Small Group Retreat, Anyone?

Submitted by Dianne McD.

Every year, my small group goes on a quilting retreat for three nights in January.  We generally search VRBO or AirBnB to find a house that will work for us.  These are our search parameters in order of importance:  must have enough space for each of us to set up a sewing station (which usually involves moving furniture), must have enough sleeping space (beds preferred, but I slept on an air mattress on the floor once!), must have a decent kitchen for dinner preparation (we take care of ourselves individually for breakfast and lunch).

A few weeks ago, an email came to Metropatch announcing a new quilting retreat house in Scappoose, Oregon.  It’s called Lamb Farm Retreats, and the proprietress is Jennie Jo Lamb.  The house looked intriguing, so Christie and I decided to take a field trip to check it out.

Jennie Jo was happy to give us a tour.  She is a quilter who has gone on many retreats over the years, so she knows what it takes to make a retreat house quilter-friendly.

As we walked into the former living room/parlor area, we saw 8 sewing stations set up on two large tables.  Each station had a rubber grip for a sewing machine, a small wool pressing mat, a palm iron, task lighting, and a rolling chair.  She also has 8 TV trays in case you need to spread out more.  One of the tables is shorter than the other so the quilter can choose the one that is most comfortable for their individual stature.  And I almost forgot–there are 1 and 1/2 design walls in the space, too. Behind the sewing stations, there are several overstuffed chairs for those that want to take a break from their machines and do some handwork.

There is a former bedroom right off this area and it has been transformed into a cutting and ironing room.  There are two tables for cutting with a cutting mat on each, and there are two ironing tables each with an iron and a large ironing platform.  Jennie Jo has even provided a small “pop-up” shop which offers items that may have been left at home.

In checking out the sleeping arrangements, we found 8 twin beds spread over three bedrooms.  There was a bedroom downstairs with two beds, a bedroom upstairs with two beds, and another large bedroom upstairs with four beds arranged throughout.  One of Jennie Jo’s quilts covers the end of each bed.  There are two bathrooms, one up and one down.

The kitchen has ample counter space for meal prep and is very well appointed.  Not only will you find a crockpot in the cupboard, but also an Instant Pot!  There is a table in there that will seat 6 comfortably and 8 cozily.  You can see photos of all I’ve described on her website. Other amenities include the quiet of the countryside and a lovely deck on which to enjoy the solitude.

There are three things you should also know about the house:

1. The only shower in the house is in the downstairs bathroom.  But there is an ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) right next to the house that has a nice shower that can be used by the retreaters.  And the tub upstairs is a nice one in a large airy bathroom.
2. There are about 6-8 steps that need to be navigated from the parking area to the door of the house. They are safe steps but if stairs are a problem for you, this may not be the ideal house for you.
3. When you get near the retreat destination, you need to pay attention.  There will be a bank of mailboxes on your left and a tiny sign for Baumgardner Lane.  Once you turn left, the house will be immediately on your right.  Do NOT rely on your GPS at this point! How do I know? Ask Christie about my precarious 10-point turn around at the dead-end of the narrow lane.

Jennie Jo seems to have thought of everything it takes to make for a very good small group quilting retreat.  Right now she is having a special for July and August–rent the house for two, three, or 4 nights and get one free. Or rent up to 7 nights and get the 5-night rate.

Click on the button below for her website.  To see photos of all the rooms, just click on Amenities and scroll to the bottom of the page to scroll through the pictures.

What do you look for when you’re choosing a place to retreat and quilt?  Let us know in the comments below.