It’s been quite a time. Fourteen months ago Pacific Knitting Retreats went into lockdown … along with all of you. As many of you are aware, technology is neither a skill, nor a particularly compelling activity for me, but more of a necessary evil. So … apart from extricating myself from all the happy plans that had been scheduled for the last 14 months, I navigated how to keep our community together as best we could on Zoom. A few weeks I thought …. as we all did. Little did we know ….

I am thankful to have had the patience and support of my friends and students, the presence of my family and the commitment of my community to safety and science that I can report that I think we have survived. Many did not fare as well, and my heart aches for those. It will take us a long while to absorb the full impact of loss and disruption from this period. And through it all, stitch by stitch, knitters kept their hands engaged in making. It is a craft that has endured and comforted through many crises - and no doubt many more. So … let’s get right back into sharing it together, shall we?

One of the best things that happened during the pandemic was the arrival of a brown padded envelope from a fellow Fibershed producer, Marcia Barinaga. It contained some ‘clips’ of the fleeces from her mixed flock of sheep. They made me incredibly happy - and rather excited. This little envelope led to quite a fiber adventure and a magical visit to one of the most beautiful places on our little planet - Barinaga Ranch. I can’t think of a more appropriate place to celebrate us, our fiber community and all the bounty of West Marin as we emerge from the stuffy confines of a pandemic induced hiatus! So I am DELIGHTED to invite you to join in the first Post (in hope!) Pandemic Pacific Knitting Retreat on June 26th at 10:30am at Barinaga Ranch. Find out more here.

We will revel in the good company of sheep, their land and their yarn, outside in the fresh air of Barinaga Ranch.

I will look forward to seeing whoever can join in this lovely day. May it be the first of many to come as we welcome ourselves back into knitting in company.

Let's get outside ....