Obviously retreats can vary widely as to the who, how many, where, and what. Many quilting groups and guilds host retreats as do many LQS's. Quilting magazines even have sections with ads on various retreats and quilting cruises and quilting camps.

If you want to go with folks you know, try to go where you can meet them: quilt show, LQS's, and quilting groups/guilds. Or make it up for just a few of your quilting friends. It can be a destination retreat, where you and friends go to enjoy the surrounding area as well as quilt.

The variety is endless.

If you have a big enough house you could host one if you feel like it. I would caution you to start the first one with a smaller group unless you are very organized. The main item to remember is you would need enough electrical capacity to host all the sewing machines, lights, and irons quilters use. Many places tell retreaters what to bring in the way of irons and lights, so as not to exceed the capacity of the facility.

I hope you post after you go on your first retreat.

ali

I have been to three of themn. It was organized by a group of ladies that run in shop in Southern Mn.Had a place renter on a lake in central Mn. Send out a list of classes and you decide what you want to take. They brought vans of fabric and anything that went with sewing, in case you needed needles or whatever.You brought your machines, sewed till you dropped and had your own bedroom which you shared with a friend , meals were all cooked for us. It was a three day retreat. The night before the last day we had a show an tell and someone would come in with a trunk show. Had a good time. You have to try it. I'm sure you will love it and want to go back again.

Even though I live in California I would be interested in a retreat in Pennsylvania. I have kids and grandkids in Delaware so could see them and have some fun with other quilters.

I have read a couple of the Oak Creek Series of books, and they really make me want to go on one. However, in July every year a few of my friends go away to "Homemakers Camp" which is affiliated with the 4H Camp in our state, and take our UFO's or go to the various 50 different craft ideas to make during the 3 days. I quilted last year. Painted in watercolor, made a bracelet, and there is a skit night that we always embarrass ourselves every year in the last night. Lots to do, swimming, boating, hiking. Regular old ladies camp. And some of these women are in their 80's. I am impressed how energetic they are and I can't just sit long as something is always going on. I hope there is a quilting station again this year. I am on my 4th quilt now.

I live on the east coast and we have a quilt beach retreat each year for 3 days. We each take projects to work on. We have demos and play games. We stay in cabins with 2 per room. We have a large room with kitchette & restrooms to quilt in.
I love the sharing of ideas and the friendship. The facilities furnish 3 meals a day and fruits/drinks/breads each day.
SandyGail in NC

Could you give us an approximate price per person for the number of days you were there ?
Thank you -

Sounds like my kind of weekend :lol:

I went to one and I took a couple of projects with me to work on, plus I took a book that I was reading and it was one of those that you can't put down. I finished reading it and got my sewing done also. I won a couple of door prizes, one for being their for the first time and the other one was for having an ugly quilt (it was so bad that my husband even said it was ugly). It's going to be my pratice quilt for putting on my new frame, when ever I get brave enough.

I've always thought it would be great fun to share fellowship with a bunch of fun women with the same interest.
But, time passes, I got old, never did it. The moral of the story is, enjoy yourselves & your friends & your passions when you have the opportunity.

Eat and sew, sew and eat...oh, and laugh a lot too! I have been to a couple at local church camps. They are a blast!