I have never been to a retreat for quilting. In fact, I never went to camp as a kid. I never liked camping and all. So the idea of a quilt retreat never really appealed to me. A time to bond with friends, maybe have a retreat speaker and have some down time. I have had the fear of missing out and think that I SHOULD like it or want to do it.

What has always stopped me is money. I realized after being home for a couple of weekends with my husband gone for part of it or all of it… I can sew and quilt more at home for free! NO MORE FOMO — fear of missing out. I guess it falls in the category of gardening… I love the idea of having a formal manicured garden but I don’t like the process of all it takes. See a retreat you gotta take everything that is a lot of back breaking work to prep just like gardening…. all notions, machine, fabrics, thread… and potentially sleep in hotel rooms or cabins with people you don’t know if you can’t fill it with your friends. No way, all my stuff is at home. It won’t get broken or stolen on a retreat.

So here is what I did at my stay at home retreat…..what ever I wanted. I chatted with my friends and family incessantly about what I was making. I long armed tons, which you can’t do at a retreat. I watched all the YouTube and QNNTV videos of quilting that I wanted. I went to quilt shops, saw friends  and bought some things that I needed. I played “chicken” with a spool and thread and lost.I RAN OUT of the perfect color.  So I had to find the right color , and for a little change up in the retreat  I went on a quest to find it. I planned and dreamed with my friends till later at night than usual. I slept in my own bed and ate my own food that I can eat on my diet. So while it is not the same as a real retreat, a stay at home retreat can be awesomely productive, satisfying and CHEAP. As long as you don’t buy out the quilt shops and if you do a SAH retreat lets you spend more money on fabrics !!!

Here is the quilt I long armed.

Vicki