2026 - the Year of Teaching - and an Update on Retreats
I have put the Retreat agenda on a temporary pause for 2026.
While this grieves me on some levels because I love the supporting, producing and sharing community of our Pacific Knitting Retreats, the knitting retreat space has become very crowded. Understandably businesses in the knitting world, and beyond, are trying to either diversify their offerings, or capitalize on the vibrant knitting community.
We are facing unprecedented challenges in a business community inextricably intertwined in international supply chains and buffeted by unforeseen and unpredictable market stresses that can literally appear and vanish on a whim. It is tremendously difficult for everyone trying to run small businesses in the craft space on tight margins and I applaud the ways that my wee sector is trying to work out how to stay afloat and find new ways to engage our domestic fiber communities - including a plethora of retreat options.
I began the Retreats as a way to deepen knowledge in my little (beautiful) corner of the country. There was nothing at the time that was providing the opportunities I wanted for myself. I was motivated by a desire to highlight exceptional teachers, yarn producers and designers that I admire and respect. I have enjoyed unprecedented support from you all and every single Retreat has been a unique success in its own way. I am so grateful.
Reality is that the plan for 2026 recognized the competition for tightening budgets in both consumers and suppliers and posed the question of whether I was still making a contribution that was relevant in light of that competition and the hours of effort in a 1 woman business. I decided to sit on the fence for the opening months of 2026 and see what happened. It’s clear that staying on the fence for the rest of the year is definitely the right choice. So … no Retreats in 2026.
That does NOT however, affect the origin goals for Pacific Knitting Retreats - or the future. I continue to have the same ones as I did when I set out in 2014. Deepen knowledge, highlight teachers, yarn producers and designers I admire and respect and base this in Northern California. 2025 was a ‘transitional’ year where I produced one Retreat and increased my own teaching and curriculum.
It has been a HUGE joy and blessing to have Alisha Bright open Fiber Circle Studio in Petaluma - and support my teaching with her generosity and enthusiasm. It has given me a venue and the freedom to develop curricula that address important questions that knitters face and enrich my own knitting community at the same time. It seemed only natural that this path was opened for my closer attention in 2026.
Please explore my teaching offerings here and feel free to share them with anyone you know who might be in the area - and have an interest. And if any of you have interest in any of my classes, please feel free to get in touch. I am happy to teach them in your homes or stores or on the road in the Bay Area.
Keeping each other distracted, stimulated and creative while building trust and community around a knitting table strikes me as the best way to get through 2026 together. Stitch by stitch ….