One More Sleep!

The Retreat banner was made by Dorothy Johnston.

Another two years has slipped by so fast and we are about to head to Pictou Lodge for our 15th Quilter's Retreat. Our Retreat is bi-annual, so we have been doing this for 30 years! All of our Retreats have been at Pictou Lodge and every one has been memorable. We have lived through snow (yes, in September!), a hurricane (and the beginnings of Hurricane Juan), there have been three different owners and we have worked with 3 different event managers and are about to initiate our 4th! Two of our quilters have been to every Retreat, Kay and Barb who are great friends and great quilters. Barb was the winner of this year's Retreat Raffle, it couldn't have been won by a more deserving quilter except for Kay!

I have spent some time the last few days looking at the pictures that are here in our photo albums. Such great memories, so many friends from all over. So many great teachers! I would have everyone of them back at the drop of a hat! Just so much fun from the chef who made a quilt from men's ties to the year we had the scavenger hunt and then there was the group of quilters who arrived from Ontario in a van all decked out for the occasion. And I remember the quilter who was so determined to get there, she had car trouble and had to call a tow truck who delivered her to Pictou Lodge with her car in tow! The quilters really do make the Retreat. I wonder what ever happened to Sarah who came with her Mom, Joan from Newfoundland? Sarah was just twelve and we took up a fabric collection for her to start her very own stash, I wonder if she is still quilting?

We have had teachers come back as students and students who have taught for us. I think we we one of the first official "retreats for quilters" in Canada if not anywhere. I can't thank enough all those who have helped in so many ways to make this Retreat what it is today. 

Thanks everybody, see you tomorrow!

A Week To Go!

 Patsy at work in the Rotunda 

We really are getting down to the last details. It has been a hectic summer and I apologize for not being here more often. After 17 years in our old huse we have made the move to the beautiful town of Mahone Bay. It has been exciting but exhausting and we are still getting settled, dealing with electricians, plumbers, carpenters and I am listening to the drilling in the basement as I write, the old oil tank has to be replaced! Yes, we have bought another old (145 years) house.

Meredith, Ann and I have been "the" committee this year with much appreciated help from Jamie, Faye and Katherine. We are hoping we haven't forgotten anything! Yes, we have done this 13 times before but each year there is something different. This year we have had changes at Pictou Lodge to deal with and thanks to Amanda, the amazing events coordinator we are going to be well taken care of.

Pre dinner gathering on the verandah at Pictou Lodge

We have also had to reorganize a bit when Karen Neary had to cancel her workshop due to family illness. We completely understand Karen's situation and we hope that she will be back to teach at our Retreat soon. We tried to find a replacement but everyone we looked at was already booked. So, thanks to the cooperation of everyone who was booked in her class we are going ahead with just 2 teachers (Cheryl Arkison and Penny Berens) and the independent study. No one opted out, everyone took a second choice. Thank you to all who changed their workshop. We know you will still have a wonderful time and learn a lot!

All set up for our "progressive show and tell" with mary's selvedge quilt on the wall.

Now, if I can just find my rotary cutter and my favourite scissors I will be happy!

Ready and Waiting...

The Retreat Committee had a meeting at Pictou Lodge with Amanda, the events manager, yesterday. This is her first Retreat and I think she is looking forward to it as much as we are! We had lots to do, plans to be made, meals to choose etc. It felt so good to be back. We saw lots of familiar faces and had a wonderful lunch in the Rotunda overlooking the Northumberland Strait.

We toured the workshop rooms, made decisions as to where each workshop would be, where our merchant, Timeless Stitches would be. We will have 60 quilters plus the 3 teachers with us this year, many are returning and some will be with us for their first time.  

We realized that in just 3 short months we would be there, sewing, quilting, talking, eating...

Let's hope the weather will co-operate! We never kow what to expect! We have had snow (once!), hurricanes (remember Juan!) and simply wonderful warm weather, warm enough on many occasions for our quilters to swim in the ocean.

The chairs await, we are looking forward to seeing everyone again from far and near!