Quilt Retreat Getaway Weekend 2005

In cleaning out my old computer and transferring to my new, I came across a copy of my old webpage from 2005.  Found lots of pictures from the 2005 Quilt Retreat Getaway Weekend.

Our project was Camp Wawbeek Trail.
  This was Diane Lapacek's sample for the weekend.

Kathy Parker won the give away blocks for a sampler.

We had snow that weekend but notice how green the grass was!

Now all four of these ladies were working on the same quilt.  Is it the block or is it the quilter or is it the teacher?  I wish I had finished quilts to match each block.

Get a load of the line up at the ironing tables!

I was doing some tearing out for someone.  But, what I really like about this picture is the food on the snack tables in the background!

I love the concentration on the faces in this picture.  This had to be one of the most serious times at all of our retreats.  I really wonder what was happening!

We paper pieced a mini quilt with insulated batting to use as a hot pad for the center of the table.  Who's hands are in the picture on the left?  A $10 gift certificate to the store at the 2010 Quilt Retreat Getaway Weekend for the first one to identify them.

Show and tell of our 2004 project, Prairie Star,

an original pattern by Diane Lapacek.

A beautiful Bargello shown at Show and Tell.

Thankful, counting, ironing and concentrating.

And, last but not least, Diane Lapacek, my number one teacher for my retreats and none other than me, Barbara Raisbeck, the owner of

Quilts by Barb.

More pictures coming soon!

Happy Quilting.

Barb

2000 Quilt Retreat Extra Day

The extra day at the 2009 Quilt Retreat Getaway Weekend is a go. We have enough signed up.

This is just a reminder that the cost of the extra day is $25 if paid in full by April 1, 2009. After April 1, 2009, the price for the extra sewing time is $35. You may either send me a check at Quilts by Barb, 421 Mill St, Bloomington, WI 53804 or go to 2009 Quilt Retreat and at the bottom of the page there is a link to pay by credit card.

Yes, we still have openings for the 2009 Retreat.

Questions? Email me at Quiltsbybarb@tds.net or call me at608-994-2821.

We would love to have you join us.

Diane's 2008 Retreat Quilt

Got this picture (see more pictures on my website, www.Quiltsbybarb.com) and I wanted to share her story with you.

This is what Diane wrote to me:

"Barb - I finished my quilt from the retreat but I won't have it to show at the next retreat since I gave it as a comfort quilt to a friend of my son.

His friend was diagnosed with a brain tumor (grade 3 - fast growing) in the last month. I made it so his friends and family could sign it in the light areas of the quilt and even the back when they visit him. As you can see the backing was made from left over fabric. I even made a cover/pillowcase for the quilt from leftover fabric. I quilted it on my domestic machine.

The label reads as follows:

Chris - This quilt is just like you...one of a kind!

Wrap this quilt around you and remember all of our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Diane Kettleson - Kirk's mom
February 2009
Tumbling Blocks"

Great job, Diane, and our prayers are with Chris. Aren't quilts the best!

Barb

Christine's Log Cabin

Check out Christine's Log Cabin Quilt from the 2008 Quilt Retreat Weekend. It is put together as a log cabin BUT looks like a Double Wedding Ring. This quilt is from Judy Martin's Log Cabin book.

The quilt is custom machine quilted by Quilts by Barb. All participants of the Quilt Retreat Getaway Weekends receive a 10% discount on their retreat quilt.

Click on the picture to see more pictures on my website.

Barb

Whirling Spirals

This is the second project I made from the Easy Bias-Covered Curves book. My fabric choices have a much "calmer" feel than the sample quilts in the book. I used some of my hand dyes with a fossil fern background and a striped batik. I'm planning to cut the corners off diagonally to make this 8 sided and use it for a table topper on a round table.

I sent this off to Barb to be quilted because I figure she'll put something really cool in all that background.

This design could easily be upsized to make a lap or bed sized quilt. The size of the blocks can be made as large or small as you like to fit the size you want.

Diane

Massage Practitioner for retreat

Dawn Hampton, a Massage Practitioner from Inner Harmony, Lancaster, Wisconsin, will be joining us at the 2009 Quilt Retreat Getaway Weekend.

Dawn will be offering total body massages, pedicures and foot massage in her own private room. What a great way to relax after hours of sewing!

A byline on Dawn's business card: "Take great care of your inner self - you deserve it."

Thanks and welcome to Kim!

I want to introduce you to Kim Lapacek. She is going to be helping me out with computer work and other odd jobs getting ready for my retreat. Many of you will remember Kim from previous retreats.

Kim and and Jared are part owners of Lapacek's Orchard, with Diane and Frank. Kim loves quilting and many other types of crafts. She hand dyes a lot of clothing items for young children and her hand made jewelry is beautiful. Check out Kim's Etsy site, Kim's Crafty Apple to see and purchase any of Kim's wares.

Welcome, Kim!

Easy Bias-Covered Curves - Our project book for the weekend

We have selected the book Easy Bias-Covered Curves by Wendy Hill as our instruction book for the 2009 Quilt Retreat Getaway Weekend. This book is published by CT Publishing and the following is their description about the book:

Free-Wheeling Fun with Easy-Sew Circles and Curves

• No curved-seam piecing, no raw edges, no stress!
• Fabric bias strips are the key to beautifully-finished curves
• Great for quilters at every level-beginners love the simple technique, and experienced quilters can design their own variations
• Match fabrics for a subtle look, or use contrasting bias for a vivid design element

These artful quilts are breathtaking to look at, and surprisingly easy to make! Fabric bias covers raw fabric edges in a quick, accurate technique. Wendy introduces simple blocks plus lots of variations and sample quilts. Detailed illustrations follow for a project quilt-or create your own.

If you would like to take a closer look as the inside of the book, click on Look Inside.

Diane Lapacek will be teaching from this book and has been working on samples. She is very excited about the technique and says she really enjoys it. She will be posting updates and pictures about the book and projects she has made from the book.

The Travel Center in Belmont, Wisconsin

I would like to introduce you to The Travel Center in Belmont, Wisconsin, the home of our 2009 Quilt Retreat Getaway Weekend.

Pictured at left, is the conference center from the outside. This is where we will be sewing for the weekend.

It is connected to the Baymont Inn and Suites (right) where rooms will be available.

The cost for the rooms are:

Friday and Saturday evenings: $78.84 per night including tax

Sunday evening: $65.70 including tax

This price is good for one to four people per room. It also includes a continental breakfast in the morning.

Rooms may be booked by calling directly to the hotel at 608-762-6900. Mention that you are with the Quilts by Barb quilt retreat to receive these rates. If you have any problems, please either email me at Quiltsybarb@tds.net or call me at 608-994-2821 and I would be glad to help with your reservation.

This is a picture of the inside of the convention center where we will be quilting. I don't think it will be quite as tidy as in the picture, but you get the idea of the size. The room is very large; it was set up to serve 450 people when I viewed it, but it is still very warm and cozy.

This will be the perfect setting for a group of women quilting their hearts out!

All meals will be on your own for the 2009 Quilt Retreat.

The Travel Center does include a family restaurant just across the parking lot. The meals are very reasonable priced and the food is excellent. If you are staying at the hotel, don't forget the FREE continental breakfast which includes some hot food.

Belmont is small but there are a few other places to eat or get careout food. We will only be a few miles from Platteville where there are a number of dining choices as well as a Quilt Shop!! More about that in another post.

NOTE TO PAST RETREATERS: I will bring cookies from Ma's Bakery to share!!

Click here for more information on The Belmont Travel Center.

Click here for more information on the 2009 Quilt Retreat Getaway Weekend and to register for the retreat.

New blog for Quilt Retreat Information

Greeting quilters and quilt retreaters,

I am starting this blog as a information source for Quilt Retreat Geataway Weekends that are hosted by Quilts by Barb. I plan to update this blog regularly with new information on both our upcoming 2009 Quilt Retreat Getaway Weekend and on our previous retreats from past years. I will be including lots of photos, so if you attended one of our retreats and would like a photo or any information included, please email me and I would love to have it.

Diane Lapacek, our teacher for the past seven years, will also be including updates. She is working right now on sample quilts for 2009 and will be including pictures and other information here for you to see.

Please feel free to add to the page with comments. I would like this blog to be a place where our retreat participants can touch base with one another. I will continue to have my regular Quilts by Barb blog on my webpage and will refer back and forth between the two.

Happy Quilting and hope to see you all in Belmont in 2009!

Barb