Quilt History Retreat on Lopez Island

Welcome! Ready for a QUILT adventure on beautiful Lopez Island, Washington?

             

  photo of eagle and ferry by Charles Givens of Lopez Island      

Planning and holding a Quilt History Retreat here on Lopez Island has been on my Bucket List for 10 years. This Retreat is my personal way of promoting both quilt history and local history. I want this to be a FUN event as well as an educational event. We aim to show you a good time!

I have been studying quilt history since I became a member of the American Quilt Study Group in 1981. I moved to Lopez Island and became involved in its historical society in 2004.  Lopez Island is an ideal location for a quilt-related retreat because of its beauty, its close-knit small community and its many quilters.

If you live on Lopez yourself, consider inviting a friend to spend the week of May15-17 with you so that she too can attend the Retreat and visit you at the same time.

PAY VERY CLOSE ATTENTION to the ferry schedule as you plan your trip.

The challenges of holding any kind of event on Lopez is the FERRY SCHEDULE and the fact that you may be tempted to never leave the island once you visit!  Not every ferry goes to every island. You have to get in the right ferry line for Lopez Island and you should be in line at least 30-60 minutes ahead of time to be safe. They will tell you at the ticket window which line to get into when you buy your ticket. 

There is no “reservation” system. It is first come, first served. Here is the link to the Washington State Ferry site— http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/. We will be on the SUMMER SCHEDULE by the time you head for the Anacortes ferry dock to come to the retreat. The SUMMER schedule will be posted in early April.

This event is a Fund Raiser

SPACE IS LIMITED!

Please have Registrations in by May 8, 2014
But feel free to contact me after May 8 to see if there is still room.

You will receiving HOUSING INFORMATION 
when you request a Registration Form.
Click here to Email me for a Registration form and 
put Quilt History Retreat in the subject line.

The REGISTRATION FEES you pay to attend the Quilt History Retreat will cover the travel expenses of our out-of-state-speakers who will be sharing a selection of early English, French and American quilts from their private collection. Leftover funds after expenses will be donated to LIHS and WQSG. I earn nothing personally from this event except the sheer pleasure of sharing Lopez Island with you! Members of Enchanted Quilters our local island guild will be assisting! (Click on the name and you can visit their blog.)

You may register for the whole retreat at a discount if you are a member of the American Quilt Study Group (AQSG) or the Lopez Island Historical Society (LIHS).  ($165.00 for members of either group or $250.00 for non-members.)

Or you may choose from the a’ la carte  menu and attend only one or two sessions. If you are not a member of either group, the Registration fee is higher.  However, you may join either group right now (see links above) or when you register for the retreat itself so that you can take advantage of the discount pricing that membership affords you. 

SHOW & TELL

SHOW & TELL: We encourage you to bring quilts that relate to a given workshop's theme. However, all quilts are welcome at the general Show & Tell sessions! Time constraints may limit us to one each at any given event, but we can always gather in the evenings and share more!

Will we actually be doing any sewing or quilting?

Someone has already emailed to ask if there will be any time to work on their quilt or other needlework? By all means, bring some needlework with you!  But there are NO "how to" classes being offered. Having said that, Anne Dawson, one of our presenters, has a quilt business on Lopez and has many classes. In the future maybe we can schedule a "Sew-in Night".

SCHEDULE

Thursday, May 15   -   Optional Tour - quilts of Orcas & San Juan Historical Societies – full details will be sent to those who plan to arrive in time for this event. All three islands historical societies will have quilts on display. Arrangements will be made to go as a group if enough people show interest and commit to this tour. 

Friday - May 16,  9:30-11:30am            History of early 20thc Quilt designers Ruby McKim & Marie Webster – Karen Alexander. Bring a quilt or two from either designer to share. 

Friday - May 16, 2:00-4:00pm            Kate & Mary Edgar Collection of Early British, French & American 19th Century Quilts.

**Friday, May 16, 7-9:30pm       History of Signature Quilts and How to Research Them –  Karen Alexander & Susan Underwood at the restored Port Stanley one-room schoolhouse (Fund Raiser for LIHS)  (We will have Show & Tell as long as time allows.)

           

Saturday, May 17, 9:30-10:15am    Lopez Island Historical Society Tour (includes discussion of some of their Signature Quilts)

Saturday, May 17, 10:30am-12:00      Bed Turning - Karen Alexander will share a selection from her wide ranging teaching collection as well as share her documentation methods, files and extensive textile research library.

Saturday, May 17, 2:00-4:00pm     Quilt Restoration/Conservation –  Learn the important Do’s and Don’ts of caring for your quilts and basic repairs. Quilt Restoration expert Anne Dawson has her own restoration business here on Lopez Island! (Her business comes in from all over the country.) We will meet at the restored Port Stanley one-room schoolhouse for this workshop. (Bring one “needy” quilt and your questions.)

Saturday, May 17, 4:00-5:30pm    Show & Tell at PSS – the restored Port Stanley one-room schoolhouse.  Here is your chance once again to share quilts from you own collection.

 Registrations are due in by May 1, 2014

Email me if you need more time.

Expect some surprises along the way!

Maybe some wine tasting and shopping at 
The Quilter's Studio?

   

So what next? Remember, space is limited so click here to Email me for a Registration form and put Quilt History Retreat in the subject line.  Thank you!

Ya'll come!

(space is limited)

(One of my other pastimes on the island! Several of us quilters help a local farmer move his sheep from one field to another throughout the year as needed.) 

What else is there to do on 
Lopez Island?

http://lopezisland.com/visitorwhat.htm      


http://lopezisland.com/photos.htm

photo by Karen Alexander 2005 - Lopez Island beach

~Beautiful bays and beaches 

~Watmough Bight

~Biking (and Bike Rentals) 

~Sailing

~Whale watching

~Hiking 

~Driving tour of Lopez Island

~Kayaking (and Kayak rentals)

~Chimera Gallery 

~Art Studios & Local Crafts      

~Lopez Island Bookshop!
    
~A Beautiful Library with rotating art displays! 

2006 Doll & Crib Quilt Exhibit at the Lopez Library

Eat! Lopez has at least 7 establishments 

that serve excellent food! Click on the links and check them out.

~Holly B’s – our renowned bakery mentioned in  the New York Times!  http://www.hollybsbakery.com/

~The Bay Cafe - Also mentioned in New York Times

~Vortex - Vegetarian

~Vita's - Wildly Delicious - take out or eat on patio

~The Love Dog Cafe - across from Holly B's and Vortex in the heart of the Village and a stone's throw to Vita's.

~Buckey's - fabulous fish tacos! Next to Holly B's.

~The Fudge Factory - plus jellies and jams!

~Locally Grown Organic Produce and Meat to take home! (Bring your coolers!) (This is the farmer we quilters help herd sheep for!)

~Lopez Island Winery & Tasting Room

                         

** Signature Quilt workshop Friday night is a fund raiser for LIHS.

But perhaps I have saved the best for last — our GREAT Historical Society & Museum! 

http://lopezmuseum.org/schoolhouse.html

The above list is hardly an exhaustive one but it gives you a good overview of what Lopez has to offer.