The third annual Stitching Goddess weekend was held March 25-29, 2004. This year's event, co-hosted by Bernice Abernathy of Needle Nook of La Jolla and David McCaskill, included invited guest teachers Gay Ann Rogers and Libby Sturdy.
As in past years, out-of-town participants, and some husbands and family members stayed at the Empress Hotel in beautiful La Jolla, CA in the same block as Needle Nook of La Jolla. As Mary Hamilton, a three year participant once said: "La Jolla, Goddess, Empress and stitching, how many more reasons does someone need to attend?" This year, was no exception with participants arriving from different areas of the country.
The festivities began on Thursday evening at our welcoming
reception held in the Torrey Room at the Empress Hotel. An array of food
catered by the Manhattan Restaurant was featured along with a selection
of wines and beverages.
of Sue Vandernorr from California. She then opened a present from her Mother, Lillian Kennedy, on Sue's right, also from Bakersfield. Looking on is Sally Williams
from La Jolla.
Some of our other participants at the opening reception were:
Jan Slonkosky from Arizona and Cynthia Collins from New York
Janet Swing from Northern California who brought her Mom who enjoyed the sights of San Diego while Janet took classes.
Ro Pace, Lori Wolf-Block and Shari Jackson.
After a lively hour of renewed acquaintances and making new friends, I began formal introductions and the presentation of gifts befitting a Stitching Goddess.
The first people introduced were my co-host Bernice and our two guest teachers:
Libby Sturdy shown here visiting
with Becky Powell from Texas.
Miss Congeniality has become a yearly joke between Gay Ann and me. Each year the participants vote for the person they feel best personifies the title of Miss Congeniality, teachers and staff being excluded from the vote. During the past few years, Gay Ann has unsuccessfully attempted to circumvent the rule and solicited votes for herself. I decided that this year I would thwart her solicitation by awarding Gay Ann the status of Honorary Miss Congeniality. As you will see later in the narrative, my attempt to curtail Gay Ann's activities only stirred up Gay Ann's creativity and payback for me came during the final night awards banquet.
Once we were introduced, I began introducing this year's Stitching Goddesses. As each person was introduced Bernice handed them gifts befitting a Goddess. First was a chatelaine with their official Goddess nametag, then a selection of threads inside a large tote bag, followed by a gold needle case engraved with their names and Stitching Goddess 2004. And this year we started a retroactive tradition, charm bracelets with commemorative stitching related charms. First year attendees received a bracelet with their first silver charm, a piece of canvas. Second year Goddesses received the bracelet, canvas and a silver table clamp charm. And for those who have been to all three retreats, a bracelet, canvas, clamp and the first stitch charm, a Smyrna Cross. Each year we will continue adding "stitch" charms to their bracelets and new participants will begin the collection at their first retreat.
Once the evening ended, all of the participants were given baskets of snacks to take back to their rooms. In addition to normal snack food, each basket also held Godiva chocolates and decorated cookies inscribed with Goddess 2004.
Friday morning, breakfast was served in the hotel and classes began at
9 AM. Gay Ann's class was held in the shop:
Scenes from Gay Ann's classes:
