Thank You!

Mayflower Quilters Guild recognizes the support of the Province of Nova Scotia through the Department of Tourism, Culture & Heritage.  We are pleased to work in partnership with the Culture Division to develop and promote our cultural resources for all Nova Scotians.

We are very grateful to the Department of Tourism, Culture and Heritage for their continued support of the Quilters Retreat.

Registration update: We do have a few spaces in Deb Plestid's class and Hermit Study - for further information, send us an email through the Contact Us page.

The Countdown is On!

It won't be long now, the summer always flies by too quickly, it will be September before we know it. We have had a slight delay getting out the "Retreat Racontuer" newsletter and the supply lists. They should be out in the next week (mid July). If you have given us an email address you will receive your package by email, if not it will be snail mailed to you. If you have any questions you can contact Jeannine, our registrar or me, Barb Robson.

We will have a full house once again, so many are coming back and we have some first timers as well. I'm sure you will have a great time meeting old friends and making new ones.

Faye Palmeter and her sister Glenice will once again bring their "mini" Avonport Discount Fabrics Store with them so if you have forgotten anything I'm sure they will be able to help you out. If there is something you want Faye to bring and you can't get to Avonport before the Retreat call her (902-542-1308) or email her at fayep@eastlink.ca.

Don't forget to do a little sorting through your stash and stuff and bring along some donations for our Auction. Once again we will also have a Silent Auction of handmade and special items that will run through out the Retreat, so if you have a little spare time over the summer consider making something special for the Silent Auction. Thanks!

A Little Help from our Friends at Avonport Discount Fabrics

May 2007 is for the Mayflower Quilter's Retreat at the Avonport Discount Fabric Centre, Avonport Nova Scotia. During the month of May when you shop for fabric, for every dollar you spend (before tax), we will donate 10% to the Retreat fund. The everyday discounts still apply and all fabric sales will contribute to the total.

Spread the word! You do not have to present a membership card to take part, simply come and shop the way you always have. You shop and we share!

~ Happy Quilting from Faye, Glenice, Dolores, Dale and Angela

And the winner is...

Congratualtions to Lorna D'Orsay, winner of the Quilter's Retreat Raffle. Lorna won an all expense paid Retreat and the workshop of her choice. Lorna is the Membership Director of the Mayflower Quilters Guild and this will be her first Retreat.

Thank you to all who supported our fund raising efforts. Every little bit helps us to keep the cost of the Retreat as reasonable as possble. Registration has begun and we are all loking forward to the Retreat in September.

2007 Quilters Retreat Workshops

Sewing Together From Memory and Imagination ~ Janet Bolton

Janet will start with a slide lecture of her own work. She will then go on to describe her working methods of building up a composition with the actual materials that will be used, rather than transposing an idea developed in another medium. This working method allows for a wonderful flexibility and freedom, design and execution go hand in hand, exciting until the last stitch. Personal help will be given at all stages right through to framing and presenting the work.

Machine Quilting and Water Soluble Machine Embroidery ~ Deb Plestid

In this workshop, water soluble machine embroidery stabilizer and free motion machine quilting techniques are used together to create a small nature-scape quilt. Gossamer wings, spider's web, blades of grass, in essence the ethereal quality of nature combined with machine stitching wil bring to life those elements of nature that you love most. Come to this workshop inspired by the infinite possibilities of nature's designs and human imprints and consider what part of nature you want to capture in a quilt. Learn how to create a nature-scape quilt that is part quilt, part lace-work and all done by machine.

Flower Garden ~ Michele Gagne

This class might put a dent in your basket of scraps or "not". Let's piece a block using all colours with a light background and join them in a whimsical setting. Your background can be from all your light fabric or you can choose a tone on tome colour family like white or beige. At the beginning of the workshop, we will play with your sewing machine, twin needle and wing needle. You will soon find out that you can sew differently than just straight and create great textures. You do not need to have a fancy machine for this but you must have a zigzag setting and a few more stitches.

Blogging 101

The Retreat blog has been "up" a while now and we are getting quite a few visits. For those of you who are new to blogs I wanted to let you know that you can leave a comment. At the bottom of each post it says "comment", just click on that and a box will pop up where you can write a comment or message. If you want to read what others have commented (there will be a number after "comment" if anyone has left one) again, just click on "comment".

I have heard from a couple of former teachers. Judy Dales writes "I enjoyed looking at the photos you sent. It was indeed a fun time at Pictou. I remember it fondly. Thanks for sending the memories!" Judy has her own Retreat in Northern Vermont - check out her website for more information.

I have also heard from Heather Stewart, who writes, "I had a look at the site and I am very impressed! You certainly have put a great deal of thought and effort into it." Heather will be teaching in Nova Scotia again this fall in Dartmouth, Mahone Bay and Liverpool.

I am still loking for pictures from the first Retreat - Roberta Horton and Terrie Hancock Mangat were the teachers that year. If you have any either email them to me as an attachemnt or if you can't do that send me an email and we can arrange something.

Be sure and bookmark the Retreat blog so you can check back easily and often for updates, news and pictures.

Pictou Lodge: a creative setting

Situated on the picturesque shores of the Northumberland Strait, the inspiring and memorable atmosphere of Pictou Lodge Resort makes it one of Atlantic Canada’s remarkable hidden gems. Pictou Lodge received the 1999 Golden Hospitality Award from the Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia.

The Mayflower Quilters Retreat is proud to have called Pictou Lodge home from the beginning. Its cosy cottages, seaside views and lovely gardens create the perfect atmosphere for being in the company of like minds and spirits!