Forty-eight hours with the project.
Weekend retreats in Arkansas for quilters, sewists, scrapbookers, knitters, and anyone with a craft that keeps losing to the calendar.
The stash grows. The finished pile doesn't.
Every quilter knows the project that has been "almost done" for two years, and every one of them knows exactly why. An hour on a Tuesday night is enough to get the machine out and put it away again.
A whole weekend is a different thing. The machine stays out. The cutting mat stays on the table. The project moves.
What's included
A venue picked for the weekend
Nikki finds the place in Arkansas that fits the group: good light, big tables, room to spread out.
Setup done before anyone arrives
Tables, lighting, ironing and cutting stations, laid out the way the proposal says.
Snacks and drinks, stocked
Nikki brings them, as listed in the proposal. The coffee does not run out.
Catering, arranged per weekend
Meals work like the venue. Catering is set up for that retreat and the proposal says what's on the table and when.
Nikki on site
One person running the weekend so nobody in the group has to.
The proposal
One document with the venue, what's included, and the house rules. Read it once and relax.
Who comes
Solo quilters who want a weekend alone with the machine. Guilds who want the retreat without one member doing all the work. Scrapbookers with three years of photos in a box. Knitters, crocheters, cross-stitchers, anyone with a hobby that fits on a table. Nobody has to be good at it. Nobody has to finish anything. The weekend counts either way.
Quilting and craft retreat questions
Is there a minimum number of people?
Yes. A retreat books at five. Get five people together, pick a weekend, and it's on.
What does a weekend cost?
Every weekend is priced for the group. Headcount, the venue, and what the room needs all move the number, so the quote comes after a quick conversation and lands in the proposal.
What should I bring to a quilting or craft retreat?
The project, the machine, and the tools you actually use. What Nikki sets up, tables, lighting, ironing and cutting stations, is listed in the proposal so nothing gets packed twice.
Do I have to bring my own sewing machine?
Yes. Bring the machine you know. There will be a table, an outlet, and light waiting for it.
Can I come by myself?
Retreats book at five, so bring the guild, the sewing circle, or four friends who've been meaning to. Solo quilters get on the list and hear first when an open weekend has room.
Is there a schedule or a class?
Only if the group wants one. Nikki plans the weekend around the room: open sewing the whole time, one demo on Saturday, or whatever the group asks for.
Is food included?
Snacks and drinks, yes. Nikki stocks the weekend with what's listed in the proposal. Meals work like the venue: catering is arranged for that weekend, and the proposal says what's on the table and when.
Do we sleep there?
Depends on the venue. Some retreats are at a house with beds for everyone. Some are at a workspace with lodging nearby. The proposal says which.
What are the house rules?
Every venue has its own. Check-in, quiet hours, parking, pets, all of it comes from the property and gets passed along in the proposal so nothing is a surprise.
What if someone has to cancel?
Once a weekend is booked, it's booked. There are no refunds, so get the five confirmed before booking.