NG of MN Retreat - Day Three

I forgot to show you my Goodie Bag.  It was waiting in my room when I arrived.

Was this a nothing day?  By no means.  I didn't have class or anything going on on Thursday.  It was a free day. The retreat calls this "Independent Study".  They assign you to a stitching room.  They aren't the boss of me.  I didn't want to stitch in my assigned room (also known as the dungeon).  It was in a downstairs hallway that is rumored to be moldy and make people sick.  It doesn't have good natural light.  Somebody said it had a small window.  I'm ornery sometimes.
I was up early again and thought that I would go exploring.  I wanted to stitch in the place with the best light. My aim was to finish Briar Rose.  I wandered down to the library which was a small downstairs room.  Much to my surprise I find a girl, Kim, working on a quilt.  It is the most darling and unusual quilt.  I love it totally.

 First of all, it is woven.  Torn strips have been woven and quilted with floss.  Then animals have been appliqued and embroidered.

 There are even some creatures that are from a kid's drawings.  There is a saying written and embroidered around the border.  I love this quilt and want to make Claire one.  It has a very light filling similar to cheesecloth as opposed to cotton batting.  Perfect filling in a quilt for a Californian.  Kim is taking a cyberclass  for making her quilt through Jude Hill at Spirit Cloth.  I'll have to look up that website.  Two friends from Spring Fling, Mary Kay and Chris are stitching in this room too.  The room is full and I want natural light so I keep looking.  The biggest room for stitching is the Garden Room.

  It has a wall of windows that look over the lake.  This is where I want to stitch.  The place is filled with tables, Vera bags. Ott lights and lots of snacks.  I find an available space and sit down to stitch.  There is one other person at the table, Mikki.  She is from North Dakota.  She has a whole other lifestyle working on her farm.  It is great to see her perfect stitching.  She is very well equipped and loans me a light.  I opted to not over stuff my bag and left my light at home.  We have fun and many laughs talking and telling stories.  I make good progress on Briar Rose.
 I am having second thoughts about the A Tisket A Tasket Class that starts in the afternoon.  So I ask Jackie if there is room.  She says she has to check with someone.  I run into that someone and she says other people have asked too and they have decided not to open the class to anyone else.  But - Jackie will let me order the kit.  I love the little pansy accessories that go with it, the tape measure and the thread box.  I am interested in how she constructs the box.  So a second check is written to Jackie.
I go looking for Cathy B (With Needle and Thread) cause I want to see her Briar Rose and how she did a couple of things and I know she has scalloped scissors.  She has hers all done and it is beautiful.  She had hers all stitched when she got here too.  I love the center scrim.  She very kindly lets me use her scissors, she has already loaned me pins.  Then she gives me one of the fabulous tatted pin cushions she has made.  It is so sweet and special.  Thanks Cathy!  I love it!

My BFF is kind enough to drive us over to Culver's for dinner.  It was great to have a hamburger and not to eat the cafeteria food.
The evening activity is Show and Tell.  I have brought two things to put in Show and Tell, Mute But Not Silent and the wonderful stitched bag that Margaret sent me.  I thought everyone would like to see the unusual stitch on it as well as the great finishing.  Another friend from Spring Fling, Carrie, tells me there is something special in the Show and Tell and that I will know it when I see it.  The Show and Tell was fascinating.  I have my horizons expanded every time I go to a retreat.  I see new and fabulous stitched things.  Cheryl Hazen, you are amazing.  Then I spot it,  a finished American Sampler that I am thinking of using on my casket.

Carrie has told her friend Billie to bring her American Sampler so I can see it.  It is so helpful to see it in person,  to see all those queen stitches in the flowers, to be able to see it up close and personal.  Oh wow.  I was thrilled and grateful.  Thank you!
Another stand-out in the Show and Tell is Lee Popp's embroidered pin cushion.  It gives me all kinds of ideas about embroidering the Sue Spargo bird.  I love this.

After the Show and Tell is a business meeting where the next year's teachers, theme and classes are presented.  They are interesting but I'm not sure what next year holds.
I go back to stitching in the Garden Room and use my leftover Briar Rose linen to stitch one more flower to go on the pin cushion that fits in the middle of Briar Rose.
What a full day!
A