Okay guys we all know it is going to be a wonderful spring and summer coming up and was wondering if you would be interested in a Vintage Sewing Machine Shop Retreat.

Of course this will be a family type of gathering and more than likely be a weekend type of retreat at a State Park or someplace like that. That way we all can stay at the park in cabins or the camp ground which ever you would like. We want activities for us and our loved ones who might would like to hit the golf course or go fishing or something like that. Of course there will be a huge cook out and lots of socializing going on.

So if I can get everything organized what would you guys be interested in doing? Any suggestions are welcome and I am hoping that this will be something that we can move around to different parts of the country each year to let everyone have a chance at coming.

So let me have your ideas and lets see what we can do about possibly having a get together!!

Billy

Billy, I think this is a great idea. I am sure you are doing the first retreat near you to start it off. Any thoughts to date. If you can make it near the ISMACs convention I may be able to do one trip and hit both events.

You can count on me for a west coast version in future years.

:D

Your going to Nashville for the ISMACS convention? :-D

Billy

Billy I love this idea!!
But I have no idea where Bikini Bottom is ~!!~ lol

Keep me posted!

Well give me some ideas as to what you guys would be interested in doing. It will more than likely be here in Tennessee first off but I was also thinking about Petit Jean Mountain State Park in Arkansas, or Hot Springs Arkansas.

Billy

AR would be great!!

I'd love to come, but it's a bit far away from me. I'd still think about it though! If gas were not so expensive. I love the idea!!!! Keep me in the loop, maybe I can get hubby to come camp with me... he's fun. And he's impressed with Billy's blue and gold flake wonder Singer pictures. lol....

I would love to attend. Since I am here in TN no problem, just name the place and time.

I am still running the logistics through my head and seeing what might work and what would we do. Do we want it to be more of a laid back kinda hang out and do things type of feel to it of do we want to have a class type of setting or both.

Billy

I think some of both, and perhaps swap and sell section.

I love sueisallaboutquilts' answer! I do know where "Bikini Bottom" is, but it is too far for me this time around! Although, it would be a fun trip!

Nancy

What an excellent idea! This might sound a little off the mark but maybe we could setup several "stations" for different educational opportunities. Treadle free motion quilting. Cleaning and maintenance. Restoration of cabinets (Glenn??) Handcrank Conversions. Attendees might even bring a "project machine" from home, rotate through each station and have 1:1 time to ask questions and have a chance for hands on .... Sorry if this wasn't the direction you were thinking just throwing out some ideas.

Did I mention the coffee and lemon bars station? :D

I would love to attend whatever the agenda!

Hey put all the ideas you guys want out here so we can pick and choose what we will be doing.

I was thinking of a game of "Who can put the Singer 66 back together the fastest" and the winner could take the machine home with them.

I was on the Hot Rod Magazines "Power Tour" one year and they had a contest to see who could build the motor the fastest and it had to run from the first turn of the key! I forgot how many teams of 3 they had but the team I was on almost had the fastest time. But the contest was so much fun!!

Billy

I would love to attend, but it is a bit far for me...so, I will have to wait.

Sounds great! We are 3 hours from Chattanooga and have stayed in some cabins somewhere near Racoon Mountain. Would love to learn free motion on my treadle...haven't learned on my newer machine yet...would rather learn on my treadle.

I would love to attend, depending on when/where it is. Living in MT, I already have some company scheduled for 3 weeks in June, one week in July and 2 weeks in August. How come no one ever comes in December?

What about Reel Foot Lake in TN or Pickwick. AR would be good as well.

I'd like to see demonstrations on cleaning, and perhaps Glenn could do something on getting cabinets cleaned up and repaired etc. Of course, I like the ideas already mentioned by others.

Just my 2 cents.

Marie M.

I have several different types of SM's with all kinds of attachments but never seem to have enough time to get them out and use them. Tried a binder foot once... maybe I need more practice.

Could we possibly have a demo on how to use attachments? :roll:

Judy

I love everyone's ideas. Billy was thinking if had two things two events to go to it would be easier to talk myself into it.

I love the idea of demo's on all the different attachments. I don't have time to figure them out either. But I would like to just hang out, too hard to bring a machine on the airplane to play with.

Judy, I love all the ideas, but especially having someone demonstrate how to use all the different attachments!

Nancy

Hmmmm. Sounds interesting. I want to know where and when. I might be able to participate, but the cost of gas is a caution.

agree with above.

I would love this, but the trek from CA would be daunting this year...cost-wise and time-wise!! Maybe next year closer to us West Coasters??

I would like to go to the retreat if timing is right and it would be my pleasure to pass some refinishing techniques on to the members of VSMS. I have a 26 ft camper I tow behind my pick up so somewhere with a campground would be good. You know us retired people have to have air and the flat screen tv in the evening. :lol: Oh my wife has to have her bathtub to!! Glenn

We definitely have to have an attachment class! That would be neat to see them in action and all of us looking like "Why didnt we think of that". :lol:

Now to find someone who knows how to use them all......... :roll:

Billy

id love to come, like everyone, timing will be a determining factor. just a suggestion, if cant find someone who knows all the attachment, maybe each person coming learn one and we all get together and share that knowledge. all can be pretty daunting, but one at a time might be fun. the whole thing sounds like a real blast. we ll need plenty of coffee and rolls.

It depends on when it is and where it is, a campground would be great. Just let me know.

G-Maw Wilda

My suggestion too - maybe alternate regions of U.S. year to year? TN or AR would mean airfare & don't know how many sewing machines I could fit in my carry-on without attracting attention from TSA :mrgreen:

Sounds like no matter where we go there may be board members who have enough machines that they could share for the weekend :-D

Oh if this really catches on the yes it will be in a different region every year so we can give everyone a chance to get together and have some fun. I will have my sedan delivery so I am a mobile sewing shop essentially!!

And yes I will be at everyone of them!!!

Billy

lol spongebob lives there

I knew i had heard of that place before! My DGDs had a sponge bob computer game they played here.

It be fun, *pouts* too bad i'm 6mo pregnant and have a service dog, getting down there from NY would be a bit more of an issue with the TSA than I'm up to this year. Maybe, next year, the kid can start quilting REALLY early.

As for ideas, how about decal application and removal (when restoring), and I know I'd find a demo on adjusting some of the vintage machines *properly* for different tasks, like free motion quilting vs. paper piece, very useful (I read the manual and make it up as I go).

Wait, did this ever get set up?

Thanks
Cheryl

I am still working on it but we have been having some weather and flooding issues around here. But I will try and to have something up in the next couple of weeks!

Billy

Billy, my DH is frothing at the mouth to know which Sedan Delivery you have!!! He is a HUGE fan!!! The Mother's '59 is his very favorite all time oldie car!!

Count me in if it's close to Hot Spring Village and maybe I'll drive my little restored 66 Mustang!

Its a 1939 Chevy Sedan Delivery but the only thing I do not like about it is the fact that it has a 454 in it. Might as well pour gas straight into the motor, but the guy did say it got 18mpg so that isnt to bad.

Billy

i love this web site keep me informed

If timing fits I'd love to come!

I am going to have to work on the details of the get together now that things are starting to go my way again. Hopefully I can have something solid pretty soon.

Billy

Billy, if we're back from our summer trip we'd love to come...and camping would be fine! At some of the VW get togethers they do engine build things, engine burn things (those magnesium motors do flare), loudest engine, etc.

I found out that local quilting shops here in Atlanta were truly generous about providing things for door prizes and gifts. They supplied enough stuff that each of 15 attendees were able to take home 2 or 3 really nice things...some were bundles of fabric, fat quarters, patterns, etc. We made matching fabric squares and had everyone pick one up as they signed in and got name tags, then drew the squares out of a bag. The only hitch was that as we had brought sq for 2 times as many as showed up, we didn't take the time the first time thru to pull out the non chosen sq. If I had it to do over, I would have a bag or basket and have them take the 2 sq, one to keep for the drawing and put one in the bag to use for the drawing.

Another way we really like to raffle stuff is called a bucket raffle. You get to put your tickets in a bucket in front of the things for raffle. If it's something really nice a lot of folks will put all their tickets in one bucket.