Our annual retreat and workshops will be held from Friday, May 18 to Sunday, May 20, 2018. This year, we will be at a new location: Rolling Ridge Retreat and Conference Center in North Andover, Massachusetts. Rolling Ridge is nestled on 38 acres overlooking Lake Cochichewick in North Andover, Massachusetts, and features open space, hills, and trails, the beautiful and historic Fletcher Steele Gardens, a labyrinth, and outdoor spaces to wander and roam. The property was originally built as a summer home for Ethan Allen, a wealthy New York wool merchant, who purchased the property in 1899. In 1928, Rolling Ridge was sold to Russell Tyson, a Harvard graduate and a successful Chicago real estate broker and in 1948 it was sold to the New England Conference, United Methodist Church. From 1948 the property has operated as a retreat center.
We are very excited to welcome our teachers for this year: Bobbi Donnelly will be teaching Tønder lace. Many of you will have taken classes with Bobbi at IOLI Convention and/or Ithaca Lace Days and will look forward to the opportunity to continue to study this beautiful lace. Holly Van Sciver will be offering beginning, intermediate or advanced Torchon, Bedfordshire, Bucks Point, Lester, Honiton, Russian, Hungarian, contemporary lace and more. Holly will also be our vendor. Both classes are now full. If you would like to be on the waitlist, please email Jill and Winann at nelgretreat@gmail.com.
More detailed information regarding specific arrival times, charges and classes is available here. Registration opens on February 1 and is open through April 15. Paid registrations received by March 15 will receive up to $20 early bird discount on accommodations and workshop fees.
Our bobbin this year is from Chris Parsons and features the lacemaker's mascot: a hedgehog. Please note that to guarantee delivery for retreat, the deadline for ordering a commemorative bobbin is March 1.
Our featured speaker on Saturday evening will be long-time NELG member, Jill Hawkins, who will describe her experiences of lacemaking and lace groups in England.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
- Single rooms are limited and are now all assigned
- Check in time is no earlier than 5pm for afternoon arrivals
- All lunches and dinners are “Chef’s Choice”, and are served either buffet or family-style
- Meal times are: Breakfast 8.00am; Lunch 12:00pm; Dinner 6:00pm
- Class hours are 9am to noon and 2pm to 5pm on Friday and Saturday, and 9am to noon on Sunday
- Checkout time from guestrooms is 10am on Sunday morning
- We are welcome to bring wine/beer to enjoy in the evenings, but no bottles or cans in their trash, please. We will need to take them home
- Lake Cochichewick holds the drinking water supply for North Andover. Swimming is NOT permitted; however, kayaks and canoes are available for use on the lake. Please visit the retreat house office to complete the paperwork
- Rolling Ridge Retreat & Conference Center is located at: 600 Great Pond Road, North Andover, MA 01845.Office phone: (978) 682-8815
