So what was it like at quilt retreat this spring?  Let's try and paint
a picture with words for you.  Narration by Tanya.  



Picture a small valley in the gentle mountains of south central Idaho
with green grass and blue skies.  The biggest fuss in the whole town
of Albion (population approximately 300) is the 20 or so ladies who
are converging on the Marsh Creek Event center.  Sewing machines,
ironing boards, tote bags and rolling luggage are flooding into the
building.  Little do these women know that as soon as they step
through the doors they are entering a tropical escape!  ALOHA!!  Here
are some flowers for your neck, pick up a cute little Wondercut
keychain, put on a name tag, find yourself a spot at a table and gaze
at a beach chair, fish, seashells, hula skirts, coconuts, and of
course those little paper umbrellas, as you get ready to leave the
outside world behind and start a quilting frenzy.



First let's have some introductions.  We will call your name and where
you are from and ask if you have any show and tell to share with us.
What a talented bunch.  The one who traveled farthest is from
OntarioCanada.  She brought Shreddies cereal for Deb's Canadian
husband but Deb is afraid to share with everyone for fear that her
husband will fee cheated at not getting the whole box for himself.
She overcomes the fear.  Shreddies are tasty!!  Others are here from
Oregon, Utah, Wyoming, Arizona and Idaho.  What a fun bunch!



Let's get started by choosing fabric kits for the 3 projects we will
be making this weekend.  There are so many choices, so many
combinations of color!  Two are all packaged for you and for one you
need to make more choices.  You need 3 color groups for the Tumbling
Blocks?  Don't worry, there is someone there to help you pick colors
that will work well together.  Here is a handy zippered project bag
for you to keep your fabric in until you are ready to sew.  Oh, and go
get a tropical fabric pillowcase on that table for your other project,
your background fabric for the first project is pre-cut and tucked
inside for you.



Here's your pattern, off you go now.  When you need any cutting or
ironing done just take it to one of the pressing slaves, they are here
to wait on you hand and foot!  Service with a smile! and more sewing
time for you.  Making progress, you deserve a cookie!  There is an
assortment of cookies and drinks at the back for you to keep your
energy up!   Oh, yes, there is a lot of Dr. Pepper.  See, Deb won a
trip to Hawaii in the Dr. Pepper sweepstakes and took her mom with her
on the trip.  Now they are bringing Hawaii to you but instead of it
being compliments of Dr. Pepper, the Dr. Pepper is complimentary.



Dinner time!  Leave your machines and make your way to the dining area
where you will find two kinds of soup, dinner rolls, set salad and
sherbet for dessert!  No chores for you, just eat and drop your dishes
off on your way back to quilt.



What is that sound?  A bell?  Oh, it's time for showing of a quilt,
hot off the ironing board!  Judy is so fast!  What a lovely Hoku-Lele
Star quilt she has made.  So many others are so close to finishing.
The sun is going down behind the mountains now.  If we don't quit we
won't have any pep in the morning.  Lights out, machines off, you can
sew at the hotel if you would like.  See you in the morning at 8:00am
for a breakfast!

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Good Morning!  Smell that egg strata and look at the beautiful fresh
salsa and fruit salad!  Smell the hot coffee and feel yourself getting
energized for the day ahead.  Sit with someone new at breakfast and
make some new friends!



Today is your day for Tumbling Blocks.  (You can finish your Hoku-lele
first if you like though.) Sew some fabric tubes and drop them off to
be cut and pressed while you sew some more.  All the work is really up
front in this project but when you get to the end it will bloom before
your eyes like a rare flower.



One color group, two, then three sewn now.  Off to do some cutting and
when you finish it would be a great time to meet our good friend Jane.
  Jane who?  Well, the massage therapist who is here for the day to
pamper you of course!  Sign up for your 10 minute massage.  Ahhhhh,
the shoulders and neck are releasing all those knots, the arms, wrists
and hands are letting go of all that tension.  The smell of essential
oils is clearing your mind and relaxing your muscles.  You feel like a
new woman!  You could sew mountains of fabric now!!



Great work!  Take a break and smell the delicious scents wafting from
the kitchen.  There are grilled ham and cheese sandwiches with two
kinds of soup for lunch and pineapple sherbet for dessert.
Conversation is gradually growing louder and is punctuated with more
laughter as strangers become quilting buddies and friends.



Back to sewing those little diamond units into units.  It takes a
couple to get the hang of it but pretty soon it is rolling along
smoothly.  One color group, then two, then three.  Wait!  Take a rest
and listen to a story.  We have to let you know that we love to help
kids in need.  Meet Pam, an advocate for foster children.  We like to
give a little something to foster kids so each one can have a
Christmas present.  Last year we managed to give out over 60 quilts.
We?d love it if you could donate a small toy or quilt or piece of
winter clothing for the kids.  It really does make a difference to
them that we take the time to show we care.  Okay, back to work.  Have
another cookie.  We have a special treat for dinner so don't eat too
many cookies, though.



In the spirit of Hawaiian cuisine, we have had a special friend roast
a pig for our dinner!  Come get it while it is hot!  Served with
funeral potatoes (a cheesy potato casserole), green salad, green
beans, and freshly baked dinner rolls.  Oh, and banana sheet cake with
fluffy yellow frosting for dessert!  Wait, don't get up.  Here?s your
card, when we call for it you may come and select your choice of door
prizes!  So many choices, so many different quilting treats!  Okay,
you can start sewing some more now.  Off you go.



Some of the blocks are starting to take shape.  The colors are all so
different but every quilt seems to be a different flavor.  It's
delicious!  It's "wonder"ful!  It is a shame to have to stop before
they're all done but we must insist that you get some sleep, or at
least let us get some sleep anyway.  See you for breakfast!

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Good morning!  The wind blew you all in the door in plenty of time
this morning!  Have some fluffy eggs wrapped in flour tortillas and
baked in a delicious white sauce!  We have more fruit salad and
another bowl of that vibrant fresh salsa for you to eat.  You'll need
your energy to wrap things up before noon!



You can choose to finish your Tumbling blocks or go onto the Albion
Flying Swallows quilt.  It's your retreat, do what you feel like
doing.  All morning the place is a buzz with sewing machines zipping
through those strips of fabrics as quilt tops start to spring up all
around the room.  Soon quilt tops are finished and cameras are
flashing away as the completed projects are admired with a chorus of
applause, ooohs and, awes.



Don't forget to browse through the selection of pre-cut kits, rulers,
quilt racks, quilt hangers, wooden irons, stilettos, and yardage of
fabric to make sure you have what you need before you settle up your
tab.  Make sure you remember the borders for your tumbling blocks and
those are part of your kit so you don't need to pay extra for those.



Oh, the first travelers are packing out all their bags now.  How sad
to see it come to an end.  Hugs are exchanged and wishes of safe
travels are extended.  Everyone promise to let us know you got home
safely.  Thanks so much for coming.  It was wonderful meeting all of
you!  Please do keep in touch.  Let us know how we can make it even
better for you next time.  We hope you had a "Wonder"ful time this
weekend.



See you in the fall!