Guest Blogger Week 109 ~ The Patch Work Pearl

I would like to welcome

Linda Pearl

From The Patch Work Pearl

Packing for a quilt retreat - Pack with a Purpose or Wing it? 

I didn't attend sleep away camp as a child, or live in a dorm in college - 

so the concept of a sleep away quilt event was something 

I was completely unfamiliar with when I went to my first weekend several years ago.  

It was not fancy, but it was a wonderful entry into the comraderie, the silliness (?) 

that is part and parcel with the quilt retreat weekend.  

I submit exhibit A - the 'trophy' that was blinged up 

and presented to someone for something or other at one of the first retreats 

I ever went on with my guild.  Each successive retreat, something is added to it -  

A crown, a sash - and it becomes a game to see which 

unknowing person winds up with it next.

I'm probably tempting fate to publish this a week before we leave. 

Keep a good thought. 

Just this morning, I got the latest in several emails about next weekend - what to pack, 

what not to forget. 

Then I received a phone call from a friend on the way to her springtime getaway.  

She packed this morning and headed out - resting assured that she has most of what she needs 

(power cord comes to my mind, ask me how I know) 

and that whatever she forgets, someone most likely has.  

It's amazing how many almost complete quilt shops can be found at a retreat in someone's bags.  

We have the sewing equipment down to a science, 

but sometimes, it's the very basics that you forget about.   

I have two different prescriptions for my disposable contact lenses. 

 They are the first thing to go into the my luggage for the weekend - 

I've had one weekend with mis-matched prescriptions and I will never have another. 

There have been years when I have brought literally every UFO I could find, 

some years when I came at the last minute and grabbed whatever was handy.  

Some years, I got alot done, some years, not so much. 

One year I slept because I badly needed to. 

This year, I have taken a more objective viewpoint to what I'm taking...

I have the luxury of having a travel machine that I take with me to each retreat - on Sunday, 

I'll actually take it out and make sure I have everything - power cords, feet, book, 

the attachable light that hooks onto it.  Wow, I'm living large here - 

avoiding the mid-morning en-route panic that sets in...yes, 

the foot pedal  must be in the bag...where else would it be? 

I have found that piecing works best for me at these kinds of events...I machine quilt  

(badly, but I keep trying) on a large bed machine that I do not take with me for these weekends. 

 That narrows the possible projects down.  

I have several deadline pieces (when don't I is the question?)...

and one of them might come with me -but all I have to do is finish the binding, so that won't last long. 

 Paper piecing is difficult for me because I find that I do way too much moving between the machine, 

the iron and the cutting station when I'm at home...so that project probably won't be useful for this. 

I could bring with me any number of the half finished projects (charity, bags, baby) that are stacked up 

and waiting for work - or I could (wait for it!) 

pull something out of the Bucket List quilt folder to work on.  

Three and a half days of glorious, uninterrupted time to play.  

The possibilities are endless - as long as I can make  decision and a plan.   

My friends who get the most creatively accomplished on weekends such as this pre-cut and pre-package their materials to a degree that I just don't seem to have the genetic capacity to do. 

Did I mention that the Lake Shore series was born at a retreat? 

That was my classic box o' fabric weekend, 

when I threw everything into a plastic tub amd took it with me for the weekend.  

Maybe I should go with what's working for me. 

Stay tuned.

Linda Pearl

The Patchwork Pearl

Please visit my websites:

www.onequiltingcircle.com

www.thepatchworkpearl.com

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Facebook: www.facebook.com/ThePatchworkPearl

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Thank you ever so much Linda

I hope you'll all join me in thanking Linda

& I hope you'll check out her sites

and her fantastic work!