Retreats
Making Space
In my knitting sessions, I noticed that for most women, everyday life finds a way to intrude, even during a class they've paid for. A message from home, an unfinished task, work, children or grandchildren, driving and noise can all make it difficult to settle into knitting. I wanted to create four days when women could put themselves at the centre and say that knitting matters to them.
Four uninterrupted days offer something that a few hours squeezed into a busy week cannot: time to concentrate, learn a technique, work through decisions and ask questions as they arise. I organise knitting retreats in Greece with a partner who specialises in producing holidays for women. I develop the knitting programme and provide 12 hours of close guidance, including a project inspired by Greece that combines technique and colour. The programme also includes evening sessions for questions, a natural-dye workshop, and visits to a textile museum and yarn shops in Athens.
In Aegina, a woman who arrived alone and had never knitted started her first sock with guidance and encouragement from the group. In Nafplio, nine women were sharing life stories and projects by the first lunch, and arranging to meet again before flying home. Every participant in Nafplio rated the retreat five out of five.
"I came back with a new technique, great inspiration and a renewed love of knitting."
