Cedar Lakes is a state park-like setting featuring accommodations for two or three to hundreds of guests.  It's a convention center, a recreation area including a swimming pool, a fishing lake,  several ponds, and many other sports fields.

      A terrific dining hall will seat hundreds of guests at one seating, and a large hotel plus several smaller cabins provide over-night lodging for many.

      But its best feature for me was the arts and crafts program that is expertly organized and managed by Gloria.  Somehow she squeezes in workshops such as pottery making, old-time fiddle playing, steel knife making, calligraphy, basketry, woodturning,  jewelry making, watercolor, making glass beads, stained glass, felt making, seat weaving, blacksmithing, chair making, basketry from tree to basket, tinsmithing, acrylic painting, quilting, and many, many more.

      You must make a plan to attend some of these classes and enjoy the rich environment and laid-back, restful days at Cedar Lakes.  Gloria's email is gloria_gregorich@hotmail.com.

      We had a full class  scheduled for arrival, but the gasoline prices and possible shortage scared some away, and we ended up with eight, brave quilters.   They landed on all fours, kept their feet to the fire and never looked back or came up for air until the entire workshop was over.  They worked each day from after 8 am until 10:30 pm !! 

      We began the first of six days with dinner, introductions, a slide lecture, and an evening of refreshments and socializing.  But  the next morning found all  the students and quilt teachers  walking or driving across campus in the early hours of Appalachian Moutain fog and mist, and all heading in the same direction for breakfast.

I stayed in Holt Lodge and got a bit attached to the pampered life-style.  Perhaps next time I'll take more clothes and stay for a week or two, or seventeen.

The campus featured over thirty buildings with meeting rooms for executive sessions, family reunions, weddings, high school band camps, boy and girl scouts, and more.  And at the base of a mountain and next to the forest, a period, interpretive farm sprawled across a bit of flat land. 

And there seemed to be enough Canada geese for everyone.

On the first day, each student painted two yards of fabric, and some painted more.  Here are only six of the many pieces, but please know all were beautiful, and we've never had better painted fabrics.

Here are the end products when a bunch of quilters dive in head first and sweat blood -- sweat blood for what they believe in.  This is what happens when they don't settle for anything less than great.

You may click each photo for a larger view. Enjoy.

Shirley

Shirley, detail

Phyllis

Phyllis, detail

Paul

Paul, detail

Linda

Linda, detail

Millie

Millie, detail

Jan

Jan, detail

Jean

Jean, detail

Judy

Judy, detail

Judy

Judy, detail

It was a day that will last longer than a day.