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!

The 13th Quilters Retreat at Pictou Lodge

Pictou Lodge has a special place in the hearts of our quilters. The location, the staff, the weather all combine to give us each a unique experience.

The main lodge opened in 1926, it is an incredible example of a beautiful log cabin!

Welcome orange water

Foggy colour!

From the outside looking in on Elaine's class, she wins for the best view!

From the inside looking out at Daphne's class, bikes waiting for riders.

Pictou Lodge had an unfortunate fire in their kitchen last June so they had to bring in portable kitchens and make do with a makeshift prep area and kitchen, they managed superbly. Kudos to Chef Courtney and her staff for the fantastic meals!

The best staff, good sports one and all!

Almost There and Looking Back

My husband has been scanning slides and making digital images of about 40 years worth of slides. A lot of them are my quilt slides and many are from all the Retreats up until 2003 when I got a digital camera. A couple of the pictures are a little fuzzy but I just had to include them. It has been great fun to look at them all, remember quilting friends who are no longer with us, remember the great laughs we have had at the Retreats. Good friends, good food and quilting - what more could you ask for to have a good time?

 We love the creative way quilters get to the Retreat. Betsy was determined to get to the Retreat and then there was the quilters from Ontario...

We never know what the weather will be like except wait a minute ...it is going to change!

Ruth, Agnes, Madge, Lenore and Betty relaxing in the bar.

And at the Progressive Show and Tell, you never know who will have something to share. This is chef John at the '91 Retreat with a quilt he was making from ties from Frenchy's. I wonder if he ever finished it?

The great "Let's See Who Can Hang a Spoon" demo! Jennifer, Anne, Sally, Anne, Tina, Barb, Maggie and Marilyn.

Some people get up to a few hijinks, Debbie and Anne.

Some get creative with their challenge.

Others go swimming and some have even swam in the ocean.

One thing is a guarantee, the sunsets are fantastic!

See you soon!

Favourite moments

I've been teaching at guilds, retreats and conferences for over 20 years and I put the Pictou Retreat at the top of the list for my favorite venue. I like it so much I go as often as I can even when I'm not teaching.

The Pictou Retreat has it all: friendly students, organizers and staff, great food and accommodations, the sea, the beach, a pool, a lake for paddling, trails for walking, bikes to ride and lots of inspiration. There are always fun times planned and you really get to know everybody. I've made some great quilting friends in all my times there.

When I think of past retreats I remember all the good times.

• Trips to the local antique store where I talked the owner out of his favorite frog salt & pepper shakers
• Swimming in the heated pool and seeing our breath, during a snow storm that had us all sleeping under our quilts with the fireplace blazing
• Sharing cow stories with Doreen Speckmann watching the hurricane send the lawn furniture into the ocean while we were all snug in the class room
• The skits in the evening that keep us laughing
• Learning how to hang spoons from not only our noses but from ours eyes and chin as well (my record is five)
• Making a bikini out of 45-degree triangles
• Seeing kites fly in the bright blue sky
• Making Halloween masks with Terri Mangat
• Taking part in the quilters triathlon - swimming , biking and drinking (and you thought it would be piecing, appliquéing and quilting)

The list could go on and on but to sum it up I guess I could say that if all retreats were this good I would be worn out from trying to get to them all.

Anne Morrell-Robinson

A creative revelation

Attending my first Retreat about 18 years ago was a revelation. How could a gathering of quilters have so much to offer on so many levels? For starters, there was a 3 day workshop with one amazing teacher. One gets so much more from a longer workshop - beyond the quilt project - to actually knowing more about the teacher's ideas and philosophy.

Then, there was sharing a cozy, step-back-in-time, log cabin with my quilting pals, who were up for a load of fun. We loved to share and learn from each other.... and laugh! We laughed till we cried. I came back from that first quilt retreat fully charged up with creative juice.

Since then, I've been fortunate to return a twice as a teacher. I adore the rare opportunity to teach longer workshops and to get to know the participants well. We take time to work through design issues. We share stories and life and laughs, and celebrate our long friendships.

The Pictou Retreat is a treasure. It's a beautifully organized quilting event in an historic location that is the essence of Nova Scotian atmosphere and hospitality. I can't wait for my next retreat.

Best,

Valerie Hearder