Getting ready for a retreat, help please
#24
Many good ideas here. I go on a quilt retreat every month for 4-5 days. The local retreat center has a yearly pass which I have asked for as my Christmas gift for the last 4-5 yrs. Make sure you pack ALL your machine cords, and an extension cord (if you don't know the set up) & specialty feet. I always try to cut at home as cutting tables are usually minimal in number. Some retreats allow individual irons, some don't depending on fire codes and wattage limits.
I never get as much done as I hope, but bring several projects in case you get tired of one or hit a snag. But most of all............go to relax, visit and have fun. I learn a lot from others and you get so many ideas and tips along the way. I bring my own pillow as I am a pillow snob, a nightlight or flashlight in case I have to get up in the middle of the night LOL, a humidifier in the winter as the air is sooooooooo dry and don't forget to pack your suitcase, pills and toiletries. I have been at retreats where they were so busy gathering their sewing supplies, they forgot their clothes, or their underwear, and had to rush to the nearest Wallie World.
I never get as much done as I hope, but bring several projects in case you get tired of one or hit a snag. But most of all............go to relax, visit and have fun. I learn a lot from others and you get so many ideas and tips along the way. I bring my own pillow as I am a pillow snob, a nightlight or flashlight in case I have to get up in the middle of the night LOL, a humidifier in the winter as the air is sooooooooo dry and don't forget to pack your suitcase, pills and toiletries. I have been at retreats where they were so busy gathering their sewing supplies, they forgot their clothes, or their underwear, and had to rush to the nearest Wallie World.
#25
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 368
I never bring anything too complicated because I am easily distracted and make mistakes or waste massive time figuring out where I was. Precut if you are doing a new project because space may be at a premium. I always make one of the blocks on a new project so I have an idea or how to do it. In a noisy or busy place I have trouble following directions. I also read over directions of new projects and make notes to myself. I would make sure I took time at home before the retreat. All this because I'm easily distracted.
#26
I am one of those people who always bring lots of different projects at all different levels of doneness. I belong to a church ministry that makes baby quilts....so I usually have some quilts that need to be machine quilted, some that only need binding, some that are in pieces and some that need borders. I usually prep at home everything that I bring, doing the sandwiching, cutting and all before I get there. Four days is a long time to be sewing and you certainly don't want to waste that good quilting time just because you didn't bring enough to do. I work full-time so I don't always get "quilting only" time and I do love it. I bring 2 sewing machines.....at the last retreat, my quilting machine spazzed out....luckily the dealership was right down the road and I brought in my machine and they gave me a loaner for the weekend. I had my featherweight, but a lot of my projects wouldn't have gotten done without the loaner. I go from one project to another and switch before I get bored to another aspect of quilting. One retreat, I was really liking black and white stripes for my binding so sat and sewed and pressed 5 yards of fabric into binding. Oh and I also always bring a bag of 5" squares so that if I just want to sit and sew, I can do a no-brainer top. I love...love....love retreats. Have a wonderful time....and yes, bring chocolate.
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