Anyone Interested in a Crocheting Retreat?

[Monica Kennedy]

I was just wondering if any of you would be interested in a Chocheters retreat weekend? I know of a cabin in Butler TN (North East TN, @45 minutes from Boone NC, 30 minutes from VA line - beautiful Smoky Mountains) that is very inexpensive that my family has stayed in for years. It can sleep up to 20 and is near Watauga lake - the 3rd cleanest lake in the nation - gorgeous. We could get to meet each other and see each others works in person. We could even try to plan it over a weekend when there is a festival nearby - so many in this area to choose from. Here is the cabin info:

 

Wilderness Lodge Cabin

 

Check out their website for all the details. Basic rate $225 per night for the cabin.

 

The amount per person would depend on how many in total actually come. I have gone with as few as 10 to as much as 20 and it was great either way. It is just a thought, and if you all are interested, let me know. Couples would be welcomed as long as you are okay with sharing a room. Those not wanting to share rooms can rent a room very close by for @ $45 a night. I think we would need a minimum of 10 people to do it which would make the cost $50 per person + tax and food.

[Amy]

This sounds like fun! Since this sounds like one person needs to make the reservation for the entire cabin, you may need to provide a few more specifics before people are willing to commit to something like this.

 

Things like: Who will collect the money and book the room? What happens if people want to cancel after they've paid and they want their money back? What if people some people send in money but others cancel without sending anything in, how is the difference going to be made up?

 

But maybe you'll get enough preliminary responses now to let you know if there's enough interest for you to spend the effort to get all the details more organized for everyone before they have to make a final commitment.

 

Oh, and I also need to remind everyone that this would just be a bunch of like-minded members getting together, and that it's not an official Crochetville retreat or anything. (We've spoken in the past doing one on a larger scale in a more cental location. But that probably won't happen until spring 2009, so feel free to go ahead and plan this retreat!)

[Amy]

Oh, I forgot to say that I grew up in east Tennessee. It's a very beautiful area of the country!

[2kute]

I love, LOVE the Smokies!! :manyheart

I would need to know dates first.

[Monica Kennedy]

Thanks Amy - Yes, I am really just fishing for interest right now. trust on the money issue can be hard, on both sides as the collector and attendee. I cannot afford to psy if others do not, so we would have to work out a fair and safe way to take care of it. But if we get enough interest and people willing to help figure it all out, I am game for it.

 

As for dates . . . that will come in time. Right now, I am asking that under the assumption that the dates worked, do you think you would be able to come. We will work from there later. If you want to help plan this too, let me know. I need all the help I can get. I don't think anyone would regret it - it is gorgeous here most of the year and if we go mid to late August it would be great reprieve for those suffering hot summer temps!

[minwifeof4boys]

I love that area!! Anyhow, would this be off season rates? If we get enough interest I don't mind helping to plan at all....It would be so fun!!

[Cotton Candee]

I am already off the first 3 weeks of September and was thinking that it would be a beautiful time of the year to go...

1-Not too hot or cold

2-Shouldn't be too rainy

3-Not too close to any holidays that cost money

4-Good time to start Christmas gifts...

5-I already have the time off...

 

Like I already told Monica, DH wants to go too and even said he would learn to crochet to be able to! I looked over the site real good and there are places to hike that have benches to sit at all along the trails... would be nice to use a backpack and stop there to crochet in beautiful quiet nature!

 

DH's family goes to the beach and we pitch in for a house to stay at... we are talking 5 families here so I have some experience on one way to do it.

 

We charge by the bedroom. If there are 5 families and 5 rooms, we split it all evenly. If there are 4 rooms but someone's kids are in an extra room, then we split it up by 4 and that family pays for 2 of them... Get it?

 

What we can do is the same thing.

 

With a 2 day min stay $500 would be the cost plus taxes. There are 5 bedrooms so you can split up the rooms at $100 per 2day stay

Here are the bedrooms:

2 BR's with 2 Double Beds

2 BR's with 2 Twins/1 Double

1 BR with 2 Queens

 

The rooms can then be filled by 2 different ways:

Groups can chose their own room

Individuals just choose a bed.

 

Once the deadline is reached then figure out how much each would end up paying...

4 people per room is ONLY $25 per person... plus taxes.

3 people per room is $34 + taxes

2 people per room is $50 + taxes

 

There is a full kitchen there too so we could all figure out if we want to cook a meal or two and save there! I know gas is expensive but this is really a cheap vacation once you get there.

 

Maybe we can also post where we would be coming from and see about car pooling too! Like afswife could drive to Charlotte and then we would go on up from here. That way we could cut on the gas!

[Monica Kennedy]

September would be fine in my book - the weather is still nice enough to swim if it is early September (up to mid month) and Watauga lake is sooo nice. There is tons to do in the area for little to no money. I can almost guarantee there will be events to go to within short driving distance if we want to.

 

The only issue with the way Sue has divied up the money is that is assuming full occupancy. If we have only 10 people, then it would not be fair for 4 people to take one room and pay $25 leaving $475 amongst the other rooms. I suggest we just divide the cost per person and then if someone wants to have a room to themselves, they would have to pay what that room's occupancy is (one couple in one room pays double, a couple with one child would pay 1 extra occupancy). The way we have handled kids in the past is if they do not require a bed (ie they are in a crib or are willing to sleep on a couch or the floor) then they do not count towards the cost of housing. I also am need to correct the beds as of our last trip there in 2006:

 

Here are the bedrooms:

2 BR's with 2 Double Beds

2 BR's with 2 Twins/1 QUEEN (correction)

1 BR with 2 Queens

 

The kitchen/grill is awesome and we can eat all meals in the cabin if desired, though there are lots of good restaurants within reasonable driving distance too. I personally would prefer to eat at the cabin, unless we go to a festival. Even if we go to the lake there are grills to cook on so we could pack a picnic. We could make up teams to take charge of meals and each bring supplies needed (and shop locally if needed). I would suggest we do a Friday/Saturday night thing. I have a karaoke machine and lots of games to bring for fun too. We will not be bored. There is horseback riding on site as well as a petting zoo. Wild animals have been seen right near the cabin (never when I was there though, other than a very annoying woodpecker - but that was before they got AC and we had to have the windows open).

 

Sue - I accept your offer to co-plan this, and we need to keep brain storming! More planners are welcome, even if it is just to brainstorm along with us.

[Monica Kennedy]

Oh, and if someone ends up in a room alone by default, there would not be an extra charge, and if people want to fight over the chance for a room alone, we would pull a name out of a hat (couple/family entered as one name).

[Cotton Candee]

I'll also ask my local crocheters to see if any are interested since it wouldn't be too far from here. I am thinking of asking DH about staying longer though... so if anyone is interested in that too!

[Monica Kennedy]

longer would be fine - we could just determine the cost per person per day and those staying longer would have to pay a bit more. Like I said, too though, there is a little locally owned hotel close by that is only $45 a night - that is a secondary option for additional days. I am going to look for events in September and see if there is a weekend that would be better than others.

[Cotton Candee]

longer would be fine - we could just determine the cost per person per day and those staying longer would have to pay a bit more. Like I said, too though, there is a little locally owned hotel close by that is only $45 a night - that is a secondary option for additional days. I am going to look for events in September and see if there is a weekend that would be better than others.

 

 

Isn't there something around Sept 22nd? A ranch day thing?

[Monica Kennedy]

Due to recent events in my life, I need to cancel this - if someone else wants to plan and do the retreat feel welcome, but I will be unable to do it. Sorry.