117becca

The ladies i quilt w/ during the summer (when school is out) do a quilt camp every fall. Sadly, I'm back at school and cant go. A couple of them have a lake cottage in Ft Wayne IN and they go to the lake. One year they took one of the quilts we were working on and people took their own stuff. It was also close enough to Shipshawana (sp?) so a day of antiquing, crafting, and eating also took place.

I wish they'd go in the summer, but most of the ladies are retired and they are gone a lot in the summer, so by fall, they're back and its easier for them to get together. Dag gone i wish i didn't have to work!!! :roll:

Belles.hold

None of the cruises I've been on were quilting cruises, but I attend two retreats every year. My guild, Salt Creek Quilters Guild has a retreat every January at a nearby hotel. It is from 8 AM Friday to 5 PM on Saturday with a meal on Friday evening. We all bring UFOs or WIPs and at least six members teach a new technique or quilting method. A quilt shop, (Quiltfabric.com) in my area has a retreat each year, usually in November that starts at 8 AM on Friday and ends at 5 AM on Sunday at a local hotel. Again it is quilting whatever you want. This retreat is more costly due to two nights at the hotel and seven hotel meals. but it is well worth it.

You'll note that both the retreats I attend are in the winter, however, I googled a summer retreat in Illinois a few years ago and found one in Rockford in late July that was only 40 miles away. It too ran from early Friday morning to mid-Sunday with meals included. It offered five different classes to choose from during the three days. My five friends and I stayed at a nearby motel since ALL the other participants were from the Rockford, IL area. Although we were a "group" we made lots of friends and felt very comfortable "breaking bread" with the Rockford natives!

Try it, you'll like it! Belles