PTA Annual Retreat # 11

I cannot believe we are in our eleventh year of retreat...and it's already come and gone. We all look forward to it each year and like creatures of habit, we take our same place in the community work room as the year before - maybe a comfort zone for us.

Janice and Leigh Anne ready to get to playing.

We have a big table down the middle of the room which serves as a great place to share techniques or work on larger things.

As each year passes, the dynamics of the group change....still the same people loving the same thing but we are 11 years older so not quite as peppy as we used to be....but still loving every minute.

Leigh always brings several things to work on. These are old blocks she came upon, finished up and changed some and putting together in a really pretty arrangement....You'll see more finished tomorrow.

This is a quilt Lynne is working on using greens...somewhat of a modern quilt feel to it - very nice.

Here's my mess of strips which I'm still working on to make a quilt for the NC Hurricane Quilt Project. I will have more on that later as it's a great cause and one every quilter can get involved in as there are so many options.

Georgia teaches at a retreat every year at a Dude ranch in Montana. She and Charlotte Warr Anderson are the only 2 instructors and have been doing this for over 30 years. Enthusiastic quilters love to take the workshop but they also have access to horseback riding and other outdoor activities. This is the project for this years workshop. It's darling and very do-able in the time frame allowed.

Barbara is working on a piece from Ruth McDowell's book (on left). The most intriguing part of this is the wonderful background of black and white prints. Linda likes to bring her knitting and visit and chit chat...Her socks are always amazing.

Marene has several projects in the works including blocks for Georgia who is making quilts for the Quilts of Valor project.

I love this block.

Georgia just came out with a new book - Scrap Happy Quilts. It has wonderful new patterns and quilts but also some wonderful, heart warming stories. She read us the passage she wrote regarding our PTA group. It was heartfelt and lovely. She also received a nice bottle of wine from her publisher which she brought to share with us.

At our retreat each year, we eat in the dining hall. In order to do this, there has to be 10 people present or more that one group that will add up to 10. This year, we were the only group and 9 of us, so for the first time, we did our own meals...

So after our traditional happy hour....

We had a feast...which was delicious.

A wonderful spinach and zucchini salad and Mexican chicken roll up with yummy sauce.

We all had our assigned meals or dessert (mary is always the dessert person) and it worked out beautifully.

Some great conversation, games and

door prizes. Lynne won this adorable tape measure earrings...More fun to come so ....Stay tuned for pt. 2