The Workshop list for our 2015 Retreat is live!

It's one of my favourite days of the year; the day where we get to release the workshop list for The Craft Sessions 2015 retreat. It's live and the full list can be found here.  So so many good things, covering a range of traditional textile based handcraft. I'm really happy with the breadth of subject we have covered this year, and really thankful to have the teachers we have. They have come up with some great stuff!

A couple of things to note; I got it wrong the other day - there are 21 classes, not 20 as I said last week. Three of those are three of our most popular classes from last year and ALL the rest are all new!

We are thrilled to have some sensational new teachers on board (I'm super excited to be teaching a class this year too :) ). I have left our teacher alumni up on our teacher page as I hope to have them all back at some time in the future. They are all such generous and knowledgeable people and I want to thank them for putting in the work to pull this event together. 

The registration page has been updated also with some more information about the process. Registration will be open on April 21st at 9am. The key reason we release the workshop list two weeks before registration is to give you time to think about your workshop choices. You will need to specify your preferences when you register - this way we can get back to you in a very timely fashion what you got into.

The workshop schedule for what workshop is on when will be up next Tuesday.

So because I want to hear what you all think in the comments today, I thought I would offer a little sweetener - I have three skeins of Quince and Co Tern in Stonington to give away! (Stash Less in action my friends ;)) To enter you need to answer the question "What are your three favourite workshops?" Leave a comment on this blog post to enter by Monday 13th April at 9pm EST. I'll draw a winner at random. This is open internationally but if you are commenting from another country feel free to add your country in the comment. Just curious as to where you are all from ;).

Can't wait to hear what you all think - I really hope you like it. 

Felicia x

Easter Break

Just popping in to wish you a super Easter break.

I'll be back next week with the class list for this year's retreat - It's crazy good I promise! Seventeen - that's right - seventeen new workshops!! We are also repeating three workshops from last year due to their popularity. So twenty workshops in total to choose from for your main workshop sessions.

And then we have our optional short workshops that we hold during your free time on Saturday afternoon.  We have created three totally new sessions that I just love. I will be going to all three! Skill building (and joy!) with people that really know their stuff. 

Yep - I'm pretty excited. 

Also next week - the much requested alterations post for the Simple Sewing 101 mini series. I've taken loads of photos for the post and just need to get down to editing them properly to show you some of my favourite tricks. In the meantime keep posting what you are making with the hashtag #simplesewing101. I'm loving seeing them pop up. So inspiring!

Felicia x

The Craft Sessions 2015 - The Details

Hello lovely people! 

So some of you have started pinging me about what is happening with this year's retreat - and I know I'm a week or two late - so apologies! March was annoyingly taken up by sickness so I am a little behind on the schedule. Anyhoo that's detail.

I wanted to share some dates and details with you today so that it is clear how this is all going to roll out. The website will be updated by with all the key information by our official launch date next week on April 7th. In the meantime….

Key Dates

1. Class list will be posted April 7th - via a blog post and by email to our mailing list.
    It is by far our best yet. We are totally chuffed with it and know you will love it! 

2. Registration will open April 21st at 9am. 

3. The retreat will run from Friday September 11th 2pm to Sunday September 13th 5pm. 

Registration details

We are changing how you register this year to make registering your preference for diet, workshops etc part of the registration process. Registration will involve two steps;

1. A direct deposit of your registration fee and
2. Submission of our online form with all your details and class preferences.

Changing this process enables us to quickly tell you which classes you have got into - in the past this took time as we waited for preference forms to trickle in. It will be a very simple process - promise!

Class preferences

Classes are assigned in the fairest way we can think of - on a first come basis, based on when you register. We think it is really important to keep the class sizes small so we don't crowd our classes! 

We release the class list two weeks early giving you a couple of weeks to think about what you would like to do before we start registration. There are twenty different workshops over the three days (as well as three bonus workshops on the Saturday afternoon). There is so much choice this year that we know you will find many things that interest you. At registration you will be asked for your top three preferences for each timeslot. The sooner you register the more likely you are to get your first preferences.

In the past classes such as knitting, embroidery, some sewing classes and our weaving classes have been very popular and sell out quickly, but we are never sure of what will be popular until we see your forms coming in….. To be honest, it's a bit of a thrill for us to see what you are interested in. Who knew last year how many of you would want to do leggings?? 

Cost

The cost of the event this year will be $869. The cost of the retreat is inclusive and covers;

• Welcome drink on our first night.
• Two and a half days of delicious meals - starting with an organic afternoon tea on Friday and ending with an afternoon tea on Sunday. 
• All classes - 2 full days of workshops in small groups. 
• Yoga - each morning and restorative yoga on Sat afternoon
• Two nights twin-share accommodation at the YVCC. 
• An afternoon of "optional workshops" and/or time for crafting, relaxing, walking etc. 
• Gift bag filled with goodies from our wonderful sponsors.
• Open fires, good conversation and community. A chance to slow down and feel the joy craft and community can bring.

The small increase on last year's price is simply based on an increase in our venue costs. 

Payment Plans

Details of our payment plan will be available next week when we release the class list. It will be a super simple process - as it was last year.  

I think that is it for today. The big class list reveal is only a week away. I can't wait! 

Felicia x

Getting it a little wrong….

So late last year I decided I should change the blog format. I was thinking that I would post twice a week as I have done for a long while, and then I would have an I Made This post once a week. While I have some amazing I Made This posts coming to you very soon, I'm not able to organise them once a week. I forget and they forget and it takes a bit of doing…..

In the meantime I've been trying to fill in the gaps and post all three days…..and I just want to admit that that was crazy talk. I can only post twice a week and enjoy it, and normally I really enjoy it. Three times a week feels too much….. 

So….I've now tried a couple of different formats - none of which have worked with my real life. And so this is what I'm gonna do - go back to Tuesday and Friday as it always was. Apologies for all the chopping and changing. 

So the first Simple Sewing 101 post will be up next week - in the meantime enjoy your weekend. I'm off to bed - see you Tuesday xx

Summer blog break is over!

Happy New Year lovely people!

I hope your holidays were joyful, and you had some time to relax and enjoy the people you love. A bit of craft wouldn’t go astray either hey? I’ve been away – all over the state in fact. My family are spread far and wide so there have been road trips aplenty. And I’m still not quite home…..a few more days at the beach before we head back to Melbourne.

That said, I am now back in this space and will be posting regularly as usual. I do however, want to make a couple of small changes to the schedule. The first is that as of next week, blog posts will be Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The I Made This series will now be the Wednesday post. Again, this starts next week! 

Late last year I was having a problem finding time to answering comments. The two days that I was writing posts were Tuesday and Wednesday were also the two days most of your comments were arriving. This meant I often wasn’t getting a chance to read them until the weekend. So hopefully these changes will make things a little simpler as it will mean my TCS time spread throughout the week a bit more evenly. The comments are one of my favourite bits of writing the blog - I LOVE them. You always give me more to think about – and sometimes make me want to rewrite the whole post based on what you have said! Hopefully we have many more good conversations this year.
 

If you feel like it today though, I would love to hear what you have been making over the holidays….. For me it’s been a Wiksten Tank, I’m knitting the super-gorgeous Keel (that is excruciatingly slow going), and an experimental knit I will tell you all about tomorrow. Or you could tell me about your making plans for the year? Are you trying anything new? Slowing down, speeding up, stashing less, learning something new, getting over a fear? I'd love to hear.

So just a quick one today and I’ll be back tomorrow with the first post of the year!

Felicia x