Thread: 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!

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!

Originally Posted by QuiltE

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!

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.

Romanojg, if you don't mind my asking, what is a John Deer class? We have a John Deere tractor, but I think it would have trouble at a retreat! ROTFL!!

Went to one retreat years ago. Never again.