AffiKNITy 2026 Recap: Yarn, Laughs, Rocking Chairs, and a Little Toilet Paper Knitting

May 28, 2026

AffiKNITy

AffiKNITy 2026 Recap: Yarn, Laughs, Rocking Chairs, and a Little Toilet Paper Knitting

We’re back from Otesaga just over a month, and I’m still thinking about it.

Every year I come home from AffiKNITy feeling refilled. Not just from the classes or the yarn, but from the particular kind of ease that happens when you spend a few days surrounded by people who genuinely get it.

The heart of AffiKNITy has always been that it works for everyone. You don’t need to be a certain level of knitter, or a certain kind of person, or even traveling with someone. Whether you wanted to be in class all day, or just wanted a long weekend to sit on the porch and finally finish that sweater, there was room for you here.

This year’s retreat was one of the best yet. Here’s a look at what made it special:

(Click on the photos to see the full image and the arrow to view the whole gallery)

A place for every knitter

The Otesaga Resort sits on the shores of Otsego Lake in Cooperstown, New York. Between classes, there are so many wonderful spots to settle in with your knitting, the grand porch lined with rocking chairs, the cozy lobby, the quiet Oak Room, and our private lounge in the Fenimore. And this year we got a brand new favorite: the newly reopened Fire Bar.

The Teachers this year

I was so happy to be joined this year by Carson Demers, Anne Hanson, and Aimée Gille. Julia Farwell-Clay joined me in teaching our mini sessions. There’s something about learning from teachers who are also just hanging out with you at dinner, at the market, at game night. The conversations that start in class tend to continue into the evening, which I love.

Evening shenanigans (the good kind)

Game night made its return with the beloved Bingo trivia, and this year we added three rounds of “Stupid Knitter Tricks”—a cast-on competition, chopstick knitting, and, naturally, toilet paper knitting. I won’t say who won, but I will say there was genuine suspense.

We also had a movie night: the North American Premiere of Sheep Actually. A room full of knitters watching a film about sheep is, I can confirm, a very good time.

The food (and a new pastry chef)

The food at Otesaga is always good, but this year, there was a new pastry chef, and the group was genuinely wowed. And, Otesaga added to the fun with a wine tasting in the lobby one afternoon and a beer tasting on another day. I can confirm that knitters were represented at both.

The marketplace keeps growing

This year we had eight vendors over two full days, and for the first time we opened the Saturday market to the public. Having two days means you can browse without feeling rushed. You can come back after a class, bring a friend along, or revisit something you couldn’t stop thinking about. Getting to spend the whole retreat getting to know the vendors makes the shopping feel completely different too.

Thank you to the incredible vendors who brought the marketplace to life, please show them some love:

Bare Naked Wool · Brooklyn General (exclusive NY vendor for La Bien Aimée) · CeCe’s Wool · Clean Cashmere · Yarn & Whiskey · Indigo Lane Jewelry · PipDaddy Pottery · Sybil’s

People keep coming back, and bringing others

One of my favorite things this year was hearing from returning attendees, and especially from those who finally convinced someone in their life to come along. One attendee shared that her wool-winder came for the second time this year, and said he feels genuinely embraced by this knitting community. That means everything to me.

“It’s my go-to knitting retreat; I save the date and set the alarm for registration time. Even my wool-winder had great fun, he came back a 2nd time. He says he’s looking forward to next year. He feels embraced by this knitting community.”

AffiKNITy Returning Attendee, 2026