Before I start, I want to acknowledge comments on previous posts:
- Maria: the sourdough wheat bread is so tasty that I find other breads quite flat-tasting now. However, I put a tad too much pepper in my last potato rosemary sourdough bread and it was not a pleasant after-taste. Yuck! I am still learning how the taste of sourdough changes over time. It seems to get better after a few days and the pepper didn't blend with as much as it did on the first day.
- Diane: Thank you! I am a relatively recent convert to blocking. I knitted for decades before discovering it about 10 or so years ago. Now I can't imagine wearing a knit without blocking first. I am quite puzzled as to why that certain catalog company thinks they can get away with it.
- Colleen: welcome! I am quite impressed that a search on Bohus and Jaya turns up my blog. I didn't think it would rank high enough to even show up on a search! It was very nice seeing you at Camp and converting you to the religion of KidSilk Haze. I can't wait to see your Earth Stripe Wrap.
I am going to avoid the trap of showing you the photos of the gorgeous knitted items people bring to Camp. I want to allow you to live the experience and therefore, I am going to take you on a brief tour of a day at Retreat 2.75. The difference between a Retreat and a Camp is that Meg Swansen teaches less at Retreats: instead, she answers questions we submit; participates in dialog with attendees; and attendees volunteer to teach mini-workshops on many topics. It is focused more on learning from each other (and Meg), and less on learning just from Meg. That is good and bad. We all love to hear Meg teach and to learn from her. However, I also love the diversity of opinions and the different ideas that come forth when we teach each other.
These photos are not really taken on the same day, but I am going to use them to give you an idea of what we do in the course of a day. The only part that is missing is the actual session with the teaching and show and tell. I didn't want to interrupt my own thoughts with picture taking. You'll see photos of the show and tell on other Campers' blogs.
We start with breakfast from 8-9. Most of us arrive before then and mingle and sit and chat and knit. We also have a break at around 10:30 which looks a lot like breakfast. Breakfast is yogurt, muffins or bagels, fruit and coffee. Some of us get breakfast elsewhere - in our rooms, at the Kitchen Table which is owned by Meg's sister Lloie, or in other places.
This is the breakfast table with the coffee in the background.
Meg and Amy Detjen usually arrive before 9 and sit and chat with us. Amy is around all the time, even at 11 pm at night. Joyce Williams is also around all the time but she was working on a book so was not available as much as she usually is. It is wonderful to be able to learn from them in the evenings - one on one instruction from masters.
Campers eating, drinking and socializing.
We call this area the living room. It has comfy chairs and is nice for a cozy chat, especially late at night. We also have our Sunday night pizza party in this area.
Lucy, Camper in the middle, is the Koigu queen. She knits amazing things with Koigu but is not completely faithful to it. Sometimes she plays around with other yarns, with excellent results.
Here are some Campers chatting and working on their projects. Mornings are always filled with anticipation and excitement. The mood is different than it is in the afternoons and evenings.
More chatting and listening and looking at others' projects. I find it inspirational to see what others are working on.
I also think it important to give credit to the folks behind the scenes. So here are a few Schoolhouse Press employees. More to come later.
This is Christie, Camp Director Extraordinaire. Without her none of this would be possible.
If you call Schoolhouse Press, it is very likely that you will talk to Eleanor (on the left). She knows everything about everything they stock.
We wander around looking at each other's projects.
People socialize a lot with those who sit near them. Seats are first-come-first-served. Right after the buffet on Thurs, the classroom opens and there is a rush to find seats. Typically room-mates and friends sit together but your neighbors across the table and next to you might be people you haven't met or sat near before. It is a good way to make new friends.
Then there is the petting and sharing of new acquisitions.
One can also work on one's knitting without paying attention to the hubbub around.
There are always piles of yarn lying around to stimulate one's imagination.
People move around and catch up with friends from years past.
Long-time friends and roomies spend quality time together.
One can admire the knitting of masters in a genre.
And one can fondle yarn in all its glory. I love looking at people's projects and chatting with them, catching up on their year. But I never get to everyone every year.
