A Visit to the Focus on Fiber Retreat

I recently got to visit the Focus on Fiber retreat, in New Smyrna Beach, FL for a few hours. Oh what fun! I arrived in time for dinner and Show and Tell. (Apparently, I just missed the dancing.)

Everyone present was clearly having a blast, while also being very creative, and productive. There was gorgeous fabric drying on the line, beautiful surface design going on in the wet studio, and lots of fantastic works-in-progress visible in the dance studio. There was a buzz in the air from the wonderful sense of camaraderie, as well as the adrenalin surges that accompany creativity.

The photo shows a close up of the beading on Marianne R. Williamson's quilt, Constellation. It caught my attention as it was draped across an ironing board, with the beads sparkling beautifully in the afternoon light.

The retreat is held at Atlantic Center for the Arts, which is a fantastic facility. Nestled in the middle of palmetto bushes and oak trees, it's a true retreat in every sense of the word. For more details on the retreat, see http://marymcbridearts.homestead.com/Retreats.html or contact the organizer, Mary McBride, at mrsgorgon@gmail.com

Posted by Ellen Lindner:

Our recent play day at RiverHouse was loads of fun! We spent some time photographing and sketching our beautiful environment. Then, we all made small fabric collages which were inspired by what we'd seen. A very creative exercise.

This is my favorite photo from that day: fire plant hanging down from the porch

Dirty Dozen Exposed! V

From October 2nd – 31st, Boutique 4 Quilters, in Melbourne, will host an exhibit of original fiber art pieces made by the Dirty Dozen Fiber Artists.

The exhibit will feature original quilts and other fiber works, made with a variety of techniques and materials including two new group projects.

The opening reception is on October 4th from 1-3 PM. Come enjoy light refreshments, meet the artists, and see what these innovative gals have been up to. You can also view the exhibit during regular store hours.

Boutique 4 Quilters is located at 2945 W. New Haven Ave. in Melbourne (next to Michael’s).

Store hours are M-F 9:30-5, Sat. 9:30-4.

Phone 321-768-2060

Olde Eau Gallie Walk In Clinic

We are very excited to be invited to show our work at the Olde Eau Gallie Walk In Clinic! We are currently showing our Retreat Challenge - Group Therapy 2 from last year. They are located at 1403 Highland Ave, Melbourne FL. Our work can be viewed during normal business hours - daily from 10am to 4 pm, and on the first Friday of the month from 5:30 to 8pm in conjunction with the First Friday Festival. Come see what we are up to!

Welcome To Our Blog!

We have so many fun things going on we decided we couldn't keep them to ourselves any longer! Some very exciting news is that our very own Ellen Lindner has been asked to submit a proposal for a column in an upcoming issue in Quilting Arts Magazine. How cool is that? Stay tuned for more info on this one.

Some of us will be attending "Quilt Camp", a two day event at the end of June. This will be an appetizer for our annual Dirty Dozen retreat in August, where we inspire each other, plan a group project, get creative, and of course over indulge in the four basic food groups: chocolate, pastry, candy, and Key Lime pie. As if that isn't enough, we're sponsoring a special workshop with Laura Cater-Woods this fall, followed by our annual exhibit in October. We'll be talking about all these events and adding pictures as they happen, so check in often. Thanks for visiting our blog!