Nowra retreat surpassed all expectations and my expectations were High…
The fun started in the car on the trip to Nowra, I had planned to sleep in the car but with 4 crazy quilters in the car their was so much chatter andlaughter that I soon forgot about being tired. We had lunch and found a patchwork shop in Mittagong before continuing to Nowra where we visited Spotlight before heading off to the retreat centre…
The location of the Venue with its views over the river and green cow pastures was beautiful and provided a tranquil setting in which to relax….and for 3 days our meals would be cooked for us and the washing up done which is just as well because surrounded by 27 vibrante, stimulating, crazy ladies there was no time for everyday concerns…and Lynda, Our young camp hostess not only looked after our needs but joined in our fun, sharing our passion for crazy, eager to learn anything we would teach her and it is always a pleasure to be able to pass on what we know to the next generation…
we were welcomed with retreat bags festooned with lace and threads and brimming with goodies…
Saturday was a show and tell and share and stitch and swap day……and always the sound of chatter and laughter was to be heard.
Show and tell was a feast of eye candy including Merle’s Quilt with big hexagon shaped crazy blocks pieced out of fabrics from Canberra retreat chicken scratch and many finished blocks from round robyns…and I did love Merle’s white Gloves.
Throughout the day several participants gave short demos to the whole group and between times there was a lot of sharing, of both knowledge and goodies, across the tables.
We stitched on each others retreat blocks, swapped fabric packs and ATCs, some wonderful people made enough ATC to give one to everyone wether they had any to swap or not, thank you to Ann-Maree, Cherie and Yvonne for these ones.
At last years retreat in Canberra we embellished Bras, fondly known as the Canbras, to raise money for Breast Cancer….We are all aware of how breast cancer can affect our lives but we are not as aware that Prostate cancer should be taken as seriously because both cause problems not just for the suffers but also there families…So for Nowra we embellished Undies for Prostate… and The Undies parade was one of the highlights of the retreat, the creativity of crazy quilters is amazing, visit the Undies Gallery to see all the wonderful creations. Thank you to Melody for taking the photos and putting them up in the Gallery.
I didn’t and did get my undies done…leading up to the retreat I was running short of time but sent my son out to buy me a pair of white Y Front Undies, I had no idea what I might do with them but if I didn’t have any I couldn’t do anything…as it turned out I didn’t put a stitch in them but the retreat program gave me an idea of what I could do, the program listed the parade as the Unveiling of the Undies so I packed my still stark white Y Fronts with a little black top, my lacey topped stockings, glitzy red high heeled shoes and several scarves and meters of organza which I tucked into the top of the undies and for the Parade I then unveiled the Undies…it was a lot of Fun.
Saturday night we dressed for dinner in our op shop best…
And as if we hadn’t laughed enough we laughed even harder as the cloths were cut off our backs…
And as if the cloths were not enough fabric the chicken scratch provided more…
We played pass the parcel…each layer was a tablecloth and between the layers where doilies and bags of buttons…
Modeling the winning undies
Sunday found us laughing on a bus headed for the Berry Markets where we unearthed hidden treasure before wandering into town where we were welcomed at the needlework shop sew and tell and other local shops yielded up more treasure…
Back at camp their was more laughter and the Luxury of a foot bath…
Sunday evening had us concentrating as we made a thumb pin cushion….Click here for how to instructions.
And in spare moments over the weekend participants made guesses as to how many buttons where in the bottle, at $1 a guess another $60 was raised for prostrate cancer awarness and research….there was 1,136 buttons in the bottle.
And did I mention that there was laughter and sharing and caring…and best of all was the meeting up with old
friends, putting faces to names on the list and the meeting of new fiends…Yes it was a 10 star retreat…Many, many thanks and 3 cheers to Cherie, Ann-Maree and there Helpers…
I was asleep soon after getting home, slept for 5 hours got up for 1/2 hour and then went back to sleep for another10 hours….all that creative stimulation, leaning and laughter was exhausting but O So Wonderful.
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November 30th, 2005 at 3:35 am
The photos suggest that the whole weekend was a hoot from start to finish… What a dream to be able to spend time with like minded people in such a stunning environment…
November 30th, 2005 at 10:28 am
You Aussie Ladies are the best!!! This looks and sounds like so much fun…what a beautiful setting, too….and Annie, how do you stay so darn thin?
Thanks for posting…this is really wonderful and I wish I had been there with you!
November 30th, 2005 at 1:42 pm
Yes Retreats are like a dream and I beleive that if we keep our dreams within what could happen then they can come true…There will be another crazy quilt retreat in Canberra Oct 2006???
November 30th, 2005 at 9:20 pm
Great report, Annie, I think you must have kept a diary to remember so much!
December 1st, 2005 at 3:14 am
Hi Maureen, my memory is called a digital camera, didn’t you notice how many photos I took?.
December 1st, 2005 at 6:32 pm
Wonderful report Annie, you summed it up perfectly. Thank you. Are you going to post pics of your marvellous Tie Skirt and the little denim ones. Annie had people stop her in the Berry streets to talk about her Tie skirt. Just beautiful.
and I recognize that purple silk top with the hole in the back…grin… Maureen
December 3rd, 2005 at 8:51 am
Well done, Annie!! It was so good to scroll down your photos and relive the memories. Thanks for going to such lengths to make it so interesting. I am still sorting threads, fabrics, doo-dads and trims into their respective boxes. Thanks to everyone to went to Nowra and made us West Aussies so welcome.
Viv
December 3rd, 2005 at 11:08 am
Hi Annie – I smiled the whole time I looked at your photos. It was like being back there! Thanks for sharing that with us all and thanks again to all you lovely ladies I met at the retreat!
Love … Mary
December 7th, 2005 at 5:05 pm
Thanks Annie for all the trouble you went to, what a great time we all had. I am glad I didn’t lose any more of my dress, just enough left to look like a tutu..have been trying to figure out who belonged to the bare back..lucky the bra didn’t get snipped LOL. Cheers Gloria
December 28th, 2005 at 11:09 am
I just stumbled on to this in Annie’s Blog. It’s almost like being there. What fun! Crazy retreats look the same all over the world… well they look.. CRAZY! Keep up the great work!
October 13th, 2006 at 6:19 am
Found this very interesting. Looking for ideas for a small retreat in my Bed and Breakfast for quild members. What are ATC’a? Usually we go to coast and just do our own thing and shop but I want to try something different so that other members (than the usual 6-8 who go to coast) will find out how much fun you can have and how much you can learn from others. Also, what is chicken scratch? Was this theme to mainly work on crazy patchs?
Thanks
Peggy
June 11th, 2007 at 12:20 am
Hello, I found your website when googling “thumb pincushions” My mother purchased one at a quilt show in Chicago, IL, USA… she asked me to see if I can find them online to purchase or a pattern to make one if nothing else. The picture here is exactly what she is looking for. Do you sell? or know where they can be purchased? or… how I can locate a pattern for her? Thank you for your time.
January 21st, 2008 at 10:24 am
I see Karen, asked the same question I have. The thumb pin cushion. I’ve been looking for the pattern. Do you have the instructions? We have a retreat and would love to make them. Thanks!!
May 17th, 2008 at 1:36 am
I so love the goody bag idea – I must borrow that for my next event!
November 20th, 2010 at 1:05 am
wow !!!!!!