We always have fun at our retreats without games or planned activities. We sew, visit,sew,eat,sew,visit and so on. We usually do a "road trip" to the LQS and everyone brings food. We all work on our UFOs and help each other if we are having problems...

Used to belong to a guild that had large retreats and they would have everybody bring items for a table plus they would have items donated by LQS. Several in our area. Everyone would sew, snack, wait for door prizes, etc. Now go to smaller retreats and we just eat, sew, shop, visit. Lots of fun that way too.

mltquilt

Strip Poker is always fun. We each bring about 25 2.5" strips and play poker. We got the directions off the internet. We've also had a mini auction. Have everyone bring a few items from their sewing room they no longer want. We have a gal that is absolutely hilarious and she was our auctioneer. We bid with fat quarters which we then donated to our church's quilting stash (church quilts for charity).

I am keeping track of this post, a group of us are thinking of getting something together soon !

These are great ideas. Thanks for posting them!

We have a white elephant exchange. Gently used or new item is wrapped or bagged and gifts are placed on table and names are drawn to go pick a gift. Good way to recycle extra unused rulers, tools, books, etc.
We also do a simple quilt relay using strips or squares. Divide into even groups and see which group can put together the quilt top the quickest. Once they are completed they are given to charity or neo-natal hospital units. Simple prizes given to everyone.

great ideas, thanks

I am making each person one of the canning jar pincushions and giving them a small notepad and pen with the challenge to write something complimentary about each person and put it in that person's canning jar. We have a small group, usually 10-12, at a bed and breakfast so meals are provided. We take snacks and donate items for drawings that we have thru out the weekend. This year we were given a fabric square when we signed up with instructions for making a block which there will be a drawing for and someone will win all the blocks.

Our girls sew during the day. When they need a break (mid to late afternoon) we do a few small demos (volunteers from the group) of new techqnics (gets everyone away from thier project). This is our most requested time. Plus at night we gather around (with a sweet treat-of course) and go around the group and "Tell Something About Yourself That No One Knows)--My mouth hurt from laughing for days after that!!!
Plus we do a Table Runner Challange- We give a small amount of fabric months before. Everyone brings to the retreat in a bag and we display and vote (I only announce top 3 voted ones-so nonones feeling get hurt). So.... neat to see what they come up with. It is small project and it is something completed. Over the past 3 years there is things that we added and omitted from our retreat. I have fun planning and organizing this event each year.

My two sisters and I accompany my mother (now age 85) to two quilt retreats a year...it is a wonderful way to spend quality time with our mom and siblings doing what we love most!! And my mother just beams with her chicks sitting around her!!