Quilting Retreat is Relaxing, Productive

My quilting guild held its annual retreat this past weekend. It's about 36 hours of sewing, eating, laughter, and a little sleep. This year we went to Mercy Center in West St. Louis County and about 40 of us had a great time!


This year there were three short projects, called Optional Blocks, in addition to the main retreat project. Each of us also had the option of "doing our own thing" which is the option I chose. The first block above is my contribution to the first optional block contest on Friday night. All of the entered blocks are shown at left. One lucky guild member won them all to take home--and it wasn't me. I really liked these blocks and the technique was easy--no cutting out triangles and wrestling with bias edges. I might try to make a whole quilt this way myself some day...I have lots of scraps!

Saturday was sunny but cool, so most of us spent the day inside the auditorium room at the center. These photos are during the morning as people got ready to start on the main project.

Every one had a table mate which made it fun to get to know someone better. And yet you could see what everyone else was doing as well. Some people brought sewing machines that could do everything except make coffee. I brought my 1970 Singer Featherweight that has two stitches, but makes incredibly accurate 1/4-inch seams.

Some members brought individual projects. I can't show what I worked on yet, because it is going to be a surprise for someone who is expecting her first child soon. So I'll show what others worked on. This butterfly project was one of the most ambitious. Many parts that had to be sewn precisely. I admire someone who has the patience to do this!

The main project, taught by a guest instructor, was a pineapple block. At left is how she charted the various stages of construction for those who were doing the bock to refer to. Some did two or four blocks; one woman was doing 20! After I saw the results, I kind of wished I had made this project, but I also needed to finish some other work that I had started some time ago.



Beautiful batiks were popular, and these made a beautiful wall hanging after they were all assembled. I admire the color sense of my quilting friends, and wish I could do half as well.

A more tradi-tional color scheme was in progress in the photo at left. There is something timeless and perennial about the use of burgundy and green.

We sewed late into the afternoon and night, with a few breaks for stretches and in one case, general hilarity. Sarah, who looks so serious here, later went out and came back wearing a grass skirt and showing off her moves in a hula dance! The theme of the weekend was "Valley Girls Go to Hawaii."

More serious stitching from Lenore at left and Norma below. There was a constant hum of machines, broken by occasional music and laughter. After our last meal together on Sunday, people began to pack up and leave one by one. The weekend goes by so fast! I came home with a set of pinwheel optional blocks that I won in the last of the three drawings. I'll post a picture of them soon, along with my mystery baby quilt.