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Quilting Has a Home at Whistling Meadows RetreatBy Elaine CraverJanuary 9, 2003 -- "Quilting is a pastime thousands of years old. In the middle ages, soldiers wore quilted clothing under their armor when they went to war. Later, Dutch and English settlers brought quilts to America to keep them warm through the winter. In American colonial and frontier homes, quilting progressed into an art. Not only were the quilts something special, quilting them was too. Parties or quilting bees were held to put the three layers of a quilt together. Women and girls spent the afternoon quilting, then the rest of the family joined them later for an evening of dinner and dancing. Quilting bees are harder to find these days, but a new popular quilting pastime has popped up. Quilting retreats give quilters a chance to work on projects, try new patterns, take classes, and socialize with other people interested in quilting. Quilting retreats can be found in every state, at any time of year. Beverly Burris of rural Greenville, has been hosting quilt retreats at her home, Whistling Meadows, for the past two years. 'My grandmother was a quilter and she instilled that love in me,' Burris said. Burris, who has been quilting since she was six years old, decided that retreats were a way to take something she loves and, 'make a little extra money to add to retirement.' When Burris and her husband, John, moved to Greenville from rural Collinsville they designed their home with quilting in mind. The workshops are held in a large sewing room, there are plenty of spare bedrooms and bathrooms, open space for entertainment, a weight room, and a cozy cafe-like dining space for retreat participants. Burris said, the retreats for quilters are, 'a complete pamper yourself get away. I provide the meals, lodgings, and teachers, where quilters don't have to do anything but enjoy.' There is plenty of sewing time, the sewing room is always open, and for over-night guests there are evening games and activities. Participants usually come from the St. Louis, and mid-state area. Burris stated, 'this is my first retreat with any participants from Greenville.' Last weekend's two-day retreat was taught by Burris' daughter, Andrea Hester of St. Louis. She led four women in making a watercolor heart quilt top for them to finish out as they choose. While the quilters started cutting the scraps they brought with them, Burris kept busy in the kitchen. 'While they get started I work on their lunch.' She checked on the group often, making sure they had beverages, extra cutting boards, extension cords, or anything else they might need. Burris's cooking is popular amongst guests. She is often asked for her recipes but doesn't share retreats. Instead she has decided to put them all together into a quilters cook-book with the recipes and quilt patterns that are used during her retreats. Burris also makes tote bags for participants and quilted name tags to wear while they get to know each other. The group was surprised when a timer chimed while they were cutting squares. It was a surprise inspection. Burris announced, 'That means who ever has the messiest work area right now gets a prize, Andrea will judge.' After checking out all the cutting boards Hester made her choice, 'I am going to have to pick Susie.' Burris presented her with a glass potpourri and candle holder. The watercolor project was comprised of scraps. Each person cut enough of their scraps to share with everyone else. A heart shape was formed from the dark scraps and filled in the middle and around the outside with lighter scraps. Hester suggested, 'you can always turn some of the light square over and use the back, if you want them to be even lighter.' The border was then the print fabric of their choice. It seemed most of the first day was spent cutting the fabric squares, but time passed quickly as the women worked and talked. Many of them noticed fabric in other peoples scraps that they have used themselves. They all knew the story of each scrap in their pile, which quilt it came from, when, and who it was for. Aside for making quilts for themselves and family, many of the women work on quilts for charities and to sell. Much work goes into a quilt before the sewing even starts. Patterns are selected, fabric is chosen and then cut out. After all the squares are cut, and in the case of watercolor sorted, they are laid out following the pattern. Only then can sewing begin. Burris has found that minimal advertising works well for her retreats. 'I have a website, www.whistlingmeadowsquilts.com, I also have a mailing list and I notify area sewing guilds of retreat schedules. There are 50 or more guilds in the St. Louis area.' Her retreats have four to twelve participants and are held about once a month in the winter and once a week or every other week in the summer. They last from one to five days depending on the type of retreat. Burris explained that if a group of friends wants to just come out for a few days to get away and sew with no workshops or lessons that is fine. She also has had, 'groups that get together and want to learn something specific, so I will find a teacher and tailor a retreat for them.' Burris also said anyone can enroll in a quilting retreat, even if they have never quilted. 'You just need to know how to sew.' "
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