Hooray! I’m going on a quilting retreat with friends! Here are a few of the things I have to take:
- Projects organized in boxes. I take one more than I think I’ll need, just in case I “get ahead of myself”.
- Chocolate. Because!
- A little lamp, because you never know what the lighting will be like. I have multiples of these, but probably will take the “daylight” one I got at a guild sale last year.
- Things I’m through with that other people might want, especially books and patterns. The best part is that I never bring any back with me; one of the ladies takes any leftovers on to another group!
- A flannel-backed plastic tablecloth to use as a “design wall”, even if I have to lay it out on a bed. If I have a partially-finished project when it’s time to leave, I just roll it up in the tablecloth and it’s ready to go again when I get home!
- And a little cash “just in case” we go to a quilt shop or two!
Of course, these are just my projects and extras. Karen (Just Get It Done Quilts) has a more comprehensive “Quilting Travel Kit Packing List” of things she keeps ready to go on a moment’s notice! I don’t have enough duplicate tools to do that, but I get the point–no chance of leaving anything behind.
What do you like to take to a retreat that Karen and I might not have included?
Zippy Quilts 
Lucky you! Enjoy yourself.
Don’t forget your lipstick.
Hahaha! I’m not even taking my wig 😀
🤣😂
Have fun. I’d be taking slightly more chocolate but that’s just me 🙂
Yes! More chocolate!!!
Hmmm – in answer to your question? Lots & lots of coffee! 😉 Have oodles of fun, Zippy!
Hmmm…I used to take lots of coffee, but I recently had to quit it (horrors!) so we’ll see how the retreat goes. I’m saying there’ll be a need to substitute chocolate!
Oh no! Queen of the Aeropressed Perfect Cup – having to quit?! I feel your pain and need to transfer to a chocolate jones.
I have never been to a retreat, but I know I would have to take some headphones! Even in short group sessions, some people spend more time talking than sewing, and I don’t like being a captive audience for people’s operations details etc. 🙂 I might not end up using the headphones, but I would want them just in case.
What a good idea! I hadn’t thought of it, but will try to remember it for when I go to a larger retreat. This one is only the 4 of us who have been friends for 25 years, so everything anybody says is important. Even if a lot of it’s about health at our age–ha!
That looks very organized (now how much will you actually get done or will you be distracted by giggles and fun with friends? This would always happen to me) and smart to include the chocolate!
Happy Retreating!
Thanks!
Do you have a designated travel sewing machine? I assume the retreat planner/chairperson will have irons and ironing boards.
Hi Nann! I have a Bernette machine for travel, but this time I’m going to take one of my Berninas. The Bernette works fine, but I was very tired of it by the end of the last retreat; I miss the convenience features of the Bernina. So it’s heaver, but it’s going to travel this time.
I’m late to commenting on this, so I sure hope you had a great time! Did you accomplish all you wished? Your quilt retreat has different opportunities than we do. First, I have no place to lay out a flannel-backed tablecloth. Our beds can be quite a distance from the sewing room (depending on which room is assigned to you), so laying out blocks would be challenging. Second, we can bring things to give away, but if there are no takers, back home with us it goes. And third, there is NO quilt shop-hopping. Our retreat center is a quarter-mile down a sand road, and the highway off it is completely rural. There’s not even a place to get a bite to eat. When you’re at our quilt retreat, you stay at our quilt retreat! Isn’t is interesting to learn about each other’s quilt-y experiences?