# Any one interested in teaching? Or a retreat next year?



## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

Whilst writing a note on the thread about doing one's dream I had a brain storm (maybe fart)  Anyway, next year I am hoping to have a space ready for fibery things. And a way to finding local fibery friends might be to get some classes together. No way am I good enough at anything to teach but maybe someone here would be interested? We live near Danville VA but in NC, anyone want to visit and share their expertise? 

The other wierd idea  I have is about getting together for a "retreat". My friend runs a farm B&B in VA, just north of Clarksville. I think she would give us a nice rate. It seems some live close enough together to ride pool or pick up others on the way. This could be timed with Maryland Sheep & Wool or some other event. Or maybe someone has a more central location that we all could afford, timed with a midwest event?

Would anyone like to discuss their ideas about either or both topics?


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Ooooooooo! That sounds fun! That's all I have to say for now.


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## flourbug (May 30, 2007)

I've always wanted to go to Maryland Sheep and Wool... a fibery retreat sounds interesting... keep talking.


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

Glad to see some interest, please keep the thoughts and comments coming.


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

I'd be highly interested but need lots of planning time.......

(You know, job, family, stuff-around-here-to-reschedule type of stuff)


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## Farmer's Wife (Jun 21, 2004)

I am interested as well and I have a few friends that I think would be too.


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## Meg Z (Jun 8, 2004)

Depending on when....I'll be so much more free when hubby gets back to stay! Someone must be here to care for the critters...but if that's covered, I'm there!


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## hoggie (Feb 11, 2007)

I'll come, I'll come :bouncy: er pssst - anyone wann chip in any loose change for my fare ? :baby04: Think I might have to pass on it but it sounds like a great idea for anyone close enough

hoggie


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

I enjoy teaching. What kinds of classes would you have?


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

If we plan this for next year we should be able to make sure everyone has lots of planning time. If most are interested in planning this around, before, after MS&W, that is the first weekend in May (?). But Hoggie, start swimming now...lol. Of course maybe in a few years we could save enough to come to you. 

Maura, what would you like to teach?


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

Hello everyone, I talked to my B&B friend today and she told me that if we could have 8 people, she could give the corporate rate of $75 pp which includes all meals. This is her web site so you can see the place : http://www.cornerstonefarm.net/ . 1 room has twin beds but the others have queen sized so it would mean sharing. As you may notice she has a large porch with lots of room for spinning wheels, this overlooks the pond and the goat pasture. It would be a 4-5 hr. run to MS&W from her place. We could stay there 2 nights, get up early and be off to the show, stay there overnight and then be homeward bound. If it is important to be closer to MS&W, perhaps to keep the trip shorter and less $'s, then we may want to look in the nearby areas and book far enough in advance to get a good rate. Now besides MS&W, there is also Rhinebeck but I don't think that is any closer for our sisters in the WI/MN/etc region. Are there any other big Mecca type of shows that should be on the list?


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## Lawbag (May 10, 2005)

When you say retreat, would it be for experience people only or would there be anything offered for beginners?


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

There is a fairly large sheep and wool festival in Michigan or there used to be. I think there is one in Wisc. too. I'd have to look them up. I know there is one in Lake Elmo, MN but I'm not sure how large it is. I have never been able to got to that one but have heard wonderful things about it.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

The one in Michigan is in Allegheny. I've been meaning to go there, but haven't made it. It seems all of my knitting and spinning friends have been, and one of them taught there this year (also a designer).

I can teach knitting: socks, top down sweaters, lace, shawls, hats, cables and travelling stitches, swedish tvaands...?/twined knitting, Fair Isle, ponchos,...


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

Lawbag, retreats are usually just interested folks getting together for sharing, fun, etc. After all we're all at different skill levels; I 'm self taught and spinning only 5-6 months, others have been spinning years. 

Maura, wow! But tell me what is Swedish tvaands?

Marchie, You are right, there is one in WI, I'll go over to the sheep board and see if I can scare up Deb, she lives in WI and shows her lovely sheep & fleeces - she'll be able to tell us what is the big Midwest show.


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## homebirtha (Feb 19, 2004)

What a lovely idea!! 

I'm close to Maryland S&W, about 30 minutes. I can look around for some reasonable places to stay. I would offer my place, but it would mean tents for everyone. ;-)


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Twined knitting is where you use both ends of a ball of yarn, pulling from the inside and the outside. You knit with one, then the other, allowing the yarns to twist. It makes a warmer garment than just using thicker yarn. It's used mostly for socks, but also for gloves and sleeves.


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## homebirtha (Feb 19, 2004)

Here are a couple of options that would be less than an hour from Maryland Sheep & Wool, for your consideration. 

This is a cabin that sleeps 20. It has a great room, plus a rec room downstairs that would give two different areas for classes. And there is always the porch too. 
http://home.comcast.net/~dsugarman1/cabin/ 
It is currently available that weekend and it's $215 a night for the first 12 people, plus $10 for each additional person. It has a full kitchen and dining room, but no food is provided. 

Another option is this place:
http://www.oleminkfarm.com/
They have several different size cabins, as well as "Coffee Hollow Lodge" which is a 4-bedroom cabin. It has a great room, and decks for class/workshop space. Prices are on the different cabin pages. 

Both of these places are located in the Catoctin Mountains, not too far from Frederick, Md. It's a really lovely area. Of course, I'm a bit biased, since I live here.  But it would be pretty convenient to S&W and a lot less expensive then accomodations closer to the festival. 

Anyway, something to consider....


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## Oceanrose (Mar 25, 2005)

I'd go for this providing we have enough organization to get all the details together. I'm not sure about teaching anything, but sharing ideas and peace and quiet is always wonderful


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

Maura, it took a few minutes for me to visualize but it seems that then the inside is double thickness (or more) with the strands criss-crossing. Is that right? That would be less time consumming than thrumming.

Hey HB, that first place comes to $18/pp! 

Deb sent me her opinion that the MI fiber Fest would be more eventful than the WI show. Is this the one in Allegheny? Probably at this point we may all want to think about how far we each want to drive. Perhaps 1 retreat/fest isn't practical since we are so scattered. Would everyone be happier with travel distances/time/costs if we split this into a midwest group and an easterly group? It would be great to all get together but there doesn't seem to be a big fest held in a central location to where we all live. The other idea I'll throw out is that we don't plan the retreat around a fest and just pick a central location, rent a place similar to what HB has found, and have a good time together, those that want to teach something can but no pressure.
Any opinions out there?


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## Oceanrose (Mar 25, 2005)

Maybe we should all do a rundown of locations, we all know but seeing it in list form might help.

I'm in the Minneapolis MN area.


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

So far: MN 2, NC 2, MD 1, MI 1, MO 1, IN 1, Fl 1 UK 1 - just went thru the responses that have locations listed, so who's out there that may want to be counted - no strings attached (is there a pun in there somewhere?)!


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## MTDeb (Feb 20, 2003)

I might as well spread us out even further -- Montana, lol. I wonder how far it is from Montana to Florida??

I've always wanted to go to the Maryland festival, too.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I bet that if this is not during the school year that LFMenagerie would want to go to, she is also in MN. If this is going to be in another state maybe the MN folks could carpool?!


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

I'd love to go to Maryland, but the Michigan Fiber Fest is much closer to me (west of Detroit, just north of Kalamazoo). My mistake, it is in Allegan. There are several classes, and it lasts for, I think, five or six days. We could have our own retreat with a visit to the Fiber Fest.


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## Oceanrose (Mar 25, 2005)

I'd love to visit MD, but that's darn close to the Shepherd's harvest here. Greedy little me would prefer to be able to go to both..

Wonder if we could find out the events for both festivals.

And Marchwind, I definitely think carpooling would be the way to go. Just to save on gas money, plus it'd make the drive more fun


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## goatladie (Oct 1, 2005)

Not sure if it would work out for me - would love to but it depends on times, etc... .I am in NY.


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## homebirtha (Feb 19, 2004)

Oceanrose said:


> Wonder if we could find out the events for both festivals.


Here's the link for Maryland S&W:
http://www.sheepandwool.org/index.html
It's got this year's schedule, which will give you an idea of the type of things they have, but of course, next year will be somewhat different. But, they have similar stuff each year and the vendors will be many of the same. HTH.


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

As long as it isn't Memorial Day week/weekend - that's our traditional camping festival week (Thurs-Mon).

Has Donsgal piped in yet on this? Or Redbud? I know there's several of us from MO here.......

Actually, I'm hoping to venture out to NC to visit with Meg next year at some point. So y'all just let me know where I'm supposed to be and when - and then I'll tell husband .


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

http://www.michiganfiberfestival.info/ This link is for this year's show info, apparently it is always held the third weekend of AUg. MS&W is always held the first weekend of May 

Currently we have 12 people who have indicated interest! Do we want to have 2 sets of planners - 1 for MI and 1 for MD? Planning would just involve doing some looking for nice lodgings. Speaking of which, what did anyone else think about HB"s post about Sugarman cabin or something similar where we would buy provisions in town and do our own cooking? The way I figure it: if we had a $150 budget for food for 4 days that's $12.50/pp + $18 (ex.) = $30.5/pp for the 4 days. I'm using 4 days because I figure that most of us will be only able to take off a week. Once we have an idea of the budget then it will help with looking for a place. And we may need a deposit to hold a reservation, will everyone be okay sending in a few $'s for that? 

HB, would you mind checking out the 2 sites you found for MS&W to find out what their reservation policies and deposit requirements are? That would give us some idea.


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## cathleenc (Aug 16, 2007)

If we can have one in minnesota or wisconsin I'd be interested! (might even be able to put several people up - the previous owners of our place turned the old swine barn into a tricked out antique shop - all finished on the inside with a loft, bathroom, large deck, etc. We've been thinking of making it into a guest house or even B & B.)


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## redbudlane (Jul 5, 2006)

I'd love to do something like this but travel expenses would be a major issue. Maybe a roadtrip? Can you southern MO gals drive up here then I'll drive from here and we could do a couple pickups along the way with everyone contributing to gas? We have a very comfy conversion van that will seat 7.


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## homebirtha (Feb 19, 2004)

Liese said:


> HB, would you mind checking out the 2 sites you found for MS&W to find out what their reservation policies and deposit requirements are? That would give us some idea.


The Sugarman cabin asks for $100 to reserve the cabin. Half the rent is due 60 days before the stay and the rest is due 30 days prior. There is also a $100 damage deposit. Currently, that weekend is available. 

I'll check with the other place and post results.


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

Thanks so much Mindy, so if this is typical then it looks like we would need to chip in about $10/ea to cover a reservation. 

Is it too soon to get a vote about doing retreat(s) around a fest(S) or not? If around a fest, which one(s)? We have had mentioned MS&W, MI, WI, and obliquely Rhinebeck.


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

Since no-one else has posted since my last, perhaps it would be better to bring this topic back up after the first of the year? Would that give folks enough time to get plans organized?


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## rainbowshades (Sep 26, 2005)

Hi -  I am interested. I am in Portage, WI. Willing to drive anywhere for a good wool festival. 

I think after the first of the year would be a great time to re-start this thread. Getting kids in school, Holidays coming, lots of things to keep us busy but after the 1st of the year, there is an enough slow down to consider all the arrangements.

We camped at the Jefferson, WI festival - it was fun and nice not having to drive (only 2 hours from home) after walking/talking/eating all day.

jane


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