prior to the retreat, each guest will be invited to join a private discord channel where we can chat up our event, you can ask all the questions you want and get to know each other. for anyone in a double room that hasn’t met their roomie, you’ll also be set up to privately chat if you wish. we’ll talk packing and you’ll get some sneak peeks of the retreat patterns. you’ll also want to prepare for our get-to-know-you stitch marker swap if you have chosen to participate. the discord group is optional, but it’s a lot of fun! it is also a great way for us al to stay in touch during the retreat during the few times we aren’t all together. this year, I have arranged for myself and my crewmember to arrive significantly earlier than my guests so that we will have plenty of time for set up. I want you to step right into the soothing atmosphere.

when you arrive at the retreat, you’ll be guided to your room where your goodie bag, surprise treats & name tag will be ready & waiting. the house will be fully stocked with snacks & drinks in case you’re feeling hungry after your travel day. throughout the retreat, we will have either a whiteboard or shared document where you can add any food or drink requests anytime throughout the week. unless you want to go to the store yourself (or you wish to pick up alcoholic beverages), we will make at least 1 run to the store each day to make sure you have what you need.

my dear friend and professional photographer is coming with us on our retreat so that noone has to worry about documentation or setting up a timer for group pics. you’ll meet her right away and if you ever need a particular shot, just ask! erica and I go way back and she does all the photography for kate oates/tot toppers, along with our family photos each year. she also just took my son’s senior photos and we even had her come to his graduation party so that we didn’t have to think about pictures. I’m not sure I realized just how great it was to have someone else taking all the pictures but I’m sold! I’m so excited to have her along. If you prefer to not be photographed or tagged, you’ll be able to indicate that in your form and we will fully respect that decision. You’ll love erica, she is a treasure.

this note just might be more for me than for you ☺️ but I really do mean it. when I planned our getaway, I made sure that you could wear absolutely anything you want for each and every experience. you are welcome to bring on your fancy, but you don’t have to feel any pressure to dress anything but cozy & casual throughout.

christine, sarah, corey & kristy are world-class creatives and I couldn’t be more excited to have their invaluable skillsets as a part of your south carolina experience. as for me, I thought long and hard of what workshops would be best for our beach backdrop. instead of my longer, intensive courses, i’ll be offering just a couple 1.5-2 hour focused classes during the retreat so that it’ll be easy for you to determine whether you’d rather be learnin’, beachin’ 🏝️ or simply sittin’ & knittin’. i’ve also curated our schedule so that you can enjoy lazy mornings as you wish, whether that’s sleeping in, knitting with coffee, enjoying the sunrise or looking for shark teeth. all workshops & experiences are included in your registration but know that if you’d rather spend your time doing your own thing, go for it! there is no pressure on your time, just promise me you’ll relax and enjoy yourself each and every minute.

charleston is a foodie town and we will be taking full advantage! you’ll love chef sarah’s cookin’ and downtown charleston has so many great spots I haven’t even been able to pick one for us just yet. your retreat fee includes all breakfasts/brunches & dinners, along with plenty of snacks & non-alcoholic beverages. we will have a couple “bevvies” (local terminology for mixed-drink treats 🍹). when you register for the retreat, you’ll have the opportunity to share any allergies, dietary restrictions or food preferences so that we can accommodate you for every retreat meal. lunches are on your own but if last year was any indication, there will be plenty of leftover goodies to munch on, or your can eat out or order in.

i’m fully committed to providing my guests with royal treatment in every way possible. you deserve it. I’ve got a crewmember coming with me so that you’ll be able to get assistance with anything you require during the retreat, even if i’m teaching when something comes up. we will handle any & all clean-up and as I mentioned, you’ll be able to write down anything you may need or want from the store. all we will ask is that you leave any dirty dishes in the kitchen area—everything else is on us, including check-out procedures. I genuinely want you to waltz in & out without a backwards glance. my retreats are all about spoiling yourself rotten or letting us spoil you. i’ll say it again: you deserve it.