Retreat Bags

Our Centreville Quilters Unlimited guild fall retreat is this coming weekend. We go to a semi-rustic retreat center in Winchester and sew, sew, sew for the whole weekend!! We all take lots of projects and supplies, so I'm glad to have these two GINORMOUS cool retreat bags!! This first one I just finished last weekend. My friend Linda bought the fabric for this bag a while back... for my birthday, I think??? It's about time I got it made up, huh?

I love the vintage look of the panel and I adore the bright primary colors! And boy, is this bag BIG!! It will hold lots of projects and supplies to haul to retreat! Thanks, Linda! I love it!

This big bag is my rendition of a bag a fellow CQU retreater Jean has brought to every retreat since I've been coming. She made it in a class while learning how to quilt. So I looked at it carefully and measured it and recreated it my way!

I used those cute quilter panels that I'd bought a while back but never knew what to make with them. And I had some cute fabrics with sewing notions printed on them in bright colors that went well with the panels. Both sides are made with different panels.

I used bright variegated quilting thread to quilt it. The long wooden dowels give the bag some structure and I added the 2 shoulder straps to make it easier to carry in from the car.




So, now, each day this week after work, I've got to get my retreat projects all cut out and supplies collected and packed in these bags in readiness for the retreat! Can't wait!! :-)