I would like to solicit any ideas for hosting a quilting retreat. Something you did for your retreat or any ideas you may have. This will be our gathering's first. Thanks in advance.

We had a project that we all made. Brought our own fabrics and was fun to see the difference even tho same project.

We had an "auction" of fun items; we play the right and left game to name a few.

I have never been to a retreat but I have heard of how fun and informative they can be. I would like to go to one as soon as I can afford to go.

We've played several games at our retreats. We've played trivia for strips and bingo for a variety of prizes. The main thing is they're games that can be played while everybody is sewing.

Thanks, what is the right and left game?

Do it the it the lay-away plan. Budget a few dollars each week.

Thanks, good suggestion.

Oh me too! I've read books about them and they sound like a blast except for the murders and drama :)

Do you have a quilt related left right game? We use the left right game at holidays.

If a quilter can't afford to buy fabrics, he/she uses scraps.

If you can't afford a retreat, gather some friends, some covered dishes and have a quilting bee. Pick a topic and learn something new together--you don't have to have an expert. Have fun.

I'll bet there are church camps in your area that would love to have a group during the off season. Get your friends together and check around!

One time there was a teacher for a day. Another time we had a movie night. Others participated in a secret quilt angel. Trips to nearby quilt shops seemed to be the most popular activity and any involvement in anything was only if one desired.
Retreats are too, too much fun.

The last one I went to was rather neat. We brought one 8" Churn Dash block in Civil War reproductions, a package of your favorite quilting needles, a spool of quilting thread and embroidery floss. In turn when you turned all this in you got a "raffle ticket".

They put all of the Churn Dash on the wall and took away all the other things. The first evening they drew for all the turned in blocks and the next day at lunch, there was a canning jar at each place with a pin cushion on top, filled with a tiny bag of buttons, needles, thread, embroidery floss, some candy, and seven grandmothers garden hexagons already to be sewn together!!

At a large retreat, we had an ice-breaker game of a treasure hunt. You had all kinds of things to go find and checked them off on your list as you went. You also had to write down their name. At the end of the time (was likely a half hour, can't remember), the person who got the most items checked off was the winner. Some of the items were stork scissors, an embroidered design that someone brought, a floral pincushion, etc. These are things that some people bring, but not everyone. It got you to meet several different ladies and was a lot of fun.

Having an ice cream social on Saturday night is always good.

Here is one version of the left right game. Everyone holds an unwrapped FQ in their hand and stand in a circle. It's best if you can have someone else read the story. Every time the word "right" is said, you pass your FQ to the person to the right, every time the word "left" is said, you pass your FQ to the left. It's a really fun game!

Mrs. Wright had developed a new hobby since last year. Mrs. Wright is now a quilter and wanted to make something for Mr. Wright, Susie Wright, Bobby Wright and not to be left out, grandma Wright for the holidays. She left for the quilt store right away without a thought. After looking right, then left at the crosswalk, Mrs. Wright hurried right into the biggest quilt store left in the area. After making her selections, not right away of course… Mrs. Wright hurried right home. The family, however; felt left out when Mrs. Wright spent every evening locked right away in her room. Mr. Wright, Susie Wright, Bobby Wright and not to be left out, Grandma Wright, complained that Mrs. Wright was not doing right by her family. The laundry was left out, the meals were frozen, dishes were everywhere left or right, and cleaning went right out the window.

In her sewing room, Mrs. Wright worked hard at placing right sides together, squaring things up and not having any squares left out, which of course would not be right! Mrs. Wright felt the projects were so close to being done right, she didn’t mind being left out of all the activities.

Soon the holidays came. Mr. Wright loved his wall hanging and had the right place to hang it. Susie Wright left immediately to place her quilt right upon her bed. Bobby Wright thought the quilt was nice but Mrs. Wright knew that Bobby Wright was headed right back to his new truck set when he left the quilt in its box. Not to be left out, Grandma Wright hugged her lap quilt, even thought Mrs. Wright had run out of time and it only covered Grandma Wright’s right leg, leaving her left foot right out in the cold. But…since it was all from the heart, it was just right!

I really would like to go now. Quilter 7X makes it sound fantastic. One of these days I will try to go to one. I've hears of one in Colorado but I'm not sure where. My problem is getting around. I can't walk so good and the retreats I have seen have been somewhere you had to walk to a little ways. My ideal place would be on a beautiful lake so when I am in too much pain to participate, I could sit and watch the water until my pain meds kicked in.

ONE OF THE RETREATS I WENT TO HAD EVERYONE BRING IN THEIR UGLYEST FABRIC AND WE ALL VOTED..WINNER GOT FABRIC.. I WON!
WE HAD A LOT OF FUN DISCUSSING THE FABRICS AND WHERE AND WHY WE BOUGHT IT.