UFO Quilting Retreat

Last weekend Russellee BnB Craft Retreats hosted a UFO Quilting Retreat.  Nine lovely ladies travelled to Tumut from Sydney, Braidwood, Queanbeyan and Canberra for this retreat.

Most of these ladies had not met before the retreat and new friendships were made over the weekend.  Quilt tops were completed and lots of ideas were shared.

Tony again did a wonderful job of providing food for the ladies.  It never ceases to amaze me the beautiful meals that he presents to the ladies.
A couple of the ladies had to leave on the Sunday afternoon but the rest stayed an extra night to enjoy a wonderful Quilting Party presented by Maru Soto of Material Girls Down Under.  Maru had a great range of gadgets, fabrics, and books for the ladies to purchase.  Maru  also made the morning special with games with quilting themes and demonstrations of gadgets and quilt blocks.

Local ladies from Batlow and Tumut also came to the 'Quilting Party'.  A highlight of the morning was a show and tell.
Geraldine Fleming from Batlow showed her wonderful NZ themed quilt.  Geraldine made the centre panels of the quilt in Amanda Daleys workshop on our 2ns Australian Quilting Cruise.  Well done Geraldine.

Workshop and Retreat at Russellee BnB Tumut

Upcoming Workshop and Retreat at Russellee BnB.  Fabric Mosaic Workshop with Robyn Taylor the 23-24 May. Workshop and accommodation on Saturday night is $190. Extra nights accommodation is available.

 

 A UFO Retreat 19-21 June.  Cost is $220 and includes two nights accommodation and all meals. Bring those unfinished quilts, wall hangings or start a new project. You do not have to be a quilter.  Last retreat we had a crotcheter and a lovely lady doing cross stitch.  This is a great weekend to relax and indulge in your passion for craft.  No cooking, washing up or housework!!!

 

 
 

 
 

News from Russellee

The past five weeks have been full on for Russellee BnB Craft Retreats.  Our first quilting retreat for the year was our 4^th Australian Quilting and Embroidery Cruise.  This left Sydney on the 22^nd February for 11 nights around the north island of New Zealand.  Teachers were Helen Godden, Jan Pilgrim, Chris Dowell and myself.  We had 34 wonderful ladies attend.  Several of these ladies were making their second and even third cruise with us.

The week after returning home I had 11 scrapbookers for my first Scrappin’ Retreat for the year.  We had a new comer this time in that we had a male scapper come.  His work was superb.

I was invited to the South Coast Quilters 25^th Anniversary Luncheon last Monday as the quest speaker.  I was very impressed with the standard of this event and can not praise the organisers highly enough for there presentation on the day.   

Last weekend saw the return on Sandy’s Quilters from Canberra.  This group started coming about 7 years ago and are now doing two retreats at Russellee a year.  Thank you Sandy for your group’s wonderful patronage.

Planning is well on the way for our Bali/Lombok Quilting Retreat Fabric and Cultural Tour.  This is filling fast.  We take a maximum of 10 on this trip and do the trip once a year.  I have posted our itinerary.  This trip is great value at $1749 per person land content.  This includes twin share accommodation, all breakfasts, all lunches, for dinners and entry into places on the itinerary as well as the use of a sewing machine.

Our 5^th Australian Quilting Cruise is well into planning also.  The cruise will leave Sydney on the 14^th February 2016. I hope to have all the class information up very soon.

Don’t forget Russellee can organise private craft retreats for up to 10 ladies most times of the year.  Just contact me for details at russeldr@bigpond.com

Dorothy

Alaskan Quilting Cruise 2015 Update

All is set for our 4th Australian Quilting Cruise leaving on the 22nd February.  We are now gearing up for our Alaskan Quilting Cruise on the 4th September.  The ship is Royal Caribbean 'Radiance of the Seas'. We are taking a maximum of 24 quilters on this cruise.  Not only are we taking Australian ladies we would like to invite our sisters in patchwork from Canada and the US.

Two Aussie teachers will be presenting the workshops on the 7 night cruise through Inside Passage from Vancouver and return.  There will be three works shops and we are providing sewing machines.
Chris Dowell had designed two appliques, one with an Australian theme and one with a Alaskan theme.  These can be made into a wall hanging or a cushion cover.  Alternatively the applique can be combined with Dorothy's workshop.  A quilt top.

Dorothy has three themes for her workshop. The Australian Outback, the Australian Bush and the Alaskan Wilderness.
Our final workshop will be our Mystery Workshop.  This has always been a hit on our cruises.

Combined Workshops

The cruise plus taxes, gratuities, workshops, and use of a sewing machine starts from around $1700 US.  An optional kit fee of $100 or bring your own fabrics.  For information contact Lorelle Hardt lorelle@craftingcruises.com, check out the information http://www.craftingcruises.com/cruisepdf/AlaskaQuiltingCruise2015.pdf
or contact Dorothy russeldr@bigpond.com

In conjunction with this cruise I have asked Debbie Rodd from Rocky Mountain Quilting Tours to put together a pre and post cruise two week quilting tour of the Rocky Mountains of Canada.  This will include visits to quilt shops, a quilting lesson, visit to a quilt group and of course sight seeing the spectacular Rocky Mountains.

The pre cruise tour is full however there are vacancies in the post cruise tour.  The cost is $3995 Australian dollars.  Contact me for details russeldr@bigpond.com.

Airfares and pre/post accommodation is up to the individual.  Lorelle is also putting together some shorter Rocky Mountain tours.
Happy quilting
Dorothy

Upcoming Workshops/Retreats at Russellee BnB Craft Retreats Tumut

Russellee BnB Crafts Retreats is off the a busy year starting with the upcoming 4th Australian Quilting Cruise to NZ on the 22nd February 2015.

We are also hosting Retreats and Workshops at our BnB in Tumut and these are as follows:

Thread Painting Landscapes - 28 - 29 March 2015.

May 2014 Class

UFO Weekend (Finish all those started projects) 17-19 April 2015.

Roz finishing her quilt that she started on the cruise.

Fabric Mosaic with Robyn Taylor - 2-3 May 2015.

These retreats include accommodation.

 
Our Bail/Lombok Quilting Retreat, Fabric and Cultural Tour the 26th July - 8th August 2015 is filling fast.  We only take 10 ladies on this trip.

2013 Bali Group

The highlight of our trips this year and our biggest undertaking yet is our North to Alaska Quilting Cruise. This is the 2nd September 2015.  We are taking a maximum of 24 ladies on this. In conjunction with this trip I have orgained with Debbie Rodd of Rocky Mountain Quilting Tours a pre cruise (this one is full) and a post cruise two week boutique quilting tour visiting quilt shops, quilt groups a class and of course touring the spectacular Rocky Mountains of Canada.

If you would like information on any of these retreats/workshops contact me. email russeldr@bigpond.com

 

 

 

Bali Quilting Retreat 2015

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Russellee BnB Craft Retreats is putting together their annual Quilting Retreat, Fabric and Cultural Tour to Bail. This year we are going earlier and the dates are 26th July - 8th August. We take a maximum of 10 ladies which is a nice size ...group. Every one gets to know each other and wonderful friendships develop.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first week we fabric shop till we drop. The fabrics are amazing. Beautiful Batiks are $2.50 per mtr and jelly rolls are around $15. We also have a go of creating our own piece of Batik fabric. This has been very popular of our previous trips as it give you an appreciation of the beautiful Batik fabrics and to bring home something special.

 

This year we are trying something different. The second week, our sewing week, is going to be in Lombok. We have a lovely resort booked and Lombok offers some different sight seeing. We provide sewing machines. They are basic Singers but they certainly do the job.

 If you would like more information please contact me russeldr@bigpond.com

Alaskan Quilting Cruise 2015

A wonderful way to see Alaska is on a cruise ship.  Combine this with indulging in your passion for patchwork and you have a Retreat at Sea.  Come North to Alaska with Chris Dowell, Dorothy Clee and Crafting Cruises for this trip of a life time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We will be sailing on the beautiful Radiance of the Seas for this amazing experience with a round trip from Vancouver.  Leaving on the 4^th September and returning on the 11^th September 2015.

There are three workshops which will be held during sea days.  A jelly roll quilt ,  ‘Country Colours’, with Dorothy and an appliqué project, ‘Furry Friends’, with Chris.  Chris has designed her projects especially for the cruise.  Both these workshops have an Australian and an Alaskan theme. And of course we have a ‘Mystery’ workshop. Sewing machines are provided and kits are available.

Visit quilt shops at Juneau and Ketchikan within walking distance to the ship. Cruise the amazing Tracy Arm Fjord. Lorelle from Crafting Cruises is putting together some suggestions for pre and post tours of the Canadian Rocky Mountains.

I have also arranged a pre and post cruise two week Rocky Mountain Quilting Tour with Debbie Rod.  This visits Canada’s largest quilt shop, meet with Canmore Mountain Cabin Quilters, enjoy an all day appliqué workshop with a local quilter and of course sight seeing in the Rocky Mountains.  Visit Banff, Lake Louise, and the Icefields Parkway and Jasper.

This tour is very personalised and the groups are small.  The pre cruise tour is booked out but the post cruise tour has vacancies.

This is a wonderful way to combine a love of quilting with a trip of a life time visiting beautiful countryside and seeing wonderful sights.  Bring an extra suitcase for all the lovely fabrics that will tempt us to buy.

For information and pricing on the Alaskan Quilting Cruise and optional Rocky Mountain Quilting Tour please contact me. russeldr@bigpond.com