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You might think that golf and quilting have nothing in common. Golf is played outside while quilting happens primarily indoors. Golfers desire a hole-in-one, but quilters do not generally aspire for holes in any of their masterpieces. However, if you think about it, golf and quilting do have some things in common. Both golfers and quilters love greens - for totally different reasons. We both know how to handle irons - either to hit the ball or to press those seams into submission. We like using bags and caddies to hold all our gadgets for our hobby, unfortunately quilter's caddies don't hand us our tools. Finding the bias or straight of grain in fabric is a lot like lining up a putt. We don't like bogeys any better than golfers do, especially if it causes reverse sewing. Quilters occasionally incorporate birdies and eagles into their designs. Like golfers who are happy to finish the 18th hole but want to play another round, quilters are overjoyed to complete that quilt and ready to start another right away. Lastly, think about those golf outfits and the colors and variety of fabrics - it must be a lot like picking out fabric for a quilt.

The time spent on the course with fellow golfers is probably much like time spent with fellow quilters at a retreat. Time passes too quickly and needles, like clubs and balls, fly. There is a lot of laughter and storytelling. There is also talk about the newest equipment - for a quilter that means fabric, threads, sewing machines, tools and patterns.

At Thunder Bay Resort there are other reasons to share interests in golf and quilting. It makes a great place during the warmer months to bring along your spouse or friend who enjoys time on the course, while you spend time with fellow quilters. Where else can you find a place that can appeal to such seemingly different interests?

Just like golfers have pros to give them helpful tips to improve their game, we are fortunate at Thunder Bay Resort to have access to so many creative and talented instructors at our retreats! Like a game of golf, each retreat has its own unique personality and flavor seasoned by those that gather here and the things we experience together. If you are looking for a creative spark or just quality time spent with others who share your passion about quilting or golf - this is the place to come. Check out the schedule and make a little time for yourself, you will be glad you did and it is the best investment you can make!

Schedule of 2008 Retreats:

All retreats are Thursday through Sunday, unless otherwise noted.

August 21-24 Mark Lipinski

September 4-7 Gyleen Fitzgerald

October9-12 Edyta Sitar

October 16-19 Pam Hively

October 23-26 Amy Davidson

For more information about these retreats, contact our retreat coordinator, Pam Achatz, by e-mail at: pam@thunderbaygolf.com or by telephone at: 1-800-729-9375

Meet the Instructors:
Mark Lipinski
The "bad boy of quilting", Mark Lipinski, visits from August 21 - 24. To name but a few of his accomplishments: raises honey bees and laying hens; launched his own line of quilting patterns called: The Quilts of Pickle Road; designer of products, workshops, and fabrics; and conceived and developed Mark Lipinski's Quilter's Home magazine published by CKMedia and available on newsstands and by subscription. Mark's project will be "Simple Simon." For more information about the dynamic Mark Lipinski, please go to our website or check out his at: http://www.marklipinski.com/. You might also want to join Mark's posse.

Gyleen FitzgeraldQuilting is Gyleen Fitzgerald's passion! She has been quilting since 1981 and began needlework at the age of 4. She is an author of two published books - The Dream and Poetry and Patchwork. She is a regular contributor in Quilt Magazine, Patchwork Quilting and Quilter's Almanac magazines. In 1999 she opened Colorful Stitches and formed it's first subsidiary, FPI Publishing in 2005. Gyleen's quilts blend colour, pattern and texture to provide a contemporary essence to traditional quilting. She will be teaching Spider Hexagon - an antique quilt which was "re-drafted for the modern woman." You will find an article on dying fabric from Gyleen as well as a pattern included with this newsletter.
 I know how to get to eggplant: Secrets of the color wheel
By Gyleen Fitzgerald
I began experimenting with hand-dying fabric techniques in 1998 and in 1999 I turned it into a business. All things considered the process is easy and inexpensive; although for some it may be far cheaper to purchase the fabric from a local source or commercial supplier. I freely mix hand-dyed and commercial fabric in my quilts. Hand-dyed fabric is more flexible than solid fabric as it has a nondescript visual texture.
 
I started by using two very good all around hand-dyeing books: Hand-dyed Fabric Made Easy (Adriene Buffington) and Dyeing to Quilt (Joyce Mori and Cynthia Myerberg). You will need a good book and it is extremely important to follow all the safety precautions.
 
Over time I developed my own method to hand-dye both silk and cotton; which probably can be described as a combination of the techniques outlined in the books I listed. I only dye Fat Quarters as they are the perfect size to fit into the large yogurt cup containers and are easy to manipulate to get even color. I only use the three primary colors plus black and brown. I stopped writing down formulas years ago since it wasnt important to me to be able to reproduce a particular color. Most of my quilts contain 20 plus fabrics so this skipped step worked for me and my lab books were a mess even in college.
 
What I've learned:
 

• Kona cotton (PFD-Prepared For Dyeing) works best to get a cracked glass look.
• Broadcloth produces higher intensity of color and is the same as the base fabric in most batiks.
• Quilters Cotton produces a super soft brushed or suede look.
• Beige base fabric produces soft muted tones no matter how bright the dye bath.
• Dark colors look terrible on white on beige or white on white fabric. The printing of the white part doesnt absorb dye and jumps out. BUT, turn it to the wrong side and your back in business!
• Most black and white fabric worked fine with any color added but black and beige fabric got very muddy.
• The dye concentration lasts longer than you think and when in doubt use it anyway. This assumes you have plenty of fabric in case it turns out differently than you expected.
• You dont really need to rinse it until the water runs clear. It is going to be put into the washer anyway with synthrapol. I rinse quickly in a bucket of water (thats not changed very often) and things turn out just fine.
• You dont need to separate colors in the washer. I set the washer to large load, hot wash and rinse. Fill the washer, add synthrapol and agitate a minute, stop the washer, add the fast rinsed dyed fabric. Start the washer. It is amazing that light yellow is okay with navy blue and red.

Quilter's Tips

Tulip (owner of quilter-human Mark Lipinski), offers the following tips:
"Mark hates it when his ruler slips. To stop the slipping rulers from ruining his rotary cutting (and my life), he uses my hot glue gun to make small dots of hot glue on the back of his acrylic rulers. Once the glue dots harden, the ruler slipping stops! And you can flick off the cold glue dots with ease (and a finger nail) if you no longer want them on your ruler! Let's go, girls!"

Mark's Lavender Linen Water Recipe:

Combine:

• 2 cups of distilled water
• 2 ounces of cheap vodka
• 15 to 20 drops of 100% essential oil of lavender (available at health food stores) or another 100% essential oil scent of your choice
• Add the mixture to your steam iron and enjoy the aroma while you piece. Store the leftover water in the fridge.

Try It - You Might Like It
by Karen A. Gibson

I often go into a class somewhat skeptical of my abilities. The instructors make it look so simple and anyone can do it, right? When Becky Goldsmith recently visited, I decided to again confront two areas that often frustrate me - paper-piecing (of arcs, no less) and hand appliqué. I left those classes with a wealth of information and hope. I was inspired to think that maybe I can do paper-piecing after all. Maybe, I can actually learn to do hand appliqué work so it looks attractive. One of the best things that Becky pointed out was the importance of trying things the way the instructor shows you. It may not be the way you have always done it, but you owe it to yourself to try it. The experience alone will teach you something -- either new tricks to add to your stash or the confirmation that you have alternative solutions for quilting challenges.
 
by Gyleen Fitzgerald
Quilt Size: 21 x 21

So what do you do with all those scraps? I have boxes upon boxes of scraps. The definition of scraps for small quilts is considered trash to big quilts. They multiply if you try to sort them since they never fit back into the box from which they came. Chinese Coins (also known as Roman Strips) was a product of what to do with the little bits of pieces. This mini is set up in the stripy style bar quilt. It is very freeform so my dimensions are only guidelines.

Get out the old scrap box and dump it. Look for pieces with a straight edge and are 4 long; youll need 40 or so. If this is too overwhelming use the leftovers from last months quilt. Anyway, the easiest way to make the coins or pieced strips is by paper piecing techniques. Using legal paper or insert from the newspaper cut two strips approximately 17 long by 4 wide. Paperpiece scraps in horizontal rows, one upon the other to make the coins. I would use the width of my presser foot to guide the stitching; so all the sewing is done on the fabric side of the paperpiecing. Trim the seam allowance to 1/4. Dont worry about being perfectly horizontal; your finished strip will have a slight crazy piecing look to it. Trim the completed strips to 15 x 3 .

For the alternating unpieced strips, select a coordinating solid or print and cut (3) 15 x 3 . To form the quilts center alternate the unpieced strips with the pieces strips; it should measure ~15 x 15 .

The first border has corner blocks cut 2 x 2 . The border is cut 2 x 15 . The second border is cut 2, but decide on a width based on what looks balanced to you.

PS: You can use this same paperpiecing technique with your scraps to make larger blocks and use them as alternating blocks or fabric for half-square triangles.

Details are still being worked out on the complete schedule, but here are the dates for 2009.

April 30-May 3 Kay Nickols

October 15-18 To be determined

June 25-28 Nancy Odom

October 22-25 Sue Nickels

August 27-30 Joan Shay

November 5-8 To be determined

We Would Love to Hear From You!! Send us any tips, hints or patterns you would like to share. Drop us an e-mail with ideas, questions and thoughts for furture newsletters. We love quilting and want to make this an interesting and useful newsletter that you look forward to receiving. We will acknowledge any contribuitions we publish!! send e-mails to pam@thunderbaygolf.com Thanks & Happy Stitching!

CANCELLATION POLICY: Thunder Bay Resort reserves the right to cancel workshops and/or the whole retreat due to emergencies, incapacity of instructor, or lack of participation.

Thunder Bay Resort
Hillman, Michigan 800-729-9375