Sweet Home Quilt Co.

Runaway Quilter’s Retreat

Sponsored by Sweet Home Quilt Co.
1004 Green St SW, Conyers GA 30012
678-413-1611

Runaway with us for FOUR days of sewing fun (yes, we’ve added an extra day by popular request!) This is your opportunity to get away from it all and just quilt and sew ‘til you can’t sew anymore! Enjoy the company of other quilters in a relaxing setting.

Whether you finish a UFO, start a new project, or just kick back and relax, this will be a great weekend! Drawings, prizes and surprises…demos…SHQC mini store…spacious sewing area…great snacks and meals…good friends and fun!

When:  Thursday, October 18, 2012 to Sunday, October 21, 2012

Lodge Room Check In: 3:00 p.m. Thursday    

Lodge Room Check Out: 10:30 a.m. Sunday

Early Free Sew begins 10 a.m. Thursday &  Late Free Sew Sunday afternoon until 3 p.m. in the Conference Center

Charlie Elliott Conference Center
543 Elliott Trail
Mansfield, Georgia
(Located 30 miles east of Conyers)

REGISTER TODAY! SPACE IS LIMITED…

$300 per person, double occupancy

$100 deposit is due at registration.
Balance is due by September 1, 2012.

Registration Form must be submitted with deposit. Your registration is not complete until both the form and deposit are received.

Refund Policy: No refunds after September 1st unless we can find someone to take your place. If you find yourself unable to attend, feel free to find a replacement for your reservation. (We often have a waiting list, so please let us know if you aren’t able to use your reservation.)

Visit the “Upcoming Events” page at www.sweethomequiltco.com for specific details, and to download the Registration Form.

Hot off the press! We have the most up-to-date release of the Quilters’ Travel Companion book in stock, featuring over 2000 shops, 1400 shows and 50 shop hops throughout the country. Don’t plan your trip without it – you wouldn’t want to miss the opportunity to visit a great quilt shop or show while you’re out traveling!

Quilters’ Travel Companion…19.95

 Happy Mother’s Day from Sweet Home Quilt Co.

Remember the workshop we did back in February with Terry Atkinson where we tested a new pattern for her? Well, here’s the book, hot off the presses! Terry has hit another home run with this book (and yes, I might be just a little partial since we helped with the testing!). The graphic nature of the designs lead to some really great projects…large and small…that offer a challenge for all skill levels.

Terry has also released four new patterns, including a new table runner in three sizes, a casserole carrier and an organizer and project bags. These will be fun, quick projects to make!

Our shipment of the new books and patterns should be here early next week. Be sure to get your copies before they sell out!

Melisa

Need a last minute gift for Mom? Or maybe a little treat for yourself? We have the perfect answer! Our Sewing Machine Mat can be made in under ten minutes, no sewing required, and will help solve that age-old problem of the “bouncing” sewing machine. Don’t you hate it when you’re sewing along, pedal to the metal, and your sewing machine starts bouncing up and down on the table? This mat will help eliminate the problem…

The mats can also be used as a portable ironing surface – just roll it up and stick it in your case when you go to a class or retreat! These are perfect gifts for your quilty Mom, or a treat for a quilting buddy. Heck, make one for yourself and call it your Mother’s Day present to yourself! Kits are just $12 and include your choice of fat quarter from our selection.

You’ll have plenty of fabric leftover from your fat quarter to make a matching mini-size mat, which can be used as a coaster or a mini ironing surface – for paper piecing maybe? Mini-size mats are just $2 each.

Drop by Saturday, May 11, between 10 and 2 and we’ll have everything you need to make one…while supplies last.

See you then!

Melisa

Second installment…this is the good stuff! I said before that this was the most productive retreat group I’ve ever seen and I wasn’t kidding!

In addition to all of the projects they brought with them, they were compelled to watch the demos I did throughout the weekend. Here I’m demonstrating how to insert a zipper using Terry Atkinson’s Sweet Zip pattern, and we had quite a few tackle zippers for the first time with great success!

We played with selvedges and made heart-shaped pincushions…

And Gwen made great progress on a queen-sized selvedge quilt…

Her plan is to do two blocks a week until it is finished and she figures she’s about ten weeks ahead of the game thanks to this great start!

Sew Simple Pineapple was another popular demo…

Here’s one Millie whipped out from a couple of fat quarters after seeing the demo…I love the effect of the stripes!

Sometimes you just need a friend to help out…Debbie’s pastel Popsicle Sticks went from this…

to this in no time flat! Debbie has a real hard time with “scrappy” so this was a bit of a challenge for her! Great job, Debbie…

Diann finished this Underground Railroad Sampler which will be a gift. She had to make a few extra blocks and then sash everything and get the borders on…it’s a king-size quilt so she had a ton of work to do to get it finished! Beautiful…

Donna finished this bright pink and black quilt…the black prints have fun smiley faces, chili peppers, etc. and although you can’t see it in the picture, the pink fabric has a texture that makes it look like chenille. Every single person reached out to touch that fabric only to be surprised that it wasn’t really chenille!

I think Gwen was the first to finish a project…a work-in-progress for a couple of years. This quilt is simply amazing and far more beautiful in person!

Jane whipped out not one…not two…but three (!!!) of these cute baby quilts in no time flat! Not to mention the fabulous neutral and gray quilt she’s working on for her son…unfortunately, she ran out of a key piece of fabric and now we’re on the hunt to track down enough for her to finish it up!

Marsha completed her Footprints in the Sand quilt…a fun Instant Bargello technique!

Millie finished her rail fence quilt made from Bowood House by Robyn Pandolph. She had to do a bit of maneuvering with the borders due to a shortage in the kit she had purchased, but it all worked out!

Peggy put together this fun quilt for her grandson. Her joy turned to agony when I pointed out that she had several of the same fabrics touching…why didn’t I keep my mouth shut???

After a bit of wailing and gnashing of teeth, we figured out that it was just one section (and thus one L-O-N-G seam!) that was reversed. An easy fix…thank goodness!

I lost count of how many pillowcases Peggy made after Gwen taught her the Magic Pillowcase method!

Ruthanne was a chain-piecing machine…

resulting in this beauty! Doesn’t it remind you of sea glass?

Vicki finished this great patriotic quilt (after a quick trip to SHQC for a different border fabric!)

This was our Mystery Project…Happy String Flowers…a fun wallhanging or baby quilt!

I know I have more pictures somewhere (note to self: don’t use the iPhone, iPad and camera to take pictures!) but I’ll have to find them…something else for you to look forward to!

Melisa

Our four-day Spring Runaway Quilter’s Retreat is rapidly becoming a distant memory and things are beginning to return to normal (whatever that is!) I have finally recuperated enough to get the photos all in one place and ready to share. We had so much fun and everyone was super-productive! I don’t think I’ve ever been on a retreat when so much work was accomplished…this group was focused!

Our retreats are held at the Charlie Elliott Conference Center, which is out in the middle of nowhere surrounded by nature and wildlife.

Buford and Beulah Buzzard are the resident “pets” who keep a close eye on the comings and goings of quilters at the Center. This was the only photo I was able to get of them…they’re sneaky little buzzards! But Donna managed to get some great shots (I shamelessly stole these photos from her!)

Notice not only the pair of buzzards but the beautifully landscaped grounds!

The view from our workroom…that’s a beautiful lake glistening through the trees.

I managed to get a couple of good shots of the Super Moon on the 5th…

This shot was taken through the window and is of the moon reflecting off the water in the lake.

Super Moon about midnight shining down on the Conference Center where we were.

We couldn’t ask for a better facility…plenty of room for everyone to spread out and work!

My right-hand assistant, Gwen!

Peggy seems to think if she ignores me, I’ll go away with the camera…NOT!

I have lots more pix to share, but in another post since this one is rather picture-heavy already. Prepare to be wowed…

Melisa