Emandal Barn

Before the end of summer, I was invited to attend an art retreat at the amazing Emandal Farm. You need to make a side trip to this link, so you can understand the complete awesomeness of this location. It’s a working farm that hosts family camps throughout the summer and other fun events throughout the year. Even though it is located only 16 miles from my hometown, I had never had the opportunity to visit or stay there until the art retreat. There were four different classes that were taught over the 3 day/4 night stay: quilt collage, photography, watercolor field journaling, writing, and an ongoing mosaic project reflecting Emandal and all its glory.

My cabin where I slept peacefully.

My class was taught by the gifted and talented Laura Fogg (Fogwoman), who taught us how to make the fabric collage, step by step. She also created a beautiful interpretation of the Emandal garden while there.

Laura Fogg, our instructor

Emandal Garden

After a scrumptious breakfast, the six of us set up our sewing machines in the dining room, pulled out all of our fabrics and scraps, planned our designs, and began artistically laying out the different fabrics on top of a backing layered with batting. Later, we would pin a fine tulle over all of the artfully placed fabric pieces and then machine quilt the whole thing together. That was the most laborious part, and my old Pfaff gave up the ghost in the middle of the process. Luckily, a classmate lent me her machine while she wasn’t using it.

A moose in Alaska

Two Collage Quilts

Happily Sewing!

Besides quilting, we had time to enjoy  each other’s company, peace and tranquility, the garden, and the pristine Eel River.

Being at Emandal, is like going back in time, there are no cars or traffic, and the night sky is bright with stars. Each camper has their very own cabin with flushing toilets and hot showers near by. Emandal treats their guests with garden fresh meals, including homemade ice cream made with their own dairy milk and fresh eggs. Folks from the nearby cities have been enjoying the family camp program  year after year.

This was the first art retreat, and it was a great success. I encourage you to try it sometime.

So what did I make? I was inspired by the clothesline filled with the the little cloth napkins.

This was my inspiration

They were so unique and colorful and contrasted nicely against the leafy trees. I managed to complete most of it while there, and finished it upon returning home.

Laying out the fabric pieces

Adding snippets of fabric for leaves

Adding more leaves and securing the tulle over it with pins

After free motion quilting for hours, I  played around with the placement of the rest of the elements. I added the clothesline, napkins and the basket filled with the rest of the laundry. I like to imagine that the person hanging out the laundry, left in the middle of the chore to go cool off in the nearby river.

Emandal Napkins

Join us next year, won’t you?