Quilt Retreat With No Electricity?
 

Has anyone ever been to a quilt retreat that consisted of only people-powered machines or hand sewing? It seems that a retreat where only treadle and hand crank machines were in use would be fun, and a great opportunity to use vintage, antique, and modified machines in a group.

CD in Oklahoma

That would be fun, CD!! The TOGA's are kinda like that, but we don't do much sewing. Mainly oogling and demonstrating the non-e machines.

I can see hand sewing. But the thought of transporting a treadle machine ... {eek!}

We don't need to go to a retreat with no electricity. We got four functioning treadles right here. We just do our retreat at home LOL.

Joe

CD, You must live too far to attend a TOGA. It is worth at least one trip to attend if you haven't already done so. Are you talking about just having a retreat without the other stuff that happens at TOGA, i.e. raffles? Although, I'm sure you want the potluck meals!!!

I too would like to see an event that is just about making quilts with the treadles or HC. I have a HC that I could bring. But since I prefer to treadle over HC, I would drag my straight-leg and Singer 328k to such an event. Those two are light enough to transport.


I should join my local guild to see if anyone there is interested in such a gathering. Are you a member of a local guild? Maybe something could be started there.

I’ve been to one TOGA (NETexas) and enjoyed it very much. My wife and I hope to go again this April. There were several treadles there last year. We hauled two down, one was a sold delivery and the other was a swap machine that eventually became a raffle machine (I didn’t want to haul it home). Others hauled in their treadles for both sales and demos. There was hardly a time when someone wasn’t sewing on a treadle during the 2-day event. I’m a hand cranker, so my wife and I took turns sewing on a Singer 185K that I’d converted to hand crank shortly before that trip. That one, and my hand crank Featherweight that usually goes along with us since I got it set up.

Most of the Retreats that I’m aware of are “ladies only” and not co-ed events like the Togas, so I wondered if the ladies ever had PP (People Powered) retreats. I’m talking about the ones where they get a block of rooms at a resort hotel or something and stay for a couple of days and a night. Seems like they could potentially have their sewing area outdoors for part of the time, which could be interesting in some settings. I like to sew outside when the weather is good, although it’s usually just in my yard at home or in the alley behind the shop. I sewed a hip pocket back onto my coveralls with a hand crank Singer 66-1 in a motel parking lot one evening while staying out of town on a job though.

CD in Oklahoma

I took a HC Singer 99 camping once - does that count

I don’t see why not! A get-away is a get-away! And a sewing retreat in a camp ground is just what I’m talking about. Or... at the beach, or... in the Maple trees in Fall, or... in a wheat field on a warm & breezy day....

Well, maybe not IN the wheat field, just next to it in a pavilion or something....

CD in Oklahoma

I'd love something like that, but would limit it to taking my handcrank, as for something like a weekend retreat I would think it would be a hassle to transport one of the treadles...maybe not tho...thinking about it, the Davis isn't terribly heavy...and it's not attached so it wouldn't be hard to remove and replace for transport.

I don't think you want a breezy day to be working on quilting or piecing. I picture fabrics flying away.

wow...count me in if you get one going here in OK!

Count me in - I have spring fever

I would love this, could bring one of my handcrank machines!!!

Sounds like fun... if the treadles are already there! I'm not about to move my monolith of a treadle around...

I took the cabinet for my Singer 201 to the NE-TX TOGA last year. I was bringing home a Singer 66-1 Redeye and of course needed to be sure that it treadled properly. :o) The straight leg treadle cabinet fit just fine in the back of my Ford Escape ; to bring it back home I took the machine out of the cabinet. There is a photo of me in NE-TX TOGA photo files under Dwain-2011 TOGA sewing with my Red Eye, I'm wearing a purple tee shirt.
Sharon W.

Just read about TOGA or PP's. Sounds strange. Must tell you tho years ago we used to take campers down to the beach and spend three or four days depending on weather. Most now do retreats at hotels instead of at beach campsites but I must say we all had a great time and got a lot of sewing done too. Learning not to intrude unless you are acknowledged was protocol which for me was nice as I can't even chew gum and sew. As soon as someone got thru the tricky parts, they get up walk around and talk to others or start BBQ's or fires for evening get togethers.

I would use my hand crank.

CD, you sound like a true Okie, lol...I can say that because I am from Ok. Was raised there but have lived in Arkansas for most of my life. I always say I'm an Arkie Okie, lol.....loved your Quotes, Joy

I understand PP as people powered, but what does TOGA stand for?
I think it could be fun!

The last retreat I was at with no electricity was a hurricane. Call me Quilt Diva. No electricity sounds like the opposite of heaven to me. A day with a treadle sounds like fun, but only with the lights ON!! Signing off, "Quilt Diva"

Thanks Grannyh67. I’m a transplant, but I enjoy the “golden waves of grain” out here in farm country.


Hi BarbaraSue,
TOGA is a term coined by the vintage sewing machine group “TreadleOn”. It’s short for “TreadleOn Gathering and Academy”, whereby folks get together to enjoy vintage sewing machines, socialize, and learn about sewing with vintage machines. Think of it as a sewing machine swap meet with project classes and a potluck dinner thrown in....

CD in Oklahoma

Thank you ThayerRags, I hadn't thought of TreadleOn as the beginning. What could be wrong in that idea?
Sounds like lots of fun to me. Guess I'll have to keep my eyes open for it and drag my DH along. For all the tractor swap meets, and old classic car swap meets I've been to, it's his turn to be the puppy following along with me.

Why don't you start something at the tractor shows. I bet it would be a hit! Imagine that something for women at a tractor show.

Anybody in Indiana want to do something like that?