I have been to many quilt retreats. I know the warning signs! LOL. I am home from a retreat (local) for a few hours to restock and regroup. First morning I walked in, found my spot just when a woman came in saying she had just picked up a new to her machine for a great price. She couldn't wait to try it out. I moved two tables away. Her table mate had the pleasure of helping her thread it, figure out the bobbin winding, the tension settings, why it kept messing up and on and on. Of course she didn't bring a back up machine that she knew how to use.
One woman walked in talking on her cell and of course everyone could hear: I'm at quilt retreat so if the clients need me they can call me on my cell. I moved across the room from her to another spot. One woman walked in and set up and then started complaining she was too cold, the heat needed to be turned up. She had on a sleeveless dress. I moved away from the vents closer to the windows.
I found a corner spot, set up my machine so the new machine whining, cell phone talking, always cold, quilters were bothering someone else.
The retreat is wonderful though. We have Debbie Maddy as the instructor and she is fantastic!