iedquilts Posted July 8, 2012 Report Share Posted July 8, 2012 aka... "MQX Idaho" has been an absolute success. Barb & Mike did a phenomenal job- what and undertaking. We had seven machines ( thanks to APQS and two owners) which meant that the 23 attendees had equal time "to play". We learned and shared so much. Everyone enjoyed the thread / tension class where Barb opened a tub of thread and we were free to try any type available. Again, with minor tweaking - APQS performed very well with silk, rainbows, rayons etc. What fun!. This Lodge and setting up on a mountain is sans pareil. The tranquillity and nature all around us makes for a most relaxed atmosphere. The food and facilities left nothing to be desired. Heartfelt thank you Barb & Mike and also APQS for making this possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisae Posted July 8, 2012 Report Share Posted July 8, 2012 Sounds like a great time! I would love to be able to attend if there is another retreat scheduled! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delld Posted July 8, 2012 Report Share Posted July 8, 2012 Wow! SOunds like everyone great time, learned and shared so much! Wish we all could have attended!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheri Butler Posted July 8, 2012 Report Share Posted July 8, 2012 Leave it to Barb....she'd out-do anything I believe! She's a sweetie pie!! Would love to have been there myself if it was closer!! 24 lucky gals... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beachside Quilter Posted July 8, 2012 Report Share Posted July 8, 2012 Learning and sharing; sounds like everyone had a fabulous time! I, too, wish I could have been there! WTG, Barb and Mike, and everyone else who helped out. Looking forward to some pictures and posts!!:P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seakitten Posted July 8, 2012 Report Share Posted July 8, 2012 Congrats on your success, Barb. It sounds like great fun, but I want PICTURES! Hope I can make the next one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawaii Posted July 8, 2012 Report Share Posted July 8, 2012 I'm with Catherine and yes, pictures please!!!! It took tons of planning and work, but sounds like you majorly pulled it off, Barb!!!! Would have liked to be there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestieMom Posted July 8, 2012 Report Share Posted July 8, 2012 Congratulations on a successful retreat! Wish I lived closer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbm Posted July 8, 2012 Report Share Posted July 8, 2012 We had SUCH a wonderful time!!! Wish the weather was just a leeetle cooler, though - it's coming up to 100 degrees outside and we're not quite packed yet. Gonna be a long drive for my hubby to Portland tonight - at least I only have to make a couple of stops (Yes, Lawanda, you get your Millie back today!) and then I get to sleep in my own bed! My thanks to everyone who made this possible: APQS, for the loan of all their wonderful machines; Shar, who was my brainstormer on this concept over the past few years - and a wonderful teacher!; Patty Jo and George, who drove their RV over newly re-surfaced roads to join us (another wonderful teacher!); Ron & Sharon Moorehead (R&S Designs), who showed off several cool gadgets last night; all our generous vendors, who provided thread, batting, door prizes and other goodies; Shirley & Lane of the Palouse Divide Lodge - man, was that food yummy!; and most of all, my DH, Mike, who has put up with confusing directions and short tempers over the past few months, as this project came to fruition - Je t'aime!!! And thank you to all the lovely ladies who joined us this weekend, from Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, California, British Columbia and Hawaii - you all made this possible, and you made it FUN!!!! Here's to the next MQ Idaho!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbm Posted July 8, 2012 Report Share Posted July 8, 2012 And here's the only picture I have handy - we used it on the front of thank you cards. We are missing one attendee - she was off having a massage at the time and we couldn't get her to come for the photo - go figure..... Did I say that our venue was wonderful?????? Well, back to packing and loading..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shar Schmutz Posted July 9, 2012 Report Share Posted July 9, 2012 I would like to chime in here and also thank APQS for making this dream come true, the event absolutely could not have happened without them letting us use the machines. A "Long Arm" Quilting retreat without machines just doesn't work!!! This was such a valuable time for everyone attending including me! This was my first retreat of any type and the first time I have taught classes. I almost fainted when I found out I was teaching three classes and doing one gadget demo!!! talk about into the fire! Thank you Barb for pushing me to grow even more. All the ladies in my classes were very sweet and demonstrated they were there to learn what ever I may be able to teach them. The only complaint I received was one class needed to be longer! LOL!!! Two hours was just not enough, honestly I didn't think I knew that much. Barb's classes were filled to the brim but everyone I spoke with loved them and the encouragement and confidence she instilled in the students. Remember when we were all timid beginners and afraid of the machines etc! The ladies attending who were not yet long arm machine owners were thrilled to get to play and learn more helping them decide to join our Long Arm family eventually. As Barb stated, the venue was to die for; learning in such a fun, beautiful, and relaxed atmosphere is just ice cream on the pineapple upside down cake! If my husband was ever went to stay at Palouse Divide Lodge, I would never get him to leave, the meals were fantastic, our hosts were like family after o ly a few hours. I met some of our Chat family and was happy to make so many new friends. It was great to meet Patty Jo's new hubby George and what cute couple they make! I was also happy to reconnect with Sharon Moorehead and meet her husband and business partner Ron. Thanks again APQS!!!! The attendees were already talking about next year, hopefully it can happen again with your generous assistance!! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamu Posted July 9, 2012 Report Share Posted July 9, 2012 I must add here also. Since I was so very privileged to be able to attend this Long Arm Retreat and being one of the students I wanted to add a little. As everyone said the venue was lovely, on a mountain top, over looking treed valley's with no other buildings in site, wake up to birds singing, fresh coffee brewing, a slight breeze as you sit on the balcony lined with incredible floral hanging baskets, watching the sun come up, chatting with old and new friends discussing what was learned and what was going to be learned that day. Then at days end, with wine glass in hand being able to watch the amber colored moon rise, twinkling stars on a midnight blue sky, smelling the freshness of the night coming....just perfect. Then classes were incredibly informative and every teacher took the time to answer all questions of the students until they understood the answers. The hands on experiences were wonderful and I must also say THANK YOU APQS!!!!!!!! for allowing us to use your machines and letting us play with machines we would never have otherwise had the opportunity to do so. For myself, I probably will be upgrading now since I have been able to use the machines that were there. The hands on in practicing the lessons learned, has really really helped me in understanding just how marvelous these machines really are. Should they not have been there, I would not have been able to use each style...Lenni, Lucey, Freedom and Millie on Bliss or not on Bliss. A person can read and listen to what others say about these machines...but until you are able to use them for 3 days...you really don't have a true understanding. The door prizes and generosity of Barb was over the top! I had another lady riding with me and we really had to get creative in our packing to fit all these lovely gifts in with all of the other stuff we had brought. We both said that we will be attending again should Barb be able to organize another retreat like this. If there are any of you out there that was not sure about coming or not....well, you really missed out on a fabulous experience and one that I will remember for a very, very long time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbm Posted July 9, 2012 Report Share Posted July 9, 2012 Awwwww, I'm blushing!! Truly, this was the work of many people - I was just a facilitator. We couldn't have done it without our teachers, our vendors, our machines, our students, our venue - it all worked together! Here's hoping we can pull it all together for a repeat! But not toooo soon - it's good to finally be home, and my DH won't get to a bed until the wee hours of the morning.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbm Posted July 9, 2012 Report Share Posted July 9, 2012 Mikey and the APQS Sprinter are safe and sound in Portland - Yay! Now I can go to bed.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbm Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 Here are a couple of photos of our Hands-On Classroom - four tables and seven heads..... The Bliss tables, courtesy of APQS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbm Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 And my non-Bliss tables... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbm Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 There are more photos available for viewing at http://www.flickr.com/photos/tmequilting/ ...man, did we get tired of that purple!... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IQ'd Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 WOW That looks like a whole lot o fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wish I could have been there! I would have loved something like that when I was deciding what machine to get and how to use it.... All self taught here!! Had a few classes quite a while after I got my Milli but I have to tell you I got the Milli mainly because of this forum!!!! Quilters are such nice, nice people!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riverside Quilting Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 These posts don't even begin to describe how beneficial this retreat was to me! As a newbie, Millie was set up just two short weeks ago. I've been a regular forum reader for the past three months trying to absorb as much as possible before my new Millie was delivered. During the three days of the retreat and attending a minimum of three classes a day, I was introduced to a large amount of information in a very short amount of time. And the APQS machines let me practice firsthand what our very gifted teachers shared! Thank you APQS! Barb, Shar and all my new longarm friends, thank you for sharing your vast knowledge with me! I look forward to attending our next event! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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