Amish-Mennonite Quilt Series

Dinner: Dinner is in the Dining Hall at 5:00pm. Meals are buffet style with a variety of dietary needs in mind. Our staff seeks to create tasty, home style meals that are good for you, too.

Evening: ORIENTATION: Begins at 7:00 p.m. We will review the schedule for the week as well as the facilities and resources that are available during your free time. Emergency procedures and general questions will be covered, along with ample time for introductions of participants for this program and meeting your hosts and resource team.

Activity note: Classes will be held on the lower level of the Retreat Center, just outside guest rooms to make the class room experience easy and comfortable. You may attend class in your slippers and view nature outside through the large windows facing the lake.

Breakfast: Breakfast is in the Dining Hall. Enjoy delicious meals with fresh fruit always an option, and hot foods. We prepare our eggs in a variety of ways throughout the week, plus breakfast meats and options such as pancakes, baked oatmeal, or French toast.

Morning: Prior to breakfast, you will have an opportunity to hike along one of Amigo's many trails. Will we see deer today? Bring along your camera and walking shoes. After breakfast our first class includes Quilt basics, pattern review, or favorite tools and notions. • Learn quilting basics including how to set up a sewing machine for piecing and accurate seams. • Discuss the care and handling quilting tools, and safety in our classroom, especially with regard to rotary cutters and blades, pins, needles and scissors. • Learn the proper methods and tips for accurate cutting with a rotary cutter. • Review the quilt pattern we will use for our project to gain an overall understanding of the process. BREAK Fabric colors and prints. • Discuss your fabric choices for this project and share your preferences in color and style. • Learn the importance of mixing prints, colors, shades and values in fabric. Tuesday: Prior to breakfast, you will have an opportunity to hike along one of Amigo's many trails. How many birds or flowers can you identify? Don't forget your camera and walking shoes. After breakfast class instruction and work on project.

Lunch: Lunch is in the Dining Hall. Enjoy delicious meals complete with salad bar and dessert.

Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: We will depart from Amigo Centre for Shipshewana, Indiana, after lunch. During the field trip, we will visit an antique quilt shop and two local fabric stores where your instructor will be happy to help you pick out any additional fabric you may wish to purchase for your project. Two bonus stops include a pretzel shop, where we will hear the story of the origins of pretzels and learn how to make one! Of course, you'll be able to eat one as well! In addition, we will stop at a local woodworking shop, where they specialize in basket making. We'll hear the story and see how these amazing baskets are made. This experience is unique in that they make baskets that include quilt block patterns as well as wooden quilt block wall hangings! Absolutely beautifully done. We are sure you will enjoy these hands-on experiences!

Dinner: We will enjoy a "Thresher's Meal" at a local Amish home this evening. This delectable repast recalls the experience of Amish threshers who worked together each year at harvest time followed by a delicious meal. We'll bring our pie back with us to Amigo - to enjoy a little later in the evening!

Evening: Return to Amigo Centre and enjoy a relaxing evening making new friends or work on your project.

Breakfast: Breakfast is in the Dining Hall. Enjoy delicious meals with fresh fruit, hot breakfast foods including eggs, meat and a variety throughout the week of pancakes, baked oatmeal, or French toast.

Morning: Prior to breakfast, you will have an opportunity to hike along one of Amigo's many trails. How many birds or flowers can you identify? Don't forget your camera and walking shoes. After breakfast class instruction and work on project.

Lunch: Lunch is in the Dining Hall. Enjoy delicious meals complete with salad bar and dessert. After lunch, you'll have an opportunity for an informal nature walk along some of our many trails where you can enjoy the peace and beauty of the woods and lakeside. You might even see a deer!

Afternoon: Class instruction and work on project.

Dinner: Dinner is in the Dining Hall. Get ready for some of our delicious desserts sure to tickle your palate Grasshopper Pie or Brownie Cheesecake, to name a few!

Evening: CAMPFIRE & PONTOON RIDES: Beginning around 6:00pm, we will have a campfire with pontoon rides by the boat house near the Retreat Center. You may enjoy a leisurely ride on Perrin and Chapin Lakes, and/or gather around the campfire, singing songs, roasting marshmallows, and making S'mores. (Everybody wants s'more!)

Activity note: Prepare to share your talent this evening!

Breakfast: Breakfast is in the Dining Hall. By now you'll be asking for some of our recipes -- baked oatmeal or homemade granola, everyone's favorite!

Morning: Prior to breakfast, you will have an opportunity to hike along one of Amigo's many trails. Perhaps today we will enjoy the call of the Sandhill Cranes on the lake! Walking shoes will be helpful and bring your camera along! After breakfast class instruction and work on project.

Lunch: Lunch is in Dining Hall at 12:00 pm. Pull up a chair and sit down for one authentic farm-to-table meal.

Afternoon: Free time for you to explore the surrounding area or simply work on your project, or take time to relax and enjoy your surroundings.

Dinner: There are many unique restaurants in the area where you may choose to enjoy some local cuisine.

Evening: SHARE YOUR TALENTS & TALES: We will gather around 7:00pm for our very own "Talent Show" with and for the group. Bring a story, poem, song, hobby, or whatever you would like to present (for up to 5 minutes). We will also have time for you to share stories of other Road Scholar programs you have participated in and would most recommend.

Activity note: This afternoon we'll enjoy a field trip to experience an Amish/Mennonite "quilting."

Breakfast: Breakfast is in the Dining Hall. In addition to the other tasty options, we might have coffee cake or rolls today!

Morning: Prior to breakfast, you will have an opportunity to hike along one of Amigo's many trails. The early morning sunrises can be spectacular at Amigo! Bring your camera and good walking shoes of course! After breakfast class instruction and work on project.

Lunch: Lunch is in the Dining Hall. We provide a variety of home style meals throughout the program. What has been your favorite thus far? Please be sure to let us know what you have liked the best.

Afternoon: After lunch you will have an opportunity to participate in a traditional Amish/Mennonite "quilting" complete with sharing stories of this rich and longstanding tradition. We will also make a quick stop at a local Amish fabric shop, a unique and delightful experience!

Dinner: Dinner is in the Dining Hall. Our closing dinner of the program will be a special occasion for celebrating the camaraderie of shared experiences and new friendships.

Evening: An evening of music entertainment and sing-a-long

Breakfast: Dining Hall buffet. Last chance to taste that delicious homemade granola... we're sure you'll want to purchase some to extend your Amigo memories!

Morning: Prior to breakfast, you will have one more opportunity to hike along one of Amigo's many trails. Where do you want to revisit - High Point, the Meadow Lookout, the boardwalk across the marsh... many possibilities! After breakfast at 9:00 am our program concludes with class & wrap-up: We'll answer any last minute questions and have time to show off your projects. We will wrap up with a closing ceremony. We trust you have enjoyed this new learning adventure and will return for other rewarding Road Scholar programs in the future. Happy Trails to you until we meet again!