About the Retreat
The Retreat is held at the historic Richwood Presbyterian Church in Walton, Kentucky (see map below).
The quilt room offers cutting and ironing stations, design boards, sewing tables with chairs, air-conditioning/heat, natural lighting, and plenty of overhead lights for those all-night sewing marathons. Bring your machine and projects as well as any personal items you would like to have (mark all personal tools clearly).
Please bring snacks to share! Refrigeration is available. Coffee, tea, lemonade and water available all the time.
Daily welcome surprises; daily door prize drawing (Thursday through Saturday); mealtime devotion; jigsaw puzzle table for break; prayer room open 24 hours; tips and techniques; retreat project; class; loaner machines available (for mechanical issues); Give and Take table (bring unwanted usable quilting/sewing items: pattern books, magazines, material, tools, etc ...) and Silent Auction (see details below).
**NEW THIS YEAR**
We will be having a silent auction to benefit the church. We are not charged for using the facility. This will help cover the cost of electric, water, paper goods, etc... Bring your new or gently used items (quilting, crafting, household) and your generosity.
This year's project kit will be a set of quilt as you go patriotic pot holders!
(ignore the Christmas fabric...)
***Stack 'n Whack Class***
This unique quilting technique will be taught Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings. Thursday morning will be one to two people at a time. Friday will be a group class and Saturday will be instruction as needed. If you sign up for this class on the registration form, a materials list will be emailed to you. You will choose a twin, double or queen sized quilt to make!
Note: You will most likely only start your quilt at the retreat but will go home with the knowledge and instructions needed to complete it. Make sure you bring it back in 2024 to show it off!
Mission Project: Sew Powerful Purse Program.
Sewers from around the world help combat period poverty by providing reusable feminine hygiene supplies and health training to girls in Zambia. This enables them to attend school all month, improving academic performance while lowering pregnancies, STDs and AIDs. Go to sewpowerful.org to download the free purse patterns.
There are two. Make either or both!
You are welcome to use your time at the retreat to make purses, but you may want to make them ahead of time.
Don't get stressed about the pattern! Go step by step and you can do it.
You are welcome to stay at the church and we encourage you to do so to enjoy the full retreat experience!
You will need to bring a blow up mattress, cot or sleeping bag (thick mats available for underneath) pillow and linens.
Don't forget your toiletries, towels and pajamas or other comfy clothes!
Shower is available - sign up will be posted.
For those not comfortable staying at the church, there are several hotels nearby.
Meals will offer a variety of items and should accommodate most tastes.
If you have a medically necessary dietary issue, please include it on your registration.
If you have a personal dietary issue, you are welcome to bring your own food and snacks.
Please note: meals are prepared by retreat hosts. We are NOT catering certified but do our absolute best to prepare wholesome, balanced meals in a clean environment and pay special attention to sanitation and cross-contamination issues.
The quilt room offers cutting and ironing stations, design boards, sewing tables with chairs, air-conditioning/heat, natural lighting, and plenty of overhead lights for those all-night sewing marathons. Bring your machine and projects as well as any personal items you would like to have (mark all personal tools clearly).
Please bring snacks to share! Refrigeration is available. Coffee, tea, lemonade and water available all the time.
Daily welcome surprises; daily door prize drawing (Thursday through Saturday); mealtime devotion; jigsaw puzzle table for break; prayer room open 24 hours; tips and techniques; retreat project; class; loaner machines available (for mechanical issues); Give and Take table (bring unwanted usable quilting/sewing items: pattern books, magazines, material, tools, etc ...) and Silent Auction (see details below).
**NEW THIS YEAR**
We will be having a silent auction to benefit the church. We are not charged for using the facility. This will help cover the cost of electric, water, paper goods, etc... Bring your new or gently used items (quilting, crafting, household) and your generosity.
This year's project kit will be a set of quilt as you go patriotic pot holders!
(ignore the Christmas fabric...)
***Stack 'n Whack Class***
This unique quilting technique will be taught Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings. Thursday morning will be one to two people at a time. Friday will be a group class and Saturday will be instruction as needed. If you sign up for this class on the registration form, a materials list will be emailed to you. You will choose a twin, double or queen sized quilt to make!
Note: You will most likely only start your quilt at the retreat but will go home with the knowledge and instructions needed to complete it. Make sure you bring it back in 2024 to show it off!
Mission Project: Sew Powerful Purse Program.
Sewers from around the world help combat period poverty by providing reusable feminine hygiene supplies and health training to girls in Zambia. This enables them to attend school all month, improving academic performance while lowering pregnancies, STDs and AIDs. Go to sewpowerful.org to download the free purse patterns.
There are two. Make either or both!
You are welcome to use your time at the retreat to make purses, but you may want to make them ahead of time.
Don't get stressed about the pattern! Go step by step and you can do it.
You are welcome to stay at the church and we encourage you to do so to enjoy the full retreat experience!
You will need to bring a blow up mattress, cot or sleeping bag (thick mats available for underneath) pillow and linens.
Don't forget your toiletries, towels and pajamas or other comfy clothes!
Shower is available - sign up will be posted.
For those not comfortable staying at the church, there are several hotels nearby.
Meals will offer a variety of items and should accommodate most tastes.
If you have a medically necessary dietary issue, please include it on your registration.
If you have a personal dietary issue, you are welcome to bring your own food and snacks.
Please note: meals are prepared by retreat hosts. We are NOT catering certified but do our absolute best to prepare wholesome, balanced meals in a clean environment and pay special attention to sanitation and cross-contamination issues.
Meet Your Hosts
Jaimie and Judy attended their 16th retreat in their 16th state with the fall retreat in West Virginia this year!
Their goal is to attend a retreat in all 50 states and then some...
Their goal is to attend a retreat in all 50 states and then some...
Judy Witsberger
Judy, a native of Ohio, has been quilting and sewing since she was a little girl. She learned hand piecing and applique from her grandmother and has fond memories of sitting with her in the afternoons. She is a retired Special Education teacher and former Drew Elementary (Florida) Teacher of the Year.
She specializes in technique and has taught many small classes to girl scouts, women's and church groups. Judy is also a medium arm quilt machine owner, has created several original pantographs and enjoys repairing family quilts and making heirloom teddy bears. A prized possession is a velvet crazy quilt from one of her great grandmothers. She hopes one of her quilts will be a prized possession of one of her great grandchildren some day. Judy is a founding member of Quilters for Comfort, a quilt outreach group based at Richwood Presbyterian Church. In addition to quilting, she loves to travel, read and knit and has recently taken up painting! Judy also has a rather large collection of teddy bears. She has been married 65 years and currently lives in Florence, Ky, with her husband Bob. They have three children, five grandchildren and nine great grandchildren and two very spoiled dogs. |
Jaimie Henson
Jaimie, born in Ohio and raised in Texas, began her quilting experience with her great grandmother, spending mornings during visits cutting out pieces with a cardboard pattern and scissors. She picked the love for quilting back up as a Girl Scout leader, helping her troop make a quilt for a soldier's widow and another for his young son.
She specializes in basic quilt technique and truly enjoys sharing her knowledge with new quilters. She is a short arm quilter. Jaimie is also a founding member of Quilters for Comfort, a quilt outreach group based at Richwood Presbyterian Church. A flight attendant for 36 years, former Mrs. Kentucky United States 2015 and current Lt. Col. in the Civil Air Patrol (USAF Auxiliary), Jaimie has been married 34 years to Richard. They live in Independence, Ky., in a 118 year old Victorian home they are currently renovating. She is a proud military mom, has two children and two grandchildren. She is glad to have passed the lure of quilting onto her daughter and is already introducing her granddaughter to her sewing room. |
