That really sounds fantastic. I am so happy you had such a wonderful time. I have not been but if I have a chance, I'll remember your experience.

So sorry, I was so excited to tell you all about the retreat, I left out the location!

The Vineyard Christian Retreat (can be used for church retreats, couples retreats, quilt groups, etc.) is located in Ariton, AL. Between Ozark and Troy, off US Hwy 231. I don't have contact numbers, but they have a web site http://www.vineyardretreat.org/

It sounds like you had so much fun! Isn't it amazing to work with a group of people that helpful. You certainly worked hard to get 11 of your 13 projects completed--did you ever sleep? After reading of your experience I'm thinking I may try to go to a retreat in October.

that is my experience with retreats. We laugh, we quilt and we all help each other

Our guild in Anchorage has a retreat scheduled a week from this Thursday. I went last year and had a great time. Unbelievable how wonderful it is:)!!

Did you forget to tell us about all the Chocolate ?????That is a necessary part of our retreat. For us older folks we now have a 3 day retreat where we do not spend the night only go there day time from 7 AM to 9 PM. We brown bag it also so that leaves us more time to sew. We do this quarterly. It is only 2 miles from my house.... Oh Happy Days ! It is retreat time again May16-18th.

It sounds like an amazing retreat. I'm so glad you went and enjoyed it. I'm a golfer, and golfers are nice like that too. The only retreat experience I have had was on a golfing trip to a state park in Kentucky. A group of quilters spent the week there and worked on quilts. They let us walk through and look at all their projects. They were having a great time. I so wanted to bring my quilting and join them! They said they come there every year and enjoy the retreat so much. It was Pennyrile State Park, and the ladies were from Indiana I think.

I love retreats!!!! Even tho' it's only me and DH at home now and I can sew whenever I want, there's so much fun in packing it up (well, maybe not the packing and unpacking) and heading off for a few days with friends. I belong to two quilt guilds, and each of them has an annual retreat -- one in September and one in January. Then there's another group which puts on a retreat each April, and I have attended 3 of those. I would love to find a July retreat, which would give me 4 a year.

I once attended a retreat where I didn't know any of the other attendees. By the end of the first day, they were like old friends.

The April retreat always has teachers, some of whom are nationally known and is held at a nice hotel. The guild retreats are held at area retreat centers and are "bring your own projects", with a group project thrown in (make 2 blocks to go into an auction / charity quilt), and maybe one of the members offering a short class. The guild retreats always have doorprizes, games and Secret Sister and participation is optional. I usually bring UFOs, WIPs and PhDs, and feel like I get a lot accomplished. And, as someone mentioned above. There is always chocolate!

One thing I insist on is that meals are provided. If I wanted to prepare, serve, and clean-up meals, I could stay at home. Part of the enjoyment of a retreat is having all the daily mundane stuff done for me. There is a very nice retreat center about 2 hours from me that several of my friends have been to, but because we have to share in the cooking and cleaning, I have decided not to attend. But that's just me.

Next on my bucket list is a quilt cruise. There is a quilt shop in the area that arranges one each year that leaves out of Galveston. Then there are the bus tours to Amish country, New England, California, and trips to Ireland, Europe, Japan.

My guild has two retreats a year, one in the spring and one in the fall. It's local so members can spend the night there or go home at night. We have a great time. After traveling to retreats we decided to find a retreat sitting close to home and we found one right under our noses! A children's summer camp, rarely used in early spring or late fall. Large activity room with kitchen, dorms with showers, ac and heat with a big lake with walking trails. The camp was delighted to have the extra funds.

Sounds like a great group of ladies. It is difficult to get several women together without any "quilt police" or "I'm better than you are" attitudes. Glad you enjoyed it.