Great ideas!!!

At one retreat we divided up into teams and played a trivia game for strips and used the strips for the pineapple blossom blocks from Bonnie Hunter's website.

We've played bingo and quilto for small prizes. We did a dirty gift swap one time that was loads of fun. Everybody that wanted to participate brought a wrapped gift in the $10 to $15 dollar range. We all drew numbers and the first person started off by picking a gift but not opening it. Then the second person could either take that gift or get one off the table. There was no limit to the number of times a gift could be taken since none of them were opened until the very end.

do you know the dice game "Left, Right, Center"
Played with fat quarters. If you throw dice and L comes up you pass a fat quarter to the one on left, or Right or put one in center.
Can get the game at toy stores, Bed Bath and Beyond, etc.
Last one with a fat quarter wins all in the center.

We play that same game with 2 and a half inch strips. We start the game with 3 strips each. Whoever is left with the last strip wins the jackpot. We call this game "Strip Poker". I enjoy the looks on people's faces when we tell them we played strip poker at our retreat.

we usually don't have much time for games, etc, because we are either sewing, eating, laughin, or sleeping. we have take a puzzle a time or two. just make sure you have enough threats. we do not have a project for the retreat beause we all have enough UFO's to keep us busy for weeks.

We have done a "strip bingo". Every one brings in several 2 1/2 in. strips which are put {1 per game} into a pile in the middle of a table. Person who wins the game gets the pile. Our bingo game was made up of sewing/quilting terms in each square such as...binding,rotary cutter,selvedge,rulers,etc. Have fun!

I have been to several retreats. Here are my suggestions:

Skip the games. Especially if they are physical. There are a lot of older women at the retreats I go to that can't do physical games and felt left out.

Show and Tell. Have everyone bring one of their projects and show off. I think it is one of the best parts of the retreat.

White Elephant exchange. Everyone brings some unwanted quilting supplies in a package of some sort. Then whoever draws #1 picks a package and opens it. #2 can either pick one out of the pile or take #1. A package can trade hands 3 times then it is dead. It can be a lot of fun.

Seret Pals. Bring a bag of small items to shower on your secret pal. Drop them off on her sewing machine several times during the retreat then everyone meets their secret pal at the end.

Plenty of time for sewing. The ladies who put on the retreat are always walking around talking or helping with questions.

Make sure there is a lot of coffee and drinks and TP. My last retreat we ran out of TP. With 30 women drinking coffee that was a disaster.

Have fun. Even if you just sew and talk and eat you will have a good time.

craftybear-- I have a whole page with just your stuff I save-- thank you - thank you - thank you for all your info you share :thumbup:

Glad you saw these, you may wanna bring some games. YOu knwo the ones I have planned. LOL. So many wonderful ideas. Thank you for this post.♥♥

Thank you Ladies. My guild is having a retreat in October. This will be a second time around for us. So very much fun.
I am on the committee and you'll have given some great ideas. I will let you know how it turns out. Thanks again.