I had so much fun at the Surf’s Up Retreat at Missouri Star Quilt Company! What a blast to spend one on one time with those that traveled to come to my retreat! Because we had a smaller group we were all able to spread out our sewing supplies and use the spacious Sewing Center to our advantage! Let’s just take a minute and talk about this Sewing Center. Nothing is better than a comfortable space with amazing lighting and plenty of space to spread out. Anyways, here are a few pictures of the Sewing Center!
![IMG_6777](http://msqcmansewing.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/IMG_6777-1024x768.jpg)
The whole place was a quilting inspiration. I may have a few new motifs up my sleeve after being in there all weekend!!
On the first night of the retreat we had my trunk show! The trunk show was pretty sweet! I even brought in all of the projects I was filming this last week and previewed those! I love it when I get to spoil those who come to my retreats! Here’s a little shout out to Jenny, Ron and their son, Josh for coming to the trunk show! And another HUGE shout out to Mr. Jenny for holding all my quilts while I spoke! Here are a few photos from the trunk show! Each of the quilts in my trunk show have a story. Some are funny, others tug on your heart a little but all of the quilts have a place in my heart and have shaped who I am today. You’ll have to come to one of my trunk shows to hear the stories!
I would say tonight’s trunk show at my Surf’s Up Retreat was a success! I had so much fun showing my quilts and sharing my stories. #mansewing #quiltretreat #missouristar A photo posted by Man Sewing with Rob Appell (@mansewing) on
![Dolphin Dance](http://msqcmansewing.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/IMG_6657-copy-600x1024.jpg)
![Seascape](http://msqcmansewing.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/IMG_6662-copy-768x1024.jpg)
When the trunk show was over, Susan (who ran the retreat center) was kind enough to hang up every single quilt! It totally added to the ambiance and put us in caffeinated sewing mode!
![These one's were pretty popular this weekend, it's hard not to fall in love with quilts that have animals though, especially when the quilts carry an amazing story!](http://msqcmansewing.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/endangered-species-1024x768.jpg)
![quilts on the walls](http://msqcmansewing.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/quilts-1024x768.jpg)
More quilts! PS the green one on the back wall is an upcoming tutorial!
![](http://msqcmansewing.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/crazy-768x1024.jpg)
![dancing dots](http://msqcmansewing.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/dancing-dots-768x1024.jpg)
I loved the quilts hanging up so much that I did a live video chat showing them all!! You can watch that HERE!
Here are some pictures from my 3 Dudes Class I taught! This one has always been a popular one and the retreaters LOVED this quilt. Almost as much as I loved their own renditions. Most of them had already started sewing strip sets and cutting blocks before the class even started! We were all so excited about this quilt!
![stripset](http://msqcmansewing.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/IMG_6756-copy-768x1024.jpg)
![sewing strips](http://msqcmansewing.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/sewing-strips-768x1024.jpg)
![stripset](http://msqcmansewing.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/stripset-768x1024.jpg)
![](http://msqcmansewing.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/IMG_6976-1024x1024.jpg)
![IMG_6719 copy](http://msqcmansewing.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/IMG_6719-copy-768x1024.jpg)
![IMG_6965 copy](http://msqcmansewing.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/IMG_6965-copy-1024x768.jpg)
![](http://msqcmansewing.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/IMG_6960-copy-768x1024.jpg)
![](http://msqcmansewing.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/3dudes-819x1024.jpg)
![strips](http://msqcmansewing.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/strips-768x1024.jpg)
Check out what Vicki made at the retreat last night!! She’s rockin’ this pattern!! #mansewing #missouristar #3dudesquilt #quiltretreat #Repost @auntvicki_ ・・・ Ready to sew my rows. A photo posted by Man Sewing with Rob Appell (@mansewing) on
![](http://msqcmansewing.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/20151114_162421-e1447870982540-576x1024.jpg)
After hours of sewing it was time to take a field trip to the shops! With a smaller group it’s easy to do that! We walked through some of the shops, I showed them my favorite products and we even got to practice our Free Motion Quilting on a Crown Jewel in the new Machine Shed! What an awesome store!
![machine shed](http://msqcmansewing.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/machine-shed-768x1024.jpg)
![IMG_6891 copy](http://msqcmansewing.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/IMG_6891-copy1-768x1024.jpg)
![IMG_6885 copy](http://msqcmansewing.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/IMG_6885-copy-768x1024.jpg)
![Rob fixing the crown jewel](http://msqcmansewing.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/IMG_6911-copy-768x1024.jpg)
![macine shed](http://msqcmansewing.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/macine-shed-768x1024.jpg)
![machine quilting](http://msqcmansewing.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/machine-quilting-768x1024.jpg)
On Saturday we had our Reverse Applique Class! I’m amazed at what this group created!! Here are a few pictures of the fun!
![20151114_152224](http://msqcmansewing.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/20151114_152224-e1447871385593-576x1024.jpg)
![20151114_151941](http://msqcmansewing.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/20151114_151941-e1447871233384-576x1024.jpg)
![20151114_151834](http://msqcmansewing.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/20151114_151834-e1447871219153-576x1024.jpg)
![dragon](http://msqcmansewing.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/dragon-1024x1024.jpg)
![IMG_6642](http://msqcmansewing.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/IMG_6642-768x1024.jpg)
![Phillip's design](http://msqcmansewing.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/20151114_151848-e1447870747399-576x1024.jpg)
Look at this good looking group!!!
Here are some of the Reverse Appliqué creations from today’s class!! #mansewing #surfsup #quiltretreat #appliqué A photo posted by Man Sewing with Rob Appell (@mansewing) on
All in all the Surf’s Up Retreat was awesome! We made new friendships, bonded over our love of fabric, made a few quilts and most importantly… had fun!!! We hope to make this a tradition and do a Surf’s Up Retreat every year! I’ll be sure to let you all know when we have the dates set in stone!