It's almost impossible to put this weekend into words (or at least a blog post that won't be so long that everyone nods off). So I'm going to try and keep it short and show you what I made and tell you what my favourite thing from the weekend was. All my photos from the weekend (including my "fan pics"!) are here on Flickr if you want to see more.
I took some brilliant classes and came home with lots and lots of ideas for what I want to sew next.
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| Frame Purses with Katy aka I'm a Ginger Monkey |
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| Freezer Paper Piecing with Kerry aka Very Kerry Berry |
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| Portholes with Lu aka the Summersville (Somerfield) Girl |
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| Wonky Log Cabins with John aka Quilt Dad |
I had no idea what to expect from the weekend. But in a word it was amazing. The best thing about the weekend for me was undoubtedly meeting so many lovely bloggers, Flickr peeps and sewing folk in real life. Everyone was so lovely so I'm not going to mention anyone in particular except my lovely roommate Justine. Justine was one of my first bee, blogging and tweeting friends and it was so much fun to share a room with her (& the gorgeous Hunter). My husband still didn't quite believe that I was going to London to spend a weekend with people I have never met and to share a room with "a girl I met off the internet". So thank you Justine for such a fun weekend, for my lovely sewing pouch and thank you also from my husband for not being some crazy rotary cutter wielding maniac!
Thank you so much to all the Fat Quarterly crew for such a fantastic weekend and thank you to all the people I met who were so funny, welcoming and inclusive. When I started blogging 2 years ago it was just little old me posting and reading my own posts. Until I joined a Bee I had no idea that this huge online UK (& further afield of course) community existed. I could never have predicted when I first started blogging that such a weekend would happen and that I would go, love every minute and cry my eyes out when it was over as I walked from the hotel to the tube. When it was announced I wondered how the "community" bit of the Fat Quarterly Community Retreat would work. After this weekend I know how - it's a place where everyone, no matter where you are from, what age you are, what your favourite fabric is, can be part of. It's a community that I am happy and proud to belong to.
What a great post - I think you've perfectly summed up the whole weekend!
ReplyDeleteP.S. I love everything you made over the weekend!
Lovely lovely post! The last sentence gave me goosebumps and i teared a little :-)
ReplyDeleteLovely to meet you and chuffed to bits that you had a lovely time.
That last paragraph made me cry. Spot on - sorry I didn't get much time to have a chat - next year!
ReplyDeletefantastic post, thanks for allowing me to gatecrash your Friday night sew in :)
ReplyDeleteIt was lovely to see you again. And a fabulous weekend.
ReplyDeleteYou are exactly right and I too am proud to call myself a quilter and be part of this awesome community!
ReplyDeleteaww what a lovely post so glad you had a great time!! love what you made as well! x
ReplyDeleteGreat post Amanda :) I felt a bit teary reading this one and I wasn't there!
ReplyDeleteSo lovely to meet you A, and let's just hope there'll be another retreat next year! Jxo
ReplyDeleteGreat meeting you again! What fabulous things you have made!
ReplyDeleteIt was lovely to meet you, sit next to you in class etc etc I think you are right that knowing that you are part of a community is the best thing!
ReplyDeleteYou summed it up so well xxx
ReplyDeleteI've just got half an hour. One of the funniest quotes of the weekend for me.
ReplyDeleteLovely, and perfectly put xxx
ReplyDelete*sigh* loved it - love you xxxx
ReplyDeleteWhat lovely things you made at the retreat, I love the wonky log cabin. Glad you enjoyed it, I had a fab day there just wish I'd gone for the whole weekend.
ReplyDelete'Twas fab to meet you, and love your polar bear portholes (I think the bears need a quilt, hint, hint ;o) ) Also you didn't just share a room with a woman you met off the internet, there was a man too (albeit in miniature) lol
ReplyDeleteSo much fun to read you post! I think we had the best sewing time ever!
ReplyDeleteSo happy to meet you through our new purse swap! Lovely projects! Deborah
ReplyDeleteSo great to see you again Amanda and this time spend a little more time with you! See you soon!
ReplyDeleteIt was a fabulous weekend wasn't it - and even better than the making stuff and chatting was the feeling that the UK quilting community is real and tangible, and we can make it even bigger & happier & quiltier! Can't wait for next year (no pressure, FQR team!)
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