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We recently hosted a sewing retreat at Dinkydoo and it was SEW much fun! We had a lot of questions leading up to it though so I thought I’d do a series all about retreats!
It’s pretty basic quilters math:
Sewing + Vacation = Retreat!!
Doesn’t that sound amazing? Anywhere from a weekend to a week, to sew with friends, uninterrupted!
There are a whole lot of ways these can come together, so let’s dive in!They’re most often organized by guilds, shops, and groups of friends. However, can you get in on a retreat- seize the opportunity! We know quilty friends are the best people to spend time with and what do we want to do? SEW!!
Sometimes there’s a class. Retreats can be organized around bringing in a teacher, making it a great opportunity to have a real connection with a super quilter or a new technique. Make sure you have everything on the supply list!
The Machine Stuff:
The Fabric Stuff:
The Notion Stuff:
The Extra Stuff:
The Self-care Stuff:
The Just-In-Case Stuff:
Generally, food is taken care of when you’re at a retreat center, so all you have to do is sew. Make sure to tell the organizer about any dietary requirements you have, with plenty of time to accommodate them. Some retreats may not include food though, and retreat attendees share the duties of cooking and cleaning up after. Everyone takes a turn! If you’re not confident in the kitchen, you could partner up with someone who is, and offer double dish duty instead ;)
Early birds, night owls. Usually, you’re one or the other! Most retreat sewing rooms are open for whatever hours you want to use them, first person turns on the lights and irons, last person makes sure everything is turned off. If you’re at a day retreat over several days at a shop, hours will be set in advance so everyone knows what to expect. If most people end up being late risers, the hours could be adjusted the night before so everyone can sleep in a little later.
Pyjama chic. Wear your comfiest clothes, it’s all good! Some retreats even have a prize for never getting out of your jammies for the whole weekend. Now that’s a competition I can handle!
However you become a retreater, taking time away to connect with your machine and skills is a really cool opportunity! I hope you get to go on a retreat soon.
(Make sure to take a picture with everyone at the end!)
Next week we will talk about retreat sewing project strategies!
Tutto bags are the #1 investment you can make if you plan on going on sewing retreats (or doing any travelling with your machine at all!)
They fit virtually every sewing machine model, are highly durable, and provide the protection you need. As a BIG bonus, there are so many options to store your notions it's mind-boggling!
Check out all the Tutto bag colours and size options here!
