I just attended Farm Fest by a local quilt shop. It was about 1 1/2 hrs west of Chicago... past a few cornfields but in a big city (2nd or 3rd largest in state). (Just didn't want you to think it was Chicago.) Anyway, there were about 60 of us. It was a lot of fun. Wanna come next July?

i like slipping with quilt but dont like with retreat

I have been looking for a place for my sister and I to get together and sew and enjoy each other's company. She lives in Pa and I'm on Long Island. I came across Dream Castle Quilts in Maryland and it seems perfect. I see someone posted that site for you to look at. Has anyone been there?

I don't know about retreats, but at the end of June is the Vermont Quilt Festival (VQF) in Burlington VT. I've gone a couple of years just for the show, didn't attend classes, but that could be an option if you don't find something else.
http://www.vqf.org/
Forgot to mention that I've also been to Keepsake Quilting in NH. That is an awesome store...and the area is beautiful. That would be a great location to stay for a while...LOL

Edited: I just thought about something I read re Carole Doak being from New Hampshire and when I checked it out, she will be at this place in VT for a retreat in June 2011. There are other retreats here as well. This may be something that you want to check out. I have never been there or have any affiliation with it.
http://quiltinginvermont.stronghouseinn.com/

i don't belong to a guild. A friend of mine who is a quilter decided to take a drive to Keepsake here in New England. It was just for the day so we took 2 vans and went for the day. The following year we decided to stay overnight. We stayed at the Inn at Mill Falls in Meridith NH, not far from Keepsake. The year after that we stayed for the weekend. Eleven years we continue to go. There are 20 of us now. I think it was a little over 200.00 this year and includes breakfast 2 days. We have full control of the ball room where we have our tables and cutting boards and irons ect. Its locked at night and we have a ball. (no pun intended.) I guess what I am trying to say is inns and hotels may also be able to give you a good deal. I guess it depends where you go.

Like mkdquilts, I was going to suggest that you friends just find a place and create your own retreat. My quilting girlfriends and I do that 2x a year at my house. We all sign up to provide one meal and we all usually bring extra snack stuff. Sometime we have gone out for dinner the first night and sometimes not. Some of our friends can only come for a day and they usually bring handwork. We have such a great time and it is a really inexpensive get away.

What type of retreat are you looking for? Do you want to attend classes or have an instructor? One of the best "retreats" I went to was one with a bunch of friends in a cabin with just our sewing supplies and food. No TV, Phones, or Internet to speak of. We had snow one day, rain one day, and sun one day. We'd go for walks, sew, and eat. It was awesome and didn't cost much with us splitting the cost of the cabin.

A couple on the East Coast you might check out are:

Myrtle Beach Quilt Party in January 2011 - website is http://www.mbqp.net - you select your choice of 1 - 2 day class for Thursday & Friday and 1 - full day class for Saturday and leave on Sunday.

Overall Quilter in NC does a few a year - January, April, July & October. I is in SC and the others are in Fancy Gap VA on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Typically, you make a mystery quilt and work on projects of your own - lots of fun and more sewing time than any other venue I have attended. All meals are catered and brought to the group. website is overallquilter.com

Hope you find a good place and have a great experience.

Carolina Girl

I know this isn't New England but it looks like a good deal!
http://www.stitchinheaven.com/. Click on retreats on the toolbar.

I know this isn't New England but it looks like a good deal!
http://www.stitchinheaven.com/. Click on retreats on the toolbar.

One of my LQS runs a retreat center behind the store. Threads of Time in Danville, IL. The retreat center is called Threads and Beds! There also is a yarn shop in the building!

Maggie in E. Central Illinois

I have stayed at the Kederburn Inn in Maine and they run quilting retreats, though I didn't realise this when I booked. Not sure if they're in the price range you're looking for, but Margaret who runs it is lovely. http://www.kedarquilts.com/quilters_retreats/quilters_retreats.htm

http://www.ask.com/web?q=Quilting+Retreats&qsrc=6&o=13747&l=dis

Ask . com ... search for quilt retreats/ camps

http://www.thunderbaygolf.com/quilters--scrapbook-retreats-14/

Here is a nice place in Hillman MI that always have quilt retreats.

http://www.pinetreequiltshoppe.com/

http://www.michigan.org/Things-to-Do/Deals/Detail.aspx?ContentId=1803cb1c-b943-4f96-aa19-d0bcdffda8f2&city=G3073&tab=city&sort=desc




'''''''''~

I have not been to any of these quilt retreats but I heard they were a blast. My work schedule will not allow it.

''''''~
Pick the state you want and go to the states tourist bureau all type of tourist info is posted there .... our state post quilt retreats.





Contact your statewide guild / quilting organization ( most states have one) and see what information they have on retreats in other states. AQS might also have information on their web sites.


Try your local guilds and see if they have been sent any information about retreats. Our guilds always get flyers and information.

Check with QUILT UNIVERSTIY and QNN web sites and see if they have any info posted.

http://www.quiltguilds.com/Default.htm

Find out if your favorite QUILT DIVA is hosting a retreat by visiting their web site. The list where they are teaching or even have taught. You can make your own quilt retreat by renting rooms near by and taking classes with your favorite Diva. I once spent a week attending classes and seminars and was at the same hotel as some of the instructors... DINNER each night was a blast as we talked quilting every night.


Google QUILT RETREATS and any place that host a retreat will come up....
i.e.


http://www.dreamcastlequilts.com/?page_id=10



GOOD LUCK and be sure to let us know how it goes ....
.