The French Castle Project exists to create a retreat experience unlike anything currently available in the fiber arts world.
Imagine spending a week in a beautiful French château surrounded by rolling countryside, historic architecture, exceptional food, and a community of makers who understand your passion for creativity.
No rushing from one destination to another.
No packed itineraries designed to maximize activity at the expense of rest.
No returning home feeling like you need a vacation from your vacation.
Instead, imagine a retreat intentionally designed around inspiration, connection, learning, and renewal.
Our Vision
The French Castle Project was born from a simple question: What if a fiber retreat were designed around how creativity actually flourishes?
Creativity rarely thrives in hurried schedules and constant motion. It grows in beautiful spaces, meaningful conversations, quiet introspection, and opportunities to learn alongside others who share the same passions.
My vision is to curate immersive retreats hosted in a countryside French château where makers can escape from the hustle, slow down, deepen their skills, and reconnect with the joy of creating.
Picture this:
- Mornings spent enjoying coffee and pastries overlooking formal gardens and fountains.
- Afternoons filled with knitting, crochet, spinning, weaving, dyeing, design workshops, or simply relaxing with a project beside a meandering stream.
- Evenings shared over 3-course farm-to-table meals, thoughtful conversation, and friendships that often begin with a shared love of making.
These retreats are designed to be equal parts education, inspiration, cultural immersion, and restoration.
More Than a Craft Retreat
At its heart, The French Castle Project is about creating space.
- Space to think.
- Space to create.
- Space to learn.
- Space to rest.
- Space to dream about what comes next.
While techniques, workshops, and project-based learning will be important parts of the experience, the ultimate goal is much larger than completing a project or mastering a new skill.
We envision retreats that cultivate:
- Creativity and artistic growth
- Meaningful community connections
- Personal restoration and relaxation
- Cultural appreciation and exploration
- Preservation of traditional fiber arts techniques
- Stewardship of architectural and cultural heritage
The French Castle Project is rooted in the belief that both historic places and heritage crafts deserve to be preserved, celebrated, and shared with future generations.
The Retreat Experience
While individual retreat themes may vary, every retreat will be thoughtfully curated around comfort, beauty, and flexibility.
Guests can expect a blend of structured activities and personal freedom, allowing them to tailor the experience to their own interests and energy levels.
Potential retreat offerings may include:
- Expert-led knitting, crochet, spinning, weaving, and dyeing workshops
- Cultural experiences highlighting the surrounding region
- Optional local excursions
- Leisurely breakfasts, lunches, and multi-course dinners
- Evening cocktail receptions and social gatherings
- Dedicated crafting spaces throughout the château
- Ample free time for making, reading, exploring, or simply resting
- Transportation for included activities and excursions
Whether you prefer a full schedule of workshops or uninterrupted hours with your favorite project, the experience will be designed to support the way you create best.
Building the Dream
The French Castle Project is being developed through a carefully structured, multi-phase approach informed by decades of professional project management experience. For most of my career, I have managed complex, multi-million dollar federal grant programs using professional project management techniques. Those same project management principles are now guiding the development of this project.
The current phases include:
Phase I — Research
Evaluating locations, castle requirements, castle renovation costs, retreat models, regulations, and long-term feasibility.
Phase II — Planning
Building operational plans, retreat concepts, financial models, partnerships, and implementation strategies.
Phase III — Marketing (Current Phase)
Growing awareness, building community, and establishing industry partnerships.
Phase IV — Funding
Securing the resources needed to move the project forward. And yes, there will be a Kickstarter!
Phase V — Relocation & Acquisition
Finalizing relocation plans and acquiring the château that will become the future home of The French Castle Project.
Phase VI — Preparation
Property restoration & preparation, company incorporation, retreat development, staffing, and operational setup.
Phase VII — Launch & Implementation
Welcoming guests and bringing the retreat experience to life.
Phase VIII — Continuous Improvement
Refining, enhancing, and expanding the retreat experience based on participant feedback and evolving community needs.
Join the Journey
The French Castle Project is ultimately about creating a place where makers can gather, learn, rest, and be inspired.
A place where slow making is treated as valuable.
A place where craftsmanship is celebrated.
A place where historic spaces and heritage arts are preserved together.
And most importantly, a place where every guest feels welcomed, supported, and encouraged to dream a little more.
We’re still building toward that vision, but every step brings us closer.
And we’d love for you to join us.
Curious About This Project?
Join The French Castle Project newsletter below to get updates about progress on The French Castle Project. You’ll get insider reports on the steps within the Phases, what castles we’re considering and why, when we purchase a castle, and when it’s time to sign up for retreats once we launch!
Partner With Me
If you’d like to have a hand in shaping and steering this project, I’d love for you to join me. I’m currently looking for designers & yarn dyers to join in the Kickstarter, and current castle owners to contribute their expertise in managing a castle. Please email me at stitchdeckstudio@gmail.com if you’re interested in discussing a partnership.
Thanks so much for your interest in The French Castle Project!
I look forward to welcoming you to the Chateau!
Erin
P.S. You can support The French Castle Project by collecting the stitch chart libraries found at the Stitch Deck Studio. Every purchase contributes toward making this dream a reality!
Become a Friend of the Chateau!
Join our newsletter to get updates on The French Castle Project as well as insider information on registering for retreats.