Empty Spools Seminar

Hi All:

I got inspired to sign up for next year's Empty Spools seminar at Asilomar. The first two seminars are booked solid!

So, I have narrowed my choices down to:

Louisa L. Smith Strips ?n Curves Class

Jean Wells Keenan Radiant New York Beauties

or Judy B. Dales Fabric Fantasies

Has anyone taken a class from any of these teachers. I really would like to get some feedback before I sign up for one of the seminars. I would hate to end up in a week long class with a bad teacher (even though I doubt they would hire a bad teacher).

Mardi

Real e-mail address spelled out to prevent spam. mardi at mardiweb dot com. ____________________

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M. Wetmore
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This lady is a HOOT! She is very fun and that is a cool quilt pattern. For those of you who remember the missing-in-action AlsoKim, she did a table runner and a snake quilt with this pattern.

I haven't take her class but I've seen her on Simply Quilts :-) She was just on last week in fact. She's the lady that started the Sisters outdoor quilt show - not that that says anything about her teaching....

I didn't take her class when she came to our guild, but the ladies who did liked her a lot and some neat projects came out of the workshop.

You know, if you need a tour of the shops near Asilomar or help finding the Talbots outlet lemme know :-) I don't think you could go wrong with a class by any of these ladies.

marcella

Reply to
Marcella Tracy Peek

HI Marcella:

Wow, I had no idea that Jean Wells Keenan is the Jean Wells of the Stichin' Post and Sisters Quilt Show fame. I saw her on Simply Quilts and was very impressed. She really seems like someone I would like to spend time with.

So, Jean Wells Keenan....I'll see you next April!

Any advice on quilty things around Asilomar would be great. I understand the classes are about 4-5 hours a day with the rest of the day is free time.

Is anyone else on this group going to Session III next year? If so, send me an e-mai. I need a roommate and would rather have it be someone from the group than someone I don't know.

Mardi

Real e-mail address spelled out to prevent spam. mardi at mardiweb dot com. ____________________

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M. Wetmore

okay so i'm behind on finding this post but... and just my 50cents worth ya understand. as your friend could easily get a letter from the dr/hospital explaining where she was... if the class was overbooked, surely her place would be filled by one of the overbookees on the day... did the other overbookees get a refund as it was not they who screwed up? they can not charge two people for one place in a class, much like you cant charge two people rent on property when they overlap on dates of occupancy. its illegal. i'd check into that even at this late date. she certainly deserves a refund at the very least and an apology from the organizers as well just for them being idiots, geez. sorry, my not so humble opinion. open heart surgery surely isnt an avoidable predicted absense. go figure... jeanne*

Reply to
nzl*

Reply to
taria

still sounds very suspicious to me. hers is somewhat a unique situation. perhaps they'd have preferred her to attend and then drop in her tracks while there and blow the whole class away for everyone. then they'd have to refund or repeat the class. so your saying they broke their end of the contract (falsely advertising X# to a class) by overbooking and didnt even give a partial refund to those who stayed? the quilters didnt get the attention in the class that they paid for with those extra people there. overbooking in a hotel, a plane, a restaurant is refundable as its their fault not the customers. hmmmmmm, something stinks there. jeanne*

Reply to
nzl*

I am undoubtedly horning in where I don't belong. This has never stopped me before :-) I haven't ever been to Asilomar. Many of my guild friends go every year and have for a long time. I do know the lady who coordinates these retreats. I have gone on other quilting retreats including ones put on by the same lady. But, like I said, I haven't been to Asilomar and am likely horning in, but then I don't get the impression you've been there either so there you go...

Every retreat I have been to has a cancellation policy. It is clearly stated on the registration form. Payment is due by a particular date and in order for a refund cancellations must be made by a particular date. Sometimes there is an intermediate date by which a partial refund is made. There is nothing unusual about a policy like this. Other retreats (other than quilting I mean), schools, summer camps and the like all have a policy like this. There is nothing illegal (at least in CA) about having a no refunds after a certain date policy.

Now, you could argue that it would be "nice" or "fair" or whatever to grant a refund for extenuating circumstances. But, as someone who has organized a guild retreat, let me assure you that one persons extenuating circumstances is not anothers and sometimes keeping that particular judgemental can of worms closed is simply the best and most expedient policy.

If you don't like events with a non-refundable for cancellation after a particular date policy, than don't go to them.

But is seems you made some rather harsh comments about a seminar that works no differently than others and is certainly not operating outside the law.

Actually here is their written policy: (from their website

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Cancellation Policy We strongly encourage the purchase of Cancellation and Travel Insurance, usually purchased through your travel agent.

All cancelled reservations will have the following charges: Now - 120 days $ 30.00 90 - 61 days $250.00 120 - 91 days $100.00 60 - 0 days No Refunds

(Due to teacher contracts and housing guarantees, cancellations cannot be made after 60 days prior to session. You may transfer your reservation to another person if unable to attend.) All returned checks are subject to a $25.00 fee.

marcella

Reply to
Marcella Tracy Peek

so shoot me. i still think they broke the contract as well by overbooking. i believe the overbooked people should have been given a partial refund as it was not their fault but the fault of the organizers and they lost out on the teacher/student ratio. jeanne*

Reply to
nzl*

Becoming somewhat alarmed by this thread, I called a woman I worked with who has been at almost every Empty Spools Seminar they have ever held. She told me she has never heard of anything like this story. She said she once had a friend who came down with a nasty case of flu right before the seminar and since they were able to put someone from the wait list in her slot, she was given a fill refund minus a $40.00 processing charge. She also told me she has never been in a class that was overbooked.

So, I guess it's worth the risk. I am really looking forward to a class with Jean Wells.

I noticed today that the Radiant New York Beauties book I own was actually written by her daughter Valori.

Mardi

Real e-mail address spelled out to prevent spam. mardi at mardiweb dot com. ____________________

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Reply to
M. Wetmore

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taria

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