I am organizing a retreat for my quilt guild. I would love some suggestions or ideas of what to do. Like prizes, games, gift bags, ect.

What do people like to get a retreats that don't cost a lot of money?

Thank you in advance for your suggesions and ideas.

:)

Welcome to the board from Southern California!

I'm sure that you will gets lots of suggestions from people on here

Thank you. I hope so.

It's the first retreat I have every organized. I want it to be lots of fun for everyone. :)

Those notions that we all need, the little ones, like needles, seam rippers, pins, I know they can add up quickly, but these are sure welcome! (JoAnn's discount coupons will help) Also, purchase the boxes of assorted teas, take a couple of each and tie them together with a mug rug. A 'Sams club' box of 24 (or so) of snack bars makes a quick snack when hunger strikes and we just don't want to stop for lunch....

I live in North Texas. Where are you going for your retreat?
We made pin cushions with small canning jars. A ball of stuffing and a circle of fabric, glue fabric to bottom of disk and you have a pin cushion plus a
Container. Play a game using fat quarters instead of coins, such as bunco or
CLR. Eat, laugh, sew, eat, laugh, sew. Can't have a bad retreat with those
Ingredients.

Maybe you could get a gift card from some of your local quilt shops - maybe they would even donate them as free advertising.

Maybe have a table where each person brings notions, fabric, fat quarters, etc that no longer fits their needs. Other people may be looking just for that item. If you put 1 FQ on table you are allowed to take 1 FQ etc. Have fun.

How about those disposable cameras that people use at weddings? that would be awesome for everyone to take photos and then have a cd made of all of them. Possibly even add a little more $$ to the fee to pay for them.

The big thing for me would to be sure each participant had plenty of space to work and that the food was separate from this work area. It makes me nervous to have people eating where I am working.

Maybe a masseuse would be willing to come in and do mini massages in the neck and shoulder area. She could charge a nominal fee but would probably have plenty of takers. (Each participant would pay for their massage as an extra, not included in the retreat fee.)

We are a small group 7 or 8. We plan meals so no one person has to do all the cooking. Everyone brings snacks that they prefer and beverage that they like. It just makes it easier. Usually 2 work together for a dinner and one does all the quick lunches since we have a large breakfast and good dinner, we can't skip lunch because of our diabetic "sisters." Sometimes we plan to do a project as a group, sometimes just do our own thing. Fat quarters are a quick gift idea. Also small plastic containers or boxes that can be bought pretty cheap at discount stores. Hope this helps. HAVE FUN!

I am working on a project to list ideas for Quilting Retreats

would be great to have a make it take it project for everyone to make

1. pincushion idea for you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNu40...1&feature=fvwp