Connie, I definitely think you should try it. The first time I went to Empty Spools at Asilomar (2009), I went by myself and asked for a roommate. I didn't have a lot of quilty friends (er, any) then. One of my goals was to find someone who would be willing to go with me to Houston the next year. My roommate was great—we had a wonderful time together, though we're only in contact rarely now. My roommate was not in my class, but Lorna, one of my classmates, became a very dear friend. She, her sister, and I did go to Houston together in 2010 and had a marvelous time. This year, Lorna and I went back to Empty Spools as roommates, but not classmates. In my class (Jenny Bowker's), I met two sisters I really enjoyed spending time with, and who I hope to see at Houston this year (Kathy and Elizabeth, I'll be in touch soon!). The only time I have managed to make it to a taping of The Quilt Show, I had exchanged a few emails with Sharon (sewengel) before going, and we arranged to meet for breakfast before the taping. Hit it off instantly and had a great time over that day and the next! Last year, Sharon was my roommate at Houston. So, my view is don't be afraid to go by yourself. Worst case, you get a lot of dedicated sewing time, and that's really not so bad, either. Best case, a whole new world opens for you as it did for me. Let us know how it goes!
