A Fantastic Retreat!

The idea came to me last March...  I knew exactly what I wanted in a retreat, so I organized one.  I personally invited all but one woman (and the one I didn't invite was a great addition to our quilting circle).  I knew exactly what I wanted in a retreat:  lots of uninterrupted sewing time, lots of light, lots of room, no cooking, no cleaning, my own bed, and NO DRAMA!

 Here is one quilt that I purchased the kit for three years ago and finally started.  This is the center, and I'll be adding lots of black around it for feathers, and more of the courthouse blocks on the outside.

 I was the first to finish a top.  I cheated, though.  I had the top all done, minus the one large polka dot border.  Cute, isn't it?

 I searched for ideas for fun ideas for retreats and came up with an auction.  It was a blast!  We brought good, but no longer wanted notions, books, fabrics, etc., and received tokens for what we brought.  Then Cathy, our auctioneer, gave extra tokens to new quilters, with fewer going to the veterans.  She kept us on our toes with a quick 1,2, 3 bidding system which caught several people off guard (Peggy and Angi).  We know what we'll be bringing next year, too, and hopefully it's not another pre-printed vest (Diane). 

  It was the best retreat center!  It's called ECCO, and it's 12 miles south of Yosemite National Park.  The staff was fantastic, the food great (lots of comfort food - I gained 3 pounds), the price was reasonable.  We've booked the facility for November 10-13, 2011.  Thank you, Sherrie, for taking all the pictures!  They're gorgeous.