Time to plan escaping away to stitch in style.

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It's time to book on to the Sew & Spa retreat. The WhatsApp group is there ready and waiting to help you prepare if necessary, just as Elaine did recently. She is brand new to patchwork, so didn't have any 'scraps' for the gift swap, so a couple of retreaters sent her some of theirs! Now there's a cool community for you!

This will be the fourth patchwork retreat I've run at Thornton Hall Hotel for all you UK quilting fans. Will you join us on next years? 

"But Diane, January is months away. It's dull and dreary then and I'll  have no money left after Christmas."

That may well be the case but I and the attendees find that it's the perfect time to escape to recoup and refresh to start the year off well. Bookings have been available for many months but now is the time for the final payment (by October 1st), so that means less time to sit and think about if you REALLY' want to make it happen for yourself.  Shared interests, laughter and being spoilt is definitely a way to clear off any January blues.

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First dibs went to previous attendees and I have people who have booked on each one, so that shows that it works pretty darn well. I like to take some credit for that but the people who attend make it work the way it does. It's so friendly and relaxed, with everyone doing their own sewing and visiting the spa when they feel like it. Yes indeed, spa access is included in the cost but any treatments or bookings in the beauty salon, need to be booked and paid for separately by you. Everyone has a break when they want. Yet any time a group activity happens, everyone is there taking part and enjoying themselves. If someone is 'on a mission' to finish a project, they can carry on until midnight if they want or start at 6a.m. We all work in different ways and due to the large size of the Cristal Suite, it's all within our grasp.

Now you're hankering after more specific details I hope.

Dates: January 4th 10a.m to 4pm on January 6th 2024.

The 3 day event is held at Thornton Hall Hotel and Spa in Thornton Hough, Wirral, Merseyside. 

Scroll down to see the costs. 

It all happens in their marvellous Cristal Suite and adjoining bar area, which is where we have a break-out zone during the day and eat our dinner in the evening. Click on one of the images below to see a virtual tour of the Cristal Suite. Dinner is a set menu and we all sit together. This makes it private, so we can be as cheery as we like. I may or may not put you through a quiz. Depends on whether you're good or not. 😉

Attendees choose their own projects to sew whilst they're there and bring their own machines and fabrics but there are ironing stations and cutting tools with mats available in the middle of the room. There will be a small shop with essential items available and there is a fabric shop less than 5 minutes drive away too. 

All meals are included, as is your 4* ensuite room. 

There are two different room options: A single person room or a twin-room for two people sharing.

There is an optional gift swap for you all to take part in and this year the theme is scrappy - you choose what to create but it needs to use up your scraps/remnants. Examples of projects could be a bag, a table runner, placemats. Don't panic, nobody will expect a full quilt! Make something you would like to receive yourself and present it nicely and it'll be brilliant!

Everyone gets a goody bag and yes, the theme of that is scrappy too. 

I will also teach some scrappy patchwork blocks to help people who find these projects quite tricky. You'd think scrappy would be fun, but so many don't feel confident to select colours and put them together. Getting people to believe in themselves is the biggest battle. 

I encourage everyone to bring at least one project for show and tell, as this is so important to share your passion for your sewing. Not all of us have the opportunities to mix with quilters regularly. Every project has a story to tell. You're in safe hands. We're all sewists and really appreciate everyone's work, whether as a complete newbie or as a professional.