2025 "Reach for the Stars Retreat!"

Save the date! May 1-3, 2025, 9 am - 5 pm each day, for another great "Sleep in your own Bed" Retreat at the Haralson Civic Center in Blairsville. Registration will continue at the March General Meeting, and we will accept the first 50 Guild Members who register and pay in full. We will maintain a waiting list for those that don't make the first 50; in the past, we have been able to accommodate everyone on the waiting list!

If you would like to download and print the information sheet and registration form, you can do so now. You can complete the registration form and fill out your check before you get in line to register. You may choose either a t-shirt or a canvas tote bag for your registration gift, and you can order additional t-shirts and/or tote bags if you wish for $15 each. T-shirts and tote bags will be delivered at the April General Meeting, or when you arrive at the retreat.

When you register, you will get a packet of fabric and instructions for this year's Hugs and Kisses outreach project, instructions for this year's challenge project (or you can read it here), and a list of how you can earn participation tickets to win fabulous prizes! 

As of January, we have 13 BIG prizes with retail values of $110 to $170 that you can win with participation tickets (limit one BIG prize per person),  and we'll have smaller prizes for everyone who doesn't win a BIG prize. You can also win prizes for our Viewer's Choice challenge project, and at the lunchtime games.

We will have pictures and/or samples of the t-shirts, tote bags and workshop projects at the General Meetings. If enough people order the tote bags, we can get a better quality bag than the sample.

Quilts of Valor, Heart 2 Heart, Hugs & Kisses and Comfort Quilts will have charity projects you can work on to earn prize tickets, with fabric and instructions provided. Or you can bring your own projects and work on them in the company of your fellow quilters.

Workshop schedule:

Note: If you'd like to take the Friday or Saturday workshop, but not attend the whole retreat, you can. Fill out a retreat registration form and send it to the address listed, with a check for $25 for the workshop fee. You'll pay the kit fee at the workshop.

Kimberley's workshop: Folded Fabric Ornaments, Saturday, all day. 

Here are samples of the Folded Fabric Ornaments! Everyone will make the "Spring Star," at the top right (kit is $20), in the morning, then choose one of the Ohio Star colorways for the afternoon ($20) or the pinwheel ($17). A couple of people asked about doing them in Christmas fabric; let Kathy Traylor know and Kimberley can make up kits for you. Kits include the Styrofoam ball, all the fabric (pre-cut for you), the pins you need for assembling the ornament, the ribbon and the decorative notions.

Kay's Workshop:  Friday, all day.

"This is a new style of quilt for me. The technique is a concept by Helen Godden. The design is by me. The blocks are made from Black muslin fabric which is painted with Luminere paints. The blocks are quilted heavily using black thread." 


Shirley's Workshop: Rose of Sharon appliqué class, Thursday, 1-4 pm

THIS WORKSHOP IS FULL; contact Kathy Traylor if you want to be put on the waiting list.

Description: Let’s make a Rose of Sharon Block. In this class you will learn to make “needle-turn” appliqué shapes and appliqué them using the Karen Kay Buckley method. We will learn how to make leaf shapes and perfect circles and then how to appliqué them to get the needle turn appliqué look.

You will need a 40 watt Clover Craft Mini Iron or one similar. Note: the popular little Steamfast iron will not work for this project. Mountain Quilts in Hiawassee stocks this; it's about $30. You'll also need a stiletto or the Apliquik tools. A complete supply list will be given to those that register.