Nanapennypocket’s Sewing Retreat 2007
I returned home a few days ago attending the NPP sewing retreat. The retreat was in North Carolina amidst a beautiful setting in the mountains at a private Lodge. The agenda… four full days of learning sewing/embroidery techniques with no time limits and absolutely no interference from the world…no telephones, television…etc. Arriving a day late, I had a lot of catching up to do and lots to learn. My first and foremost education was learning to use a pattern. I never ever use a pattern rather make it up as I go along which is not bad but not good if you want to recreate it. In recreating the same outfit one must then go through the whole process of measuring again and then cutting.
The first two days were set up to learn making a couture skirt using a tube of fabric 
and an heirloom dress shirt taught by Nancy McEvoy. Nancy by the way is a contributer to Sew Beautiful and other magazines. Her articles are absolutely breath taking as well as her innovative heirloom sewing and embroidery techniques. Her show garments were absolutely stunning. I sat down to cut out the pattern pieces from the paper and was told an interesting trick. One need not cut out the paper pattern, rather simply place it on top of the fabric and then cut. This eliminates the double cutting of the pattern. Another trick I learned was to read the pattern insert which I found a bit tedious but with help it worked out. The heirloom blouse had pintucks with lace in between them. I had brought along my pintuck foot for the ULT but another wonderful teacher Missy Billingsley showed her method of creating the pintucks using the Evolve serger. I was totally hooked…as a matter of fact I am so hooked on the various methods that Missy showed that I invested quite a handsome amount on purchasing several feet for my Evolve. Speaking of sergers…I thought I knew everything but apparently not. Sewing a zipper, making pintucks, piping, shirring….the list goes on. If a Babylock dealer had been at the retreat, I believe all the ladies would definitely have purchased either the Imagine or the Evolve immediately. Missy made it look so simple. And I do admit, Babylock does have the upper hand when it comes to sergers. There really is no other like the Imagine and the Evolve!
Lots of food, lots of laughter, lots of learning and the last day of my teaching how to do a cutwork edge as well as multi hooping using my techniques of no template, went pretty well. Each and everyone had their own way of creating their garments and what a wonderful time learning with others. 
As for me…I’ve yet to finish many of my outfits that I started. In all we had to create a blouse, a skirt, a jacket (which I finished but have to finish stitching its collar), a camisole and one other thing….but I’m forgetting what….oh well. I came home with just about everything at the almost done stage. The best was the fitting of making one’s own pattern by measuring oneself and learning the tricks on manipulating the pattern to truly fit the individual…thanks to Nancy. A great retreat and a great time had by all! Thanks Nanapennypockets for your wonderful organization and the opportunity to enjoy with fellow sewers!
