2012 Southeastern Quilt Retreat

Hi Marge - I didn't think that Nana has actually supplied a date. I re-read the thread this afternoon and the spring months were mentioned along w/ October bc Gatlinburg is sooo beautiful in the fall. Actually in the spring and summer months, Gatlinburg is packed w/ kids and families on vacation. Plus, won't that be a little too close from the WA trip? Is Nana still the main organizer?

Washington and Iowa retreats are both in Oct. 2011 so I don't think May 2012 is that close to them.  We are also pretty much talking to a whole different group of folks than the ones going to the other two gatherings.  May (during the weekdays) up here in the Smokys is one of the quieter times as the kids are still in school.  It doesn't get busy until around Memorial Day. 

By the way - would that friend of yours from the Franklin area charge to come?  I don't want to add any more expenses to the group other than the cost of their staying somewhere and sewing.  (That much more left to spend at the local quilt shops! )  

Nana and I have been working together on this -- plus I have recruited Diana because she is a "local". 

Well, I know that Nana, Kris and I are each going to the WA trip and are listed as interested in this trip. I visited Gatlinburg each May for years annually w/ family and friends and it was extremely busy w/ spring breakers from all over the country but I understand. Could we possibly take a vote on the month that would work great for everyone?

I am open to suggestions --- it just may not work out that we can find a place to meet if this isn't settled soon.  So----  Nana and I need everyone to jump in here and tell us their "druthers".  Then I guess we will need to find a place that fits those parameters. 

Aww, ok! Great! Thank you so much, Marge! I am definitely looking forward to attending and I would love to come in the fall - October is perfect! I am so looking forward to breaking out some beautiful sweaters, sipping on cocoa and hanging by the fireplace while looking out @ the beautiful mountains with some great quilty gals :). it is not too cold yet (at that time) and it will surely beat the heat of the late spring and summer. Anyways, I'll understand if others feel differently though. Take care quilty friends and let me know your thoughts :). God bless!

I'm up for anything. I just want to be with fellow quilters and possibly find someone to adopt me (I'm still on the market). LOL

Oh, darn, I was hoping to meet the SE quilters and see a part of the country I haven't been to before, but mid-May will just not work for me.  With Minnesota's short growing season, mid-May starts an intensive gardening time for me. 

I'll look forward to seeing lots of pictures from your gathering!

Hi Nancy - we are actually still deciding on which month we all would like to gather together. So, what month would you be able to attend? :)

Marge <I have no prefence to month , I'm pretty much free to come when ever ..as long as it's not snowing ..LOL  I'm gonna drive if i come..Barbara

Hello All,   Had a great day with Marge and looking at Hidden Mountain cabins.  They are beautiful places and really hidden...lol   We had to turn around a couple times to find the places....hehehe  Definately wouldn't want to do the retreat any where near winter or snow.  Roads were steep and wouldn't want to slide down any of them.

I'm pretty much game for anytime.  Being retired, I don't punch anyone's time card but my own.  DH is a homebody so he'll stay home and take care of the kittys. 

Diana in East Tn. 

My thoughts are to stay away from June, July and August  so we don't have to contend with your usual vacationers. (And the summer heat and humidity here in the South)  I really had hoped to keep the time span shorter between our retreat and the two scheduled for this year - that's why I was looking at May --- but I am not set in stone.  :o)  I would suggest staying away from April as you can still get snow up here, plus the majority of your Spring breaks are in April, as is the Spring Rod Run.  The gal at Hidden Mountain told Diana and me that Oct is their busiest month -- which pretty much would hold true for any place in the mountains because of our beautiful color.  If we decide on Oct. 2012,  we would definitely have to have firm commitments (backed by a down payment from every participant) fairly soon to lock in somewhere.  Holloway's ( @$35 per person per day) is still a possibility over in Cosby but they hold less people - only a dozen right now. Marie told me that they are working on redoing another small cabin that would add 2 or 3 more sleeping spots plus working on remodeling another building for the actual sewing at an additional cost per day. I still have one more place to check out here in the Gatlinburg area (Tuckaleechee Retreat Center over in Townsend) and there is one in North Georgia called Forrest Hills that is a possibility. As soon as I have some costs on those, I will let everyone know 

I would also like a feel for how long a retreat we would like, so please weigh in on that too.  Just keep in mind the cost per diem and weigh that against how much you are willing to spend for a retreat. 

I am "new"  to this, so please bear with me.  I work at U.T.-Knoxville, and regularly go to Sevierville/Gatlinburg/Cosby, but isn't May really "short notice" to plan/organize a retreat?  U.T. and Knox County schools start back in August..

If it's May I hope will be after the 15th.......if not I cannot come. I will be in Spain from the 3rd till the 14th.

As for the other months right now I now I will be busy in March and the last week in August.

Isabella

I'd love October for it's beauty.

I'd vote for October as well.  Has the area been affected by the flooding or tornadoes?  That would be a bit more of an attraction than I would want.  I am definatly interested.  Coming from Alberta, this would be more of a vacation than just a retreat.