Knitting with Cocoknits in Tuscany

Friday 24 October - Saturday 1 November 2025

Join us in northern Tuscany for an 8-night/9 day ‘terroir' knitting retreat with Cocoknits from 24 October - 1 November 2025. We stay in the hills just north of the elegant city of Lucca on a historic 17th century Tuscan estate where we’ll soak up the property’s rustic charm, eat authentic Italian food, enjoy natural dyeing sessions and knit a beautiful Cocoknits sweater pattern using recycled natural yarn purchased from Italian wholesaler of handmade yarns, Borgo de’ Pazzi.  

We meet in Florence and travel by coach to Prato to meet Borgo de’ Pazzi owner Carlo Signori, a pioneer of recycled yarn production, a 100% natural and sustainable product. Following a fascinating mill tour during which you’ll see how cast-off woolens are sorted, processed and transformed into yarn. You’ll choose what you need for your knitting project from a wide selection of recycled cashmere, mohair and alpaca wools blends available.

Later that day we arrive at our homes for the week, Villa Boccella and the Dependence two classic Tuscan villas standing side by side. Both are delightfully appointed with simple bedrooms and ensuite shower rooms while old stone floors and walls painted with pastoral scenes lend grandeur to the downstairs living spaces. The grounds comprise 50 acres of gardens, forests and olive groves with a series of interconnecting off-road walks enabling guests to explore the estate on foot. On warm days you can take a dip in the large solar heated swimming pool or knit at the long table in the garden under the sun canopy.

With 4.5 days of guidance and tuition from Cocoknits’ founder Julie Weisenberger and expert knitter Tracy Russell included, you’ll quickly get to grips with the Cocoknits top-down seamless knitting method pioneered by Julie. Joining us as guest artist for the week is Kristine Vejar, expert natural dyer and owner of yarn store A Verb For Keeping Warm in Oakland, CA.  You can opt in to one or all of Kristine’s wonderful natural dyeing sessions to experiment with creating your own bespoke yarn shades.

Other activities planned during the retreat include a day trip to Lucca, a charming town famous for its perfectly preserved defence wall - which you can walk or cycle around - and 100 churches. The historic centre, which has remained intact over the centuries, is authentic and delightful. From the Roman amphitheatre to the Guinigi Tower as well as many other architectural gems in between, a visit to Lucca is a memorable experience. On another day we visit Tenuta di Tramonte, a neighbouring estate and one of the oldest in the area which has its own organic wine and olive oil production. We’ll sample their oils and wines during a tasting with platters of local cheeses and meats as well as a glass of the legendary limoncello.

Eight days knitting with friends in the Tuscan countryside in early summer - what is there not to like?

“Learning from Julie and Tracy is a real joy. I went quite rogue with my preferences but they were up for the challenge. Everything was terrific! 

Linda W, United States

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Cocoknits knitting retreat in tuscany

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