It’s a dream vacation for any embroiderer: surrounded by embroideries rich in history and beauty, tutored by specialists and professionals, pampered in comfortable accommodations, shopping quaint English and Scottish high streets, exploring castles and manor houses, rubbing elbows with lords and ladies.
Silk. Goldwork. Crewel Embroidery.
Castles. Country gardens. Cathedrals.
Tea. Scones. Shops. Sumptuous meals.
Perhaps even a pub or two on the sly….
Ahhhh… come dream with me!
What the Dickens is she going on about? you may very well ask!
Well, I’m dreaming about Phillipa Turnbull’s Lady Ann’s Needlework Retreats, which are taking place next Autumn – just short of a year from now.
The inaugural Lady Ann’s Needlework Retreat took place in 2012, and it was, by all accounts, a great success. I heard from a couple readers who went, and their reports upon return were glowing.
And I was literally glowing upon hearing them – a soft, subtle shade of green. The retreat sounded marvelous! Beyond marvelous, even. And so, I began to dream.
I thought, “Next time. Next time, that will be me. Errrrr… that will be I. It will be I who goes. Next time.”
Life being what it is, though, and the Cold, Dead Fish of Reality slapping me in the face more than once in the last year (we’re very good friends, the fish and I), I’m not going!
But I thought I’d tell You about it, in case you are in a quandary over what to do for your vacation next year. Maybe you’ve been pining for your Trip of a Lifetime, and you just don’t know where to go or what to do!
Well, here it is!
There are two retreats taking place next year – one for needlework professionals, from September 27th through October 6th, and one for needlework enthusiasts, from October 11th – October 20th. You’ll find all the information about both of them, including itineraries, on The Crewel Work Company website, or you can go directly to the Lady Ann’s Needlework Retreats Brochure here. (PDF)
Better that you read the itinerary and imagine your own dream, than I try to tell you all the details about the retreat.
Even if you know you can’t go, there’s nothing wrong with reading about it and salivating.
Well, the latter in private…
…and certainly not around the Lord and Lady of the Manor.
Dear Mary,
That sounds wonderful! I didn’t know there even was such a thing I would LOVE to go, that would be a dream.
Oh Mary! Let’s rename it as the *rich* embroiderer’s dream vacation! As soon as I got the bit that said ‘Fee:£5000’ excluding travel to the start location, I spluttered and closed the page. I knew it would be four figures, but – wow! Still, there are folk around who can turn the dream into reality as it’s already marked as ‘almost sold out’! Hope they all have a ball.=)
Elizabeth,
I did the currency conversion on google, and it came to $8004 USD. After airfare, it would be in the five digits for me! Maybe they will put online some good photos of the event and allow those of us at home to live vicariously through them.
That’s a great idea, Tracy! Hope they do…=)
I’m going to a stitching show a week on Friday which will cost me about £15 to get to (so maybe US$22) and that feels extravagant to me!!LOL!
Dear Mary
I’ve just had a look at Lady Ann’s Needlework Retreat website and it looks wonderful “sigh”, “sigh” if only, imagine 10 days of needlework and History this is just up my Street and it looks so interesting there is a lot included in the tour and well worth going if only ……………… thanks for allowing us to dream of coal fires and dining in castles and needlework all I need is the costumes to set the scene of times gone by “sigh”.
Regards Anita Simmance
Oh what a dream….
if only……sigh
I read the brochure, all through. What a trip! What a dream! All for only $7996.00 US….that’s of the time of this comment. I’d love to see all of it. But, it truly is a trip for those with more disposable income than I. I wish those lucky ladies well!
Mary, I had a wonderful class with Phillipa Turnbull on crewel embroidery. She came to Needle in a Haystack one year and I learned so much during the one-day class. It was well worth it and I join you in drooling over the Lady Ann’ Needlework Retreat. Besides, I love England. Best, Charlotte
That Cold Dead Fish of Reality is such a killjoy. I may have to start socking away some mad money for a future tour. This looks absolutely fantastic.
Well, it seems that not many of your readers are in the – what would you call it? – uh, wealthy class, Mary. This is something I would love to do too, but I have a couple of those Departed Pisceans making marks on my head: not just because of the $$$ but the accessibility. These days I find travelling more trouble than it is worth – trying to get on and off with a wheelchair etc, so I enjoy such delights vicariously too.
Oh no…’private’ salivation is out! Drooling before the Lord of the Manor would probably be my first step in funding such an adventure! After that could come abject whining, pining away and piteous begging, followed by tears of despair. However, it’s not for me, because even though it’s a year off, I’ve already got those days booked..Anyway, it looks to be an amazing retreat – thanks for sharing.
This tour sounds enticing. Whitecroft Traditional Tours is offering two of interest as well. The following link goes to the tour that I am joining. It includes a day class at the Royal School of Needlework. Earlier in the season, Embroidered Botanica will appeal to those who love gardens as well as stump work.
I have joined Helen Bertram for two tours already, and both lived up to expectation.
http://www.whitecrofttours.co.uk/tours/decorative-needlework-with-may-morris-accompanied-by-michele-hill/