying into colours' workshop along with a surface stitching embroidery specialist Jan Pilgrim. Jan will add another dimension to our cruise with her lovely designs for those wishing to do hand projects.  I have designed a quilt top, (or table runner version) using an old block with a modern twist.

Any one interested in next years cruise can contact me.

Until next time

Dorothy

Blog giverway winner

The winner of the blog giveaway for the June UFO quilting retreat is Jenny Fish from Bungendore.  Congratulations Jenny