Big Changes for Dena
Life has handed me something beautiful and completely unexpected.
After 38 years of living in a 15 mile radius in southeast Vermont, I am moving away. I am leaving the US and moving to the island of Terceira in the Azores. The Azores are part of Portugal, a group of nine islands in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
Red dot on the left is Boston, red dot on the right is Lisbon. My new home is in the red circle.
I went to Terceira on vacation at the end of February, my sixth time in the Azores. As soon as I landed, I had this complete sense of relief. I hadn’t been planning on moving, I hadn’t even been thinking about moving, but still, I got up the courage to visit a realtor just to see what was available…because if you don’t take the first step, it certainly isn’t going to happen. By the end of the trip, I was asking myself, “Can I actually do this?”, which led to, “What is stopping me?, which led to, “Absolutely nothing that I can’t work out”.
I started researching, found great resources, and great people. Then at the end of April, I went back and found a great house. I went back (again, again) in July to close on my new house and to live there for a couple of weeks to get a better sense of what to ship and what to leave behind. Last week, I shipped out about 2/3 of my things, including six floor looms. Two more looms and the rest of my things will ship in a few months.
When I was in my twenties, I had a dream of opening a Weaving Bed and Breakfast. When I started Vermont Weaving School, I let that dream go, an acknowledgement of my life taking a different direction. This dream had not been in my conscious mind when I found my new home, but the house is perfect for it. It is permitted for paying guests, there is a gorgeous space for a guest weaving studio (complete with a veranda and outdoor hottub), and a separate space for my personal weaving studio.
I jumped through all of the hoops and was approved for a digital nomad visa. My target move date is somewhere between the end of October and the new year. After 40+ years living away from the ocean, I am finally going back.
I will continue to build my online courses and to sell digital patterns. I am working on the details of passing on the fulfillment of my kits, and course yarn to another, well-established vendor. I will post when the details are finalized.
I had a big in-person weaving sale at the beginning of June, and there will be another one in the fall. All Brassard yarn is now on sale, and other yarn/supplies will be going on sale soon. Everything must go!
I will be moving over to using Venne yarns in my new studio. They are closer to my new home, and shipping is far less expensive.
I do not have an opening date for the new weaving bed and breakfast, but my best guess is Spring, 2026. If you think that you would like to come for a week (or two), I am offering discounted rates plus first pick of dates for pre-payment.
Happy Weaving!