The Palacio Way

I recently returned from a quilt retreat organized by my friend Megan. It was in Gold Canyon, Arizona where the skies were cloudless and blue, and there were practically four seasons each day.  I’d awaken to temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, feel them warm by noon to the 70’s, only to turn right back down the other direction of the thermometer to the 40’s or even 30’s again at night. I can’t say we weren’t warned about this though. I’d packed not only all of my sewing projects but enough variety in my clothing for a week of different seasons.

And the retreat went off almost without a hitch, if you don’t count the fact that our organizer broke her dominant arm the week before we were supposed to fly out to the sunny southwest together.  She would require surgery and there were some complications with the preparation, but her healing could finally begin once over.  As disappointed as she was that she couldn’t make the trip, we were relieved that she would be able to take some time for herself amidst all of her other stressors. And let’s just say, there were many.  Until one day during the retreat when we got word that things were finally looking up for Megan. One by one, her stressors peeled and fell away like the layers of an onion. And Megan was able to join us remotely almost every day of the retreat.

We would sew and crochet and hand stitch for hours upon hours there on Palacio Way and I personally, finished most of the projects I had intended. They were not big, monumental projects; just small things intended as Christmas gifts for my besties, along with a project or two just for me.  I’d never been to a quilt retreat so my expectations of what happens at one were not real clear.  Let’s just say, I took more “work” with me than I had time to finish during the week. 

I am forbidden to say much about our retreat as we made an oath to each other that “what happens at quit retreat stays at quilt retreat.”  Believe me, I broke the oath once when talking to my sister long distance one night and will not make that mistake again. Suffice it to say, if you ever in your life get a chance to go on a quilt or sew retreat, or to organize one yourself, do it.  You have an immediate bond with the others there in that you are all there to quilt, sew, hand-stitch, knit, crochet or whatever your art form is.  You will have a chance to bond over food and drink, and activities outside of your art form. You will likely experience the support of your peers no matter where you are in your journey, as did I. No one is going to judge the way you dress or eat or even the time you go to bed and rise in the morning. And you will come away with a new set of friendships likely to last you a lifetime. 

So, as I sip my morning Christmas Blend tea from Miss Molly’s Tea Room (www.missmollys.net) I can easily recall the warmth of the Arizona days and the company we kept. Wine may have put us in good spirits but the camaraderie was the most priceless.  I will cherish these new friendships for a lifetime.