The Renovations continued and we grew and adapted creatively
2010 saw Jan Bones join us with her great garment sewing and fitting classes and Liz Thompson taught her first class sharing her wealth of knowledge about Janome and Elna machines and sewing in general. Sally Melville joined us as out knitting instructor. This year Beverly taught 3 sessions of beginner bra to meet the demand and Chi Chi taught double classes for machine quilting and applique while Ron taught his first Ultimate Retreat Class. Marci Baker joined us again to teach quilting along with Bonny Voice and Dianne Jannson. As the renovations raged on we continue to hold our classes where ever space was available in the Abbey and College. This year we had two special evening presentations, Marci Baker with the Clearview of Quilting and J R Reyes of Schmetz Needles gave 2 evening presentations and Liz and I heckled him both times about why serger needles are not made for knits!! (and finally after many years they are!)
In 2011 our knitting instructor was the bright and colourful Lucy Neatby from Nova Scotia and Virginia Walton from Creative curves joined us with her curvy quilting techniques. Jodi Barrows was also back with more Square in a Square Techniques. Jackie Van Fossen taught blue printing and landscape quilts. Marci Baker had so much fun as a instructor that she returned this year as a participant!
Now the college renovations were of course not done and we had to use the soon to be student lounge on the main floor, of course Severin Hall, Jerome Assembly Room and the new classrooms on the 4th floor (yes the ones closest to the sun and with windows that do not open) never before or since has the weather outside reached +40C during our event. We could not use the new air conditioning system being installed because of the dust created by the renovations on the other floors that they did not want to be spread throughout the building. We had every fan available working over time but it really was like a sweat shop up there! And boy did we get our steps in.
We had 2 evening banquets with presentations from Breast Friends Cookbooks and Colour Therapy. Jodi Barrows also gave an evening lecture on her new Pony Express quilt, did you know we have a local connection to this historical trail.
And I interrupted every class, everyday to make sure that everyone knew about our 10th Anniversary Challenge for next year. We had selected 2 pieces of fabric from the Robert Kaufman Jewels of India line as our challenge fabric. The participants could use either or both and they could make what ever they wanted as long as the fabric was recognizable in the project.
In 2008 it was time to introduce knitting and crochet to our line up with Lily Chin as an instructor and Marci Baker from Alicia's Attic joined us with her wonderful 3D quilts and easy techniques. Marci returns this year to help us celebrate our 20th Anniversary. This was the year that that we out grew the abbey and needed to move some of our classes into the college building. The classrooms there were nice and big and the light was fabulous from the large windows.. It was great fun to be able to sell Lily Chin some of her own yarn when she ran short! Of course Beverly, Ron, Bonny, ChiChi, Jackie and Diane continued with their creative classes. We took our first group photo outside, talk about trying to herd cats!!! After the Conference Marci Baker was joined by Sara Nephew and the did a teacher training on their 3D system with interested Canadian Teachers. Sara used her experience at the Abbey to develop her new book Quilts of Praise. Of course available at the Haus of Stitches. 
