I attended a quilt guild retreat a couple weeks ago.
I went for three of the four days. I went Friday-Saturday-Sunday. Most of the rest of the group started Thursday.
Thursday was an already reschedule massage appointment I did not want to change.
Friday middle worked from home so the dogs were covered. Thursday, the dogs were with me.
Plus four days felt like too much to me. Even three seemed like a lot.
I took the orange related fabric (yesterday’s post) as my project for the retreat.
It was a very safe easy project, I took it so I would be able to be social while I sewed. I did not want to take anything complex. I wanted to take as few supplies as possible.
I washed and cut all my fabric at home. I cut 8” squares for very simple (one patch) charity quilts.
I laid them out, one at a time, on my kitchen table. I labeled the rows with blue painters tape. Middle and my husband helped me package each top in order, in zip lock bags, so it was all ready to sew at the retreat.
This meant I only needed to take- a sewing machine- a sandwich size zip lock baggie filled with 2 spools of thread, 4 filled bobbins/package of extra sewing machine needles, and a small pair of scissors- 2 large zip lock plastic bags full of 8” cut squares.
Individual garbage cans and power strips were provided by the facility at each table.
Irons and ironing boards were available at the retreat facility, but I did not use them. I waited until I got home to do the pressing.
I planned very carefully. I did not want to have to take half my sewing room with me.
No one was as minimalist in their approach as I was. It was astonishing how much stuff the other retreat participants brought with them.
We have this cart we use for dog training - it worked perfectly. I used my cart to move things between my car and the conference room and my hotel from at the same facility.
I got all five of my tops (below) sewn together over the three days. I have all the backing fabric. These quilts are ready to go to the long arm quilter in future years.
I paced myself carefully. I would sew for a bit, then visit or shop or take a nap. I did very well. I was glad I went.
I went around and looked at what everyone else was sewing at the retreat, I was social.
I shopped at two stores in that area that I like.
I attended an Amish dinner with the group.
