Cocoknits at Goodnestone in 2023

18-26 APRIL 2023

Knit a Cocoknits Method sweater with Julie Weisenberger at the beautiful Goodnestone Park in Kent, UK from 18-26 April 2023.    

This terroir knitting retreat is a sheep to sweater, farm to yarn and table, experience. Learn more here. Enjoy tours of historically significant locations, workshops and demonstrations, as well as plenty of time to knit! You’ll leave at the end of the retreat having had a wonderfully busy, yet relaxing, time with us.

Location

From first edition books in the library to a grand piano in the hall, Goodnestone is an elegant and historic house famous for its connection with novelist Jane Austen. She was a frequent visitor after her brother Edward married into the family that owned the property. Amid the splendor of antique furniture, old Persian rugs, and rooms adorned with hand-painted wallpaper, you’ll nestle into comfortable sofas and armchairs to knit. 

Knitting

Learn the Cocoknits Method or advance your skills with Cocoknits founder, Julie Weisenberger, and expert knitter, Tracy Russell, as your instructors to guide you through your choice of Cocoknits Method sweater pattern. You’ll feel supported and guided, no matter what level knitter you are, as you learn the top-down, seamless knitting method sure to give your garment a perfect fit.

Yarn

Working from a Cocoknits pattern, you’ll knit with yarn sourced from Romney Marsh Wools, a local farm that has bred the Kentish Romney ‘longwool’ sheep for more than six generations. They also raise Merino sheep, and you can order your DK and/or 4-ply yarn in advance from a gorgeous selection, exclusively hand dyed for us by natural dyer Alice Schmid.

Other Activities

With an interesting activity every day you’ll be royally entertained. One afternoon we will learn to eco dye with Tara Macdonald, using dried and fresh materials foraged in the gardens at Goodnestone (feel free to speckle dye some of your yarn!). On another afternoon there will be a cooking demonstration of a popular English recipe.

We’ll visit the pretty medieval harbor town of Rye, and have an opportunity shop at Merchant & Mills. Then we will see the world-renowned gardens at Sissinghurst, created by writer, poet, and Bloomsbury group member, Vita Sackville-West, and husband Harold Nicolson. On our final day we will visit 600-year old Knole House and its magnificent 17th century tapestries, old masters paintings, and elaborate molded plasterwork ceilings.

Cuisine

Our private chefs, Olivia and Annabelle, will create delicious meals, homemade cakes, and biscuits at Goodnestone.  As if that weren’t enough, we'll visit local restaurants, including the nearby The Pig restaurant for a Chef’s Table Sunday lunch.