• Class Schedule. Classes are listed in alphabetical order by teacher for each day along with class descriptions and level of experience required.
  
  
• Teacher Information. For more information about each teacher click on the teacher's name on the Class Schedule or go to the Meet the Teachers page.
  
  
• Be prepared with second choices. Many classes fill quickly so it is best to choose another class if you want to be sure to have a class in that time slot. If not, fill out the Wait List Form and submit it.
  
  
• Don't over-schedule yourself. Leave time to play, practice new skills and finish projects. There are lots of gathering spots in the Hotel Lobby and the Pavilion Rotunda and a great Marketplace to visit.
  
  
• Classes that have openings. Check the class schedule. We will update it regularly marking classes that are closed.
  
  
• For lots more information click here to go to the Winter Retreat FAQ page.

TEACHER

MORNING 9-12 N00N

AFTERNOON 1:30-4:30 PM

Spinning Wrap-and-Roll Novelty Yarns CLOSED
(3 hours)

In this workshop you will learn the new wrap-and-roll technique of spinning core yarns. It involves using a spinning wheel and a spindle to create a rolling core instead of a twisting core. With this you can create soft, balanced core spun yarn with only one plying step. We will explore variations and uses of this yarn construction.

Spinners who are comfortable spinning a continuous yarn, plying, and ready to explore more advanced techniques.

Materials fee $5

NO CLASS SESSION

Inside Intarsia CLOSED
(3 hours)

Intarsia is not a country in Europe, or a celebrity baby name (yet), but a way to create motifs, stripes and geometric shapes in any direction, and all sorts of fabulous color effects in your knitting. Intarsia is easy when you know how, and this class will teach you the techniques, tricks and tips to de-mystify the process. You will look at patterns by Kaffe Fassett and Sasha Kagan with confidence after this class.

Advanced beginners who are very comfortable knitting and purling.

Materials fee $2

Outstanding Intarsia
(3 hours)

Go beyond the basics of intarsia colorwork, and learn to follow complex and simple chart motifs, and create your own. From argyle to floral designs, play with the possibilities. Learn how to refine your technique when the patterns get complex, and avoid pitfalls.

Intermediate knitters with a basic knowledge and experience with Intarsia technique, or have taken "Inside Intarsia" class.

Latvian Mittens CLOSED
(6 hours)

The beautiful mittens of Latvia are works of art with their incredibly colorful patterns. You will knit an adult mitten while you learn all the design and color techniques. A choice of the fringed cuff or scalloped cuff, the herringbone braid and many subtle and beautiful variations of the half-braid will be taught. Additional techniques include knitting with two yarns in the right hand, two yarns in the left hand, or a yarn in each hand and working with three yarns in a round.

Intermediate knitters who are proficient with double point needles.

Materials fee $5

CLASS CONTINUES

Baltic Braids and Bobbles CLOSED
(6 hours)

Many interesting embellishments have been created by Estonian knitters to decorate their knitting. In this workshop we will create a small 'pocket' beginning with a braided cast on and advancing on to different ways to make lateral braids, adding in a unique 'button' or bobble-like technique as we go. This class is packed with interesting techniques and traditions!

Intermediate knitters - experience with double point needles helpful.

Materials fee $3

CLASS CONTINUES

Oh What a Tangled Skein -- Dyeing Yarn with Traditional Japanese Dyes
(3 hours)

From the dramatic to the sublime, Kakishibu dyed yarn will give new dimensions to your woven, knit, or crocheted creations. Explore color differences with various fibers and learn the use of modifiers to create unique yarn designs. Kakishibu is the traditional Japanese dye made from the fermented juice of persimmons. Totally organic, Kakishibu uses no mordants or heat in the dye process.

Everyone is welcome.

Materials fee $25

Dyeing Cloth with Kakishibu
(3 hours)

You'll learn the brush application and design method of kakishibu and the use of modifiers while creating a kibira table mat of traditional Japanese hemp cloth. Kakishibu is the traditional Japanese dye made from the fermented juice of persimmons. Totally organic, Kakishibu uses no mordants or heat in the dye process.

Everyone is welcome.

Betsy Hershberg

Bead Knitting On the Edge
(6 hours)

Explore complex ways of embellishing knitting on the "edges" of projects in this hands-on class. This is the class to take your knitting with beads to a new level of design and creativity. You will learn different beaded cast-ons and bind-offs, various types of beaded fringes, beaded hems, beaded seams, pick-up's and the issues to be aware of when incorporating beads in knitted fabric in this way.

Intermediate to Advanced knitters who have some experience incorporating beads into their knitting.

CLASS CONTINUES

Colors in Knitting CLOSED
(6 hours)

Vivian is known for the vibrant and unique way she incorporates color combinations in her designs. She first taught this class 3 years ago at Madrona with rave reviews. Here is your chance to work color Vivian's way. You'll use complimentary, primary and secondary colors in a hands-on class with yarns Vivian supplies in unusual combinations using stripes, intarsia, and fair isle type designs.

For everyone who can knit

Materials fee $12

CLASS CONTINUES

Sideways Sock Techniques
(3 hours)

This class is repeated in the afternoon

Learn several different techniques for knitting sideways socks like the popular Monterey and April Fools socks from Janel's new book, "The Eclectic Sole." We will cover reasons behind knitting sideways, and review three different techniques for producing a sideways sock. Students will receive 3 original patterns that they can use to knit baby versions of the sock in class and adult socks on their own.

Intermediate - Some sock experience is helpful, but not absolutely necessary.

Materials fee $10

Sideways Sock Techniques
(3 hours)

This class is a repeat of the morning class.

Learn several different techniques for knitting sideways socks like the popular Monterey and April Fools socks from Janel's new book, "The Eclectic Sole." We will cover reasons behind knitting sideways, and review three different techniques for producing a sideways sock. Students will receive 3 original patterns that they can use to knit baby versions of the sock in class and adult socks on their own.

Intermediate - Some sock experience is helpful, but not absolutely necessary.

Materials fee $10

NO CLASS SESSION

Runes CLOSED
(3 hours)

This class will be repeated on Saturday morning.

In Viking times, runes were associated with magic and special powers. Get started on knitting your own power emblem - your name or a short word (around 7 letters). We touch on choosing runes with the correct sound value, spacing and placement on your project. After you register we will send you instructions for choosing your Rune and sending it to Elsebeth to transform into a pattern that you will knit in class.

Intermediate to advanced - Students need to know how to do basic cabling.

Homework

Materials fee $3

Fat, Fun and Fulled: The Art of Big Yarns CLOSED
(6 hours)

Unable to make a yarn bigger than a lace weight and not sure how this happened? Come and learn how to create a yarn the diameter you want, not just the yarn your wheel will let you have. We'll also look at what makes a bigger yarn both stable and useable. Students will learn what fibers make the best fat yarns and how to use finishing methods and wet spun techniques to create unusual and beautiful yarns for knitting and weaving. We'll use a variety of different wool types and blends such as silk and wool and cashmere and wool.

Comfortable with your wheel and able to spin a continuous thread.

Materials $15

Classic Sally! Making the Most of your Yarn Collection CLOSED
(6 hours)

This is Sally's signature workshop in which all her genius and creativity goes full blast! You will learn how to use, manage, and replenish a yarn collection -- including ingenious ways to use up bits of this and that plus those 4-6 balls of something heretofore unusable. The elegance of the resulting fabrics, plus the fact that they look nothing like odd-ball knitting, comes as a very exciting discovery to students this workshop! We'll explore the problems inherent in using multiple yarns and colors: which ones go together, which stitch patterns will accommodate different weights and colors best, how to arrange a yarn collection to make the most of it, plus much more.

Intermediate and beyond

Homework

Materials fee $5

Intro to Rigid-Heddle Weaving: Stash-busting Scarf CLOSED
(6 hours)

Weaving curious? Come learn weaving on the easy and portable rigid-heddle loom! This introductory class is for folks with little to no prior weaving experience. Bring eight ounces of odds and ends from your stash to share. We'll be creating mixed-warp, stash-busting scarves that you will design, warp, and weave in one day. We'll talk a bit about color theory and designing mixed warp, and then dive headlong into a fun weaving adventure. Weft will be provided.

No weaving experience necessary. Some looms for rent for $10 -- Let Suzanne know.

Materials fee $12.50

CLASS CONTINUES

Mirror Mirror, Sea Lettuce and Falling Leaves -- An elegant scarf trio CLOSED
(6 hours)

Over the course of the day, Lucy guides you through the many techniques involved in these three elegant and uniquely different scarf patterns. What better way to enjoy a survey of Lucy's nifty techniques and teaching! Included will be selection of yarns, I-cord cast-on, elegant increases, Modified Conventional Bind-off, picots, short-rows, working from the right needle to the left (a.k.a. knitting-back backwards), provisional crochet cast-on, two-color double knitting and more! Mirror Mirror uses double-knitting to combine contrasting yarns in a reversible chequerboard pattern; Falling Leaves is an elegant design based on a repeating texture pattern; Sea Lettuce uses short-rows to create a stylish ruffled scarf edged with picots. All in a single class!

Intermediate Knitters

Materials fee for patterns $15

CLASS CONTINUES

Lace knitting is revered the world over as the ultimate in artistic needlework. Even simple designs inspire awe. The truth is that lace knitting is within the grasp of any knitter who has learned decreasing and increasing. This class will cover the increases, usually yarn overs; the different types of decreases, single and double; and how they are combined to make the simplest to the most complex lace designs. Learn to read charted patterns, how to convert written patterns to charted, to adapt some of the more common patterns to wider or narrower repeats, and predict how pattern grains will run (vertical vs. bias) and how to use that information to design advantage.

Intermediate Level knitters

Antique Danish Wristlets with beads
(6 hours)

Ruth introduces you to the art of adding beads to your knitting as a design element. She will teach various methods for adding beads from stringing beads onto the yarn or by using a crochet hook as well as during cast-on and cast off. After practicing these various techniques, you will begin knitting an updated design of an antique Danish wristlet from Ruth's research at a Danish museum near her home in Denmark. Ruth will also have you begin to experiment with your own designs and bead placement.

Advanced Beginners and up

Materials Fee $8

CLASS CONTINUES

Tailored Knitting the Japanese Way
(2 Day Workshop Thursday and Friday)

Join Jean Wong, a Nihon Vogue Certified Instructor, in thinking outside the pattern to adapt your choice of patterns and yarns to construct just the sweater you want. Jean will teach you how to draft patterns by calculating stitches and rows to your measurements. She will show you special techniques to make your own sweater with set-in sleeves. You will draw your own gauged graph based on the pattern, your own body measurements and calculations obtained from your swatch using a special gauge ruler. By learning these techniques you will be able to add your own personality to your knitting and be proud of the finished product.

Advanced Beginner and up.

Materials $10

Homework

7:30 PM

A special evening Knit-In and celebration of Madrona's 10^th Winter Retreat!

FREE -- donations of knitted items and dollars gladly accepted for our local kids charity!

An Evening of Celebration

How could we top last year's event when Stephanie Pearl-McPhee and Ruth Sørensen came together and we raised $6,645 for some very worthy community and international causes? Stephanie challenged us and you all showed up as "super responders" with your incredibly generous Giving from the Heart. Stephanie is back again and we are planning some surprises in celebration of the 10^th Winter Retreat. Do you remember when? Were you there at first retreat in 2000? We'll be weaving in a celebration for all of us. Where would the Winter Retreat be without all of you....students, teachers, vendors alike! We're a community and it's an opportunity for all of us to appreciate what we have together. We hope you will join us. In the meantime there is some serious planning going on and we'll let you know as soon as it comes together!!

7:30 PM

TEACHER

MORNING 9-12 N00N

AFTERNOON 1:30-4:30 PM

Traditional Gansey Techniques CLOSED
(6 hours)

Beth has long been celebrated as the expert in Gansey sweater techniques following her research and her now classic book, Knitting Ganseys. You have the opportunity to learn from the source! Students will learn how to construct a Gansey, a sweater form prevalent in the 19th century and early part of the 20th century among the fishermen of the British Isles. A small scale sweater will be knitted using traditional construction techniques including the classic Channel Island Cast-on, split welts, seam stitches, traditional knit/purl patterns, the underarm gusset, shoulder straps with perpendicular joining, and picked-up sleeves. Alternative methods to these techniques will also be explored.

Intermediate -- Must be proficient with double-pointed needles

Materials fee $5

CLASS CONTINUES

Estonian Kolmnurk Rätik -- Triangular Shawl
(6 hours)

Estonian lace knitters have several ways of shaping triangular shawls. In this class, we will discuss the variations and study, in depth, one interesting way to create a triangular shape, where decreases rule. We will make a miniature triangular shawl, easily translated to a human size, with unique patterns and special details.

Intermediate knitters - Experience reading graphs for lace helpful

Materials fee $10 includes yarn and handouts

CLASS CONTINUES

Domino Knitting CLOSED
(6 hours)

Vivian wrote the book on Domino knitting! She will teach you the versatility of this knitting of colorful squares that can merge into strips and go in any direction you wish with endless color designs. Hats, pillow, sweaters, blankets! All grow from a single square or triangle without seaming! Vivian is truly inspirational and she will have you thinking and knitting out of the box into endless possibilities!

Advanced beginner - Must be able to knit and purl comfortably

Materials fee $4

CLASS CONTINUES

Spinning a Painted Skein CLOSED
(6 hours)

This workshop is a systematic approach to getting the color effects you want out of your painted rovings. The final look of your skein is determined by how you choose to spin, ply and combine the yarn. Students will analyze various ways of dyeing fiber and learn multiple techniques for achieving different color effects from the same roving.

Able to spin a continuous yarn. Wheel preferred although a spindle may be used.

Materials fee $18

CLASS CONTINUES

A skirt For You: The Long and Short of Making your own Knitted Skirt CLOSED
(6 hours)

Carol will teach the basic design elements of a skirt and how you can change them from waist to hem for a custom fit. Starting with an exploration of personal style and skirt types we'll move to color and patterns, look at Carol's collection of her own knitted skirts, consider what style is right for you and what yarns and stitch patterns knit up a fabric that drapes well and makes a fine skirt fabric. We will review swatches you have completed at home (optional) and look at sample skirts to understand design elements. You'll learn how to make changes for your own measurements, yarn and stitch pattern. You will leave class with a "mini-skirt" swatch that illustrates knitting techniques found in the patterns and your own pattern template along with 4 patterns to begin your own knitted skirt.

Intermediate Knitters who know how to swatch, read patterns, and measure for gauge.

Materials fee $10 for your choice of patterns, templates and other handouts.

CLASS CONTINUES

Viking Knits: Advanced Design with Cables CLOSED
(6 hours)

Discover the wonderful world of Viking cables, a 1000 year-old treasure of patterns re-discovered in a new technique. Join Elsebeth as she focuses on the technical aspects of knitting Viking patterns and leads you to understand the grammar of cable patterns. How to read and understand charts. Learn how to cable without a cable needle. Analyze Viking Interlace ornamentation and start designing your own cable patterns. Then consider using the patterns in your own projects -- designing with cables. Internal shaping, unusual garment shapes and design tips to produce magnificent knitted garments using cabling, as well as finishing techniques, will be discussed.

Advanced Students should know how to do basic cabling and have a basic understanding of garment design.

Materials Fee $5

CLASS CONTINUES

Foundations of Couture Knitting CLOSED
(6 hours)

They're not just for gauge any more: swatching and blocking are two of the most essential elements of couture knitting and are used to manipulate knitted fabric, to effect its hand, drape and texture, to refine the fit of the knitted garment and to ensure its longevity.Catherine has defined couture knitting at the highest levels. If you want to know how all those critical foundational elements that make a professional garment, this is class for you. This workshop requires you make swatches at home from which you will learn in class -- exploring how the individual knitter's tension, the information gleaned from
swatching, and the use of non-traditional blocking techniques combine in couture knitting to create knitted fabric with characteristics similar to those of its woven cousin.

Knitters at the intermediate level familiar with swatching and blocking.

Homework

Materials kit: $15

CLASS CONTINUES

Just Dyeing for Socks CLOSED
(3 hours)

This class is repeated in the afternoon

What could be more perfect than hand knit socks? Socks dyed in colors that are perfectly you! Come and dye enough yarn for two pairs of socks in different color ways using a Rambouillet yarn and a silk and wool yarn. We'll also dye a pre-knit blank that will create interesting patterns when you re-knit it. This class is quartette to give you totally terrific toes and good dye skills as well.

Everyone welcome

Materials fee: $35.00 includes fine rambouillet worsted yarn sock yarn skeins, 50/50 wool and silk skeins and one pair of pre-knit blanks for a pair of socks.

Just Dyeing for Socks CLOSED
(3 hours)

This class is a repeat of the morning class

What could be more perfect than hand knit socks? Socks dyed in colors that are perfectly you! Come and dye enough yarn for two pairs of socks in different color ways using a Rambouillet yarn and a silk and wool yarn. We'll also dye a pre-knit blank that will create interesting patterns when you re-knit it. This class is quartette to give you totally terrific toes and good dye skills as well.

Everyone welcome

Materials fee: $35.00 includes fine rambouillet worsted yarn sock yarn skeins, 50/50 wool and silk skeins and one pair of pre-knit blanks for a pair of socks.

Knit to Flatter and Fit CLOSED
(3 hours)

This class is repeated Saturday morning

A knitter who spends the time and energy to make her own clothes should be rewarded with a result that makes her happy and proud. It should fit, it should flatter, and there should be no mystery as to how this happened. But sadly, and too often, this is not the result. Why? Because the knitter chooses the wrong pattern OR chooses the right pattern but follows the directions without questioning them OR makes the right garment but wears it with the wrong thing.

There are a few simple rules to follow for successful knitting. This workshop covers all these rules and decisions and puts the power for successful results into your competent hands. Yay!

Everyone welcome

Homework

Materials fee $5

Borders and Buttonholes CLOSED
(3 hours)

This workshop explores the best techniques for these finishings that make such a difference in our knitted garments. It covers basic maneuvers, four or more basic edging stitch patterns and the very best buttonholes.

Participants will never again struggle with instructions to "pick up and knit 137 sts along right front" nor with the question of how to make virtually invisible buttonholes.

Beyond Beginner

Homework

Lace and Textures on the Rigid-Heddle Loom (Weaving)
(6 hours)

Ready to move beyond plain-weave? This intermediate-level class will help you spice up your rigid-heddle weaving with weaver-controlled laces such as leno and brook's bouquet. Then we'll move on to weaving samples of textures such as honeycomb and huck lace, among others. Students should be familiar with warping and weaving on a rigid-heddle loom, and should come with their loom pre-warped with a light-colored yarn, preferably wool. Bring additional warp yarn to use as background weft. Supplemental weft yarns will be provided.

Intermediate Level - Students should be familiar with warping and weaving on a rigid-heddle loom. Some looms already warped for class can be rented for $20 -- Let Suzanne know.

Materials fee $5

CLASS CONTINUES

Even Cooler Socks CLOSED
(6 hours)

THIS CLASS WAS FILLED BY PRE-REGISTRATION LOTTERY.

Yet more advanced sock techniques for happy sock knitters! An in-depth look at Tubular sock edges (both cast on and bound off) for single and double ribs and two methods for working them easily. For decorative effects we have Striped Quilting heel flap stitch, Twined Crochet Bind-Off, Flying Swallows stitch pattern and a motif knitting technique. Facings for top-down and toe-up situations. Short-row toes (for the no-graft sock) and sideways Garter St bands

Homework

Materials fee $5

CLASS CONTINUES

Philosopher's Wool: Ann Bourgeois

Fair Isle Simplified for Beginners
(6 hours)

Each knitter will make a Fair Isle purse using a kit supplied by Philosopher's Wool. You'll learn to knit with the right hand American style and Continental with the left hand simultaneously. No puckering or tangles ever again. This class could change your knitting life!

Ability to cast-on, knit and purl.

Kit fee $15

CLASS CONTINUES

Finishing -- the Grand Finale
(6 hours)

It's all about the details! Poor finishing techniques doom anotherwise great piece of knitting, while good finishing techniquesenhance it or can even salvage a less-than-perfect garment. Learndifferent ways to put pieces together such as mattress & Kitchenerstitch (they're related!) and a simple crocheted slip st. Learn to graft stockinette, ribs and garter st. Find out what kind of selvedges may make seaming easier or more decorative. Calculate pick up ratios for button bands. Also get suggestions as to why and when
to use all of these, along with helpful hints to get you started onfiguring out your own customized solutions.

Intermediate Knitters

Homework

CLASS CONTINUES

Magnificent Multi-Color Knitting CLOSED
(6 hours)

This is such a dynamite class - slip-stitch knitting like never before! It's a color, stitch and design class all rolled into one and you will leave with two custom patterns. One project is a Kimono Jacket that uses multi-color yarn with a coordinating solid color yarn. The other is a vest. You'll learn six different stitches that show a variety of slip stitch maneuvers and also two different shaping techniques to which to apply the stitches. Gloria will handout stitch patterns and schematic sheets for each of the two projects. Each student will use the yarn they've chosen to work the appropriate stitches for the project they've chosen. Finally, Gloria will show each student how to apply their body measurements to the schematic they've chosen and figure and apply their swatch gauge to the shape of their piece. You'll go home psyched about the potentials of slip stitch knitting and your project!

Advanced Beginners and up

Materials fee $5

CLASS CONTINUES

CLASS CONTINUES

7:30 PM FREE

7:30 PM: Evening Gathering to view the Teacher's Gallery and presentation by Cat Bordhi. You have all seen and heard of Cat's incredibly creative approach to socks and other designs .... where does Catget her inspiration and invention? Here's a chance to get a view into Cat's world and see design through her eyes. She'll talk about what is closest to her heart in design and have you turning things upside down .... yes, Cat did do a cartwheel for the first presentation she did at Madrona way back in Gig Harbor days......and you will neversee socks or anything else quite the same way again.

Please join us for what promises to be an upside down evening!

TEACHER

MORNING 9-12 N00N

AFTERNOON 1:30-4:30 PM

Janine Bajus

Choosing Colors for Fair Isle Designs CLOSED
(6 hours )

If you love working with color then Fair Isle knitting offers a lifetime of creative exploration! But the infinite number of possibilities can be intimidating. We will begin with some color theory, sources of inspiration and the specifics of Fair Isle designs. Then we'll plunge in by choosing colors from a collection of 250+ colors of Shetland yarn for a choice of patterns. You will start swatching in class and leave with enough yarn to develop your design on your own.

Experience with two-color stranded knitting.

Materials fee $13

CLASS CONTINUES

Cat Bordhi

Hybrid Sock Architecture
(6 hours)

This class is repeated on Sunday

This class on hybrid sock architectures and excavating virgin (for lack of a better word) architectures is always evolving as Cat continues to discover more possibilities. If you're an advanced and adventurous knitter whose pulse races at the prospect of entering a world of playful, elegant design possibilities, please join us! Much of what we explore will transfer to designing and knitting sweaters, hats, gloves, and more, so even if sock knitting is not your first love, there will be much in this class to nourish and inform the rest of your knitting.

Required: Must have knit both little learning socks and at least 1 full size sock from Cat's book, NEW PATHWAYS FOR SOCK KNITTERS, BOOK ONE.

Materials fee $5

CLASS CONTINUES

Beth Brown-Reinsel

Aran Pullovers from the Neck Down CLOSED
(6 hours)

In this one day course, a small Aran pullover will knitted from the neckband down. Techniques to be covered include: tubular ribbing, creating saddle shoulders, shifting the neckline forward for a more comfortable fit by using short rows, picking up for sleeves, and sewing nice looking seams. Traditional Aran patterns will be knitted in the little garment: traveling cables across a purl background, undulating baby cables, moss stitch, cabled ribbing, twisted stitches, and an optional bobble study (knit 13 different kinds, if you like)!

Intermediate -- experience with double pointed needles strongly suggested

Materials Fee $5

CLASS CONTINUES

Nancy Bush

An Overture to Estonian Lace CLOSED
(6 hours)

THIS CLASS WAS FILLED BY PRE-REGISTRATION LOTTERY.

Estonia has a lace tradition spanning nearly 200 years. We will learn about their unique stitch patterns, special edging and corner treatments for a contemporary shawl structure as well as some very different ways of creating texture in lace.

Intermediate Knitters

Materials fee $10

CLASS CONTINUES

Amelia Garripoli

Productive Spindling CLOSED
(3 hours)

Have you walked away from your spindles in frustration? Do you want to expand your repertoire from wheel to spindle so you can bring spinning on your travels? Are you sure there must be some way to make spindling more productive? Expand your spindle skill-set in this fun class: increase your spindle enjoyment and results. We'll match the right spindle for fiber and yarn, and play with a variety of top whorl tricks, bottom whorl tricks, and handy techniques to get more out of your spindling: true Andean plying, Peruvian wind-on, Kick-spinning, Navajo plying, Bottom whorl speed-plying, and more.

Basic experience Spindling or wheel spinning a continuous thread

Materials fee $5

The Nalbound Edge CLOSED
(3 hours)

Nalbinding has been used since before knitting and crochet to make and embellish garments, and is still in use in Nordic countries. Use this great technique to edge and embellish a garment! Terrific for sweaters, mittens, fingerless gloves and more! Nalbinding creates a cabled edge, done for a few rows on a simple edge or for more layers for a tall neckband. You'll walk away with knowledge of the history of nalbinding and a new skill you can do with yarn you already have.

Beginner -- no experience needed

Betsy Hershberg

Bead Knitting Sampler CLOSED
(3 hours)

Betsy's incredible beadwork is a testimonial to the beauty of combining beads and knitting. She will guide you through an introduction to all that you need to begin adding beads to your projects and her enthusiasm will be contagious. You'll learn beading techniques while completing a sampler from a pattern Betsy supplies. With your sampler and written materials, you will have a reference for future work.

Advanced Beginner and up

Materials fee $3

Beaded Mosaic Knitting
(3 hours)

This class is repeated on Sunday morning

Mosaic knitting, as a subset of the slipstitch pattern family, lends itself to really interesting effects when combined with the judicious addition of beads. We'll review the elements of Mosaic Knitting including mosaic chart reading and basic "rules" of mosaic knitting. This class will teach you the techniques to add beads to mosaic knitting by knitting a beaded mosaic swatch and discussing how to evaluate a mosaic pattern for bead placement.

Intermediate knitters and up

Materials fee $3

Vivian Høxbro

The Danish Night Shirt CLOSED
(6 hours)

The intricate pattern work of the Danish night shirt is a most exquisite combination of little knit and purl stitches with small cables. Vivian discovered them in her local museum in Denmark and brings you her own patterns based on these shirts. The night shirts seem almost minimalistic because they were traditionally done white on white and thus almost invisible. It is thought they were called "night shirts" because the women wore them during the day and would undress at night except for this shirt. You will be knitting the various patterns in class and go home with them to incorporate them into your own exquisite night shirt from the patterns and pictures that Vivian provides.

Advanced beginners who knit and purl well.

Materials Fee $9

CLASS CONTINUES

Elsebeth Lavold

Runes CLOSED
(3 hours)

This class is a repeat of the class on Thursday afternoon.

In Viking times, runes were associated with magic and special powers. Get started on knitting your own power emblem - your name or a short word (around 7 letters). We touch on choosing runes with the correct sound value, spacing and placement on your project. After you register we will send you instructions for choosing your Rune and sending it to Elsebeth to transform into a pattern that you will knit in class.

Intermediate to advanced - Students need to know how to do basic cabling.

Homework

Materials fee $3

Basic Viking Knits CLOSED
(3 hours)

The focus is on the basic techniques needed to knit the wonderful Viking Patterns. Join Elsebeth as she focuses on the technical aspects of knitting Viking patterns and leads you to understand the grammar of cable patterns. How to read and understand charts. Learn how to cable without a cable needle. Analyze Viking Interlace ornamentation and start designing your own cable patterns.

Students should know how to do basic cabling.

Intermediate

Materials Fee $5

Judith MacKenzie McCuin

On the Road to Samarkand CLOSED
(6 hours)

Of all the spinning fibers, silk has an aura of mystery and romance. No other fiber has silk's sensuous hand and lustrous surface. Stronger than stainless steel, lighter than a feather and dyes like a jewel, silk has been the choice for luxury fabrics for thousands of years. We'll learn how to spin and ply, make a jewel-like cable and create some novelty yarns as well. We'll spin a wide variety of silks including tussah, Bombyx, caps and noil. Silks make wonderful blends and we'll spin several luscious varieties including silk and cashmere, silk and merino and silk and camel. So, if you've been saving that beautiful bag of silk that you got for your birthday and afraid to try it, this class is for you.

Intermediate Spinners

Materials fees $25

CLASS CONTINUES

Sally Melville

Knit to Flatter and Fit CLOSED
(3 hours)

This class is a repeat of the class on Friday morning.

A knitter who spends the time and energy to make her own clothes should be rewarded with a result that makes her happy and proud. It should fit, it should flatter, and there should be no mystery as to how this happened. But sadly, and too often, this is not the result. Why? Because the knitter chooses the wrong pattern OR chooses the right pattern but follows the directions without questioning them OR makes the right garment but wears it with the wrong thing.

There are a few simple rules to follow for successful knitting. This workshop covers all these rules and decisions and puts the power for successful results into your competent hands. Yay!

Everyone welcome

Homework

Materials fee $5

Emergency Measures CLOSED
(3 hours)

Sometimes the most insight comes from the struggle one faces when something goes REALLY wrong. But there are remedies for most any kind of 'disaster' in knitting. Using these can turn a problem into a wearable garment while teaching us to be more intuitive and more confident knitters!

This workshop will discuss the problems that confront most knitters plus what to do if the garment is too wide, too short, too long, too narrow, too outdated in style, if a bad colour choice was made, if the edgings are not holding well, if the knitter has run out of yarn or forgot to make pockets, or if the garment has suffered a laundering disaster.

Beyond Beginner

Homework

Lucy Neatby

Short Row Wizardry CLOSED
(3 hours)

This class is repeated on Sunday afternoon.

A practical look at short rows and their many applications to better tailor your knitting, Knowing the techniques and use of short rows will immensely improve the final results of the garments you knit. Try unwrapped, wrapped and Japanese short rows and compare their merits. Lucy shows you how to use short rows in garter stitch and their application to a practical, comfortable generic sock heel. You'll learn to use short rows to improve fit and finish by planning your own shapings for bulgy bits.

Advanced beginners and up

Homework

Materials Fee $5

Double Up and Around CLOSED
(3 hours)

An initiation into the wonders of Double Knitting! Make an exploratory journey into two layer fabrics. Working in the round on double point or circular needles, we'll begin with tubes within tubes, initially with a single yarn, two yarns and then color patterning. We will look at different ways to handle the yarns for maximum efficiency and how to incorporate shapings into double fabrics, topped off with a tubular bind-off. These techniques are suited to ultra warm mittens and cozy lined socks among other uses!

Intermediate to advanced knitters --NO Double Knitting experience needed!

Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

Knitting for Speed and Efficiency: So Many Knits So Little Time! CLOSED
(3 hours)

This class is repeated on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning

Do you remember watching Stephanie knit away at lightning speed Thursday evening at last year's retreat? Well here's your chance to learn her perspective and secrets! Want to knit faster? How about smarter or more efficiently? This class examines the various techniques, attitudes and history of the most productive knitters, and is designed not necessarily to change how you knit (unless you want to) but to help you become the most efficient knitter you can be on your own terms.

Knitters at all levels are welcome.

Knitting for Speed and Efficiency: So Many Knits So Little Time! CLOSED
(3 hours)

The class is repeated on Saturday morning and Sunday morning.

Do you remember watching Stephanie knit away at lightning speed Thursday evening at last year's retreat? Well here's your chance to learn her perspective and secrets! Want to knit faster? How about smarter or more efficiently? This class examines the various techniques, attitudes and history of the most productive knitters, and is designed not necessarily to change how you knit (unless you want to) but to help you become the most efficient knitter you can be on your own terms.

Knitters at all levels are welcome.

Joan Schrouder

Initiation to Entrelac Knitting CLOSED
(3 hours)

Joan will show you the nifty ways to a complex looking fabric. At first glance, an entrelac knitted fabric looks woven from separately knitted strips into a basic weave texture. But it has actually been worked in an ingenious "knitterly" way: each entrelac square or diamond has been picked up and knit from a neighbor "square" and, at the same time, attached to another neighboring "square" using knitting techniques. Sewing up is NOT necessary! You'll learn all the basics of entrelac knitting including working base triangles, whole diamonds, and even "knitting back backwards which makes entrelac a breeze. Joan will also briefly discuss use of entrelac in garment design, color and stitch choice.

Intermediate Knitters

Shaping Shawls -- Circles and Ovals CLOSED
(3 hours)

Circular and oval shawls have a wonderful grace, with curvinglines instead of sharp-angled perimeters. Learn how some simple formulae can lay the groundwork for knitting any size in any gauge yarn. Students will knit swatches, approximately 6 inches in diameter, while learning different ways to shape circles and ovals, which arethe basis for full-sized shawls. These include several ways from the center out, the outside in, radially and side-to-side. You'll learn about choosing yarn for future shawlprojects, including use up of odds andends, fiber care and blocking and integratinglace patterns into the chosen shape.Information on attaching edgings will also be practiced in class.

Intermediate Knitters

Ruth Sørensen

Designing with Self-striping Yarns
( 6 hours )

This is Ruth's signature class that she taught at last year's retreat. You've seen Ruth's sweater designs with Kauni yarn all over the internet, on knitter's blogs, on the backs of your friends and maybe even your own back! Now you can meet Ruth in person and learn how to create your own fabulous colorful designs using self-striping yarns. You'll learn about choosing colors, create your own design motif and swatch it with Kauni yarns.

Materials fee $8

CLASS CONTINUES

Fine Finishing Techniques the Japanese Way CLOSED
(6 hours )

This class will be repeated on Sunday

Learn the unique Japanese techniques that will give your knitted garments a truly professional look.

Advanced Beginner and up.

Homework

Materials $10

Saturday Evening Banquet (sit down -- no buffet) with presentation by Elsebeth Lavold

6:30 PM

6:30 PM -- Sitdown Dinner (no buffet) Baked Salmon with green salad and veggies -- vegetarian alternative available on request. Registration Required $45.

TEACHER

MORNING 9-12 N00N

AFTERNOON 1:30-4:30 PM

Janine Bajus

Steeks! What, Where, Why and How CLOSED
(3 hours)

Steeks, those extra stitches that allow us to knit garments in the round and then cut them open, can be intimidating. In this class, we will examine regular steeks, kangaroo-pouch steeks, shaping around steeks, stabilizing steeks, knitting up around the steeks, and how to handle the live stitches at the top of the steek.

Everything you want and need to know!

Comfortable knitting in the round

NO CLASS SCHEDULE

Cat Bordhi

Hybrid Sock Architecture
(6 hours)

This class is a repeat of the class on Saturday morning.

This class on hybrid sock architectures and excavating virgin (for lack of a better word) architectures is always evolving as Cat continues to discover more possibilities. If you're an advanced and adventurous knitter whose pulse races at the prospect of entering a world of playful, elegant design possibilities, please join us! Much of what we explore will transfer to designing and knitting sweaters, hats, gloves, and more, so even if sock knitting is not your first love, there will be much in this class to nourish and inform the rest of your knitting.

Required: Must have knit both little learning socks and at least 1 full size sock from Cat's book, NEW PATHWAYS FOR SOCK KNITTERS, BOOK ONE.

Materials fee $5

CLASS CONTINUES

Beth Brown-Reinsel

Latvian Wristers CLOSED
(3 hours)

Using wristers as a template, some of the beautiful knitting methods of Latvia will be studied in this class. Knit one of a pair of wristers to learn the following techniques which can be applied to mitten cuffs, sock tops or sleeves: a scalloped cuff, the herringbone braid and many subtle and beautiful variations of the half-braid. A choice of traditional motifs is incorporated in the main part of the wrister, as well as a picot edge at the end. Additional techniques to be discussed include knitting with two yarns in the right hand, two yarns in the left hand, or a yarn in each hand, as well as knitting with three colors and setting up the knitting for color changes in the braids.

Intermediate -- must be proficient with double pointed needles

Materials fee $5

Swedish Cast-ons and Scandinavian Knitting Techniques CLOSED
(3 hours)

Five cast-ons from Sweden will be taught in this hands-on class. They are all one-needle cast-on methods, and can be adapted for one or two color edges for sweaters, mittens, socks, and hats. In addition, the Continental and English methods of knitting, purling, and weaving will be taught as a basis for the Scandinavian technique of working with two yarns in the left hand (knitting, purling, and weaving) and Twined knitting (two yarns in the right hand). Small sample swatches will be made using all of the techniques learned in class.

All Levels of Knitters

Nancy Bush

Traditional Estonian Socks
(6 hours)

Learn about Estonian knitting traditions through their socks. Students will make a sock, learning some interesting Estonian techniques: a special cast on, unique cuff treatment including knitted braids and other embellishments.

Intermediate knitters with experience with double point needles and 2 color knitting.

Materials Fee $10 for yarn and handouts

CLASS CONTINUES

Betsy Hershberg

Beaded Mosaic Knitting
(3 hours)

This class is a repeat of the class on Saturday afternoon.

Mosaic knitting, as a subset of the slipstitch pattern family, lends itself to really interesting effects when combined with the judicious addition of beads. We'll review the elements of Mosaic Knitting including mosaic chart reading and basic "rules" of mosaic knitting. This class will teach you the techniques to add beads to mosaic knitting by knitting a beaded mosaic swatch and discussing how to evaluate a mosaic pattern for bead placement.

Intermediate knitters and up

Materials fee $3

Bead Knitted Bracelet CLOSED
(3 hour class)

Betsy's knitted jewelry are one-of-a-kind pieces to die for. Check out her website at www.studiobknits.com and know you are learning the elements of this exquisite work from an expert. You will create a bead knitted bracelet from one of Betsy's own designs and along the way, learn one of the easiest and most useful techniques for combining beads and fiber. You will go home with the template so you can create more bracelets or other jewelry on your own.

Intermediate knitters

Kit fee $20 -- includes everything you need; beads, template, fiber and sterling clasp.

Vivian Høxbro

NO CLASS SESSION

Lazy Knitters' Dominos
(3 hours)

This is a fun kind of domino knitting based on Vivian's new book Knit to Be Square. Knitting involves "incomplete" dominos and felting for a unique scarf or other embellished project. Learn about dominos and joining squares as you knit a sampler.

Advanced Beginners who are comfortable with knitting and purling

Materials Fee $4.00

Janel Laidman

The Secrets of Spinning for Lace
(6 hours)

This workshop is an exploration of spinning techniques for knitted lace. We will learn optimal methods for spinning different fibers and explore different yarn structures and how the yarns behave in knitted lace. Techniques to be covered include woolen vs. worsted spinning, ply structure for laceweight, behavior of fibers in finished fabric blends for particular properties and special effects.

Students should be able to spin a consistent yarn and be familiar with their wheel.

Materials fee $15

CLASS CONTINUES

Elsebeth Lavold

Viking Knits and Mitered Corners in Cabling CLOSED
(6 hours)

Discover the wonderful world of Viking cables, a 1000 year-old treasure of patterns re-discovered in a new technique. Join Elsebeth as she focuses on the technical aspects of knitting Viking patterns and leads you to understand the grammar of cable patterns. How to read and understand charts. Learn how to cable without a cable needle. Analyze Viking Interlace ornamentation and start designing your own cable patterns. Basic mitered corners in cabling. Some finishing will be discussed.

Intermediate -- Students should know how to do basic cabling.

Homework

Materials fee $5

CLASS CONTINUES

Judith MacKenzie McCuin

Fleece in My Hands CLOSED
(3 hours)

This workshop is about how to choose a fleece and what to do with it after you've make your choice. We'll look at storage, washing and how to choose a good method to prepare different types of fleeces. We'll look at what makes one fleece make a perfect lace yarn and another fleece make a spectacular rug. Judith will bring samples of the major flaws in a fleece to look out for and some perfect fleeces to spin.

Spindle or Wheel -- all spinners

Materials fee $10

The Art of Plying CLOSED
(3 hours)

Plying, as many spinners will tell you, covers a multitude of sins -- at least of the textile kind! It makes the finished yarn more consistent, much stronger, and certainly more stable. When we ply, thin and thick places will often merge together, and, when they don't there are good plying ticks to help this happen. But plied yarns are much more than just technically excellent -- they are beautiful as well. Creating colorways, unusual textures and interesting fiber blends are just a few of the possibilities that learning to ply effectively and easily will open up for you. Students will use already spun singles to create a range of plies and novelty yarns.

Wheel required -- able to spin a continuous thread.

Materials fee $15

Sally Melville

Essential Skills for the Self-Taught Knitter
(6 hours)

Most of us are self-taught. And no matter how advanced and accomplished we are, there are holes in our experience. Perhaps we rely upon the same cast-on, the same increase, the same decrease. Perhaps we are not confident of our seaming or are confounded by the instruction to "pick up and knit 101 stitches around the neck edge . . . evenly!'"

This workshop explores the best methods that we should all have in our repertoire and provides hands-on experience for each one. In addition, students will have the opportunity to ask questions about other knitting techniques. There is always room for the content of this class to be influenced by the students in the class.

Nearly Intermediate Knitters

Homework

CLASS CONTINUES

Lucy Neatby

Double Knitting for the Addicted
(3 hours)

Use these advance double knitting techniques to make your garments and socks (yes, socks too) into unique custom creations! Knit a delightful side-opening pocket with a vertical or diagonal edge. Use a double yarn to make subtle containment spaces and how to plan, chart and work different designs on both sides of the fabric. Lucy will show you horizontal and vertical patterning with slip stitches and how to turn a heel into a Double Knit sole fabric.

Advanced -- must have prior double knit experience

Materials fee $5

Short Row Wizardry
(3 hours)

This class is a repeat of the class on Saturday morning.

A practical look at short rows and their many applications to better tailor your knitting, Knowing the techniques and use of short rows will immensely improve the final results of the garments you knit. Try unwrapped, wrapped and Japanese short rows and compare their merits. Lucy shows you how to use short rows in garter stitch and their application to a practical, comfortable generic sock heel. You'll learn to use short rows to improve fit and finish by planning your own shapings for bulgy bits.

Advanced beginners and up

Homework

Materials Fee $5

Knitting for Speed and Efficiency: So Many Knits So Little Time! CLOSED
(3 hours)

Do you remember watching Stephanie knit away at lightning speed Thursday evening at last year's retreat? Well here's your chance to learn her perspective and secrets! Want to knit faster? How about smarter or more efficiently? This class examines the various techniques, attitudes and history of the most productive knitters, and is designed not necessarily to change how you knit (unless you want to) but to help you become the most efficient knitter you can be on your own terms.

Knitters at all levels are welcome.

Philosopher's Wool: Ann Bourgeois

Twisted Bags CLOSED
(6 hours)

Reinforce your Fair Isle skills and how to knit two colors effortlessly with no tangling or puckering. Then twist your wool to make decorative purled stripes dividing your Fair Isle bands and abandoning the neatness of two handed Fair Isle. Sounds interesting? Ann of Philosophers Wool will show you how to do this neat trick.

Advanced beginner who has knitted with 2 color strands

Kit fee $15

CLASS CONTINUES

Karin Skacel

NO CLASS SESSION

ArtFelt -- the Magic of Combining Fine Fibers with Feltpaper
(3 hours)

Artfelt® combines the best attributes of needle felting and wet felting along with magical Feltpaper to create simple or complex felted materials that felt in your dryer. With very little experience and space you can make scarves, table runners, wall hangings, and even 3 dimensional items such a purses, totes, and garments. Karin is the expert who saw the possibilities in this technique. Only your imagination will limit you. Try it, you'll be hooked!

Everyone

Materials Fee $35 for merino rovings, Feltpaper and other supplies.

Ruth Sørensen

Colorful Mittens designed with Self-striping yarns
(3 hours)

This class is repeated in the afternoon

Ruth is the expert when it comes to designing with self-striping yarns. She will show you how to use self-striping yarns for mittens and gloves. You'll be guided in choosing colors and yarns and a model to begin knitting from a collection of Ruth's patterns. You won't finish in class but will have the confidence and information you need to finish it on your own and design your next pair.

Advanced Beginner

Materials fee $8

Colorful Mittens designed with Self-striping yarns
(3 hours)

This class is a repeat of the class in the morning

Ruth is the expert when it comes to designing with self-striping yarns. She will show you how to use self-striping yarns for mittens and gloves. You'll be guided in choosing colors and yarns and a model to begin knitting from a collection of Ruth's patterns. You won't finish in class but will have the confidence and information you need to finish it on your own and design your next pair.

Advanced Beginner

Gloria Tracy

Design Guidelines for Everyone CLOSED
(6 hours)

Gloria is an expert on adapting patterns and designs to many different sizes and shapes. She will teach you how to layout a pattern for a cuff-to-cuff sweater (one of the most versatile) and several versions of a more traditional shape. Gloria will share her own formula for figuring sleeve caps and also for increases and decreases. She'll cover gauge and how to apply it. Finishing techniques that can be applied for knit, crochet or woven goods will be covered.You will fill in a schematic with your own measurements and use Gloria's guidelines to create your custom pattern and also practice techniques for setting in sleeves, joining seams, spacing increases and decreases, and picking up stitches.

Advanced beginners and up

Homework

Materials fee $5

CLASS CONTINUES

Jean Wong

Fine Finishing Techniques the Japanese Way
(6 hours )

This class is a repeat of the class on Saturday

Learn the unique Japanese techniques that will give your knitted garments a truly professional look.

Advanced Beginner and up.

Homework

Materials $10

CLASS CONTINUES