What I learned at quilt retreat
 

I have been to many quilt retreats. I know the warning signs! LOL. I am home from a retreat (local) for a few hours to restock and regroup. First morning I walked in, found my spot just when a woman came in saying she had just picked up a new to her machine for a great price. She couldn't wait to try it out. I moved two tables away. Her table mate had the pleasure of helping her thread it, figure out the bobbin winding, the tension settings, why it kept messing up and on and on. Of course she didn't bring a back up machine that she knew how to use.

One woman walked in talking on her cell and of course everyone could hear: I'm at quilt retreat so if the clients need me they can call me on my cell. I moved across the room from her to another spot. One woman walked in and set up and then started complaining she was too cold, the heat needed to be turned up. She had on a sleeveless dress. I moved away from the vents closer to the windows.

I found a corner spot, set up my machine so the new machine whining, cell phone talking, always cold, quilters were bothering someone else. ;) The retreat is wonderful though. We have Debbie Maddy as the instructor and she is fantastic!

Smart gal, May in Jersey

I had a good laugh reading this post - I have taken a few classes and regretted my spot do to chatty Cathy, the anxiety filled perfectionist...

Hahaha would have done the same thing!!!!

Glad you made it work ... you are lucky there were options to move.

Most times there are not, and you are "locked in" whether you like it or not!

Kudos to you for recognizing the trouble spots, avoiding them, and making the most out of the retreat!

You were lucky to have the option to move! I have been there and done that. Now I only go to a retreat if in there list of requirements it says no phones or smoking allowed in sewing room. had one retreat say to bring machine you are comfy using, and the best request I found was "the rooms may seem chillie to some. You can always put on a sweater, bring one!" LOL Think they may have had a problem the year before?

This made me chuckle as I go to several retreats a year and all of these scenarios sound familiar. :)

Your post was very funny. I'm usually the one stuck in any of the mentioned spots. Lucky for you that you were able to move!! Your post was funny, but being stuck next to any of the mentioned gals would NOT be funny. Glad you were able to enjoy the retreat. Someday I hope to go to one.
Sue

I've never been to a retreat, but, I will keep this in my mind. I hope.LOL

This is what I'm afraid of this weekend. Fri and Sat I'm taking a 2 day John Deer class; it's all inclusive which is great on one hand but on the other hand they are using thier machines. I've never used a brother before but most machines are pretty easy to thread and are basic. There are alot of people who don't realize this though. I'm looking forward to using a different machine mainly because alot of these 2 day classes use brother machines and I'd like to learn. We have asigned sitting so there is no getting up and moving. I seem to always get stuck in between 2 people who dont really ask for your help but mumble because they can't figure it out. So of course I'll help if I know how. I'm there to learn why I have experts there to teach so I'm really excited about that part of it. I take an embroidery class each month and look forward to it. Hopefully this weekend I'll get lucky and it'll be all that I signed up for. The main thing I hate is when you are trying to hear the instructor and you have people either talking on their cell phones or to each other.

Thanks for giving us the benefit of your experience. I'll keep these tips in mind.

Maybe this would be a good time to help whoever is in charge of the retreats make up a Rules of Retreat list.
- know YOUR machine or bring the manual
- bring all supplies but remember that space is limited so be considerate of others' spaces
- do NOT bring own sewing table so space set up is appropriate for all to use
- must use cell phone in another area other than the quilting area or bedrooms, if occupied
- be prepared for temperature differences, i.e., bring a sweater or sweatshirt
- only beverages with spill proof tops allowed in sewing area [though some groups might limit this to water only]

Hmmm. Wonder what else could be added to that list.

ali

Smart girl! I loved your story.

gee, I must be the odd-girl-out again! I go to two retreats every year (and have since 98 or so) and rarely encounter any of those problems! I love all the women who attend, I always bring a sweater 'cuz I know I am usually cold. However, one year was very hot, someone said "take off your shirt" and I did==sewed in my sports bra! 8^)

At one retreat, rules are set for certain behaviors (such as no eating in sewing room) and are respected by us participants.

Laurie

BellaBoo,
Can I meet you at the next retreat and be your tablemate?! We'd hit it off great!:thumbup: (Well as long as you bring chocolate and I bring Coke.:D)

Jan in VA

I have only been to one retreat. While there I worked on two different machines and helped a woman who had just bought hers (she didn't know that the bobbin was directional!). I like doing that sort of thing and was happy to help when they asked. I am always cold and I love to talk while I sew. If I am not talking to someone I am on the phone or singing when at home. You have convinced me I probably shouldn't go to any more retreats because I am an annoyance.

I think this is why I do not do retreats. The issues you describe would be a complete turn -off. It's a mystery to me , the appeal of these retreats.

Are you my clone???

Never been to one!! I will keep all of this mind if I ever go to one. Thanks for the advice!!!

I have never been to a retreat but it sounds like something I would enjoy. Not sure if they have them in this area.

Your post was very funny. For a few years I attended a rather large retreat with my best friend. Most of the time we had great "neighbors" but a few times we weren't so lucky. This was before cell phone usage was prevalent, so we dodged that bullet. Because of the layouts of the room, we were assigned tables. Each of us had a table, my neighbor had MY table and hers as well. The entire weekend I spent "reclaiming" my space. LOL. Another year, I sat across from a woman who never stopped talking. She would interrupt conversations and even asked me if I was married as she was looking for a wife for her son. I assured her I was. She then went on to explain that her son was a shepherd. This retreat was held in a very large metropolitan area. I really didn't know what to think about looking like I would be good shepherd wife material. On arriving home, I immediately got a new hair style and changed my make-up!! It takes all kinds. That retreat eventually quit being held and I now attend two retreats a year which are very small and the same good friends attend. It's such a great time to sew, laugh, catch up on life, drink wine, eat good food and chocolate. It's in a couple of weeks and I can't wait to see everyone. I'm so lucky to be able to do this.

Never been to a retreat yet, but will be going to a focus day on Saturday. We're making several projects, everyone will be working on the same thing at the same time.

Good idea about not using cell phones. Those things have a bad habit of going off when you least expect it.
Thanks also for telling about the unfamiliar machines. I plan on bringing my FW and need to get it out and make sure it works before I get there!

I've never been to a retreat but I can tell you that I don't suffer in silence. Once the patience has been used up, I tend to speak my mind. lol

Thank you for making me laugh. Sorry you are having such a rough time. Love the rules another quilter posted such as if you are chillie, put on a sweater...etc. Hope you have a better day.

Kat

:D I read your post because it was authored by you. You know, when E F Hutton speaks everyone listens:D:D

I just turned down a retreat: Reason being I didn't want to lug my sleeping stuff AND my quilting stuff.
The time it takes to load at home, unload at retreat, load after retreat and unload at home... I could have had a V-8 or gotten a whole lot of sewing done. Do I sound older and getting practical in my old age. Yup! And I ain't changin'! :D

You know, it is the same way in church, movie or a meeting of some sort, there is always someone (most of the time a child crying) rattleing paper, talking or whatever. Most of the time there is no where to move to so you have to grin and bear the NOISE. The most noise usually happens right at the interesting part of the program. We as people just don't think sometimes on how we bother other listeners.

Your funny story reminded me of the time I attended a seminar, actually, rather than a retreat, that lasted several days. My tablemate was a darling French gal I am sorry I didn't keep in contact with. But my roommate....oh heavens! After the second night I was utterly convinced she was a man in drag!!

And she was opinionated, critical, outspoken, snobbish, know-it-all, and was finally reprimanded by the retreat leader for some comments she made. Everybody tried to avoid her, but I was stuck with her at least 6-8 hours a day/night.

I tried to alleviate the problem by staying up at night sewing until I felt sure she was already asleep, and rising in the morning, throwing on yesterday's clothes, and stumbling to the sewing room as early as I could before she woke up. When she came down, I went up to dress, avoiding her again.

It was the best time and the worse time ever at retreat!!

Jan in VA

I once attended a workshop sponsored by a new fabric shop. The instructor was one I had already had a class with and it was great. But this time ...the shop owner wasn't present, the instructor was on the phone disiplining and giving instructions to her home-alone brood of children. One of the students came with a new machine (foreign made and foreign to her) that she didn't even know how to thread. Had to experiment with the presser feet because she didn't know which was which. So when the instructor was not on the phone (and sometimes she did both) she was helping the clueless student. It was an heirloom class and we were supposed to be making a sample book with all of the different techniques. Needless to say, my samples were incomplete. The next day I tried to do as many as I could remember from her sketchy directions. Never again! Oh, and did I say "NEVER AGAIN"?

Bella, I know you were thinking about just packing up and heading towards home. I know I would have.

I LIKE your style!!!

I'm sorry I had to laugh when I read your post. Thumbs up to you for moving and avoiding the disasters. Me, I would of been the one frozen in place and trapped by the selfish slobs and vowing to never go to another retreat. Good for you for not wasting your time or money.

Glad you found your "comfort zone". Nobody should have to retreat from a retreat! lol
I sure wish people could be more respectful of others.

Wow are retreats really worth it?

Having just returned from a retreat I have to say resoundingly YES! I have yet to have a bad time at one or have a neighbor that annoyed me. I spent all of my waking hours sewing with my friends with breaks to have meals with my friends. There were about 85 quilters there and it was wonderful to see all of their work. Our next one is in January, and we'll have another in March with this same group. Meanwhile, we're planning our own smaller retreat sometime over the next year.

I don't think I've had as good a time anywhere, so I highly recommend it!

Oh, I love the retreats held here in my town. It is certainly worth it. I have made great friends that show up for every retreat. The rules are posted and you'd think adults would know to follow them. There is no assigned seating, first come, first pick.

A retreat is what you make it. You will either have a good attitude and sew, and learn and laugh or not. As for me, I love them. I always talk a little, laugh alot, sew a bunch, teach a ton, help with a smile, meet new friends and enjoy old and precious ones. It doesn't get any better, your with other quilters for goodness sake! What's not to love. If cell phones bug......then have a vibrate only rule and go outside to talk, easy peasy. Someone brings a machine they don't know, the host should take care of that. I have pitched in many times and in 30 minutes or so, problem solved....basics taughtand we are "all" on our way. I just came from one this last weekend and it was AWESOME! Did I help others with their machines? Yep. Did I help others with their projects? Yep. Did I still get 3 quilt tops done? Yep. You help others and they help you. It's what we do, along with laughing, joking, teasing, eating and just having the best time ever.

In my guild' retreats, the rudeness of this would have been 'splained' to her. I'm glad you were able to shift.

Needed the laugh early in the a.m... I would be the one that never went to a retreat, and not know to move before it was too late. I hate being a snot, but love my quiet time with a machine, and I'm there to learn. Cell phones aren't a problem. It's the people that are using them, and their entitlement.

This my experience...assigned placement. My last retreat I was next to a woman whose machine rattled not only the table but my teeth too. Made it difficult to work and concentrate. Not a fun weekend.