Those that go to retreats, do you take gifts?
 

It's not expected at the retreats I go to but I like to take a box of favors for everyone to have one. Some gifts are bought and some I make. I leave it on the sign in table for those that would want one.
My next one is in July. Anyone have any retreat gift ideas? Something you received that was useful or cute enough to keep?

I didn't make anything but I found that fun size packets of M&M's were appreciated.

I take a small hostess gift if we stay with someone but nothing for retreats. At a Texas retreat a few years ago everyone got a goodie bag, and to be honest it was stuff I already had or would never use, gave it all away. I felt bad for the people who had put time in the make stuff, but I love being clutter free.

I have a group of friends I go on retreats with. We organize the retreat ourselves. We have a treat table, if people want to bring snacks to share it goes on the table. Gifts are never expected or requested, and after the first several years everyone had plenty of notions and newfangled doo dads. Every now and then someone will find something novel (like this thread cutter) and get one for everyone in the group. One time someone made these really cool in-the-hoop leather pieces for each one of us, they had snaps in the corners so you could snap the corners together and turn them into a tray, and she machine-embroidered our names on them. But it's always a surprise, like Christmas.

I decided to buy the 800 pack of micro tip brushes from Amazon, $10, to clean out the bobbin and foot area of the machine. I can divvy up to make 30 gifts of I'll make a cut little drawstring bag for them. Something useful that can be tossed after use. That will be 26 per bag. Enough to last everyone a long time.

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Our guild retreats are so much fun. We have a treat table and one member bring a a pile of homemade fruit pies and fudge. Our meals are cooked in the retreat center and sewing room is open 24/7. We also have a free table and since it's for retreat guild members it is loaded down with really nice items no longer wanted or used. I have a portable machine table, bed risers, pvc quilting frame, and lots off scrap fabric to take. l usually come home with more then I take. LOL

OneByOne ... You had me curious and I found them on Amazon Canada.
How small/large is the brush end compared to a Q-tip?
The description says there are four colours, each with a different size of brush end.
Yet the picture shows, three are the same size, and one the other.
But do I really want 400 of them? (size of the packs here)
Thanks!!

The ones I got are smaller then a q tip and the brush end is more bristly and very small. All different ones on Amazon in different amounts..

Thanks OneByOne ... for the info.

Though you do have me wondering now about using a q-tip for cleaning in around the bobbin casing. Wonder if it would do the job? Or disintegrate and give a worse problem? I've always just used a brush.