My weekend

my crochet so far

I've always wanted to go to knitting/quilting/sewing/crafting of some kind retreat. I've never managed to make it to one. Between the cost, logistics of getting there and back, what to do with the kids, and my anxiety over being in a room full of people I do not know and being too afraid to talk to them because I'll probably sound like an idiot issue, it's just never happened.

Earlier this year I was lamenting about all of this to my husband. About every two years, he goes on a week long camping trip to the Boundary Waters with his friends, and by my calculations, he owes me roughly 5 weeks of being able to do something by myself.

So we were talking and it hit me, since I couldn't get to a retreat myself, I would bring the retreat to me. And so I started to plan my craft weekend. I told the husband he had to vacate the house, and take the children with him. I talked about it on facebook and basically had an open-ended invitation (one of those, if you can read this, you are invited), and then waited for the weekend to arrive and hope that at least one person would show up.

Well, the weekend happened this past weekend. And it was glorious, at least for me. Four people were able to come and I (kind of) taught someone to knit. I also started a crochet project. It was awesome. I'm already planning next years event. It was exactly what I needed. There was time to myself and time to spend with others.

If I'm being honest, at first I felt bad. I mean, I kicked my husband and kids out of the house. (My mom was gracious enough to let them come over there). And then I was terrified no one would come. Because I would have felt doubly bad about making my family leave. But then I realized, it was okay. I am allowed to want time to myself. And my family did fine being gone. It wasn't that big of a deal.

And now? Now, I can not wait until next year!