Camp Cheerio

It’s really great when I can combine two of my favorite activities at one time, quilting and traveling. I got to do just that when I attended a quilting retreat at Camp Cheerio, a YMCA camp near Sparta, North Carolina.

I belong to an online forum and some of the women have organized a wonderful retreat at the YMCA camp for the last five years. This year I FINALLY got to go!  The big dilemma was whether to fly or drive. If I drove, I could pack my sewing machine, loads of fabrics and quilts to work on, and stop to see friends along the way. If I flew, I would be there the same day and not need to plan two plus weeks for the four day retreat.

After checking to see if I could redeem miles for my flight, the question was resolved. I would fly to Charlotte and carpool up to camp with three other quilters who were flying in for the event. Since my ticket only cost $10 (airline taxes), I checked one suitcase with my clothes and fabrics ($25 each way) and carried on a small bag with my sewing machine.

I arrived at the Denver airport and found out that my flight was oversold. Would I be willing to give up my seat and be rebooked on another flight? They were offering $250 credit and would put me on a non-stop flight that actually arrived before my connecting flight would get there. Seemed like a no-brainer to me! Once they got everyone checked in for the flight, they told me they were upping the offer to $300 and would give me a meal voucher to use in Charlotte when I arrived because I would have to wait the two hours for my checked bag to arrive. It still seemed like a good deal to me!

After arriving in Charlotte, I had a nice lunch (compliments of the airline) and waited for my bag to arrive. I met Marsha, one of the other women going to the retreat, and we took the shuttle to our hotel for the night. The third, Linda, arrived later that evening and we had a great time visiting. After breakfast, Fran, our fourth traveling companion came to the hotel and we loaded the rental car and were on our way to camp.

First stop, Mary Jo’s Fabrics in Gastonia, North Carolina.  http://maryjos.reachlocal.net/  It was a sensory delight – but not so good on my credit card. We spent almost two hours savoring the wide variety of fabrics and enjoyed the great prices. I had to remind myself that whatever I bought still had to fit into my suitcase! Linda, on the other hand, had her purchases shipped home! Next stop was Carolina Bar-B-Q in Statesville, NC. http://carolinabar-b-q.com/    The food was yummy and the people were so friendly! A nice little respite before heading on to camp.

We arrived at Camp Cheerio about 2:30 on Thursday afternoon and unloaded our sewing equipment at the Sloan Center. We had a wonderful room set up to accommodate 15 quilters, along with tables for cutting fabric, playing games, and snacks. 

The camp provided three fabulous meals a day – all we had to do was walk down to the dining hall. We all had our own rooms in another building with great internet access.

The camp is located near Roaring Gap, North Carolina in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Some of the gals said I would really notice the elevation – about 4000’. I had to remind them that I live at 4980’ so it was just like being at home.  The colors in North Carolina were JUST beginning to change while we were there. It was pretty, but I’m sure they will be fabulous by the end of the month. (another trip, maybe?)

I had a great time getting to know my online friends in person and get some sewing projects done, as well. I managed to get two quilt tops finished, and two others started. Jennifer taught us how to make these cute origami fabric boxes. 

I am anxious to see how they work making larger ones. We also played a fun dice game – Left, Right, Center. The prize – Fabric squares! I was NOT the winner, but had fun anyway. Theresa taught us a couple fun quilting techniques that I hope I can incorporate into a future quilt. So many ideas … so little time!

On our last night there we were treated to a beautiful sunset.  I had such a great time sewing until midnight or later, meeting new people, and making friendships that I hope last a lifetime!