I’ve always loved going to retreats – for a variety of reasons.  There are some obvious things to mention that I like about retreats – meeting new people, seeing old friends return, and getting to do something that is different from my daily routine.  Those are all things to enjoy, and I think most people who attend the retreats would consider them accurate.

But there’s also a certain something that’s hard to define that sets an event like this apart.  For lack of a better way to describe it, I’ll call it energy although that’s not quite right.  It’s the excitement of being with other creative minds, working toward a common goal, and letting the ideas and suggestions flow.  It’s sharing knowledge with someone new to the craft, and listening to stories from a veteran crafter that remind you of your own adventures in quilting.  It’s laughter as we are all able to put the cares of a regular day behind us – no one is going to be able to come into this ‘secret sewing place’ to bug you.  And there is freedom as well, in knowing that you won’t get interrupted by the TV, the dog, or ANY of your family members who need you.  There’s also the joy of knowing that your needs will be met, you don’t have to stop to cook – someone else will do that, you don’t have to clean the dishes, again that’s for someone else to do, okay we do have to clean our fabric messes up!  So – we’ll call it energy but know that it is so much more….

I took some pictures of the retreat at Hebron – to show everyone what I mean.   But, I have to admit, there weren’t very many pictures taken.  (I was having too much fun and forgot to get out the camera!)  Perhaps I’ll have some more pictures after the retreats this fall.

Sewing Time

Here you see a shot of a quiet time at the retreat, everyone is at their sewing machines – and look!  Not only is there plenty of room to work in, but we didn’t have to clean the kid’s homework off the table before we got started!

Discovery

It works!  Here’s a shot of a block going together and starting to reveal it’s secrets.  We were working on kaleidoscope blocks in this retreat, so it was a real treat as we started to see the pattern evolve.  In the background you can see the fat quarters that were available for purchase for those who needed a little something ‘extra’ for their quilt.

Finished Blocks

We all felt that WOW! of accomplishment as we finished our blocks.  And as you can see here, the smiles were big and bright!

As I said before – I’ll try to get some more pictures this fall, but if you have attended one of my retreats in the past and have pictures to share, feel free to email to me and I’ll get them posted.  Just remember, if any of your fellow retreat participants are in the picture, we have to have their permission to post it!
Sheila Reinke, Heart of Sewing
Sheila