Wednesday 16 September 2015

My weekend adventure and a winner!!

I am warning you in advance that this is a long post, so if you want to skip down to the bottom of the page to see who the giveaway winner is without reading through the rest, please feel free to!!

From left to right: Gail Pan, myself and Karen of Patchwork Chicks

Let's start at the beginning.... on Friday I set off from home to drive the 230 miles to Barrowford in Lancashire where Karen of Patchwork Chicks has her lovely shop and where the two workshops she had organised with guest designer, Gail Pan were to be held.  After a long journey I made it to my hotel and, after a good night's sleep I was looking forward to a lovely day of stitching.



When I arrived at the Pendle Heritage Centre Barn where the workshops were held, I was met with a delightful display of Gail Pan quilts and accessories. It was lovely to have the opportunity to look closely at the quilts Gail had brought with her. The displays were fabulous and, I couldn't resist adding one or two (or more!) patterns to my collection.


Once everyone was seated, Gail introduced herself and showed us the project we were to make in the first workshop.  It was a lovely pattern called 'My Stitching Things'.  When we all had the embroidery pattern transferred, we started work on the stitching and Gail moved from table to table to give us all help and advice.


I shared my table with a very nice lady called Jill and we chatted happily as we stitched away at our patterns.


After a day of chatting and stitching we had a break to visit Karen's lovely shop where I might have bought one or two fat quarters of fabric to add to my stash and a few other 'essentials' before we headed back to the Barn for a trunk show with Gail.  It was lovely to learn more about Gail and how she has built up her business.



I headed back to my hotel having had the most wonderful day! 

The next morning at breakfast I met two more lovely ladies who were staying at the same hotel to attend the Sunday workshop, Lynda (who also writes a fun blog) and Wendy.  Our project for the day was another lovely pattern called 'Hazel'.  This pattern included some needleturn applique which I had never attempted before, so I was very excited to learn a new technique.



Gail's needleturn methods were quick and easy to learn and I will certainly be using them again.  My first attempts were a bit 'wobbly' in places so I added some embroidery stitches around some of the applique shapes to cover my mistakes! 



All in all it was a great weekend and I am so happy to have had the opportunity to meet Gail whose designs I have admired for a long time.  I would like to say thank you to her and to Karen and her team who made it such a lovely occasion.  Also to my newly found friends, Jill, Lynda and Wendy.... we had a lot of fun!!


Now, to end this post, I would like to announce the winner of my 300th blog post giveaway. I folded the names of all those who left me comments (which I enjoyed reading) into a pot and pulled out a winner.....



The winner is Wendy Booth-Boyd.  I will be in touch Wendy to get your postal address so that I can send on your prize.  Thank you to everyone who left a comment.

34 comments:

  1. I read everything and I'm excited. I love the pattern of the stitching Things! I will try to get one her in Germany!

    Marion

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    1. I hope you find one Marion... it is a lovely pattern! Christine x

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  2. I'm hoping that Karen can find me a spare "My Stitching Things" kit! I love the idea of adding those extra embroidery stitches to hide those wobbles!

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    1. I hope she can find one Lynda... it is a lovely pattern. I was pleased with the hidden 'wobbles' but am hoping next time I won't need to hide any!! Christine x

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  3. I love Gail Pan designs.
    Your weekend sounded wonderful, who could resist getting a few patterns and a couple of other 'bits and pieces'. I love the way you added embroidery to cover any 'wobbles' it looks so perfect and if you hadn't told us we would never have known. Beautiful stitching, as always.

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    1. Thanks Brenda... I know most people wouldn't have worried about the wobbles but I am a bit of a perfectionist like that! Glad the embroidery did the trick! Christine x

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  4. One or two fat quarter - I see it! *giggle*
    You have had a nice day with Gail und your embroideries are so lovely!
    Valomea

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    1. Thank you Valomea! It was a fabulous weekend.... I would love to do it all over again! Christine x

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  5. That sounds like a wonderful weekend; I'd easily travel 300 odd miles too for the opportunity to take such a class.

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    1. It was wonderful Marly and I would love to do it again! Christine x

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  6. Sounds like a great weekend. I hadn't heard of Gail Pan before, but hers seems to be an Australian style mixing embroidery with patchwork. Very pretty work. Good opportunity for retail therapy too.

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    1. It was a great weekend and Gail Pan is an Australian designer. Her work is lovely! Christine x

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  7. It all sounds wonderful, from the long drive there (I'm sure through gorgeous English countryside) to meeting Gail and having one-on-one experience with her to making new friends.
    I watched a needle-turn applique on youtube once and thought "oh that looks easy enough" - not! Send Gail over here to teach her quick and easy method! ;)
    You are very pretty! :)

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    1. It was just a wonderful time Linda.... wish I could do it all over again! I was pleased to have learned another new technique.... just need to keep practising now!! Christine x

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  8. The projects you worked on are gorgeous, Christine. You managed to get quite a bit done. Lots of lovely shopping too.

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    1. Thank you Christine! It was all such fun! I feel a bit sad it is all over! Christine x

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  9. You really seem to have had a lovely weekend and learnt lots of new things, lucky you..

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    1. Thank you Doti! It was a lovely weekend and it is nice to have new techniques to practise! Christine x

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  10. Congrats to Wendy! Now I will be waiting to see what you will do with all those things that just 'happened' to follow you home. Looks like you're all set for winter now!

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    1. Thanks Mary Anne.... I think I am probably set up for the next year!! Can't wait to get started!! Christine x

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  11. Hi Christine I am so glad you got to go to one of Gail's workshops,she is amazing and it's a great way to make new friends in the workshops,so glad you had a fantastic time and congrats to Wendy .xx

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    1. Thank you Shez! It was an amazing experience... I had a wonderful time and met some fabulous people! Christine x

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  12. Looks like a great weekend - it is always nice to learn new techniques (and add to your stash!!)

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    1. I had a lovely time and it never hurts to top up your stash! Chrissie x

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  13. I can feel the fun and lovely time you had through your post. Lovely new patterns and notions and friends and.... Thanks for sharing with us and congrats to the happy winner!
    Hugs martina

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    1. Thank you Martina! It was a fabulous weekend, I wish I could do it all over again!! Christine x

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  14. Sounds like a wonderful weekend of stitching! Congrats to Wendy.

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  15. What a wonderful weekend! I love the "My Stitching Things" piece. Beautiful. It sounds like such a fun event.

    Congratulations to Wendy!

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    1. It was lovely Renee and I am really looking forward to getting my stitcheries finished! They were both lovely projects! Christine x

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  16. Gail has so many cute designs--it must have been hard not to buy it all! Glad you had a good time and added a "few" FQ's to your stash!

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    1. It was very hard to resist everything Karen! I think I did buy nearly all the patterns! Just have to find the time to sew them now!! Christine x

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  17. I can see some familiar patterns among Gail's things and everyone of them is so delightful to make. Congrats to Wendy and dont you just love adding to your stash, its like being a little girl in a lolly shop.

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    1. Gail's patterns were lovely... I would like to make them all!! Hope you have a lovely weekend Dawn! Christine x

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