A quilted bag, and my first retreat!

I had not quilted a thick heavy duty bag for a year, and it reminds me of childbirth, seriously I forgot how hard it is sewing through so many layers of fabric! Yikes! Why do I do this to myself? It will be another year until I feel like doing one again. 

But how cute...

It really is cute, not to big not to small. I wanted to make one to tote my sewing machine around in, I still do, if I wasn't so bad at sewing together so many layers of fabric! 

On another note I am about to venture out on a quilting retreat with 12 of my best quilting friends. 

We are grouped into 3's for meals and a fun gift to share with the group. We made the cutest little cactus pin cushions and I snagged these flower pins for them.

I can't wait to get one to display! It's so cute! 

Also I have been pre-cutting and picking out patterns to optimize my sewing time on the retreat, I plan to make some SERIOUS progress on using up some of my crazy fabric stash. I'm going to try for a quilt a day, and I'm going to get started on a beautiful embroidery quilt my sweet friend and I are making together. 

Hoping by next Friday I have 5+ new quilt tops ready to quilt!

Hope your week is as super as mine!!!