What a weekend .... Spring Retreat was great!

What a weekend we had....71 stitchers in attendance and plenty of sunshine.  The stitchers started arriving on Wednesday with many more arriving on Thursday and the final stitchers on Friday.  We were concerned about parking all the cars, etc., but things went really smoothly.  But before I go on, I want to explain the pictures.  Debbie Liming gave me this beautiful tulip pin cushion, you may have seen a version on the Just Cross Stitch Magazine in the spring.  Anyway, this was just one of my Christmas gifts...but it wasn't ready in December so she brought it with her this time.  Isn't it gorgeous.  The first picture shows it closed and then the second picture shows it open.  Ribbons on the top allow you to open it and wind the ribbon around a bead on the side to keep it open.  The pin cushion in the center is velvet and beautifully made.  Thanks you so much Debbie....I love it!  But I will never tie the sides down again because I don't want "wonky" ribbon.  So my gift made the weekend even sweeter.  Anyway, we had several new stitchers attend this year.  It was so nice to see new people and even nicer to see how the experienced retreaters welcomed the newbies into their groups.  One of the stitchers wanted to stitch a Lavender &  Lace angel and I encouraged  her to try stitching on linen.  I started her on a piece of 18 ct. to get the rhythm down and she was suppose to be coming back in on Saturday for lesson two.  I saw her again in the hallway Saturday afternoon after some of the stitchers got her going on a fob done on 28 ct linen and she had completed the front by then, and then later on that same night brought over the completed fob, back and front stitched, and put together thanks to the help of stitchers attending, whom she had not met before.  This is how retreats should work.  We have always welcomed new stitchers and I have told several singles not to worry about coming alone because the groups would welcome them in and they always do.  Julia was one last year...a newbie and she was back this year and told us she had the best time ever, because this year she got to revisit the old friends she made last year.  And the stitching that was going on....mercy..there was needlepoint, counted cross stitch, knitting...especially after a couple of sessions with Sara showing how to arm knit.  We want to thank all the attendees for their graciousness and their patience...we did have lines in the shop and at the food tables, although everyone agreed having seating times for the dinner worked out well.  Each year we get a little smarter, but 71 people pushed us further than we thought we could go and made us get creative.  All in all, we had a great weekend and thankfully the weather was gorgeous.  The sun was shining all weekend and while the temps were a little cooler at times, it was still warm enough for shorts and t-shirts during the day and a sweatshirt in the evenings.   While I didn't mingle too much since I caught a cold and was hacking all night, but I did get to see all the stitchers and had a good time as well.  I didn't do my usual visit at night in the lobby because I just felt a little under the weather.  But I'm sure I'll do that at Jamboree.  In the meantime....thanks to everyone who helped make it a success, the attendees, Linda Wimbrow who spent all day Friday helping Sara prepare food and also did some grocery shopping for us, and Debbie Liming who helped me put the goodie bags together and to Sara and Mary, Brian and Vernon thanks for all your hard work!