Retreats... Great for the soul... And the creative juices!

So twice a year for the past twelve years I have had the pleasure of spending a long weekend with anywhere from 45 to 55 wonderful woman.  All quilters of course!  This past weekend was no exception.  

How is it, that when you get a group of woman this large together, that the experience is always wonderful?  Our leaders of course!  Originally started by Claire Oehler of the then Country Quilters in Somers, NY, and now organized by Claire and two of her former staff, Nancy Mirman and Noreen Lippolis, these 3 ladies are a class act.  The weekend is organized, full of fun and just plain fantastic.  From the little gift bags they provide, to the activities planned for the weekend, there isn't a detail missed. But I would be remiss if I didn't mention two of their main 'weekend ingredients'.  The setting... Interlaken Inn in Lakeville, CT a wonderful boutique hotel nestled it the CT countryside and Mary Gay Leahy, who always has wonderful fabric treats for us and offers great tips and technique demos throughout the weekend.  It is no wonder we all walk around smiling and laughing, it is a wonder we actually find time to quilt. But quilt we do.  I will let these pictures speak for themselves in that department.

Enjoy the show...

First my works in progress and then some of the works by others...

Now photos from show and tell and as I wonder the three rooms we sew in...

Hope you enjoyed... Until next spring!

Renee

Linda M Poole comes to Pelham Quilters - January 2014

The Pelham Quilters may be living through the coldest temperatures we have seen in almost a decade, but we had fun learning some new quilting techniques over the last 2 days.  That's right Linda M. Poole, a fiber artist extraordinaire came to visit from Milford, Pa.  

On Sunday, she taught her workshop, Color Me Beautiful, from her latest book, Painted Appliqué.  The ladies had a ball, learning to use Inktense pencils and paint mediums. Here are a few pictures of us during the day.  The first is a picture of the sample piece we worked on in class.

 

Linda also taught us how to make the perfect oval and fusable bias strips, so we can appliqué our painted butterfly on the background.  Her class handouts are great, it is as if you are given a full pattern with step by step color pictures, taking you through the entire process to make her Color Me Beautiful wallhanging.  

Then on Monday night Linda came and gave us a lecture - Quilts Around the World.  Linda shared quilts by makers influenced by their travels around the world and the various ways we as quilters are inspired to create.  A good time was had by all.  Here are some of the quilts she shared as part of the Trunk Show she shared after the lecture and presentation.