Catlandu Quilts: The hills were alive with the sound of Singers...

and Pfaff and Jenome and Bernina. That's right, the first week of June was celebrated in my favorite way - the annual Quilt Weekend Retreat in Chester, Vermont. Hosted by Country Treasures, this is a weekend my sister Christine and I look forward to every year. It's a great group of ladies who have returned every year since it's start in 2008. If you haven't ever been to the Country Treasures quilt store in Vermont, you are truly missing out - clean out your car trunk, hop in and hit the gas. The setting is an idyllic Vermont village complete with lovely churches, inns and a gazebo on the green. From the front, Country Treasures appears to be a small shop with some cute gifts upfront. But then you walk and realize it goes on and on and on.... Your heart will be racing as you try to take in room after room of fabric. There are dedicated rooms for novelties, brights, batiks, color sorted rooms, areas of wonderful Asian fabrics, reproductions, huge back area of clearance and an attic full of flannels and holiday fabrics. The owner Sue hits Quilt Market each year so there's tons of the latest to choose from, and the staff is friendly, knowledgeable and very helpful. Chester is not too far over the southern Vermont border (hour or so), so go go go! Their website is www.vermontquilting.com