Workshops
Intro to Knitting (open to all ages)
In this 4-hour workshop, you get a lot more than just knitting. We’ll take a tour of your local yarn store, learn about all those overwhelming options, and pick up supplies for a first project of your choice. Then we’ll walk step-by-step through the process of casting on, learning the basic knit and purl stitches, and binding off. At then end of it, you’ll be well on your way to finishing your first scarf (or whatever you choose to make…maybe you’ll start with a sweater!).
Cost: $50 (small additional fee for more than 4 people)
*Note: If you were shown how to knit a long time ago, and you just need a reminder, and you don’t need the full workshop, that’ll just cost you a cup of coffee. I’d be happy to meet you for a quick 30-minute refresher course free of charge.
Intro to Spinning
A 2-hour class that takes you through the progression that the human species traveled to learn to spin the way handspinners do today. From a basic reverse wrap technique used to make cordage used for fishing nets and bowstrings, through the development of drop spindles, to the use of a modern spinning wheel, you’ll get a hands-on experience with the whole process. You’ll leave the class with the skills to make your own drop spindle, or to know what to look for in a spinning wheel. In either case, you’ll be making a continuous yarn that can be used for knitting, crocheting, or weaving.
Cost: $25 per person (discount for groups)
From Raw Fleece to Finished Yarn
It’s amazing how often sheep ranchers, and folks who raise lots of other animals too, don’t realize that the fleece is a usable product. So much wool gets put in the trash every year it makes me tremble to think of it. And a surprising number of alpaca and llama owners throw away their fleeces, not knowing how to process them. Maybe you are one of those ranchers, or maybe you happen to have come across someone giving away raw fleece. You know there’s stuff you can do with it, but you don’t know how. Here’s the workshop for you!
In 4 hours we’ll go through the full washing process, learn to card the fiber to make it easier to spin, and learn to spin it. If the fiber you are interested in is feltable, we’ll learn how to do that too. This class includes the 2-hour Intro to Spinning class.
Cost: $50 (small additional fee for more than 4 people)
Spinning for Kids (ages 7-12)
A 2-hour class covering the same information as the Intro to Spinning class, but designed for smaller fingers and shorter attention spans. We’ll make our own drop spindles out of wooden dowels and old CDs, and we’ll have tons of fun using the Buddy Sytem to ply our handspun yarns. At the end of the class, each child will have some brightly-colored yarn that they made themselves, a drop spindle to keep, and knowledge about how to make more for any craft project they want. Great for birthday parties!
Cost: $10 per child (minimum $25)
Knitting in Nature
This workshop covers one small piece of the 3-day Knit-N-Nature retreat. Knitting in a quiet spot in the woods is a form of contemplative meditation. In this 2-hour workshop, we’ll find a spot near your home that you can use in your ongoing practice. We’ll talk about the goals of knitting as a contemplate practice, and about tools you can use to enhance the practice, both in terms of your knitting skills and in terms of engaging with the natural world. You’ll have a chance to try out your new-found spot for a short sit, and reflect on the experience with someone who “gets it”. Suitable for ages 12 and up. Opportunities for ongoing mentorship.
Cost: $20 (small additional fee for more than 2 people)
Working with Native Fibers
A 2-hour workshop that covers the two plant fibers most important to Native people of the Pacific Northwest. We’ll learn how to process Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) and Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata) into cordage and primitive yarn. We may also work with dog hair (a well-used Native fiber), cattail fluff, fireweed, or even dandelion seed fluff. We’ll also scratch the surface of the other things these amazing plants are useful for. We’ll try stinging nettle tea and cedar tea, and we’ll learn about the edible and medicinal qualities of both. Workshop is suitable for ages 10 and up.
Cost: $50 (fibers and teas provided, small additional charge for more than 4 people)
Interested in a Knit-N-Nature retreat or workshop where you live? I can travel to your town, wherever it is, and present a similar workshop, or even do the full three-day retreat. We can even learn about the native fibers that would have been used where YOU live. Pricing is very reasonable, essentially designed to cover travel costs and not much more. Get in touch to talk about custom pricing for a workshop or retreat where you are.