Mini retreat in my home.
 

The lady on the right is a recent widow. I've been teaching her quilting to keep her busy. She and a second friend spent the day at my house making a jelly roll race quilt. The lady on the left had terrible problems with her sewing machine until we changed thread. She had a spool of Sulky and her machine did not like it. Many thanks to all here on the board who have said their machines don't like certain threads. I would not have known how to help her if I hadn't seen it here. They didn't get quilt done but were both trilled at the start.
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What a wonderful thing for you to do for others. You have given them a purpose, and I can't think of a more fun purpose than quilting. Hurray for you.

It can be frustrating to problem solve but when you do get through it then it feels so satisfying to know you figured out the problem!

Looks like you all enjoyed the afternoon! I believe quilting is for sharing so I applaud you for sharing your love of quilting!

What a great way to help your friend. Do you think she'll get the quilting bug?

Looks like fun!

So much more fun sewing with friends. The best therapy for everyone.

isn't it great having a round table sew-in. We have a group that meets every Tues. and sometimes it's too lean on each others shoulders. Nothing like quilting buddies

It looks like lots of fun

Enjoy

Sounds like fun.

Quilting binds us together. Hugs

Nothing more fun than having a little quilting bee going on in your home. Looks like a fun time.

What fun! I have been toying with the idea of a "Sew IN" for a few days at my house. I have room for 6 ladies and of course me. Just need to find the 6 ladies that would like to join in..

Looks like such fun!!!!!!

Super of you to do this for your friends. This is a win win. BrendaK

Twice a year I have two friends that come to my house, just to do their own quilting. I taught them too, and that was 13 years ago. We are now retired and can have our get-together anytime we wish. They live in a rural area, so eating out is one of their favorite things to do - other than quilting.

Really nice that you are doing this. I'll be the recent widow appreciates it more than she can say. This is what I want to do when I get my "sewing room" built ..... sit for a day and quilt with my buddies.

What could be better than this? Hopefully they both were bit by the quilting bug. :)

What a great way to spend the day.

so nice that you spent time with her i have a dear friend who lost her dh and we crochet togather some days

Kind and generous. Hope this turns into a long term fun time for all of you.

It is very good of you to help her stay busy during her time of sorrow, and what better way than quilting! I hope she likes it for it is one way to work out the hardness life seems to throw at us from time to time.

You have just helped these ladies find one more purpose in life. That's wonderful. What better art to bring friends together than quilting. Three cheers for you.

What great pictures. I love that you are helping your friend with her loss. Often people are there at the beginning and fade away. It is great she is enjoying the quilting experience. I lost my quilting buddy a couple years ago. She is still missed dearly.

The widow has more problems than just losing her DH (as if that isn't bad enough) He had Parkinsons for 10 years and she took care of him. Four years ago she suffered a brain hemorrhage and nearly died. She has some memory problems and has problems understanding instructions. She was very confused about folding the strips and sewing them back together. Every time a strip matched up she's say, "Oh no, are they suppose to do that?" She was very thrilled when it was finished and wants to do a RWB right away. Of course we couldn't find a RWB jelly roll.

Girl, you ROCK!

What a good thing you are doing for your friend and a wonderful way to spend the day!

It is a very kind and a great way to help others. After my mother died last year, quilting is what helped me so much to give me something I enjoy, and keep a real connection to my mother, because she was a quilter all her life.

Aren't you special. Thanks for taking the time to be a FRIEND

Sewing with friends is always good therapy.

Ooooohhh I would love to come. Save one spot for me. Now I just need to figure out how to get there and bring a bunch of my quilting stuff.

Love it. When my SIL comes for Thanksgiving, as soon as we clear the dining room table - we have our own personal sweat shop! LOL No Black Friday shopping for us! Last Thanksgiving we finished 8 quilts, some that were started and some from scratch!! Now if I could just get her to stay longer!!!!!
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OH! what a great day you all must have had, I remember my Mother's quilting days with the neighbor ladies. they talked as fast as they quilted. Farm ladies didn't have much time to waste, so the get together's were a treat/retreat for them. all of us kids liked it also lots of play time .
to bad they didn't have cameras as we do today for such loving memories to be recorded . thanks for sharing.

Nothing better that sewing with girlfriends. And aren't you a dear to give these friends such a gift. I hope this becomes a regular event for you all. It's what I would call a "win, win gift". Enjoy!

You are a gem may all of you enjoy many, many happy hours of quilting.

What a great way to get together with friends and be productive at the same time. How nice that your friend has you to teach her to quilt as a way of working through her grief. I've found quilting to be therapeutic for me, it helps me through the tough time.

Tess, how wonderful of you to have a mini retreat for your friend. I'm sure it was a great comfort. And it's nice to see you!

What a great day!!

Looks like a fun time for all...I would love to do that but don't know many people here that sew or have an interest in sewing...

What fun! So good of you to help this friend, as a widow myself, I know how much it means to have hobbies, and keep yourself busy! God Bless You!

That looked like fun, getting together with a retreat. That was so nice of you to do that.