Quilting is a Labor of Love
Tolsona Lake Lodge Happy Quilters (L-R) Carmen Howser, Jeanne Lematta, Marge Badger, Gayle Flynn, Maria Mendez, Phyllis Johnson, Michelle Heaton, Doreen Hodges, Cynthia Curtis, Cynthia Weaver.
Photo courtesy of Tolsona Lake Lodge.
By Cynthia Curtis
“When all those sewing machines are running, it sounds like a sweat shop,” says Bruce Heaton, manager and co-owner of the Tolsona Lake Lodge where his wife Michelle just finished hosting her second quilters’ retreat. Far from being work, quilting is a labor of love. Ask any quilter.
The retreat took place May 5-8 at the Tolsona Lake Lodge following Michelle’s first ever retreat held mid-February 2021.
“We closed the lodge specifically for the retreat which had been announced on the Tolsona Lake Lodge Facebook page, so that worked out for our other patrons,” said Michelle.
What exactly do quilters do at a quilters’ retreat? Everyone brings his/her own machine, her own fabric, her own plans, rotary cutters and pins. Some gals even bring their own favorite chairs, snacks and mini-ironing boards. And then everyone sews . . . . er, I mean quilts. There is some pleasant chatter, exchange of ideas, how-tos and shortcuts. As Bruce Heaton observed, there is a lot of intense work taking place with some beautiful results.
Valdez quilters who returned this May were Gayle Flynn, Carmen Howser, Phyllis Johnson and Marie Mendez. Their friend Marge Badger from Wasilla also returned. This time they brought with them Doreen Hodges. Hodges, a retired librarian, has been quilting for years with this group of Valdezeans. She hadn’t heard about the first retreat. As May approached, Phyllis called, “Do you want to join us?”
Doreen was game. As for this retreat? “I love it! This is a very nice, a very relaxing lodge, very welcoming. I really like it up here and I want to come again.”
Jeanne at her machine.
Photo courtesy of Tolsona Lake Lodge.
One of our local people, Jeanne Lematta of Nelchina, also joined the retreat for the first time. Formerly from Anchorage as well as Valdez, Lematta and her husband Steven have lived in the area for 5 years. She is retired from DOT as a civil engineer, a career she followed for some 30 years.
“Mom taught all us 3 girls to sew, made all our own clothes. I began quilting in earnest after retiring. Before that I had only made four quilts.”
She brings special skills to her quilting because of her engineering background. She seldom works from a pattern except to make it her own creation, enjoying the calculations for size of pieces to be cut, quantity of fabric needed, making adjustments here and there. It is her engineering background that makes the numbers part of quilting, the dread of many quilters, especially fun for her.
“It keeps my brain active,” Jeanne says. “For me the fun part is over when I begin to sew all the pieces together.” She especially likes to listen to audio books as she sews.
“When I look at one of my completed quilts, I immediately think of the story I was listening to when I sewed the pieces together. There is a strong connection between my quilts and my books.”
She learned about this retreat from the Tolsona Lake Lodge Facebook page and as a local drove in during the day. She had been to a retreat where there were close to 50 quilters and prefers this intimate gathering.
“The work area is great, the venue is amazing, the views fabulous and the meals just right.” She is looking forward to the next Tolsona Lake Lodge retreat which is currently scheduled for September 15-18.
Cynthia Curtis from northeast Washington state was responsible for recruiting another Cynthia, Cynthia Weaver from Chugiak. They first met as seat mates on Alaska Airlines following the first retreat. Curtis was returning to her home in Washington state and Weaver was flying outside to see family. Not only do they share names but also a passion for quilting, so as soon as the date was set for this May retreat, Curtis contacted Weaver. They drove up together from Anchorage a day early and helped Michelle set up for the rest of the quilters’ imminent arrival.
During an interview following the retreat, Weaver said, “I loved the camaraderie among the ladies here. The ladies from Valdez welcomed me right into their group.”
Weaver says that a home economics class in high school gave her the extent of her sewing skills, but she picked them up again in college as a stress reliever. She undertook the Log Cabin as her first quilt project, “learning the hard way what not to do.” This is actually the first real quilt retreat that she has ever attended although craft shows have long been favorites of hers. Weaver and her husband came to the state 5 years ago with the military and plan to retire here.
Quilters work hard and enjoy good meals! Michelle, herself a fine cook, was fortunate to be able to hire Kareen Best from Copper Center to handle the meals both in February and for the May retreat. Best, who describes herself as a personal caterer, is known alternately as “the pie lady,” “the laundry lady,” and “the lunch lady.” Her mobile catering truck, “The Lunch Sack,” is becoming a fixture at the Klutina during fishing season. The quilters describe her meals as “well-balanced, customized for the tastes of the quilters, comfort food and very tasty.” In between her other projects, she was available to handle the meals for the retreat which has been a blessing for Michelle.
Quilters show off their newest creations.
Photo courtesy of Tolsona Lake Lodge.
As for Michelle’s reaction to her second hosted retreat: “It was great. Yes, it was easier because I knew what was going to happen, and it was nice having Kareena here to help with the cooking. Back during the February retreat, several ladies had asked for a demo on making fabric purses. Gayle Flynn took the weight off me by providing the materials and pattern and know-how for the ladies to create really beautiful bags.”
