Kathryn Alexander is an internationally known textile artist – a spinner, weaver, dyer and knitter whose work is characterized by an abundance of color, richly textured surfaces, and whimsical designs. She and her work have been featured in several magazines including Fiberarts, Surface Design, Ornament, Spin Off and Knits, and in a number of books. When not spinning, weaving, dyeing and knitting, Kathryn can be found working in her flower and vegetable gardens or riding her horses through fields and woods that surround her small farm in upstate New York. See Kathryn’s work on her website www.kathrynalexander.net .
Janine Bajus has always loved working with color, so when she saw sweaters knit out of lovely Shetland wool she knew that there was a lifetime of joyous exploration ahead of her. Her first design—Dragonfly River Vest—was included in the book Sweaters from Camp. She has taught specialized topics—crocheted steeks, short-row shoulder shaping in the round—at Meg Swansen’s Knitting Camp. She documents her design progress on her blog: www.feralknitter.typepad.com/feral_knitter.
Anne Berk is certified by The Knitting Guild of America as a Master Knitter. Anne especially enjoys teaching about techniques that improve the quality and appearance of handknits. She has been a knitting instructor since 1998, and teaches regularly at Knit/Purl in downtown Portland, and Molehill Farm, in Lake Grove, Oregon. Anne also does commission knitting, finishing and repair. Anne has a new book, Shibui Argyle, that will premier at Madrona. It includes a line of patterns that feature argyle designs for socks, garments and accessories in a range of fibers and gauges.
Jacey Boggs is the one woman operation behind Insubordiknit. Known for her entertaining and instructive DVD, Sit & Spin, she spins fantastical art yarns with a technical hand, focusing on good construction and balance as much as texture and whimsy.With a solid base in traditional spinning, she firmly believes that prowess in one style of spinning can only make you more adept in another. She knits, teaches, homeschools, blogs, podcasts, and recently began writing for Spin Off magazine. Her monthly workshops are sought after and quickly filled throughout the world, in them, spinners can expect to laugh at least as much as they learn. Check out her website, DVD, blog, and podcast, here -- http://www.insubordiknit.com
Stephanie Bryant is the author of the first graphic novel for knitters. Handknit Heroes is a ongoing adventure serial in the Japanese Manga tradition that involves teen superheroes who solve crimes and love to knit. Stephanie has been a professional writer for 13 years writing computer books, technical manuals and most recently, Handknit Heroes. Always willing to try something new, Stephanie fell into knitting from spinning, though she’s been a crocheter since early childhood. She’s a big fan of promoting fun patterns for knitters of all experience levels. A veteran traveler, Stephanie lives in a motorhome full-time and travels throughout the United States, working from the road. Learn more and subscribe to Handknit Heroes at www.comicknits.com.
Evelyn A. Clark is a Pacific Northwest native who learned to knit and crochet from her grandmother. After leaving a marketing career for a simpler life, she was inspired to pick up her needles again by Elizabeth Zimmerman’s empowering approach to knitting. Along the way she discovered a passion for lace knitting and enjoys sharing this addiction with others. Evelyn was the winner of the first Wild Fibers Magazine and Buffalo Gold contest. Her designs have been published by Fiber Trends and Leisure Arts, as well as knitting magazines and yarn companies. Her book, Knitting Lace Triangles was published by Fiber Trends in 2007. For more information, visit her website at www.evelynclarkdesigns.com
Kaye Collins’ interest in reviving Ancient Arts began with her career as a Homebirth Midwife wherefor over 20 years she delivered hundreds of healthy babies in several different states.Spinning for over 20 years Kaye has received several awards and certificatesincluding the Hand spinning Certificate of Excellence from theHand weavers Guild of America.Kaye enjoys teaching at various local and state guilds, spinning retreats, Alpaca Conferences, SOAR, andConvergence. Along with teaching, Kaye currently has a passion for restoring antique spinning wheels from all over the world. Her workshop is located in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado near their geodesic dome cabin that she and her husband built themselves. Kaye’s handspun alpaca knitted poncho with Andean punta edging is featured in the New Handspun Handnit book from Interweave Press. Check out Kaye’s articles in Spin Off Magazine Alpaca that Floats in Summer 1999, Andean Knitting Winter 2001; Fiber Basics Guanaco and Vicuna in Winter 2008; Angela’s Wedding Shawl in Fall, 2008.
Linda Cortright makes her home near the coast of Maine where she raises an “aging” herd of cashmere goats and is the editor and publisher of Wild Fibers Magazine, the only publication that focuses on all aspects of the natural fiber industry from traveling with nomads and their camels in the Gobi Desert to working with veiled weavers in Morocco. She is currently serving on the Steering Committee for the International Year of Natural Fibres 2009 – a global initiative sponsored by the United Nations’ FAO Division in Rome, Italy.
Linda started Wild Fibers in 2004 after spending several years as marketing director for The Island Institute; a non-profit organization dedicated to helping sustain Maine’s islands and remote coastal areas. That experience led her to understand the importance of preserving both agricultural and artisan traditions associated with the fiber industry. The general public tends to focus on the end products such as cashmere sweaters or alpaca scarves without giving much thought as to where the fibers actually come from; who is responsible for raising them; and the impact they have on the environment.
In addition to publishing Wild Fibers and traveling nearly 100,000 miles annually; Linda enjoys giving lectures about her “wild” travel experiences when she isn’t back on the farm cleaning out the barn or looking for escaped goats. She also enjoys having her own private supply of cashmere that she spins and knits while waiting in airports in some very remote parts of the globe. To learn more about the effort to sustain the global fiber industry in partnership with Heifer International go to www.keepthefleece.com and www.wildfibersmagazine.com .
Carson Demers is a physical therapist and ergonomics specialist by day for a San Francisco Bay area medical center. Every other moment, he’s knitting, spinning, designing, or otherwise up to some fiber fun with a watchful eye toward ergonomics. His passion and experience in fiber arts combine with his expertise in physical therapy and ergonomics to create a unique skill set that he eagerly shares with the fiber community to keep us all creating healthfully ever after.
Elise Duvekot is a knitwear designer who has recently written the book Knit One Below – One Stitch, Many Fabrics, published by XRX Books in 2008. Elise’s enthusiasm for novel techniques led to the completely new approach presented in this book. Her inspiration comes from geometrical patterns and from the many beautiful colors and yarns that have become available in recent years. As far as the style of her work is concerned, it can best be described as traditional in workmanship, while modern in color and design. She divides her time between the Old World (The Netherlands) and the New World (Canada). In addition to knitting strands of various yarns together as a designer, she knits words of various languages together as a translator. Knitting and translating both provide ideal environments in which to be creative and productive, combining the best of both worlds.
Amelia Garripoli "fell" into spinning when she purchased a house that came with two llamas. Since then, her spindle collection has taken over the book case! Amelia runs The Bellwether, a specialty spindle and fiber shop on line and at local shows. She is the author of “Spindling: The Basics”, and is an active mentor in several online spinning groups including Spindlers and Spindlitis. Amelia teaches workshops, private classes, classes at local yarn shops. Visit her website at www.thebellwether.biz . Amelia's latest book is Productive Spindling and you can find it at Amazon.com and also on her own website.
Linda Gettmann is a veteran crafts person who escaped from her corporate office in the financial services industry to have more time for her favorite hobbies: kumihimo jewelry, weaving, knitting, scuba diving, and photography. An avid fiber nut, Linda teaches kumihimo and rigid heddle weaving and belongs to several weaving and knitting guilds in Southwest Washington. She sells her creations at local art fairs and online at www.ArtFire.com under the name “Fiber Art Designs.” She is always on the lookout for new ideas, and enjoys teaching others and experimenting in the realm of fiber arts.
Sivia Harding learned how to knit in 2000 and has been churning out patterns since 2003. Her work has appeared in magazines and books such as Knitty.com, Big Girl Knits and No Sheep for You plus designs featured in the Rockin’ Socks Club from Blue Moon Fiber Arts and the Year of the Lace 2008 subscription club from Make one Yarn studio. This year will see several other designs in publication. Sivia is known for her work with exceptional beaded knits. You can learn more at www.siviaharding.com .
Ilisha Helfman is a graduate of Smith College and the Yale University School of Design. She has been knitting quietly and creatively for over 40 years, has shown her knitted work in galleries in NY and Portland and had her collages in galleries and museums throughout the United States and Great Britain. Ilisha has a chapter in Knitting Art by Karen Searle (Voyageur Press, 2008). She has worked as a Graphic Designer, Textile Designer and Toy Maker and currently has a laser design studio and shop with her husband in Portland, called "LEAFpdx". For a more indepth look at Ilisha’s range of creative work check out her blog at http://sundaymagazinepaperdoll.wordpress.com and her other websites www.hestiahouse.com ; www.followthethread.com ; and www.leafpdx.com .
Daniel Herrera is amazingly versed in all forms of knitting, crochet and needlework. He first learned needlepoint in Mexico when his grandmother took him to a coffee circle. Later, at age 7, Daniel picked up a pair of knitting needles with a scarf remnant on them, taught himself to knit and never stopped. He pursued all sorts of fiber arts as a teen and while traveling the globe for 6 years with the US Navy fixing computers. Daniel thrives on puzzles and clarifying instructions to help find the key to move you forward. He is the best-kept secret in Seattle. Knitting and designing for 30 years, he was discovered by Lily Chin in 2001 and became one of her “Urban Knitters”. Daniel teaches, designs and solves knitting and crochet problems at the shop “Stitches” on Capital Hill in between working in the travel industry days, spinning yarn and playing the French Horn. Daniel will be our resident expert at the “Just-in-time Answers and Solutions Clinic” at the Winter Retreat and available to consult on any of your knitting or crochet problems that have you stumped. Find Daniel in the Rotunda near the Market.
Betsy Hershberg is a life long knitter, having been taught by her mother at the age of 8. She has always had a special love of working on very small needles with very fine yarns as she appreciates the quality of fabric that can be created and the level of detail they allow. Until recently, Betsy focused her work on knitting and designing garments, many of which are art-to-wear. However, after taking a course on basic beaded knitting in the fall of 2002, She became completely enthralled by the seemingly endless possibilities presented by combining beads with knitting. After eighteen months of experimentation and swatching, Betsy began to use the techniques she had developed to create unique, exciting and very wearable jewelry. Each piece is one-of-a-kind. Betsy also takes great pleasure in teaching and loves sharing her enthusiasm with the latest generation of knitters who have been attracted by exciting new fibers and contemporary design possibilities. She feels it is especially rewarding to help knitters reach new levels of technical knowledge, confidence and independence that will free them to explore their individual creativity. Check out Betsy’s beautiful designs on her website at www.studiobknits.com.
Mary Scott Huff trained as an actor in New York City. Since then she has acted like: a wife, a mommy, a computer programmer, a writer, a knitwear designer, a motorcyclist and an adult! Not always in that order. New roles are eagerly anticipated. Mary is the author of The New Stranded Colorwork: Techniques and Patterns for Vibrant Knitwear just published by Interweave Press. Mary became a serious knitter after experiencing textile, rather than food cravings during her first pregnancy. The cravings have yet to subside.
Carol Lansinger grew up in Seattle and has been knitting for 25 years. Her interest in skirts began in 7th grade sewing class when her first project was a skirt. She has been knitting skirts for 5 years and has designed some classic skirt patterns that are available through Churchmouse Yarns and Tea on Bainbridge Island where she teaches when she isn’t working as a senior consultant for an auditing firm. Carol loves color, fabric, and fiber.
Jill Laski has been in the spinning and knitting business for 25 years. She is the former owner of The Hare’s Hair. She now co-owns and operates Ashland Bay Trading Co, a wholesale spinning, weaving and knitting supply company. Experimenting with color and color combinations-whether in spinning, carding or knitting- is a constant source of challenge and inspiration for her.
Catherine Lowe is known for her original and unique construction techniques and her pairing of luxury fiber with elegant design. She has developed an approach to hand-knitting that rethinks the traditional technical and design vocabularies of the hand-knitter and translates the distinctive elements of haute couture dressmaking into refined techniques for the hand-knitter. Her designs have appeared in Vogue Knitting Magazine and in Interweave Knits. Her articles on couture knitting technique have been featured in Vogue Knitting Magazine; and she has been profiled in Interweave Knits, Knitting Lessons by Lela Nargi and in KnitKnit: Presenting 27 Innovative Knitters and Their Projects by Sabrina Gschwandtner. Catherine's renowned skill as a workshop instructor and pattern writer derives from her extensive academic background. After obtaining her PH.D. from Yale, she spent over fifteen years teaching at the university level. For more information go to Catherine’s website, www.thecoutureknittingworkshop.com.
Anita Luvera Mayer is an internationally recognized weaver and versatile fiber artist, designer and author. She was first introduced to weaving in 1955 when her mother-in-law gave her a floor loom as a wedding gift. Her focus on weaving contemporary garments began in 1972 and she has focused the last 10 years of her work about women’s stories. Although she still weaves, her creative fiber work has evolved to include many types of innovative surface design techniques as well as incredible beadwork, embroidery, freeform knitting and crochet. Anita presents workshops and lectures throughout the United States and Canada. At the Winter Retreat Anita will be your guide in experimenting with many different and innovative forms of surface design.
Judith MacKenzie McCuin is a nationally known teacher, master weaver, spinner, and fiber artist now living in the State of Washington. Judith teaches as only she can--- with depth of knowledge honed by years of practice, patience, creative informality, personal and historical perspective, great humor, and hands-on expertise that demystifies any process. Classes with Judith are an experience in learning the story behind every fiber and process. Judith is a regularly featured author in Spin-Off Magazine and she has published a book, Teach Yourself Visually Handspinning. Her second book The Intentional Spinner published this year by Interweave Press became an instant best seller. If you take any of Judith’s classes this year you will experience the history of each process as it has been performed through the ages and come away with a depth of knowledge of that raises your skill towards excellence.
Syne Mitchell shares her enthusiasm for handweaving via her monthly podcast, WeaveCast (www.weavecast.com) . She is the publisher of the online weaving magazine Weavezine www.weavezine.com which is changing the face of weaving! Syne is a regular columnist for Handwoven and has published in Shuttle, Spindle and Dyepot. The only thing Syne likes better than cutting beautiful cloth off her loom is teaching people how fun and easy weaving can be! Syne will be teaching rigid heddle weaving at the Winter Retreat and also demonstrating weaving in the Pavilion Rotunda.
Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, is the Yarn Harlot, and now a Wizard having brought us the legendary Sock Summit this past summer. She will be joining us again this year as a special guest and teacher. Those of you who would never miss a day of her internet blog (www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/) know that wherever Stephanie goes fun with knitting, misadventures and laughs surely follow. The real mystery is how Stephanie manages to knit when she is writing so many books. Her newest books Free Range Knitter and Things I learned from Knitting (whether I wanted to or not) join her very popular other books, At Knit’s End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much, Yarn Harlot: The Secret Life of a Knitter, Knitting Rules!, Casts Off and counting. Stephanie has knitters around the world laughing out loud and reveals the real truth about obsessive love of knitting and its culture. Along the way, she imparts her unique perspective that clears up many a knitting mystery and shines light onto some of life’s secrets. Most of all it is important to have fun and in Stephanie’s world there are no mistakes only opportunities to knit more. After all, “Knitting is not defusing a bomb!” Stephanie lives in Toronto, Canada with her husband, Joe, three daughters, and a large yarn and fiber stash. She knits, spins, writes, is a childbirth doula and has dedicated herself to support Doctors without Borders enlisting knitters worldwide.
Margaret Radcliffe lives in Blacksburg, VA and has applied her technical skills as an academic researcher and project manager to pattern design and teaching knitting skills throughout the US. As a designer, Margaret specializes in garments that look complicated but are easy to knit and, as a teacher, has unraveled the mysteries of knitting for many new and advanced knitters. She was taught to knit by her mother when she was 6 and has been designing handknit sweaters since 1983. In 1995 Margaret learned to spin, which gave her an increased insight into the structure and behavior of knitting yarns. Her talent and insight coupled with an ease of explanation has culminated in The Knitting Answer Book she published in 2005…a must for every knitting bag! Her newest book, The Essential Guide to Color Knitting Techniques, is the most comprehensive compilation of color techniques and patterns ever in one place. You can find Margaret’s patterns and more information at www.maggiesrags.com .
Charlene Schurch learned to knit on the couch from Mom before she could read. She is also a spinner and dyer and fascinated with all the intricacy and beautiful simplicity available to the knitter with only two sticks and a ball of yarn. She is the author of Mostly Mittens: Ethnic Knitting Designs from Russia which has just been newly reissued. Other books include Hats On!; Sensational Knitted Socks and More Sensational Knitted Socks, The Little Book of Socks and Sock Club: Join the Knitting Adventure 2010. Charlene has also contributed to Spin-Off, Knitters, Vogue Knitting, Interweave Knits, Piecework and Belle Amoire.
Jane Slicer-Smith has been designing her own unique fashion and picture handknitted designs since 1985. She was trained in knitwear design at Trent University in England and while there won the British Knitting Export Council’s award for color in 1980. In 1982 she settled in Australia after traveling throughout Africa. She became a designer with the Japan’s largest importer of British wool and began commuting between Sydney and Tokyo. By 1985 she had established her own Signatur Handknits at Sydney’s Paddington Bazaar. Jane says that “life has provided me with wonderful opportunities to travel and work. My own label has allowed me the indulgence to play with color, texture and designs.” Jane’s new book Swing, Swagger, Drape has just been published by XRX Books. Jane’s many designs can be seen at www.sigknit.com .
Gloria Tracy has found Crocheting, sewing, embroidering, drawing plus a wide variety of whatever craft was current to be constants in her life since childhood. In 1990 she left her day job to establish a new career by selling knitting and crochet designs and writing articles on color and design to all the major industry magazines and several yarn companies. Gloria taught knitting, crochet, design and color classes for Stitches, TKGA, CGOA and many national guilds and organizations. From 1993 to 1996 she was Director of Design for Cascade yarns. As a spokesperson for three yarn companies, she became a frequent guest teaching knit and crochet techniques on Aleene’s Creative Living TV show. Susan Levin and Gloria formed K1C2 in 1996, a partnership where they started the Knit One, Crochet Too yarn and pattern company and developed a number of products sold to the craft and sewing industries. In 2000 Susan and Gloria wrote Crochet Your Way, a crochet reference and pattern book that still sells well. The first two books in the Show Me How series of craft books for children were released in December 2007. More recently, Gloria has returned to teaching and is having a ball. Check out her website at www.gloriatracydesign.com .
Jean Wong is a NAC certified knitting instructor trained by the rigorous Japanese Nihon Vogue Knitting Association. The certification took four years and allows the certificate holder the privilege to teach others to become instructors. Her wealth of experience includes over 20 years of teaching, and her patient ways are an encouragement to any knitter. Have you ever seen a pattern that you really liked, but either couldn’t find the yarn the pattern called for or wanted to use a different type of yarn with a different gauge and didn’t know how to make the adjustment? With Jean’s courses, you can now break free and use yarns of your choice. Jean’s Nihon Vogue course offers techniques that also produce a professional finished look. Her step-by-step instruction will enable both beginner and master knitters to customize projects to fit. Currently in Vancouver, Canada Jean teaches 4 levels of instruction courses of varying degrees of difficulty along with a number of year-round certificate courses that, upon graduation, will equip you to teach these techniques. Jean has a DVD, Knitting with Jean: Professional Finishing Techniques, and more information is available on her website www.knittingwithjean.com .
