April 30, 2013

• Quilt Camp

  This past weekend I went to Quilt Camp!  It is held at beautiful Camp Bethel, in Fincastle, VA, not too far away!  Twice a year a group of about 26 of us get together and rent a place at the camp for a long weekend.  We stay in one building that has a very large room to sew in, and 4 rooms off of that with bunk beds – we each get a bottom bunk.   We go to the dining hall for delicious meals.  We can sew all day long and into the night if we want to.  Most everyone brings her sewing machine, but not always.  This year two ladies did handwork the whole time.  We set up ironing boards, cutting tables, a table for coffee and tea, and a table for snacks.  Some of us see each other often throughout the year, but some of the gals come from farther away and it is like a mini reunion!  The youngest this time was 42 and the oldest was 84!  

  I have taken lots of pictures at previous camps, of our quilts, our room, lots of people.  But I just didn’t feel like running all around with my camera this time!  I wanted to relax, sew, enjoy visiting with my friends without always snapping pictures.  I did sew – two tablerunners and binding for two other quilts, and a little handwork.  I learned some new skills – everyone is so friendly and helpful!  And I was reminded that almost 10 years ago, when I went to my first camp, I didn’t even know how to use a rotary cutter or machine piece my quilts.  I had previously learned to do it all by hand.  What a lot I have learned in 10 years!  And, more important than that, what wonderful friends I have made in those 10 years!

  I did take walks each day of camp, and so this time I decided to just get some pictures of the beautiful camp in the spring.  Many of my local friends spent their childhoods going to camp at Camp Bethel, which holds camps all summer long, or they sent their children to camp there.  They might love seeing these pictures!

  Here is the lodge where we stay and sew -

                     

  The dogwoods and redbuds were beautiful, and the scenery is lovely and peaceful -

                     

                     

                     

                     

                     

                     

                     

                     

                     

                     

                     

                     

  This is the building where we go to eat -

                     

   

  I didn’t take these cutie pies to camp with me, but I sure did miss them!

                     

  • 11:32 pm
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