Stitches & Rock 'n' Roll: My First CGOA Retreat in Memphis!

Stitches & Rock 'n' Roll: My First CGOA Retreat in Memphis!

Welcome to the very first post on the Pamela Yarbrough Designs blog! While this website will always be a home for my latest crochet patterns, I wanted to use this space to share a more personal side of my life, my travels, and the adventures behind the stitches.

To kick things off, I have to tell you all about my very first experience with the Crochet Guild of America (CGOA) PDD Day/Retreat. From July 16th to 18th, my husband and I packed our bags and headed to the legendary Memphis, Tennessee. It was a whirlwind weekend filled with yarn, music, history, and incredible food!

Staying in Style: The Guesthouse at Graceland

We stayed at The Guesthouse at Graceland, and it was absolutely beautiful. The hotel sits right down the street from Elvis Presley’s mansion, and the rock 'n' roll energy is everywhere. It was the perfect backdrop for a weekend dedicated to creativity.

Yarn, Community, and King-Sized Fun: The CGOA Retreat

The event started strong on the first day with the Professional Development Day (PDD). It was amazing to connect with fellow designers and learn more about growing this craft we all love.

The official start of the retreat kicked off that evening on the night of the 16th. We gathered for a wonderful welcome dinner, and every single member received an incredible swag bag packed with goodies! It was the perfect, exciting start to the weekend, and I instantly felt right at home surrounded by so many talented people.

The fun kept rolling into the 17th! One of the highlights was when the members loaded up onto a tour bus and headed to a fantastic local yarn shop, The Sewing House. Getting to browse, shop, and squeeze all the beautiful yarn together was such a treat.

Later that day, we had an entire theater room completely to ourselves! A room full of passionate crocheters, all working on our projects, visiting, laughing, and watching Elvis in Jailhouse Rock. It was pure magic. There is nothing quite like the sound of friendly chatter mixed with the rhythm of crochet hooks moving in sync.

The entire experience wrapped up last night with a beautiful closing banquet, celebrating everything we made and the friendships we built.

Expanding My Skills: Classes and Techniques

One of the most rewarding parts of the retreat was diving into the incredible classes offered by some of the industry's best instructors. I took a fantastic lesson on crocheting Delta stitches taught by the talented Karen Whooley, which gave me some wonderful new texture ideas. I also jumped into basic sock making with Julie Desjardin, breaking down the construction steps beautifully. To top it all off, I explored the world of Tunisian crochet in a class taught by Natale with Detroit Knots. Learning these unique techniques side-by-side with fellow makers was incredibly inspiring, and I can't wait to incorporate these skills into my upcoming designs!

Exploring Memphis: Graceland, Museums, and Planes

Since my husband came along for the trip, we made sure to turn this into a true Memphis vacation whenever I had breaks from the retreat.

Naturally, our first stop was Graceland! Walking through Elvis Presley’s iconic mansion felt like stepping directly into a time capsule. We spent hours exploring the massive museum complex on the property, which is packed with his dazzling stage outfits, gold records, and personal artifacts. One of the absolute coolest parts was getting to step inside his custom airplanes—the Lisa Marie and the Hound Dog II. Seeing that retro luxury up close was spectacular.

Tasting the Local Flavor

You cannot go to Memphis without diving headfirst into the legendary food scene, and we made it our mission to try out the best local spots.

We treated ourselves to world-famous barbecue at Charles Vergos' Rendezvous and grabbed incredible, smoky plates at Baine Barbecue. We also checked out Huey’s for their famous burgers, enjoyed the classic atmosphere at Valle's, had a fantastic brunch at EggXactly, and wrapped up our culinary tour with a meal at Marlowe's Ribs & Restaurant. Every single stop gave us a true taste of Memphis hospitality!

A Little Retail Therapy

To round out our trip, we squeezed in some fun shopping time together at the Wolfchase Galleria. It was the perfect place to walk around, browse the shops, and grab a few treats.

1 comment

You surely had a trip of a lifetime & I need to have me a trip of a lifetime. All the pictures were amazing & all those beautiful smiles, tells it all. Of course, when you’re crocheting no matter where you go you’ll always be in that happy place. I love your beautiful new website with lots & lots to explore here!! congratulations. ♥️🧶♥️

Tanya Tucker •

Leave a comment