Our White Oak getaway was far too short, though we accomplished great and wonderful and sometimes surprising things. Honna and I made a brief stop at Sauder's on our way out and arrived about a half-hour before dinner was served. Carol's cooking was delicious and we enjoyed having their daughter and her husband join us for dinner. After we finished, Rob and Eugene set up the cutting tables and established the electrical power while the rest of us helped Carol clear the table and pretty much chafed at the bit. Turbo had brought along a myriad of projects, including this batik beauty that she was determined to finish off. Here she is having a bit of a consultation from Marsha on precisely the right thing to do.
Marsha was so glad to be along; she'd missed the last excursion because she was getting her house ready to put on the market and having accomplished that and, in fact, getting is sold and having made an offer on a new home, she joined us to a resounding "Welcome Back!" She mostly worked on a little 30s project, but she was at the ready to jump in for help, interpretation, or a consult, which is her wonderful special gift. She's also a very heavy sleeper, as Pat can attest.
Pat, Helen, Sherron, Turbo and I (among other non retreat attenders) are working on an indigo and caramel basket block swap and three of us were working almost exclusively on those. Two of the three were very successful. My particular block gave me fits and starts. Here are Pat and Helen proudly showing off their handiwork.
No trip to White Oak is complete without a community service effort, i.e., supporting the local economy while providing retail therapy for ourselves. Some folks went to the Haymarket, a group went out to Intercourse and did Zooks and OCS, and Honna, Helen, and I went to Bird In Hand to that wonderful Log Cabin place. After we returned, I went upstairs for a bit of a nap, while Honna and Helen went out again and returned with some rather surprising purchases!
Life does not get much better than eleven women friends, growing closer with each getaway, Carol's cooking, just the right amount of wine, a bunch of rotary cutters, mats, rulers, Featherweights and Berninas, yards and yards of fabric. And an Amish bra.
Stay tuned for Part Two.
7 comments:
I'm so jealous.
A couple of questions...I love the batik quilt in the 1st picture-could you tell me what the pattern is? Also I love the deer in the background of the last picture-did you know they were there when you took the picture??
Getting away with quilting friends is the best! Thanks for sharing!
Sigh. Retreat is so wonderful, even if we are doing it vicariously through you and your friends. Thanks for sharing!
And tell Turbo her T-shirt rocks! I'm definitely in her camp...
Cheers!
Well, I simply cannot wait for the next installment. What, precisely, makes an Amish bra different from a non-Amish bra? I hope I don't regret asking this question! It sounds like a perfect getaway in every way, lucky you!
Unpacking the car was so very sad until I got to the bags and bags of fabric purchases jammed in the back of the trunk.
The weekend was like being in a quilting sorority house with your quilty sisters and absolutely no responsibilities other than having a good time. My soul has been nourished.
Berninas, Featherweights, and one lone Pfaff... What a great time it was! And how much my soul needed that fellowship (with loose threads) again!
What a fabulous retreat you have had - and how much you have accomplished! Well done all of you, and thank you so much for sharing. Having stayed at the White Oak I can just imagine how wonderful it must have been!
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