The Victoria Sampler Retreats


Victoria Sampler presents: Our Last two Retreats In beautiful Victoria, B.C. Canada Any questions? just email us *FALL* October 21 - 24, 2010 Spring April 28 - May 1, 2011 Click here to Register !

October Fall Project: A Gingerbread Tree Etui Hurry..only a few months left to sign up for our LAST Fall Retreat! The Gingerbread Tree Etui is the perfect yummy companion to last year's release, the #110 Gingerbread Stitching House. This new Gingerbread Tree Etui is a delicious four-sided tree shape, trimmed with button and bead candies, fully lined and decorated with white ‘icing sugar’ snow. It is stitched on Gingerbread coloured linen, with delectable silk flosses, beads, silks, multicoloured beads and buttons for candy tree decorations. On the front of the tree shape are two stitchers working on their Christmas projects near a warm fire, and on each side is a different scene; a little Christmas town with a wee snowman, a tiny horse pulling a sleigh through the snow, and finally, Santa crossing the skies over a little harbour town. Each of these scenes is just gorgeous! When you undo the ribbons at the top, and open the front piece with the stitchers, you see a decorated Gingerbread Pincushion nestled inside! Sooo cute! We have also added some optional floss rings and some elasticized bands made of lining fabric to hold packages of needles or thread. Finally, there is a fully decorated scissors case attached to the lining of the front piece. Of course, you can decide to have your scissors case separate if you prefer! For this learning design, you will learn and practice Spider Web Roses, Bullion Knots, Silk Ribbon Roses, Lazy Daisies, Herring-bone, Rhodes Stitches, and learn how to finish the tree. Lisa's directions will make finishing easy for you. You can set your new Gingerbread Tree Etui on your mantle or on your dining room table with your Gingerbread Stitching House which you stitched last year. Don't miss out.. Sign up now!

April Spring 2011 Project: Victorian Stitching Purse Ohhh... Thea's Spring 2011 VSRetreat Project is still in the final stages of finishing, and is not quite ready to be photographed. However, here is a preview picture of a portion of the front. We already have registrations sight unseen! All of us are very excited to welcome our excited guests next April to stitch this gloriously decadent Victorian Stitching Purse and Smalls! On the front of the purse is a lovely scene with two ladies reaching for a fruit hanging from the tree overhead, while sheep graze peacefully in the far meadows. The beautiful Bargello and Silk Ribbon bands enhance the bottom of the purse. Thea used such deliciou colours; fuschia bronze gold green purple and rose threads on antique gold/green linen.. just scrumptious! On the back of the purse you'll find a different scene, with a large Victorian monogram using your own initials! The sides of the purse include some specialty stitching on deep Mulberry coloured Linen, and of course you'll find some extra special little Victorian needlework smalls inside the purse! We're sure you're going to enjoy this very last VS Retreat. Getting excited? Don't miss out... come to our final retreat! Sign up now!

Retreat Formats: In both Retreats, we encourage a comfortable teaching structure to each day. You will learn plenty of terrific techniques, including a bit of silk ribbon, and the tricks used in Lisa's gorgeous finishing! You can stitch the entire time you attend, as the stitching room will be open from 9am-10pm, but you can also take breaks, go for a long walk, go shopping, or do other things that you enjoy! This promises to be a relaxing time for you, a time when you can steal away for a wee nap in the afternoon, or just keep stitching and chatting with us the whole weekend through. Also, Lisa will share her finishing tips and hints to give you confidence when your pieces are finished. The rest of weekend, you can choose to spend however you like.. walk along the inner harbour causeway, ride on our horse drawn buggies, or shop at our local needlework shops and quilting shops or the numerous tourist or antique shops that Victoria is known for. Victoria is filled with oodles of wonderful Catalogues, restaurants, and museums so that you are never at a loss for what to do during the retreat. Have High Tea at Murchie's or the elegant lobby of the jewel of the city, the Empress Hotel. You may want to stay longer, arriving before or leaving after our event. If you do, just email us, and we will help extend your holiday if we can share our group hotel rate to you for your entire stay. The Harbour Towers is our base hotel. Our intimate VS Retreats include all the following: - 3 nights hotel - Thursday/Friday/Saturday (Check out Sunday before 11am) (of course we can arrange extra nights for before or afterwards) - two days of Thea's teaching... stitching & laughing in a cosy common room with elbow room for all. - membership in a dedicated yahoo chat group to get to know your fellow stitchers ahead of time. - entirely voluntary participation in a stitcher's gift exchange - VS studio tour and tea.. - a full kit containing a new design by Thea - an in depth overview of the featured design taught by Thea - some special prizes and goodies of course.. we can't forget those! :) Any questions? just email us
There are TWO options for your registration: Double Occupancy and Single Occupancy. With the double occupancy price, you will share the room with another stitcher. If you don't already know a stitcher to share with, we will assign one to you. If you want to share with a certain registered stitcher, just let us know by email. You can decide you want to pay the entire amount at once, or you can opt for our 3 x payment plan as you can see on our payment page VS Retreats email: LisaA@victoriasampler.com . Our VS Retreats Registration is found in the Catalogue. Just click *here* to see your options and to register. There is a single payment for each option, and there is also a payment plan for each option. The payment amount will be charged twice more before the Retreat starts. We will contact you via email regarding the remaining payment dates and method of payment. The first payment is the non-refundable deposit included in each Registration: Based on Double Accom. - Cdn $260 - or - Based on Single Accom. -Cdn $343 No refunds in the last 30 days (no exceptions) All events here advertised are subject to change without notice.

Stitching with Thea, Lisa and Cathy. Thea has a warm and comfortable teaching style, and enjoys her students immensely. She encourages everyone to try new things and to relax while learning! Cathy Jean is our talented folk-art cross stitch designer, and will also join us now and then. Lisa has taught several finishing workshops over the years, and is our resident finishing guru. She will give you some easy finishing hints for this beautiful project... We just know you'll have a wonderful time in Victoria next Spring.. just come and smell the flowers, and follow the birds to Victoria!
If your husband, friend or relative wants to travel with you to this little bit of Olde England on the West Coast of Canada, you are of course welcome to bring them! Victoria is considered one of the 10 top cities in the world to visit. Your guest can enjoy Victoria and is welcome to stay with you in your 'single' room at no extra charge to you.
A few Victoria links for you... http://www.victoria.ca/common/index.shtml good link for finding Victoria http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria,_British_Columbia a good link for Victoria info Fly directly into Victoria International Airport.. or take the Pacific Coach Lines from the Vancouver Airport, or from Vancouver and let them take you directly to downtown Victoria (they go via Ferry as well) http://www.pacificcoach.com/Bus-Transportation-Schedule-and-Fares http://www.bcferries.com/schedules/mainland/tssw-current.html Take the BC Ferries from Vancouver (Tsawassen) to Sidney (Swartz Bay) and drive to Victoria. http://www.clippervacations.com/ferry/ferryschedule take the Clipper (easy passenger catamaran ferry) from Seattle harbour to Victoria harbour 3 hrs! http://cohoferry.com/main/ Go from Port Angeles to Victoria via the Coho Ferry (cars and passengers). https://secure1.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/webres/ Take the Anacortes (cars and passengers) Ferry (Washington State Ferry from Anacortes WA to Sidney, B.C. http://www.harbourtowers.com/the_hotel/index.html The Harbour Towers. If you are wheelchair dependent.. please email us before you sign up. http://www.buttonedup.com Button and Needlework Catalogue Email for VS Retreats: LisaA@victoriasampler.com
Prices and Registration link under VS Retreats in menu at left.