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Hello Friends!
I hope 2026 will be filled with creations that make your heart sing!
Relentless grey skies can be a really good reason to put colour in our hands over the winter months. Add the challenge of a new technique, plus a few long term projects, and good-bye grey! While we wait for the ground to turn white with sparkles, or to sprout a hint of spring, our fingers will be busy creating something beautiful. Before you know it we’ll be all set to celebrate a new season!
The following classes are new and will begin over the winter and spring:
Mosaic Knitting
Knit a Pressed Flower Cardigan
designed by Amy Christoffers of Savory Knitting
This V-neck cardigan features a slip stitch knitting technique, that builds complex motifs, while working with only one colour at a time.
Intarsia Knitting
Knit the Nola Cardigan
designed by Bernice at Yamagara Knits
A great introduction to Intarsia, a colourwork technique that is worked in colour blocks with separate balls of yarn.
You can stay up-to-date in between newsletters by checking the schedule page on my website. I will be updating it this week.
Fair Isle Knitting
Knit The Keris Vest
designed by Marie Wallin
Are you craving some all-over colourwork? This vest (aka sleeveless – yay!) might be the answer for you. Some slow knitting – we’ll spread it out over several months – knitting with two colours at a time. You’ll be wearing a beautiful new vest for the Fall!
Here are the program details:
European Shoulder with Contiguous Sleeves
students knitting beautiful neckbands
Students met for the last class on January 31st to work the Italian Bind Off/sewn cast off, and to pick up the sleeves. Poppies in the wild soon!
Venessa working the sewn cast off
Stranded Colourwork – a steeked garment
one pattern – two garments by Caitlin Hunter
5 Saturdays from 1 to 4
Class #4 April 11
picture from ravelry
Both Nordic Bloom garments are knit bottom-up and steeked at the centre front, using stranded colourwork. They are intended to be over-sized, but that can be customized for the fit that you want. The pattern is inspired by the bold floral motifs common in Scandinavian design.
picture from ravelry
Mosaic Knitting
Pressed Flower Cardigan
by Amy Christoffers
5 Saturdays from 1 to 4 p.m.
Class #1 April 18
Amy’s pictures from ravelry
This V-neck cardigan is worked from the bottom up using the Mosaic Knitting technique. It is intended to have an over-sized fit, but can be customized to meet your styling needs.
Please bring your calendar to the first class. We will schedule the 2nd class to suit everyone’s needs.
The Learning:
– The Mosaic Knitting in this pattern is a slip stitch technique combined with stitches to create textured fabric, worked with one colour at a time. We will work a swatch in the first class to learn the technique, check gauge, and choose our sizes.
– working from a chart
– achieving a good fit while working from the bottom up
– working a shaped neckline with a buttonband and buttonholes
If this program interests you, and you would like the details about yarn choice and registration, please email for more information. In your email please let me know if the start date works for you. It is sometimes possible to change dates. I try to accommodate everyone’s schedules as much as I can.
Intarsia Knitting
The Nola Cardigan
designed by Yamagara
4 Saturdays from 1 to 4 p.m.
Class #1 on April 4
pictures from ravelry
This top-down cardigan has modified raglan shaping designed to keep the shoulders from sliding off. The Intarsia magnolias are placed only on the sleeves. This intarsia is a comfortable introduction to the technique, and can be partially duplicate stitched.
Venessa’s first swatch
The Learning:
– great introduction to intarsia colourwork and duplicate stitching
– managing multiple small balls of yarn
– top-down knitting
– v-neck shaping
– knitting buttonbands and buttonholes as-you-go, no picking up needed
– working from a chart
– sleeve style can be customized
If this program interests you, and you would like the details about yarn choice and registration, please email for more information.
Fair Isle Knitting
The Keris Vest
by Marie Wallin
5 Saturdays from 1 – 4
Class #1 May 16
Originally featured in Marie’s book Cumbria, this design is now available as a separate PDF download. Knit bottom up in all over colourwork, we will be working this vest in the round instead, with optional steeks at the armholes for those who choose to.
Designed to use Marie’s own British Breeds yarn, I will provide a list of colours for shetland yarns to make this a more affordable project. Marie’s yarns are gorgeous, for sure, but are also pricey. I’ll do the research and provide an alternative collection of colours in shetland wool yarn that will match as closely as possible to the pattern suggestions.
The Learning
Suitable for advanced beginners and up. You’ll receive all the support you need to knit this garment to fit you using strong, practiced, skills that will make great fabric. We’ll knit this over several months, at a comfortable pace that you determine, to be ready for Fall weather.
This garment would be a great introduction for knitters who want to build on their colourwork skills, but also an interesting new knit for experienced knitters.
For advanced knitters who wish to, I’ll provide instructions for steeking the armholes.
If this program interests you, and you would like the details about the yarn and registration, please email for more information. In your email please let me know if the start date works for you. It is sometimes possible to change dates. I try to accommodate everyone’s schedules as much as I can.
Marie Wallin’s photo from ravelry
I will be teaching at the Fibres West yarn festival
on March 20 and 21.
A Firstie Knitting Story
Last year The Firsties raised money at their dramatic production about climate change to buy a tree. They researched the trees that could thrive at the front of the school, learned how to dig a hole, and the way to plant it. On the big day, the last day of Grade One, they each brought their own shovel and took turns digging to plant the cherry tree they had chosen, then named her Sekai (World in Japanese). Together they planned a watering schedule for the summer months.
The next day the tree was hurt quite badly – trunk cracked in half and branches torn off. A quick thinking parent repaired it within hours and we all rallied to keep her alive over the hot summer. The Firsties visited regularly, read books and sang to her, and kept her watered. She survived and even sprouted new branches!
This year the Knitting Club (meets once a week after school) chose the tree as their project – a winter coat – and in September began knitting the pieces and stitching them together. This week was the first try on. The knitters voted to leave the tree sweater on overnight and trust that it would be okay. They will take turns stitching it on over the next few weeks.
Just off my hook
This year I had a yarn advent calendar treat!
I used 15 of the 24 skeins to crochet a shawl that I know I will wear a lot! I used the Venture Shawl pattern by woodsandwool. It started with the beige and moved through to a deep blue/plum. I have 9 full minis left that are the dark plum running through pink and back to beige. I used only 10 grams of each of the 15 20 gram minis. The gift that will keep on giving!
pictures taken in the courtyard outside my classroom
I hope I will see you soon!
Cardigan will be waiting for you.
Venessa
