Thinking about attending your first quilt retreat but not entirely sure what you’ve signed yourself up for? Don’t worry. We’ve all been the new kid at the sewing table.
Your first quilt retreat is so exciting… and nerve-wracking. We get it. We’ve all had our first ones. But it’s not a “you can’t sit with us” situation.
But maybe you’ve heard your quilting friends rave about their retreat experience, and it piqued your curiosity. I mean, the idea of four days of uninterrupted sewing time does sound pretty wonderful. Am I right?
But if you’ve never been to one, I know you likely have some questions. And there are no dumb questions here (unless the question is, “Will there be tea?” because the answer is… duh).
What do people bring?
What happens all day?
Do you need to be an experienced quilter?
Well, I’ve got some good news for you. It’s probably way less intimidating than you’re imagining in your head.
You’ll probably bring more to your first quilt retreat than you need.
When you’ve never been to a retreat, it can be hard to know how much or how little to bring. And quilters are notoriously good at packing for every possible sewing scenario.
And yes, I’m talking from experience. Years and years of experience.
The best part about coming to your first quilt retreat is that everything is fresh and new. You’ll likely see everything from carefully planned projects to enough fabric to open a small quilt shop.
Quilters (no matter how many times they come to a quilt retreat) will always overpack.
I mean, come on. You don’t know what you’re going to be in the mood for once you get there.
But some people arrive with only one project, determined to finish that WIP that has been mocking them for months. Others bring several and get some done on a bunch of different ones. To each their own.
The best part? There’s no competition to see who can bring the most stuff… or who can finish the most while they’re there.
So, if you’re wondering whether you’ve packed too much for your first (scent-free) retreat, just wait until you see what everyone else brought.
Need some help with what to pack for your first quilt retreat? Check out this article!
The days have a way of finding their own rhythm.
One of the best parts of an open-sew retreat is having time to work at your own pace. Quilting is a hobby to enjoy and be present with, yada yada yada. It’s not a competition or somewhere you go to meet a production quota.
Quilt retreats, especially your first quilt retreat, are all about finding your flow.
Some people dive straight into sewing. They’re there for the uninterrupted sewing time, and they have goals and are feeling motivated and inspired. I love that for them.
Others love quilt retreats because they get to take their time, chat, wander around and see all of their quilting friends and what they’re working on, and just get to admire everyone else's creativity.
Your flow will come, but a rule of thumb here is to remember, you don’t need to spend every minute of the retreat at your machine. When you’re starting to see two of your quilts, that’s likely a sign it’s time for a tea break.
Trust me, the days tend to unfold naturally. You’ll get a lot done, you’ll meet a lot of great people, and you’ll get a ton of amazing inspiration from those around you. It’s a canon event.
At your first quilt retreat, you’ll learn things you didn’t expect to
This is the one that surprises most people at their first quilt retreat. You might arrive with one project and leave with seventeen new ideas. And we make absolutely no apologies for that.
It’s honestly kind of funny. You might arrive thinking you’ll spend a few days sewing and getting what you had planned done. (And you will! There’s no way not to)
But some of the best moments actually happen between the seams.
Someone shares a clever trick with you.
Maybe you discover a new pattern.
Suddenly a conversation leads to a new idea you had never considered.
Show and Tell gives everyone an opportunity to see what others have been working on right up close.
As a creative, your brain will start to race, and you’re going home with a notebook of great ideas, new things to try, new patterns to find, and a laundry list of things to shop for. (Yay! Fabric shopping!)
You really don’t have to have a finished masterpiece to enjoy the experience. You’ll likely go home bursting with creative energy, saying you’ll see us next retreat.
You don’t have to be an expert to belong
This one is probably the best tip I can give. You’d be surprised at how many people are nervous about their first quilt retreat because they don’t feel like they’re an experienced enough quilter to even go.
A quilt retreat isn’t a test of your quilting abilities. There’s no test you need to pass in order to come.
It’s an opportunity to enjoy your hobby alongside other people who love it too. It’s kind of amazing what happens when you get a whole bunch of people together who are all a little too obsessed with the same thing. Magic.
So, just remember:
- You don't need decades of quilting experience.
- You don't need perfect points or complicated patterns.
- You don't need to know every technique.
The only thing you actually need is to enjoy quilting and want to spend four days straight doing it.
Everyone has different skills, interests, and experience levels. But whether you’re just getting started or you’ve been doing it for way longer than you’d like to admit, a quilt retreat is the right place.
And the bonus of coming as a relatively new quilter to your first quilt retreat is that everyone is absolutely thrilled to have you there and wants to pass on some of their knowledge to a captive audience.
Everyone has a first quilt retreat.
You might overpack (actually, you will overpack); you might feel nervous; you might feel a little imposter syndrome (trust me, as the host, I feel it every time).
But you’ll probably discover new ideas, make new friends, and leave as part of the group chat.
Trust me, you’ll be surprised by how quickly the days go.
And who knows? By the end of the weekend, you might already be counting the days to the next one and making plans to meet up with the group the day before.
