Ever go on a Quilting Retreat?
07-08-2016, 09:25 AM
#22
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: St. Louis suburbs
Posts: 6,084
I went on two. One I enjoyed and one I didn't. What I enjoyed was having food prepared for us, and sometimes it wasn't the greatest. I also enjoyed sharing a room with just one other person and we shared a bathroom. What I did not enjoy was sharing a room with 5 other women (one crabby) and two bathrooms for about 20 women. We had to find our own places to eat and of course the only places were either 25 miles away or Hardees. It is a 1000% better if you go with friends, I didn't enjoy being alone with women who were in groups. I prefer retreats where you can make your own quilts and just enjoy sewing to your hearts content. I will not go on any retreats again unless I know sleeping situations and go with friends.
07-08-2016, 12:40 PM
#23
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: California, USA
Posts: 1,318
I agree whole-heartedly with dunster.
I go to 2 retreats a year at a Christian Camp and the food is prepared for us, so all we have to do is bus our own tables. The most we would have to share a bathroom with is 4 ladies (two separate bedrooms with a bathroom and shower in the middle). Since you know all of the ladies (anywhere between 20 to 35 ladies) it works out pretty well.
In order for me to enjoy a retreat at a house, as you described, the cost would have to be very minimal, as I don't see very many advantages to staying there.
I go to 2 retreats a year at a Christian Camp and the food is prepared for us, so all we have to do is bus our own tables. The most we would have to share a bathroom with is 4 ladies (two separate bedrooms with a bathroom and shower in the middle). Since you know all of the ladies (anywhere between 20 to 35 ladies) it works out pretty well.
In order for me to enjoy a retreat at a house, as you described, the cost would have to be very minimal, as I don't see very many advantages to staying there.
07-08-2016, 01:54 PM
#24
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: BC Canada
Posts: 400
Here is what I do.
The West Kootenay’s where I live, is a beautiful part of the BC province. We are located 2.5 hours north of Spokane Washington in a rural area near Trail. Fruitvale (10 miles east of Trail) is the closest "town" although it doesn’t have a traffic light. I hold the retreat at the scout camp, that is conveniently down the road from where I live and considered to be in Fruitvale. The camp is located on 10 acres of wilderness that was donated to the Scouts years ago. We do have deer and bear and other critters that visit periodically, and we have never had any problems with them.
The camp has a full kitchen, showers and flush toilets. There are a few cabins and 2 of them have electricity. The beds have a mattress, but nothing else. It is usually quite warm at that time of the year, and sometimes we do have rain, making puddles, however we stay dry. This is a private event and I have friends that come from Calgary as well. There is a hotel down the road Nothing fancy, but no fear of bears visiting at night. Last year there was a bear sighting during the day, and because the toilets and showers are a bit of a walk from the cabins at night, they feel safer staying at the hotel. Most of the girls do go home, some bring their campers or trailers and a couple do sleep in the cabins. It is a rustic setting and I just love the ambiance. A bit of a walk in like 100 feet from the cabins to the bathroom. However, if you want to use a pail and empty it in the morning you are welcome to do that too. lol
The cost of the retreat this year is $60.00 plus you cook with one other person and supply lunch and supper for one day for everyone at the retreat. This goes very well, some of the girls prepare ahead and bring frozen food, some of the girls have gluten allergies and we try to accommodate them when possible....but we do not cater to special diets. If people have special diets they can plan on food for those meals they don’t eat. The menu is posted before hand so all of those with special diets can prepare.
I started doing these retreats because I went to one in Montana and had a fabulous time. Someone suggested we do one here when the space became available....the rest is history.
The West Kootenay’s where I live, is a beautiful part of the BC province. We are located 2.5 hours north of Spokane Washington in a rural area near Trail. Fruitvale (10 miles east of Trail) is the closest "town" although it doesn’t have a traffic light. I hold the retreat at the scout camp, that is conveniently down the road from where I live and considered to be in Fruitvale. The camp is located on 10 acres of wilderness that was donated to the Scouts years ago. We do have deer and bear and other critters that visit periodically, and we have never had any problems with them.
The camp has a full kitchen, showers and flush toilets. There are a few cabins and 2 of them have electricity. The beds have a mattress, but nothing else. It is usually quite warm at that time of the year, and sometimes we do have rain, making puddles, however we stay dry. This is a private event and I have friends that come from Calgary as well. There is a hotel down the road Nothing fancy, but no fear of bears visiting at night. Last year there was a bear sighting during the day, and because the toilets and showers are a bit of a walk from the cabins at night, they feel safer staying at the hotel. Most of the girls do go home, some bring their campers or trailers and a couple do sleep in the cabins. It is a rustic setting and I just love the ambiance. A bit of a walk in like 100 feet from the cabins to the bathroom. However, if you want to use a pail and empty it in the morning you are welcome to do that too. lol
The cost of the retreat this year is $60.00 plus you cook with one other person and supply lunch and supper for one day for everyone at the retreat. This goes very well, some of the girls prepare ahead and bring frozen food, some of the girls have gluten allergies and we try to accommodate them when possible....but we do not cater to special diets. If people have special diets they can plan on food for those meals they don’t eat. The menu is posted before hand so all of those with special diets can prepare.
I started doing these retreats because I went to one in Montana and had a fabulous time. Someone suggested we do one here when the space became available....the rest is history.
Last edited by imsewnso; 07-08-2016 at 01:59 PM.
07-08-2016, 04:34 PM
#26
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: central indiana
Posts: 686
Forgot to say what is critical. First, comfortable chairs. Retreat center in West Union, Iowa had rolling chairs for each of us. One table per person with some extra for exchanges, snacks, etc. Even better to have a couple of tables and chairs set up like a dining area for relaxing away from the sewing area. A couple of rocking chairs again to get away from sewing for awhile is nice.
Cleanliness of bathroom facilities is a must. Some privacy if the facilities are shared is needed. Ladies generally don't want to shower all together.
Good light is needed.
Shared irons and ironing boards are better than many around the room because of electrical loads. (with 22 sewers, we needed three of each) Depending on the size of the group, one or more cutting areas at the proper height really help. Design walls are a big plus. Don't usually have these. Holly Girls retreat is able to hang flannel backed vinyl tablecloths on the walls.
They also got coffee cups from Goodwill and each person used one for the week then they were washed for the next group. No one wanted to waste Styrofoam cups. Coffee and a refrigerator for cold drinks was needed by all.
Cleanliness of bathroom facilities is a must. Some privacy if the facilities are shared is needed. Ladies generally don't want to shower all together.
Good light is needed.
Shared irons and ironing boards are better than many around the room because of electrical loads. (with 22 sewers, we needed three of each) Depending on the size of the group, one or more cutting areas at the proper height really help. Design walls are a big plus. Don't usually have these. Holly Girls retreat is able to hang flannel backed vinyl tablecloths on the walls.
They also got coffee cups from Goodwill and each person used one for the week then they were washed for the next group. No one wanted to waste Styrofoam cups. Coffee and a refrigerator for cold drinks was needed by all.
07-08-2016, 05:46 PM
#27
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: massachusetts
Posts: 812
we rent a conference room at a hotel to sew in. they provide irons/ironing boards, tables, extension cords. they provide a small refrigerator in the room and we bring in snacks/drinks to share. we tack flannel backed tablecloths on the walls for design boards. we stay at the hotel at a group rate and have food brought in or go out to dinner. one of the hotels we stayed at in maine had a diner attached where we ate most of our meals. we usually go on super bowl weekend and the hotel wheels in a tv for us to watch the game. they also provide a DVD player for us to watch movies while we sew. we bring games to play if we get bored after 12 hours of sewing, lol.
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07-08-2016, 06:54 PM
#29
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: massachusetts
Posts: 812
also, a quilt shop nearby in new hampshire rents out their classroom and we rent it for $75 for 8 hours of sewing. there are usually 5 of us so it is pretty cheap. it has a small refrigerator, cutting table, iron/board, coffee/tea. the quilt shop is just upstairs. we have been there frequently so she lets us sew til 9 p.m. and we lock up. we usually order food in from a local spot. once a year we spend a night at a local hotel and return the next day to sew if the quilt store classroom is available.
07-08-2016, 10:23 PM
#30
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: England Alton Towers
Posts: 6,674
I went to a retreat in Wales, U.K. The location was ideal lovely rooms and meals fantastic with large sewing rooms. The disadvantage I found was I had gone alone as others were in groups of friends. I found another singleton on the last day who like myself had felt ignored because we were alone, being ignored even by tutor because we didn't shout out.
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