Looking back on the inaugural Chicago Sews Retreat | October 2–4, 2026 | Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
What happens when you bring a group of sewists together for an entire weekend, give them space to create, and encourage them to pursue their own creative ambitions?
That was the idea behind Sew Your Dream, the first-ever Chicago Sews Retreat.
From October 2–4, we gathered in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, for a weekend dedicated to sewing, creativity, and community. It was an exciting milestone for Chicago Sews and an opportunity to take the connections we’ve cultivated through our regular gatherings and sew-alongs into a more immersive setting.
Our inaugural retreat sold out, affirming something we’ve believed for a long time: there is real value in creating opportunities for makers to spend meaningful time together.
A Different Kind of Sewing Weekend
When we began planning Sew Your Dream, we knew we wanted the experience to reflect the diversity of interests and creative approaches within our community.
Rather than organizing the weekend around a single pattern, technique, or finished garment, we invited each attendee to define their own dream project.
For some, that might mean tackling an ambitious garment. For others, exploring a new technique, working on a quilt, or finally making progress on something that had been waiting patiently in the project queue.
The concept was intentionally open-ended. We wanted everyone to arrive with their own creative vision and the freedom to pursue it.
We also encouraged attendees to begin preparing in advance, thinking through their projects, gathering materials, and considering what they hoped to accomplish during the weekend.
After all, a dream project doesn’t have to be completed in three days to be worthwhile. Sometimes the most meaningful progress begins with giving an idea the attention it deserves.
The Luxury of Time to Create
One of the central ideas behind the retreat was simple: dedicated sewing time.
Our regular Chicago Sews gatherings offer opportunities to connect, exchange ideas, and work alongside other makers. But a weekend retreat offers something different.
There is no need to pack up after a few hours or rush home to the next obligation. Instead, the day can unfold around the creative process.
Our retreat home in Lake Geneva provided a setting for that experience, with dedicated crafting space, shared accommodations, and room to gather outside of our sewing projects.
We intentionally kept the weekend’s structure flexible. We wanted attendees to have opportunities for conversation and shared experiences without sacrificing the time they had set aside to create.
That balance—between focused making and enjoying the company of fellow sewists—was at the heart of Sew Your Dream.
The Best Part Is the Company
While sewing brought us together, community was always the larger purpose.
Chicago Sews has never been solely about the projects we finish. It’s about the conversations that happen while we’re making them, the skills we exchange, and the friendships that develop through a shared interest.
Our members bring different experiences, perspectives, and creative strengths to the table. That variety is one of the things that makes gathering together so rewarding.
A retreat offers the opportunity to get to know one another beyond the time constraints of a monthly meeting. It creates space for longer conversations, spontaneous exchanges of knowledge, and the simple pleasure of spending time with people who understand why fabric, patterns, and the details of a handmade project can inspire so much enthusiasm.
Those connections are just as much a part of the Chicago Sews experience as anything we create.
Small by Design, Meaningful by Nature
For our inaugural retreat, we chose to keep attendance limited and offer registration exclusively to Chicago Sews Insiders.
That decision was intentional.
We wanted to begin with an intimate experience that would allow everyone to settle in, feel comfortable, and enjoy the weekend without the pressure of a packed schedule or a large event.
It also gave us an opportunity to establish a foundation for future retreats—one that prioritizes the attendee experience and preserves the welcoming, community-centered atmosphere that defines Chicago Sews.
The enthusiastic response to registration was encouraging, and we’re grateful to everyone who expressed interest, joined the waitlist, or helped spread the word.
A Community Worth Supporting
Events like Sew Your Dream are also an opportunity to strengthen the relationships between independent makers and the businesses that support our craft.
A special thank-you to Kia Scissors and Oliso Irons for generously sponsoring our inaugural Sew Your Dream Retreat! Their support helped make our first retreat even more memorable, and we’re grateful for their commitment to supporting makers and creative communities. We’re delighted to have had them as part of this milestone for Chicago Sews.
Chicago Sews is committed to building thoughtful connections with fabric and pattern companies, sewing retailers, creative businesses, and organizations that recognize the value of an engaged sewing community.
We believe the most meaningful partnerships offer something beyond visibility. They introduce makers to useful products and resources, encourage experimentation, and contribute to experiences that people genuinely enjoy.
As we develop future retreats and special programming, we look forward to continuing those conversations and creating opportunities for brands and businesses to connect with our community.
Interested in partnering with Chicago Sews? We welcome sponsorship inquiries, product donations, and ideas for creative collaborations. Reach us at ChiSews@gmail.com.
What’s Next for Chicago Sews?
Our first retreat represents a new chapter in Chicago Sews programming, but it builds on the same principles that have guided our community from the beginning.
We want to create opportunities for sewists to gather, share knowledge, find inspiration, and make lasting connections.
As we consider future retreats, we’ll continue thinking about how to offer experiences that feel welcoming, intentional, and worth making time for.
We also want to preserve what made this first gathering special: the opportunity to slow down, focus on our craft, and enjoy being part of a creative community.
For anyone hoping to join us at a future retreat, we encourage you to stay connected through our regular programming and explore the benefits of becoming a Chicago Sews Insider.
Until Next Time
Sew Your Dream began with a question: What would you create if you gave yourself an entire weekend to pursue your own vision?
Our first retreat gave us the opportunity to explore that question together.
To everyone who joined us in Lake Geneva, thank you for being part of this first chapter. Your enthusiasm for making and your willingness to share the experience with one another are what make gatherings like this possible.
And to everyone following along from home, we hope this is only the beginning of many opportunities to create together.
Here’s to the projects we dream about, the time we make for them, and the people who make the experience even better.
Follow Chicago Sews for retreat highlights, upcoming events, and announcements about future creative gatherings.
