What better "two-fer" for avid knitters than going on a knitting-themed vacation? Whether you're interested in a solo vacation, a small knitting retreat for a few knitting buddies, or an all-out knit-in with hundreds or thousands of knitters from around the country or around the world, there are lots of options for knitting-themed travel.
Types of knitting-related travel
Knitting tours. Travel agents, knitwear designers, knitting magazine publishers, yarn manufacturers, and yarn retailers are just a few of the sponsors of knitting tours. From New England to Italy, knitting-themed tours are available to suit any taste and budget. Examples of established tour providers include Joyce James Tours, offering group tours to Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France, Iceland, and Turkey since 1996, and Jane Thornley Knitware, which offers an annual knitting excursion to Italy, called Knitaly .
Knitting cruises. Cruise lines, yarn shops, knitting magazine publishers, and informal groups of knitterscombine the joy of knitting with the ease and elegance of cruising by offering knitting-themed cruises. From Alaska to the Caribbean, knitting cruises generally offer tremendous value because their all-inclusive price structure typically includes all transportation, lodging, meals, and entertainment. Craft Cruises and Great Balls of Yarn!, a South Florida knitting store chain, offer examples of the types of activities you can expect on a knitting cruise.
Knitting retreats. Whether held informally by a few knitting friends or organized in a more structured format for large numbers of knitters, knitting retreats can offer a very relaxing and enjoyable knitting experience. Examples include the Meg Swanse's Knitting Camps in Wisconsin, Lost in the Woods Knitting Retreats at Ghost Ranch in New Mexico, the New England Fiber Arts Retreat, and the Mindful Knitting and Relaxation Weekend at Highland Lodge in Vermont.
Knitting festivals, workshops and other events. Whether you're looking for a weekend festival in your home town or a full-blown knit-in fueled by the excitement and enthusiasm of thousands of knitters, the list of knitting events and activities is virtually endless. Fairly comprehensive lists of knitting-related events can be found at Knitter's Review, Interweave Knits, and the Knitting & Crochet Guild (UK events)
Planning your knitting trip
Identify your goals and priorities. Spend some time early on thinking about your goals for your knitting trip. Questions to consider include:
- How many people will be going? If many people will be involved, who will be responsible for making the arrangements and communicating plans to the group?
- What is the estimated budget for this trip?
- What types of knitting-related activities do you want to pursue - visiting yarn shops or studios, workshops and classes, shopping, etc.?
- What non-knitting related activities do you want to incorporate? Are there other interests that you might want to explore on this trip, such as exploring a foreign country, taking a cruise, learning another skill (i.e., cooking in Italy)
- Do you want a guided tour or would you prefer to explore on your own?
- Do you want your trip to coincide with already scheduled events, such as a knitting convention or trade show?
Do your homework. Use the Internet to identify and research your options. Find out who is already offering the type of trip you want to take and avoid the extra time and effort involved in planning a trip from scratch. Or, if you're truly the adventurous type, decide what you want to do and plan a customized itinerary tailor-made for you and your traveling companions, if there are any.
Enlist the help of a travel planner. Unless you're a veteran traveler or a travel agent, planning complex trips for large groups is usually best left to the professionals.
Enlarge your circle. Great travel discounts are often available to groups. Perhaps you have a few friends who want to travel with you, but not enough to qualify for group rates. Consider inviting other knitters to join your trip. You can get the word out by word of mouth, posting on knitting blogs or on Ravelry, and notifying local yarn shops (maybe they'll even let you post a flyer in their shop). You can also create an eye-catching flyer and post it at local coffee shops, the public library, churches, book stores, and anywhere else that knitters might frequent. Remember that if you're planning a cruise, not everyone has to live in the city you live in to go since most people have to fly to a departure port anyway.
Don't forget your other guests. Themed-trips are much easier to plan if all participants are interested in the theme. However, many group travelers take spouses, children, or friends along with them to join in the fun and to take advantage of the group rates. The trip will be much more pleasant for knitters if their non-knitting companions are given plenty of activities to keep them otherwise engaged during those times when knitting activities are planned.
When planning your knitting trip, you are only limited by your imagination and your budget. Make your trip an adventure to remember!
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