First, you need a fun group of creative people who share your passion for quilting, beading, sewing, knitting, whatever. Add a beautiful mountain setting and someone else preparing three squares a day and you’re all set. Oh, right. A nest to make stuff – The Perfect Retreat Work Space only happens if you have your quilt retreat packing list.
I attend a design retreat each fall with inspiring people. We have one assignment to do (because we like to think we’re learning something). We can bring whatever else we want to work on, as long as we keep our stuff on our own six-foot table. Some of us are better at that than others. But we all know who we are, and gentle reminders do the trick. We make a lot of quilts, and some people power through a lot of Christmas gifts. Others knit, work on garments, make jewelry, hike, sleep, read – whatever refuels body and soul. And laugh. A lot.
I usually bring quilting projects and set up my table with a raised cutting and pressing platform. I made it to be more friendly to my back. Sometimes I bring beading projects, too, because sometimes everybody has a bad sew day (which never lasts long, by the way, with this group). By the end of the retreat, the area under the platform has lots of notes on “how she did that”, swapped fabric, door prizes, and auction purchases. I sew, therefore I am. The Perfect Retreat Work Space is my home away from home.
How to Equip Your Traveling Retreat Studio
Depending on what you’re used to, a 6-foot table may be an opportunity to spread out. If that’s the case, enjoy your extra real estate! But if your home studio is roomier, confining yourself to a tabletop presents a challenge. So bring the essentials. The precise quilting retreat packing list will vary from person to person, but there are a few basics that will help your mini-studio operate at peak efficiency.
Do lines form at the cutting and pressing stations? Create a small space for these tasks at your table. (Make sure your retreat center can handle the power draw of extra irons – a blown circuit that shuts down the room makes people cranky.) You can set aside a space on your table for these tasks, but if you want to raise your work surface to a more comfortable standing height, it’s easy to make a table from a 2-foot X 2-foot piece of plywood, some leg brackets and short (8-12 inches, depending on your height) screw-in legs. And you get 4 square feet of bonus storage underneath the platform!
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Read more about our affiliate linking policy.
Just the right size for classroom work, the Omnigrid Fold-Away Cutting & Pressing Station saves steps between cutting and pressing tasks. Press your blocks and square them up without missing a beat. When folded up, it is easy to transport and store out of the way.
A 1500-watt iron that comes in its own little heat-resistant suitcase is perfect for grab-and-go retreating. With a symmetrical soleplate, there’s no twisting and turning to get into corners with either hand while using the cordless Panasonic NI-WL600 Multi-Directional Iron. It’s nice that your hands don’t get tangled with the cord, and the water tank removes for filling, avoiding dribbles. This iron is pointy at both ends, so you will need to put it back in its charging station rather than set it upright between presses. But that habit develops quickly.
Where did that ruler go?? Store your rulers visibly and vertically in a Nest Organizer that was designed by a quilter. It’s smaller and lighter than most ruler racks, and that’s nice for portability. The unique flexible design adapts to rulers, marking tools, scissors and more, adding versatility to its list of features.
Every artist needs good light, but not every retreat center has it. It’s easy to bring along, however. A good choice is the Brightech LightView Pro Flex 2 in 1. It’s a bright LED light with a magnifier (a real bonus if you do close work). It comes with both a base and a clamp, so you can set it on your table or clip it to the side.
A dull or nicked rotary cutter blade can ruin a retreat! Make sure you always have backup with a case of extra blades in your retreat go-bag. A 5-pack of 45mm Olfa blades with keep you cutting with ease, and you might just be able to rescue a frustrated fellow quilter and make a new best friend!
Just in case, it’s a good idea to pack a few sizes of bandages, such as Nexcare Hypoallergenic Waterproof Bandages. After all, bleeding on fabric (yours or your neighbor’s) is frowned upon at retreats. With scissors, pins, needles and rotary cutters all around, chances are good you will get poked with something! These bandages hold up to handwashing – an important consideration for all.
Browse through all of our quilting projects and inspiration on Create Whimsy.