The Later August 2019 Retreat/Workshop

Okay, did you notice that I've added the word Workshop to the retreat's name?  That's because we don't just have a retreat.  We have a learning, working, sewing, having fun kind of retreat that's really a retreat/workshop combination.

Here's something that I should do at every retreat.  Someone suggested it this time so we made sure to get this picture before anyone left on Sunday.  It's all the gals in this later retreat.  Okay, we probably look a little tired after 3 days of working and having fun, but we did have a blast with all the stuff we did and all the good food we ate.  If you come to one of the future retreat/workshops, be sure and remind me to get a picture of the group.  I love this picture.  It documents who came to learn.

So, while I'm thinking about it, I should mention this.  Annette G, one of the gals that's not missed any of my retreats, is putting together a Featherweight Club recipe book from all the good recipes that were fixed at the 4 retreats we've had so far.  So, if you came to one of the retreats and haven't sent in your recipe, get that to me ASAP so I can pass it along.  We'll give more information about the book when the FW Club meetings start in November.

Okay, it looks like everyone was working so intently and not having fun.  But we WERE having fun the whole time while we were working, making great quilt tops and cleaning the machines. Again, I heard how the machines were sounding so nice the whole time.  I love hearing that.

There were quite a few quilt tops finished.  This one was in process but isn't it a beauty?

And, I heard another story about some sewing machine repair person charging a lot of money to clean and oil a machine.  We discovered that the cleaning and/or oiling just didn't happen.  Do I have you convinced that learning to clean your machine  yourself is the best way to go?  I hope so.

The BLAST we had will not be forgotten soon. So many cute little gifts were given and accepted.  The drawing table was full of great things to pick from and I thank you all for making this such a wonderful 4 days.  You all are the BEST!

There is only one spot open for one of next year's 4 retreat/workshops.  You should go to that tab and check them out.  Get your name on the waiting list if the one you want to come to is already full.  We do get people drop out when something comes up that they didn't know about when they signed up. 

I will try to post again soon and not wait too long.  The weather is cooling down here in the UP.  It feels like fall already.  That means that it will soon be time for me to pack up and move again, back to the winter house and back to teaching FW maintenance and Club classes.  I've already gotten ideas in mind for the things we'll do each month.  I have those dates listed in the Class Schedule tab. Check that out.  And, if you have any FW questions, don't hesitate to ask.

The Early August 2019 retreat

Where do I start?  The early August 2019 retreat was a blast, as always.  The house was full with 16 beautiful ladies working on more than 16 beautiful featherweights. I think I'll start calling these retreats workshops because we do so much more than sew. We take things apart.  We clean parts and replace things that need replacing.  We put things back together the way they should be and yes, we sew.  If I heard, "my machine sounds so much better" once, I heard it a dozen times.  No, I heard it more than a dozen times.  It was more fun that a barrel of monkeys.

And, what beautiful machines we saw.  Look at this one.  Isn't she a beauty?  And, she sewed like a workhorse all weekend. 

Several ladies worked on the FW dust cover.  They are really cute and so practical to cover up the machine when it's not in use.  I use mine in the UP all the time because my machine up here sits in a cabinet.  I needed a cover for her.

The jewelry cleaner was used so much cleaning parts on the machines, it got hot.  And, I don't know how many times we changed the water.  The tensions and bobbin assemblies were squeaky clean when we went home, Yeah!

In fact, I should tell everyone that when they come to a FW Club retreat/workshop, they shouldn't pay a machine repair person a ton of money to 'clean the machine' before attending.  I always hear stories of gals getting charged around $100 for a machine to be cleaned and then, we find goop and grime  that should have been cleaned out for that price, but wasn't.  I heard stories like that at both retreats this time.  People getting gouged by machine repair people makes me so MAD!

We do have FUN at our retreats, too.  Yup, the Bailey's gals had a very good time!

So, I'll post more about the Late August 2019 retreat yet this week.  I'm still recovering from the whole two weeks.  Check it out when you can.  The 2020 retreat/workshop dates are already set and some are already full.