Shoreline on Monterey Peninsula, CA

Jane Foster's sewing retreat is held on the Asilomar Retreat and Conference Grounds on the shoreline of the Monterey Peninsula in California.  Asilomar occupies 107 acres with housing for 312 people, a dining room, and conference rooms.    It is part of the California state park system, and is run by a concession.  Students are able to sew, design garments, relax, take walks, visit the tide pools, shop, and socialize with friends.  The beach, flora, tide pools and ocean are magnificent and just a few minutes walk away.  Usually the students arrange to take an afternoon side trip to shop in the local fabric or knitting stores in Pacific Grove and Carmel. A great favorite in Pacific Grove is Back Porch Fabrics. While it is mainly a quilting store, the owner has great taste, and usually you will find something in the store you really must purchase.  In Carmel, be sure to stop at Findings. It is a unique small store with silks, woolens, an interesting collection of trims and buttons, and a delightful owner. Less than a block away in a little shopping center is a great coffee shop known for its hot chocolate. You can sit outside at tables and enjoy the atmosphere.

Students coming to Jane's sewing retreats bring their sewing machines and work on projects that yearn to be started or finished.  Asilomar provides a room for sewing between the hours of 7 AM and 10 PM, and students enjoy the time without interruptions from TV or telephone calls. This is a sewing retreat and sewing vacation all rolled up into one wonderful and fun event.

Jane is an excellent sewing instructor with years of experience.  She has exceptional talent in the designing and fitting of garments.  She emphasizes color choices and garment lines that compliment each person.  The class size is usually 7 or 9 students.  Some students are early risers and sew on their own before breakfast. After breakfast Jane helps students with their projects for 3 hours, and then everyone breaks for lunch.  After lunch there will be free time to sew or go on an outing.  At 4:00 PM Jane again helps individual students until dinner, and then again after dinner.  So each student has ample individual attention throughout the entire sewing retreat. 

Meals are served in the dining room, and the food is wonderful and plentiful.  You can choose between the normal entre or a vegetarian entre. They also have a special request area for people with specific food needs. The grounds are beautiful and quiet,  and the ocean is across the street. The rooms are simple but clean.  They have single beds, and are without TV's, radios, phones, or clocks.  However, some of the rooms will have a balcony with seating for you to experience the quiet.  There is a gift shop with really great coffee, bottled water, wine, tee shirts, sweat shirts, souvenirs, and a few snacks just a short walk from our sewing room. 

These events are SO successful.  Call Jane now to reserve a space in the next sewing retreat.  The sewing retreats and vacations can fill up quickly. Students from past years are eager to come again.