Glorious Fun at our Taos Retreat

Good Morning All,

I've just returned from my Taos Retreat. It was the first retreat I've ever hosted on my own and it was a big success. I've never enjoyed teaching so much!

I had a great group of women join me at the Mabel Dodge Luhan House in Taos NM and we spent five days creating luscious fabrics and playing with them.

The retreat center was absolutely amazing. It has an easy going, reverent sort of feel to it. The rooms are very comfy and cozy with Kiva fireplaces in nearly every room. The weather was perfect, cool mornings and evenings, warm afternoons. The food was terrific and so was the staff.

We started the retreat Sunday evening with the ladies coloring the quilted name tags that I had made for each of them then we spent the next two days painting, stamping and discharging fabrics and batting. The following two days were spent learning new techniques with metal, Lutradur and other strange products and creating unique, individual pieces of art work. Several of the women completed or nearly finished their art quilt.

The first photo above is of Barbara K's quilt in progress. She used many of her hand painted fabrics and embellishments along with some commercial Batiks. The next photo is of some of the fabrics painted by Kathy A. and the final photo is of us all standing below the prayer flags at the entrance of the classroom compound.

All in all it was an amazing experience for me - and I think my students will agree. I can't wait till next years retreat! If you would like to see more photos of the gangs fabrics and quilts, visit my Facebook page; Heather Thomas

Till next time,
Heather