Grab some yarn and needles-we are going to start knitting! Curious knitters, come look over my shoulder! All experience levels are welcome, including left-handed folks. This class is for those who have always wanted to learn to knit, yearned to revive an almost forgotten skill, and/or sought to try a new way to hold needles and tension yarn. Skill builders (those who can comfortably cast on, knit and purl) learn to make ropes and cables, and try circular, stranded, twined, and or textured knitting, buttonholes, cutting, and Kitchener stitch as a gateway to designing a creation of one's own. Meanwhile, enhance ideas by trying a sample dye pot, brewing colorful yarns with roots, flowers, and even bugs!  

If a student has a particular knitting structure or idea of what is wanted, or may need extra help learning and understanding, please get in touch with Martha (marthaowenwoolens@gmail.com) and/or Lesley (lesley.darling@protonmail.com) prior to the workshop.

Materials fee of $55 includes a home raised mill or handspun skein of wool yarn, mordants and dyes, use of knitting needles, and handouts and recipes for various styles of shawls, hats and embellishments.

Students age 10+ are welcome to register for this course with or without an adult. Adult/child pairs will complete two projects and pay two materials fees.

Additional supplies will be available from Martha and Lesley but Grand Marais also has a yarn shop for last minute or additional knitting supplies: www.dappledfernfibers.com

Required Tools

• Light colored smooth wool yarn
• Appropriate sized straight and circular knitting needles
• Big eyed yarn sewing needle. Tip: double the yarn on itself and see what size needle it looks like and bring that one!   
• Onion skins, yellow or red: the papery outside of the onion. Save them as you use them and try to fill a gallon bag! 
• Plastic bag to carry away wet yarns. 
• An extra skein or two of wool yarn, white or light gray (your OWN handspun effort?) 
• Sample swatch to over dye (a hunk of an old sweater, well worn sock or old wooly hat to over dye) 
• Masking tape
• Permanent marker
• A big towel      

Optional Tools

• If you have time before the class, learn to knit! Just knit stitch required for this first adventure!  But Martha can start you if there is no time!