Bali Quilting Retreat 5 September 2016

Cost is $1895 land only.

Airfares are not included and are around $600. Virgin and Gruda have direct flights and are very reasonable in cost.

INCLUSIONS:

Accommodation in twin rooms (single accommodation is also available).
Hotels as per the itinerary.
Breakfast daily.
Lunch daily.
Dinner days 1, 4, 11 and 12
Tours and lessons as per the itinerary,
Use of a sewing machine. (Cutting boards and irons are provided)
Mystery class kit.
Not included: Travel insurance and Visa.  The Visa is $35 US obtainable at the airport on arrival

Day 1

Monday 5 September
Flight from Australia to Bali.
We will meet  you and transfer to the Dutch Colonial Hotel Inna Bali Denpasar. All rooms are air-conditioned and there is a nice swimming pool. Dinner tonight is at the hotel and is a recreation of the Dutch rijsttafel
Day 2
Tuesday 6 September
This morning to Denpasar to visit the material shops, material by the metre also jelly rolls and fat quarter packs. Other materials and quilting backing are also available as well as layer cake, six packs and charm packs. Afterwards  to the outskirts of Kuta for lunch, then visit two wonderful haberdashery shops and French fashion outlet. Before returning to Denpasar visit the large Galeria mall with its Matahari department store, shoe shops, bookshops and perfume shops.

Day 3
Wednesday 7 September
This morning you will have a batik-making workshop and learn how to make your own piece of batik, which you can take home as a souvenir. Batik-making copper stamps of various designs and sizes are available for purchase.

After the lesson to Batubulan and lunch at John’s house . After lunch to Celuk, centre of the silver jewellery industry where you will visit a silver smith and see his traditional family compound.Then to Mas, just before Ubud and your hotel Taman Harum (fragrant garden), owned by one of Bali’s most prominent woodcarving families.

After checking in a short drive into Ubud centre for a look at the shops followed by dinner, after which return to the hotel.
Day 4
Thursday 9 September
This morning travel north through the Tegallalang valley and craft villages, where many of the handicrafts sold locally and for export are made. Stop also at the beautiful 700 year old rice terraces. This area specializes in crochet, and clothes, table cloths and bedcovers are available. At Tirta Gunung Kawi visit the temple dedicated to the rice goddess and see the spring where the water from lake Batur emerges. Continue north to the Batur caldera, then drive down through recent lava flows from this active volcano to Tirta Sanjiwani hot springs beside the lake. After time to enjoy both the hot and lukewarm pools lunch is in the restaurant overlooking  the lake.  After lunch return to the top of the caldera and then travel east to Klungkung, stopping at the fabric markets, one of the largest in Bali, visited by few tourists, so prices are very competitive. From Klungkung continue east to Candi Dasa, a quiet and pretty seaside village and hotel Ashyana for your quilting retreat.
Dinner tonight is included and will be accompanied by a traditional Balinese dance performance.

Day 5
Friday 10 September
Today is the start of quilting. Sewing machines are provided.  Opportunity to relax at the pool or wander down the street and visit the local shops.
Day 6
Saturday 11 September
Today is a quilting day
Day 7

Sunday 12 September
Morning visit to Tenganan ancient village to see geringsing – double-weft weaving – found only here in Bali. You will also see other handicrafts traditionally made in the village. Lunch is in Tenganan after which return to Candi Dasa to continue quilting
Day 8
Monday 13 September
Quilting Day
Day 9
Tuesday 14 September
Quilting Day.  Dorothy will present a Mystery Workshop.  Kits will be provided.
Day 10
Wednesday 15 September
This morning travel east to the coast and visit a small hospitality college, where the students will have prepared lunch for you. They will wait on you at the table and are keen to practice their English skills.
After lunch to the Royal Water Gardens of Tirtagangga, then to Amlapura and a visit to the king’s palace and fabric shops in the town. Finally to the other royal water gardens at Ujung on the coast before returning to Candi Dasa.
Day 11
Thursday 16 September
Quilting Day. Tonight there will be a show and tell of quilting followed by a farewell dinner.
Day 12
Friday 17 September
After packing travel to Kemenuh village and visit Eddy’s family compound for lunch. Afterwards return to Denpasar fabric shops for any last minute shopping needs, after which to the airport and your flight home.
Final dinner at Jimbaran.

Day 13
Saturday 18 September Arrive back in Australia with wonderful memories, fabulous fabric and new friends. 

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