Home from retreat

Wow sounds like you pick the best quilting retreats. Take me with you next
time Sandy! Where exactly did you stay in Harrison Hot Spring?

Susanne



"shhdesigns" wrote in message
news:9OUrb.362383$6C4.71504@pd7tw1no...
Had a wonderful time at the retreat. We had 20 participants and that
seems
to be everyone's opinion. In fact I sent a paper around the room for
input
and 15 said they'd come back again, the other 5 would want to know what
the
date is first!

Friday we woke up to cool sunny weather. Mary and I were taking our own
cars, we live in the same condo complex, but were giving a third quilter a
ride. I packed her supplies and clothes, Mary gave her a drive.

The drive out to Chilliwack is through the Fraser Valley, rolling
farmlands
and some cattle ranches can be seen from the highway. We stopped in at
Fabricland [Canadian chain store] that was having a 50% sale off almost
everything if you were a member. If not, sorry full price. Memberships
run
about $15.00 so well worth joining. 20% off notions not already on sale.
Rita joined and got 20% off a 12.5" square ruler she had been eying, along
with a few other goodies. I got Mary her thread and saved her almost
$12.00!

Our next stop was countryfolk.ca, this was previously an online and small
store out her home but moved into the old Hamel's Fabric store.
Ironically
Hamel's Fabrics has become Pauline's and moved into her home. Nothing
managed to jump into any of our homes. The colours are very muddy yellow,
country fabrics.

Next we left the highway and arrived at Harrison Lake and the the Harrison
Hot Springs Resort. We had everything brought into the Canada Room, ours
for sewing in 24 hours a day if we wished and then checked into our rooms.

One pair of women had already arrived and Charlotte was having a massage.
Slowly the others appeared. We ended up with room mates sharing 2 tables
facing each other. With two groups of 3 tables set up in the middle for
basting or doing layouts. We couldn't put anything on the walls for
design
purposes.

I managed to get 3 quilts basted the first day and machine quilting done
on
a small WUH, about 14" x 20".

Our first dinner was a buffet with a pasta bar. Nice meal.

We did a quick show and tell with a different slant, we showed what we
hoped
to get done over the weekend. On Sunday we'll have a reality check.

Back to the Canada Room for a Yankee swap of the books I got at the
Martingale & Co. sale. Most of the group were not aware of the sale and
liked the books I picked out. More sewing and lights out in our bedroom
was
2 a.m.

Donna was my room mate and this was her first retreat. We worked well
together, we both woke up about 8 a.m. the next day and were down in the
Canada Room by 9 a.m. A continental breakfast was waiting for us.

After breakfast Nancy and her sister Katie demoed how to make fabric beads
out of plastic straws, fabric, glue, beads and wire.

Saturday I tackled my largest quilt for machine quilting. My curved
pieced
sampler I made in April was first outline/echoed around the 10 blocks.
Then
I tried some echo stitching in a variegated rayon in two blocks. Next was
some free motion stitching, that went a lot quicker.

Mid afternoon Tricia did a demo on a pyramid bag for those who wanted to
watch.

Nancy was making a Dammit Doll and next thing we knew, another demo was
happening and then Ethel shared her peanut doll, and suddenly our quilt
retreat was turning into a doll making retreat!

Dinner on Saturday night was a Prime Rib buffet, again a great dinner.
Afterwards Ethel had placed our slippers around a table and we had to
match
the slippers to their owners. We got a great pattern for a slipper
chatelaine that Ethel designed for us.

At about midnight I stopped and went down to the indoor hot springs with
some friends. We got there by 12:30 a.m. and they close at 1 a.m. 10
minutes in the hot, then into the swimming pool, which seemed freezing and
back into the hot pool for another ten minutes. Then we left and I
decided
to go back into the sewing room. Well, by the time I got there I knew I'd
not be machine sewing any more, too relaxed and sleepy, so I pinned a
small
36" Amish baskets cheater panel I have and off to my room. Donna was
reading and I did the same, lights out at about 02:30 that night.

Sunday we woke again about 8 a.m. and got to the room for breakfast. I
did
a bit more free motion quilting on my curved sampler. Went for a walk
along
the lake to have some lunch outside the hotel and pick up a few souvenirs
for a Japanese friend.

Back at the room, we did our post show and tell. Most people got a lot
accomplished. The two sisters packed up their belonging onto a bellhop
trolley and we decided they had the most and made the least...Katie's
stain
glassed borders did get twin needle sewn down. Nancy had fun with her
dolls.

Slowly people packed up and left and made their way home. I stopped
briefly
at my brother's home to show them the beginnings of their 5 quilts. So
far
everyone likes how I picked their colours. I managed to get 4 Seminole
pieced strips done, a mini WUH quilted, 4 quilts basted and a good start
on
machine quilting my curved pieced sampler.

Now, next time....

--
Sandi in New Westminster B.C.
Queen of Travelogues

Sandi --

Wow, sounds like a wonderful retreat experience. Again, I am just a bit
jealous.

Love in Stitches,

Coleen
Queen of Loving Stitches

"shhdesigns" wrote in message
news:9OUrb.362383$6C4.71504@pd7tw1no...
Had a wonderful time at the retreat. We had 20 participants and that
seems
to be everyone's opinion. In fact I sent a paper around the room for
input
and 15 said they'd come back again, the other 5 would want to know what
the
date is first!

Susanne,
We stayed right at the Harrison Hot Springs Resort. Had access to the hot
springs and pools. Didn't get to the outdoor ones, just the indoor ones.
Next time hope to take advantage of both.
Went to our guild meeting this morning and one of the women regrets not
taking advantage of the hot springs. She sewed as much as she could and now
her shoulders are bothering her.
Well, live and learn as they say.
Put a check in for another retreat in March, this one will be held at a
retreat centre, bare bones, bed in the room, toilet and showers down the
hall. But it will include an instructor doing a class on surface
embellishments for quilters. Fingers crossed that I make it into that
retreat. It will have 26 participants.

--
Sandi in New Westminster B.C.
Queen of Travelogues

"Susanne" wrote in message
news:7Ndsb.371268$6C4.205699@pd7tw1no...
Wow sounds like you pick the best quilting retreats. Take me with you next
time Sandy! Where exactly did you stay in Harrison Hot Spring?

Susanne



"shhdesigns" wrote in message
news:9OUrb.362383$6C4.71504@pd7tw1no...
Had a wonderful time at the retreat. We had 20 participants and that
seems
to be everyone's opinion. In fact I sent a paper around the room for
input
and 15 said they'd come back again, the other 5 would want to know what
the
date is first!

Friday we woke up to cool sunny weather. Mary and I were taking our own
cars, we live in the same condo complex, but were giving a third quilter
a
ride. I packed her supplies and clothes, Mary gave her a drive.

The drive out to Chilliwack is through the Fraser Valley, rolling
farmlands
and some cattle ranches can be seen from the highway. We stopped in at
Fabricland [Canadian chain store] that was having a 50% sale off almost
everything if you were a member. If not, sorry full price. Memberships
run
about $15.00 so well worth joining. 20% off notions not already on
sale.
Rita joined and got 20% off a 12.5" square ruler she had been eying,
along
with a few other goodies. I got Mary her thread and saved her almost
$12.00!

Our next stop was countryfolk.ca, this was previously an online and
small
store out her home but moved into the old Hamel's Fabric store.
Ironically
Hamel's Fabrics has become Pauline's and moved into her home. Nothing
managed to jump into any of our homes. The colours are very muddy
yellow,
country fabrics.

Next we left the highway and arrived at Harrison Lake and the the
Harrison
Hot Springs Resort. We had everything brought into the Canada Room,
ours
for sewing in 24 hours a day if we wished and then checked into our
rooms.

One pair of women had already arrived and Charlotte was having a
massage.
Slowly the others appeared. We ended up with room mates sharing 2
tables
facing each other. With two groups of 3 tables set up in the middle for
basting or doing layouts. We couldn't put anything on the walls for
design
purposes.

I managed to get 3 quilts basted the first day and machine quilting done
on
a small WUH, about 14" x 20".

Our first dinner was a buffet with a pasta bar. Nice meal.

We did a quick show and tell with a different slant, we showed what we
hoped
to get done over the weekend. On Sunday we'll have a reality check.

Back to the Canada Room for a Yankee swap of the books I got at the
Martingale & Co. sale. Most of the group were not aware of the sale and
liked the books I picked out. More sewing and lights out in our bedroom
was
2 a.m.

Donna was my room mate and this was her first retreat. We worked well
together, we both woke up about 8 a.m. the next day and were down in the
Canada Room by 9 a.m. A continental breakfast was waiting for us.

After breakfast Nancy and her sister Katie demoed how to make fabric
beads
out of plastic straws, fabric, glue, beads and wire.

Saturday I tackled my largest quilt for machine quilting. My curved
pieced
sampler I made in April was first outline/echoed around the 10 blocks.
Then
I tried some echo stitching in a variegated rayon in two blocks. Next
was
some free motion stitching, that went a lot quicker.

Mid afternoon Tricia did a demo on a pyramid bag for those who wanted to
watch.

Nancy was making a Dammit Doll and next thing we knew, another demo was
happening and then Ethel shared her peanut doll, and suddenly our quilt
retreat was turning into a doll making retreat!

Dinner on Saturday night was a Prime Rib buffet, again a great dinner.
Afterwards Ethel had placed our slippers around a table and we had to
match
the slippers to their owners. We got a great pattern for a slipper
chatelaine that Ethel designed for us.

At about midnight I stopped and went down to the indoor hot springs with
some friends. We got there by 12:30 a.m. and they close at 1 a.m. 10
minutes in the hot, then into the swimming pool, which seemed freezing
and
back into the hot pool for another ten minutes. Then we left and I
decided
to go back into the sewing room. Well, by the time I got there I knew
I'd
not be machine sewing any more, too relaxed and sleepy, so I pinned a
small
36" Amish baskets cheater panel I have and off to my room. Donna was
reading and I did the same, lights out at about 02:30 that night.

Sunday we woke again about 8 a.m. and got to the room for breakfast. I
did
a bit more free motion quilting on my curved sampler. Went for a walk
along
the lake to have some lunch outside the hotel and pick up a few
souvenirs
for a Japanese friend.

Back at the room, we did our post show and tell. Most people got a lot
accomplished. The two sisters packed up their belonging onto a bellhop
trolley and we decided they had the most and made the least...Katie's
stain
glassed borders did get twin needle sewn down. Nancy had fun with her
dolls.

Slowly people packed up and left and made their way home. I stopped
briefly
at my brother's home to show them the beginnings of their 5 quilts. So
far
everyone likes how I picked their colours. I managed to get 4 Seminole
pieced strips done, a mini WUH quilted, 4 quilts basted and a good start
on
machine quilting my curved pieced sampler.

Now, next time....

--
Sandi in New Westminster B.C.
Queen of Travelogues

It was a wonderful retreat experience. Hope you get to go on one soon.
It's nice having a local one that doesn't involve major travel involving
airplanes etc. Not to say I won't do one of those one day.

--
Sandi in New Westminster B.C.
Queen of Travelogues

"Coleen" wrote in message
. ..
Sandi --

Wow, sounds like a wonderful retreat experience. Again, I am just a bit
jealous.

Love in Stitches,

Coleen
Queen of Loving Stitches

"shhdesigns" wrote in message
news:9OUrb.362383$6C4.71504@pd7tw1no...
Had a wonderful time at the retreat. We had 20 participants and that
seems
to be everyone's opinion. In fact I sent a paper around the room for
input
and 15 said they'd come back again, the other 5 would want to know what
the
date is first!