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Texas Two Step Quilting Cruise
Join Stitchin' Heaven and Friends on a
7-night Western Caribbean Cruise! Cruise and learn from three quilting experts: Tiffany Hayes, Kari Nichols, and Heidi Pridemore!
January 14 - 21, 2018
Overview
Overview
Dear Friends,
Watching couples coast around at the honky-tonk may intimidate the double-left-footed, but heck, if a cowboy can dance, how tough is it, really? “Two-stepping is just walking to a beat,” says Austin-based Rowdy DuFrene, a two-time United Country Western Dance Council World Champion. And so what does that have to do with quilting? Well, quilting is just sewing to a beat, right? We decided to feature this cruise from Galveston – our favorite Texas cruise port – and offer some Texas-appropriate projects to go along with us. So grab your partner and let’s go!
- Deb Luttrell
Owner, Stitchin' Heaven
If you have never been on a quilting cruise you have missed a real treat! Since 2010 Stitchin' Heaven Travel has offered quilt-related cruises and motor coach tours to literally hundreds of satisfied guests. See reviews from our happy travelers here.
How can all this get any better? Here's how!
- Pre-cruise communication from Stitchin‘ Heaven Travel
- A Welcome Aboard Gathering
- A Stitchin’ Heaven Travel souvenir tote bag
- Souvenir T-Shirt
- All workshops, classes, and demonstrations of products
- Optional pre-cut Sail ‘n Sew fabric kits
- Every quilting guest can take all the classes offered
- Classes are taken on days "at sea" so no port time is missed
- Classroom is open 24/7 for plenty of free time sewing!
- Bernina 330 sewing machines
- Aurifil thread
- $20 door prize for each quilter - choose what you want from the onboard store
- Demonstrations of the latest quilting and sewing products
- Classroom support from Stitchin' Heaven Staff
- Oliso Pro Smart Irons™
- Post cruise guest contact list
- Group Photo
- Smiles, a few surprises, laughs, and a boatload of fun!
Plus ... You'll be sewing on a Bernina 3 Series sewing machine!
That's right! Each quilter will be provided a state-of-the-art 330 Bernina machine equipped with the extended table, a quarter inch foot, and an open toe foot. There's no need to bring your sewing machine all the way from home. Visit the Bernina website to see the amazing features of this great machine!
Consider bringing a friend, your spouse or your family – non-quilters are always welcome to join us and will have many activities to pursue while you are in class.
We look forward to our next adventure together with you!
Instructors
Instructors
Tiffany Hayes www.NeedleinaHayesStack.biz
Tiffany is a wife to Scott and a mom to 3 grown kids. She has a passion for quilting (designing, piecing, hand applique and machine quilting). She has been quilting and teaching for more than 20 years. Her quilts have been featured by numerous publications, including The Quilter Magazine, Modern Quilts Unlimited and Keepsake Quilting, and she’s worked with various designers to create fabric collection-specific quilt patterns. She has developed The Goddess Tool and Block of the Month patterns that utilize that tool. Recently she became the proud owner of a brand new long arm quilting machine. She declares herself a Quilt Addict!
She designs and publishes under the name: Needle in a Hayes Stack.
Kari Nichols www.mountainpeekcreations.com
Kari Nichols is manager of Holly’s Quilt Cabin, a large quilting store in the Denver Metro area. Being a native Coloradoan, and from a family of seamstresses, Kari grew up enjoying many quilts. The love of color and design was first shown in stained glass. Her stained glass pieces received awards and can be found in many homes. When a favorite piece was broken, re-creating it in fabric was the logical choice. This choice led to a career change and joining the Quilt Cabin family. Mountainpeek Creations, the quilt pattern design company, was born in 2001. Mountainpeek patterns are sold internationally and give quilters unique and contemporary designs for any skill level. Kari’s patterns have been featured in multiple publications and are available on the Mountainpeek Creations website along with her 2 books.
When Kari is not quilting, you will find her enjoying her Grandchildren and traveling!
Heidi Pridemore www.thewhimsicalworkshop.com
Heidi is known for her fun and whimsical quilts and fabrics which she often makes in dramatic, bright colors. She also has an excellent reputation for writing clear and easy to follow instructions. Heidi designs a large number of project sheets featuring fabric lines from national companies such as Andover Fabrics, Blank Quilting, Michael Miller, Timeless Treasures and Henry Glass. She also designs quilt patterns for a variety of popular quilting magazines such as Quiltmaker, McCall’s and McCall’s Quick Quilts. In addition she has completed five books; Quilted Whimsy, Bold Batiks and Dazzling Designs for Leisure Arts; for C&T Publishing she has written Pop Up Paper Structures; for F&W Media, Fabric Jewelry-Wrapped, Braided and Sewn, published in 2009 and designs fabric for Fabri-Quilt. Heidi spends most of her time designing, giving lectures and running workshops. When not traveling she enjoys staying at home in Arizona with her husband Matthew.
Projects
Projects
Tiffany Hayes Square Dance
Are you ready to dance? Square dance that is!
Grab your partner (your handy dandy sewing machine) and lets go for a spin! In most American forms of square dance, the dancers are prompted or cued through a sequence of steps (square dance choreography). Tiffany has taken the idea of this dance and put it into a quilt pattern. As you look at this gorgeous quilt, it appears to be dancing. Come join in the fun.
The finished size of this project will be 64" x 80"
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Kari Nichols Texas Shines
Show off your Texas pride with bluebonnets, texas wildflowers, and blue sky! Your Texas Shines quilt will come together with some tips for quick assembly and keeping those long seams straight. Add a Texas appliqué or make your own design to top off your quilt and make it shine!
The finished size of this project will be 66" x 82"
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Heidi Pridemore Wildflowers
There is nothing like a spring day in a field of wildflowers in the heart of Texas. The warm breeze, the beautiful smells and the vibrant colors are all captured with this beautiful quilt called Texas Summer featuring wildflowers.
Learn how to work with triangles and bias edges. Learn tips on working with flying geese and precision piecing while sewing together this lovely quilt.
The finished size of this project will be 51" x 63"
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Optional Sail 'n Sew Fabric Pack
Our incredible Sail 'n Sew fabric pack includes all of the fabrics and patterns for your projects and they are pre-cut so all you need to do is sit down and sew! The price of the Sail ‘n Sew fabric pack is $425.00 and it includes all three of the projects for this cruise. If you would like to buy individual kits, please call for pricing. If you would like a Sail ‘n Sew pack, just let us know when you make your Reservation and we'll have a kit waiting for you on the ship. Order early as supplies are limited.
Want to cut your fabric yourself? We do have an option where we will send you all the fabrics and the patterns for all three of the projects. The price for this is $365.00 and we will mail it to you at least 60 days before the cruise. You can then cut your fabric and bring it and your patterns with you.
If you choose to bring your own fabric, please bring it precut and ready as we do not allow time for cutting during class. You will find the cutting instructions in each pattern that can be ordered here: Square Dance, Texas Hill Country, Wildflowers.
A complete supply list will be sent to you 90 days prior to departure.
Itinerary
Itinerary
Day 1
Galveston, Texas
Galveston Island is Texas' top historic destination. Guests on cruises from Galveston can enjoy 32 miles of relaxing beaches, great seafood, tropical scenery, superb restaurants, marvelous downtown shopping, breathtaking Victorian architecture, numerous antique stores, incredible art galleries, plus tons of attractions, entertainment venues and world-class sportfishing. Probably the most charming way to discover this historic city is by carriage. Take a carriage ride through the Victorian-era streets and let your driver take you back through history.
Day 2
Cruising
Quilting Classes in the Conference Center!
Day 3
Cruising
Quilting Classes in the Conference Center!
Day 4
Roatan, Honduras
Roatán Island is the largest and most developed of the three Bay Islands of Honduras and lies not far off the northern coast. The majority of the population of Roatán originated from the Cayman Islands. The growth of tourism and travel awards has put Honduras squarely on the map. Today, the beautiful Caribbean island is a mecca for divers and snorkelers. Commercial fishing is one of the main economic drivers in Roatán and is home to one of the largest fishing fleets in the Western Caribbean. Visit the Caribbean’s largest barrier reef, the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. Lying just offshore, it's a favorite spot for divers and snorkelers to see colorful corals and an amazing array of marine life.
Day 5
Costa Maya, Mexico
Costa Maya, once a trading post for the Mayan Empire, is located in the Mexican Caribbean and is best known for its jungles, beaches, lagoons and Mayan ruins. Recent development and modern port facilities are making Costa Maya the perfect port of call. With so many activities, it will be hard to decide what to do first.
Day 6
Cozumel, Mexico
The Conquistadors first saw Mexico from the shores of Cozumel while searching for gold. Today, visitors to the island continue to seek out gold and silver jewelry in the shops of San Miguel while having a great time in its many local bars and restaurants. Plus, the waters around Cozumel's sheltered coral reefs make this one of the best snorkeling areas in the world. Don't miss the opportunity to explore the ruins of the ancient Mayan city of Tulúm, majestically perched above the turquoise Caribbean. The site was occupied as far back as 600 A.D. However, it was most densely populated around 1200 A.D. You will be struck by the pyramid-shaped El Castillo, which dominates the city from atop a forty-foot cliff. The nearby Temple of the Descending God provides equally excellent insight into the architecture of the Mayan people, who gained considerable achievements in the arts and sciences, only to decline and vanish for no apparent reason.
Day 7
Cruising
Quilting Classes in the Conference Center!
Day 8
Galveston, Texas
Return to Galveston, Texas.
The Ship
The Ship
Liberty of the Seas
The newly renovated Liberty of the Seas® is packed with all the phenomenal onboard experiences you'd expect from our innovative Freedom class of ships, plus new offerings to stir your imagination. Share a high five with Shrek as part of The DreamWorks® Experience. Put on your boogie shoes for hit Broadway musical Saturday Night Fever. Catch a first-run movie in the 3D theater or poolside under the stars on the outdoor movie screen. And finish the evening with a selection of reds or whites at the renovated, now-more-intimate Vintages wine bar. Plus, enjoy all the revolutionary features Liberty of the Seas has always been known for – like the FlowRider® surf simulator, rock-climbing wall, ice-skating rink, Royal Promenade, cantilevered whirlpools, mini golf course, and much more.
Pricing
Pricing
Staterooms are as follows:
Room Type | Price |
Interior Stateroom | $1,099.00* |
Oceanview Stateroom | $1,299.00* |
Oceanview w/Balcony Stateroom | $1,499.00* |
*Non-sewing guests will receive a $250 discount. Prices are per person, based on double occupancy. There is a $350 per person deposit due at registration which will secure your price and availability. | |
This fee includes your cruise fare PLUS all fees to the teachers, a Bernina sewing machine for the entire cruise, all associated class activities, and classroom support. Fabric kits are not included. You may purchase our precut Sail n Sew kit (supplies are limited) or you are welcome to bring your own precut fabric.
Group travel allows us to provide special touches that are not available on an individual reservation. And unfortunately, discounts from Royal Caribbean are not allowed through our group program. In order to take full benefit from everything Stitchin Heaven offers on our cruises, you must register through Stitchin Heaven Travel. If you have questions or need assistance in changing your individual reservation to a group reservation through Stitchin' Heaven Travel, please let us know.
Travel Information
Travel Information
Cabins
With so much to do onboard, chances are really good that you will just use your cabin for changing and sleeping, but it's nice to know that if you want to spend more time there, you will indeed be comfortable. All standard staterooms are attractively decorated in soft tones with fine light woods and two pieces of artwork on the walls. Each stateroom has two beds that convert to queen-size, a private bath, phone, interactive flat-screen TV, mini-bar, hair dryers and air conditioning/heat controls. Bathrooms are on the small side, but functional, and showers have those wonderful, half-round sliding doors as opposed to clingy curtains. Soap and shampoo are also provided.
Travel to and from Destination
You will be responsible for getting to and from the ship in Galveston, Texas.
Dress
During the day, dress is casual. Evenings are either casual, smart casual or formal. On casual nights, suggested attire is sports shirts and slacks for men and sundresses or pants for women. On smart casual evenings, men should don jackets and tie, with women wearing dresses or pantsuits. On the one or two formal nights per cruise, men can choose from tuxedos or suits and ties, while woman usually wear cocktail dresses.
Gratuities
Gratuities are a part of your cruise expense and total $13.50 per day. This fee covers everyone who serves you while you are onboard including all onboard staff, dining staff, and your cabin steward. Because of our group status, Stitchin' Heaven Travel pays these gratuities for our entire group prior to sailing. Therefore, you will be charged for them at the time of final payment. A 15 percent gratuity is automatically added to bar tabs.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is not included, but is available for your protection from Royal Caribbean in the form of their Travel Protection Program. It is $109 per person and both cabinmates must purchase it separately. In the event insurance is used please be aware that it covers the cost of the cruise only. Sewing package fees are not refunded.
**Insurance fee will be added to your reservation total