Quilter retreat center opens in Odessa

Odessa has another new off-main-street business just beginning to take off.

The Gathering House Retreats LLC is designed for "small group retreats, quilt show weekends, quilters, scrap bookers, beaders, crafters, knitters and others to gather and spend time with friends while working on projects or just a good visit," according to flyers produced by owner Jan Hinton of Odessa.

Hinton, who is originally from Garfield, Wash. and her husband Dan, raised in Southern Idaho, have lived in Odessa for 7 years. Up to this point they have not been too highly visible, as Jan works long stretches for Siemens Corp., which sends her all over the country.

Dan is retired Navy, and the two have been married for 11 years. "We've done a lot of things together in the past 11 years," says Jan.

When asked what inspired her to open a quilter's retreat here in Odessa, Hinton replied that she really hadn't quilted much herself, but that she was inspired by her sisters and mother. She added that she knew she would need to be busy after she retired.

"When I had the good fortune to purchase this house at a reasonable price, I knew I just had to make it a quilter's retreat," she said.

Hinton has already had two groups stay at the retreat. The first group of 10, mainly family and friends, helped her clean up areas she hadn't yet been able to get to, then gave her suggestions for minor improvements.

The second group, which included several well-known quilters from the west side of the state, said, according to Hinton, "It's perfect - just perfect."

Hinton has set up a website for the retreat house, and hopes to keep it running from early March to October each year. She may extend the schedule depending on demand.