On Friday I drove down to Alexandria, VA, with friend Barbara K. to see the classes that would be offered in Asheville next year as well as to go to the boutique and Merchandise Night.  I was hoping that there would be classes for the 2017 EGA Seminar that I would like because I really wanted an excuse to return to Asheville.  There are and I will register this month during early registration!  To tempt you to log on to the EGA website–egausa.org–to see the classes, let me tell you a bit about some of them.  Ann Strite-Kurz will be teaching the hedgehog Rosie has been talking about, Happy Hedgie, as well as Loon Tunes, that we have seen stitched by Rosie in a pilot class.  Ann also has a one day class, Leaf Luster.   Another teacher we are familiar with is Gail Stafford.  She is teaching Fog in the Mountains which Jill took at the ANG seminar in Myrtle Beach last year.  Gail’s second class is A Dusting of Snow showing a gazebo in the snow. Kurdy Biggs has a one day class of a three dimensional ornament and a four day class reminiscent of A Different View in that the canvas is covered with many different stitches that all fit together–how does she do that?  Gail Sirna has two offerings, Rosalie’s Roof Garden and Lily of the Lake, both beautiful designs.  Joan Thomasson has a one day class with another of her Santas, this one called Medieval Santa Ornament and a four day class, Bavarian Wedding.  Janet Zickler Casey has a two day class stitching a “minaudiére” which by the class description is a small purse.  Janet is also teaching another two day class with two of her Santas, Christmas Light Santa and Candy Swirls Santa.  Jeanette Rees has a four day class, Feeding Frenzy.  This is described as a mixed media class and is not as canvas.  All of these classes as well as the rest of the offerings should be online this evening or tomorrow morning.  Early registration runs through the end of November.

Asheville has other draws as well.  The famous Biltmore Estate is located there as well as the well known Southern Highland Craft Guild located on the Blue Ridge Parkway on the outskirts of Asheville.  If you are going to Asheville, the Grove Park Inn is well worth a visit just to see the lobby and walk around the public areas reading a bit of the history of the building.  One of the women working the area showing next year’s classes told me that the day following the last day of classes there will be a total eclipse of the sun visible in this area of North Carolina making it worthwhile to stay an extra day before coming home.  You can see I am excited about visiting Asheville next summer!  If you are not currently a member of EGA check to see if there is a chapter near you!

Sue