Taking on Red Alder

I’ve been keeping a secret for a very long time… my business partner Karen and I are officially taking on the leadership/organization of the Red Alder fiber arts festival in Tacoma, Washington!

Red Alder is one of my favorite events of the knitting year. It’s always been a chance for me to connect and play with some dear knitting friends, as well as a place where I got to both learn and teach. Over the years I’ve been lucky enough to take spinning and dyeing classes there with the esteemed Judith MacKenzie, and to teach some of the most well-prepared and advanced knitting students of my career. Its well-curated marketplace feels like a meetup of old friends and the most interesting place to browse what’s new and different in the fiber world.

When Red Alder’s organizers, John and Becky, decided they no longer wanted to organize the show, I’m so glad they approached Karen and me about stepping in rather than letting this well-loved event end. Karen and I decided that it was a good fit for the other events our little LLC, Seascape Knit Trips, is already hosting, so the decision was made!

We’ve spent this year’s Red Alder working alongside John and Becky to learn the ropes, and have already begun making plans for next year’s event. I was really touched by the warm wishes we received from attendees, vendors, and teachers. It’s a really special event, and the overwhelming message we heard was gratitude that it’s going to be able to continue.

Here’s the announcement we shared:

There’s lots to do in prepping the event (alongside our other planned activities like this summer’s Alaska Cruise and our not-quite-announced-yet Fall Knitting Retreat on the Monterey Peninsula). I’ll have my hands full over the next few months, but keep checking back for details!