Creative Retreat - Point Lonsdale
Aug 22, 2016 - 2:33pm
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I got to go to a retreat!! It's been years since I have had the time to get away and just sew and I had not long returned
from Quilt Market and there were no looming deadlines in my future.
The retreat I attended was called The Creative Retreat and was held on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd of July 2016,
at the beautiful seaside town of Point Lonsdale. 
The tutor that was organised for the retreat was the talented and inspiring Cheryl Arkison.
Cheryl has written many books and designs with an improv based approach.
The first day we started sewing straight away, which I loved!
We were given a word and had to make a block based on it.
My word was step.
It was fun to just cut and sew without measuring!
We next had a group chat about what we would like to acheive over the weekend
and what our inspiration was going to be.
I just wanted to sew and try out lots of new improv style blocks and piecing.
I had chosen to bring along a group of fabrics that were in my stash
and included designs from Carolyn Friedlander, Cotton and Steel and some other bits and bobs.
I don't have a massive stash so some were purchased too.
I started out just sewing blocks together.
It had been such a long time since I had just sewn for mewithout having to write a pattern!
I loved it more than I can tell you!
We all worked in the same room and the creative juices were flowing for everyone.
Designs walls were supplied that made working on our projects so much easier.
The sewing continued late into the night and I got so much more sewing done than I thought I would.
Cheryl was an extremely patient tutor espcially with someone like me, who had
never done any improv piecing before.
We also had an amazing show and tell session with Cheryl. She brought lots of her
amazing quilts and it is always lovely to hear the stories behind the quilts.
Alys, Erin and Mandy keeping warm with some of Cheryl's quilts.
We also got to work on a pass the parcel style quilt blocks.
Sew a bit and then pass it on! It was great fun and would love to do that again.
Here are all our blocks together.
Here is a photo of the progress I made over the weekend.
I am dying to get back to it but it will just have to wait for the moment.
I was still so inspired after the weekend that I came home
and kept sewing. I made this circle block late Sunday night after I had driven home!
The weekend was amazingly organised but the wonderful Julie McMahon.
Everything was thought of and all the meals were delicious. She even looked after
me with all my wacky food intolernces!
I would like to thank Cheryl for being such an inspiring and amazing tutor
and to Jules who made the retreat run so smoothly leaving us to just create!
If you are interested in attending next years Creative Retreat,
check out the website and FaceBook page.
Cheryl and I.
Aug 23, 2016 - 6:26am
Cheryl Arkison: Thanks Emma! It was a blast to be with all of you. And your improv work is inspiring to me too!
Aug 24, 2016 - 3:22am
Mona Keegan: Great post! Beautiful creativity. Jealous that you are so far away from Texas!!
