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2010 Swiss Finishing School

Written by Deb on March 20th, 2010

Swiss Finishing School (or SFS) is actually a quilter’s retreat held each year at a hotel in the village of New Glarus, WI, a town founded by Swiss immigrants. Each year about a dozen quilters gather to work on their UFO’s (unfinished objects) and give each other encouragement to finish those projects. This retreat is traditionally held in the winter and is a nice getaway as the hotel has an indoor pool and hot tub where we meet in the evening to discuss our projects (or maybe have a glass of wine!).

At this year’s retreat we had some gorgeous quilts get finished or almost finished. Some of us also started on new projects. My project was a retirement quilt that I and a co-worker were making for another co-worker who just retired. Although it wasn’t finished at the retreat it did get finished just in time for this past week’s retirement party.


The memory quilt had star blocks done in colors that we knew our co-worker liked and blocks with photos of people in our department.
In the center of most of the stars were plain squares that we had everyone in our department sign.

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8 Comments so far ↓

  1. Karol Grace says:
    March 21, 2010 at 6:06 am

    Great tradition. I used to be a quilter, and will never get over the creativity of the creators and the beauty of the quilts. There was a brief resurgence of the art awhile back, but I’m afraid it’s a craft that is too slow for most people today. Your co-worker will surely treasure your gift.

    • Deb says:
      March 21, 2010 at 8:13 am

      In this area quilting is very popular, classes are full, several nice quilt shops within a 20 to 30 min. drive and many within a 90 min. drive, many quilt shows per year, etc. With the newer rulers available, methods of strip piecing, fusable web, and ability to send the finished tops out to be quilted on large arm machines I think quilting is still thriving.

  2. Barb Hartsook says:
    March 21, 2010 at 7:38 am

    How clever! She will love it. Especially with those photos and signatures.

    I love the name of the school — bet that attracts folks!

    • Deb says:
      March 21, 2010 at 8:15 am

      There is a limit to how many can attend as the workroom only holds so many tables so the retreat is always full. I think the hotel gets a kick out of us — the people who work there come to check on what we are working on and this year one of them brought a quilt to show us!

  3. Kc says:
    March 21, 2010 at 9:13 am

    What a great retreat! I have already sent your link to my Mom. She lives in southern Michigan and is an avid quilter. I hope she puts you on the list for next year. I think she would love it. ~Kc

  4. Bean says:
    March 22, 2010 at 4:24 pm

    I love your posts quilting. I get to live vicariously through you!

  5. Katie says:
    March 22, 2010 at 7:38 pm

    What fun. We all need down time and what a great way to get it.

  6. Sliloh says:
    March 29, 2010 at 4:55 pm

    Wonderful! I have a work in progress here that was supposed to be my daughters birthday present a year and a half ago. I love quilts. ;)

    Anita