Katrina Hadjimichael Quilting Retreat at The Hunter Valley Hotel Academy, Kurri Kurri

I have just had a great weekend teaching at my very first personal retreat at The Hunter Valley Hotel Academy, Kurri Kurri.  Thank you to Amanda Daly who suggested we join together to host this event.

We had two nights away in the Hunter and I offered a two day workshop over Saturday and Sunday to teach my quilt design called "Wentworth".

My girlfriends Colleen and Kathy travelled with me on Friday.  The car was packed pretty tight.

The weather was glorious all weekend and we enjoyed a little shop hopping on the way.  First we visited Carol at Cherry Pie Designs in Somersby.  She has a beautiful collection of reproduction fabrics to choose from!  Thank you Carol.

Then on to Patched and Pieced in Wyong.  Such a lovely neat shop of goodies. Thank you for having us, Leesa.

We still had some spare time so we detoured to the pretty village of Morpeth for more shopping.

Then back to the Hunter Valley Hotel Academy in Kurri Kurri to check in to our accommodation and set up the workshop room.

The setting is 200 hectares of natural bush land.

I had done a lot of prep on my patterns, kits and goody bags for all of my students.

After a lovely dinner, it was sewing time with lots of laughing and chatting.  Then a good nights sleep.

Saturday morning and it was time for class.  I had twenty students, all making my "Wentworth" quilt design in all different colours.  Lots of stem making, templates, marking, fussy cutting, basting, glueing and stitching.

After class we had a very entertaining tour of the onsite HVHA winery.  Geoff was a good sport, joining in with all of our banter.

No, Sharon, you had better just have one glass at a time!

We were offered many different wines to try! It was great fun to see the faces we pulled.  I think we got louder as the tour progressed.

More eating, sewing, laughing.  Just to prove the ladies were working very hard during class time, here is the evidence:

By Michelle

By Lucy

By Kelly

By Kerry

By Jan

By Chrissy

By Kerrie

By Natalie

By Bernie

By Glenda

By Jenny

By Dru

By Julie

By Kathy

By Narelle

By Meredith

By Colleen

By Jennie

By Sharon

And here are all the girls.  Thank you to everyone for attending my first retreat and making it so much fun.  It was a pleasure to share the weekend with you all.

Here is Amanda with her ladies who were working on a variety of her amazing quilts.  I especially loved the turtle.

I was a lucky tutor!  I received this lovely sewing ensemble from Meredith and Dru and a gorgeous Jane Austen colouring book from Narelle.  Thank you so much ladies.  These were very special gifts.

It was over all too quickly and time to go home again. 

I will be holding two similar retreats to the same venue next year.  The dates are 28 to 30 April, 2017 (teaching "Hartfield") and 28 to 30 July, 2017 (teaching a new applique project).  If you are interested to attend either retreat, please email me on Kat.had@bigpond.com.