I am working on organizing a quilt retreat here in southeast Iowa for some weekend in the middle of Sept to the middle of Oct. I don't have the details worked out yet so the time is not decided. I have two differant B & Bs in mind and will have to see where we can get in.

There will be at least one quilt shop to visit and maybe more depending on where we end up.

I would like to see quilters come and bring projects with them to work on and I plan to do some demonstrations. Anyone else who would like to come and do a demonstration or anyone who wants to bring their quilts to share would be more than welcome.

Right now I am looking to see if anyone is interested in coming. We are not a big metropolis but the one I would like to get into is in Bentonsport Iowa and it has a longarm that can be rented and they have sewing machines that can be rented and I have access to some I can borrow if anyone finds it difficult to bring their own. There are several motels close by and this B & B has 9 rooms and is in a historical area with beautiful scenery.

So I guess I am wondering if anyone would make the trip to this little back water for a quilt retreat? Probably a weekend of Fri to Sun I would think.

Maybe...depends on when and etc.

Keep us informed

I emailed the Mason House B & B in Bentonsport Ia and I am waiting for a response. I am going to call down there tomarrow if I don't hear from them.

What would be an approximate cost?

What would be included?

A place to sleep?

Internet service?

Would meals be provided?

Sounds interesting. Bentonsport is a great place for a retreat, I would imagine. I would enjoy attending. I have not done something like this before. But sounds fun.

Fill me in on details. I would like to come if the price is right.

Ok I have talked to the Mason House B&B owner and we are set up for Sept 24 thru Sept 26. Everyone is responsible for their own room rates and that varies depending on where you want to stay. They have 9 rooms at the B&B and there are double beds and one room has 3 beds. We have room for 12 quilters to set up at the tables besides myself. There is internet service and they can provide a sandwich lunch on Sat if we like. Or we can go to several places and eat out. There are 2 motels within 6 miles of the B&B if they are booked up. I can't reserve rooms without paying a deposit and I can't do that. But if and when you know you want to come it would be good to reserve a room as soon as you can. It would be nice if we quilters had all the rooms.
I may or may not stay at the B&B. I have a handicapped DH and I only live 20 mins from there. So I will have to see.

This is the online site for the Mason House B&B so you can see the pictures. The second link is a better listing of what they offer for amenities like internet.

http://www.masonhouseinn.com/Quilting.htm
http://www.bedandbreakfast.com/iowa-...ntonsport.html

This is a motel in Keosauqua which is only 6 miles away. Joy tells me there is one in Bonaparte too which is only about 2 or 3 miles from Bentonsport.

http://www.bedandbreakfast.com/id-ke...manningbb.html

I would like to, but keep in mind there is an AQS show in Des Moines sometime in October so might do it closer to that?

The B&B is all booked up for Oct. So I can't do it then. I really kind of wanted to keep it in Bentonsport this first time anyway. My favorite Mennonite store is only a few miiles away and it has fabric differant from any of the LQS around here anyway. So that was one activity I wanted to take people to.