Do you like to be creative? To spend your time learning something new? Learn a practical ancestral skill of hand sewing a natural, more sustainable garment? Have fun with like minded women? Being surrounded by Nature and recharge?

Welcome to our 3rd annual Sewing Spring Forest Retreat.

APRIL 11-14, 2024. Cable, WI

Lodging, food and instructions are included in the package.

3 night/4 day weekend, where we can focus on the following:

• design, block print a pattern on fabric, and sew a garment by hand,
• discuss how women can become the source of peace and inspiration in today’s world,
• learn which colors clothing look greatest on you, based on your skin/hair/eye type,
• explore our mind with a certified psychologist,
• sing Russian folk songs (no need to know the language),
• learn to dance the Russian style,
• enjoy cooking and tasting Russian cuisine with our head chef Ariga,
• take walks,
• do Slavic morning yoga

The spring is time to make wishes. With the new Nature’s growing season our wishes are easier to manifest. Sometimes we want something, but do not know how to get to it. With this new information and skills you will learn all about it!

Traditional Hand Sewing with Yulia

We will learn the tradition of creating beautiful,  sustainable and natural clothing (dress/sun dress) with a protective cut in mind. We will use our own measurements without relying on the measuring tape or patterns. We will learn how to block print a design on fabric, and how it was done historically. We will seal our desires and wishes in every stitch, using our hands and intentions. We will discuss how modern clothing went so far away from mindful and practical ways, and how to get it back to wholeness. After you wear your first dress for awhile, you will realize how comfortable, feminine, wise, full of energy it  makes you feel. It is like an all day long spa for the body.

This time we will also block print designs on our fabric, prior to sewing. Bring a rubber mallet if you have one.

With concentrating on sewing, you should be able to finish or almost finish your dress by the end of the weekend. Even if you only know sewing basics, you will be able to catch on and create something beautiful.

Color Theory with Yulia

We will also learn the COLOR Theory and how it applies to our bodies/images. You will be able to pick and match the perfect colors for your wardrobe that will always make you look unique and beautiful.

Traditional singing and dance with Maria Brendel and Diana Yefanova.

Maria and Diana will teach us the folk style of signing, sound forming “on the base”. We will learn to feel our voice, experience and express the emotions. You do not need to know how to sing, the learning process is going to be what is the most important.

We will learn and decode several traditional songs, and practice circle dancing, that can be used in every day life or holiday occasion, spring and summer songs. We will learn how to feel our breath and voice, by using the authentic songs from the repertoire of the Folk band “Nitka” from the Museum of Russian Art in Minneapolis.

Folk signing and dance – is the way to work with body and mind, that anyone can access. Folk song brings harmony of synchronizing with the world, with nature’s rhymes, and with the wisdom of our ancestors.

Diana and Maria believe, that folk culture can provide a modern woman/man with the abilities to tap into their life’s energy and  achieve spiritual harmony.

Wheel of life, geography of your mind with Elena Litvintsev, Certified Master Coach NLP

Elena from Chicago will join us with body-oriented emotionally expressive therapy

ABOUT ELENA:

She graduated from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology in 1996, holding a PhD in
High Energy Physics, a master’s degree in applied mathematics, and a master’s degree in General

Physics. For 15 years, she worked in data analysis for a physical experiment, dealing with the processing of large datasets. My professional experience includes roles at Rockefeller University, Carnegie-Mellon University, and Fermi National Lab.

At some point of her life she decided to leave her office job and pursue a profession related to working with people. She has always been drawn to the scientific foundations of brain function and human communication, so she chose NLP coaching for her further development. She observed that in the models of human behavior and thinking, there are many patterns that are affecting and predicting future behavior. Coaching has provided her with methods and tools to help people realize and change behavior patterns according to their desired goals. She uses her analytical abilities to identify habitual connection leading to imbalance by observing linguistic characteristics and body language.

In 2020, she obtained certification as a Master Coach NLP and became a member of the European Coaching Association (ACP). The best way to describe her approach is as body-oriented emotionally expressive therapy.

Contacts:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php? id=100004661747094

KNOW YOUR MIND: IT IS OUR FRIEND, NOT AN ENEMY!

She is thrilled to be part of this retreat and eager to share her expertise. During three one- hour group sessions, she will guide us through simple yet effective techniques to shift mindset and attain a balanced state of mind when facing life’s challenges.

First session. Wheel of life.

“Wheel of Life” highlights areas of your life that affect your overall wellbeing. Identify areas of life where support, guidance, and additional focus are needed. Assess your needs and set goals aligned with your core values and believes to balance
your life.

Second session.
How to use positive and negative feedback in your favor.
Let’s learn the best from any experience in your life, structure is everything.

Third session.
How to master your emotions to achieve your goals. The geography of your mind. How to connect your mind intentions and emotional state to achieve your goal. Assess your resources and remove obstacles created by your mind.

IMPORTANT DETAILS ABOUT THE RETREAT

We can host 8-9 people WITH LODGING. The sleeping arrangements are queen and twin beds with a couple of cots. 4 bedrooms/4 baths.

Please let us know of special health/food related needs, that you would like organizers to be aware of.

Lodging and sewing instructions are included. Choose NO LODGING if you are local, and just want to come for the day, and go home at night. Local people, if you are interested in a discount, please message Yulia to negotiate. 

All the food and beverages are included in the cost. Please bring any special diet, or snacks that your desire or need to have. We will cook traditional Russian dishes, with some of them including meat. But we will have non meat items and will try to accommodate the food requests.  Please message Yulia with your specific health related concerns that you wish the organizers to be aware of.

All the bedding and utensils, 2 fridges plus laundry are on site.

What to bring: 

 1.  Special diet items if any (food in included).

 2. Headlight to sew by, or clamp lamp.

3. Thread of corresponding color.

 4. Washed FABRIC of your choice of solid color (no design, we will be stamping our own design). 4-5 yards. If you are tall, go with longer yardage. Natural fibers are best. Make sure your fabric is the wide kind. Cotton, linen, silk or even wool. Linen fabric can be found on https://fabrics-store.com.

Pay attention to density, if you want lighter fabric, go with smaller number of oz/yd2

USE the code ILOVELINEN to get 7% discount!

5. Notebook to write things down.

6. Slippers/comfortable warm clothing if the weather is cold.

7. Rubber mallet if you have one.

8. Sharp fabric scissors if you have one.

9. Yoga mat if you have one.