The First Weekend Knitting Retreat

Last weekend I hosted my very first knitting retreat and it was an even more beautiful and magical experience than I had anticipated.

A safe space of self-care and freedom

The first thing that really struck me was how the participants had a deep desire and need to take some time for themselves, to relax and fully enjoy their passion during this weekend, traveling sometimes for hours to get there.  

As soon as they walked in the door of the gorgeous cottage, this space became their own space of freedom. All the stress and worrying of daily life stayed outside and this safe space became a space of free speech and creative freedom.

It made me realize how much we need spaces like this, especially for women who often have more mental load. We so need to take time for ourselves, to reconnect with ourselves, and what best than to share this moment with other passionate knitters like us!

Lots of knitting and overcoming creative blocks

We came to knit, and we did a lot of that! I didn't plan a very strict schedule because I wanted everyone to have some freedom to come with their choice of project and receive personnalized coaching and advice.  

And we overcame some strong creative blocks together! A participant came with a few projects that she wasn't satisfied with and together we managed to find solutions so that she would start loving them again, for the sweaters to actually fit her and make her proud to wear them.

The power of a small group and the beauty of our discussions

Being in a small group allowed us to discuss very freely, a wip in our hands, around a cup of tea or a good meal. We talked about our lives, our joys and difficulties, and we had some inspiring conversations about the role that knitting plays in our lives, the value of our art and the recognition (or lack thereof) of women's crafts in our society.  

Those are the kind of conversation that rarely happen and I was amazed at how deep they were, born out of the simplicity of these shared moments.  

Being an introvert myself, I sometimes find it hard to feel comfortable enough to share my thoughts. And this experience gave us the confidence to share things that we rarely do, it was really magical.

A beautiful location to restore and enjoy feeling present  

The cottage that I chose is located in the middle of a forest, 1h30 from Paris. It's a haven of peace with the old stones of the domaine, the gorgeous surrounding nature and the animals (peacock, rooster and goose) who came to say hello at our windom. It was the perfect place to restore, breathe the fresh air and enjoy the simplicity of the present moment.  

Do you want to enjoy that beautiful experience too? To take time for yourself, to restore, progress and share your love of knitting? Then I want to see you at my next knitting retreats!