Retreat Workshops

In this class, lead by Zetta an award winning Melbourne based fibre artist, students get to experience many kinds of raw fleeces, wool, silk and alpaca to create woven and felted landscape. This is an introductory workshop of Zetta’s weaving and felting techniques. Explore Eco Art for the home, how to make it and why should we have it.

• This is a very exciting workshop for the retreat.
• Spend time with Zetta, an award winning fibre artist who has travelled from Melbourne to share her love of natural Australian fibre with us.
• This is a workshop not to miss!

At the end of the workshop you will have created your own landscape wall hanging. All material for this workshop will be supplied (value = $40).

Ever wanted to knit socks? Well this workshop is for you! In this workshop, Jacqui will teach you how to knit socks from the toe up. This method allows you to try the socks on as you go and also to utilise all of your yarn. An added benefit is that there are no fiddly grafts on toes at the end! You will learn the skills by completing a baby sock (or perhaps a pair of them). Once you have the skills to make socks for a baby, the rest is just a matter of adding stitches and rows to expand them to fit you or your brood. You will learn how to:

• Knit in the round (either using one circular needle and the magic loop method, or by using a set of double pointed needles)
• Cast on a closed toe
• Shape a toe
• Shape a gusset
• Create a heel flap
• Use increases to shape the calf of a sock

One skein of Grevilla sock yarn will be supplied, from the colours selected for this workshop – enough yarn to make a pair of socks (value $32). Bring your favourite knitting needles from home. At the end of the workshop you will have created a mini sock and learnt the techniques to master the art of toes up socks. Create your ideal size at home!

Crochet Brioche, or ‘Briochet’ is a fun technique that is perfect for contrasting your favourite colours. Just like its knitted cousin, crochet brioche creates a double layer fabric that is both practical and beautiful.

• In this class you will learn how to work the crochet brioche stitch and create a fabulous and fun cowl for the colder months.
• Join Deanne, from Addydae Designs, in this workshop where you will learn the brioche stitch to create your own cowl masterpiece!

All yarn will be supplied – just bring your favourite crochet hook! 1 skein of 8 ply 100 grams of hand dyed yarn will be supplied for this workshop (value = $32).

Many knitters think that getting a sweater to fit is about taking the right body measurements and going from there but this is really just a secondary consideration. In fact, you don’t even need to take a body measurement at all! Good fit is about good preparation and this class explores a number of essentials for sweater success from yarn choice and yarn substitution, to swatching correctly and effectively, to understanding how you like your sweaters to fit. We will talk about how to use this knowledge to choose appropriate patterns and sizes that we will actually wear rather than being suckered in by the viral pattern of the moment. We will also explore how to make minor adjustments to fine-tune our fitting and the all important implications of ease and how it affects our sizing choices. Materials to bring:

• Please bring to class a sweater, jumper or cardigan or two that you like the fit of. They can be store-bought or handmade.
• Bring along a pattern and yarn combination (or some options) that you would like to knit and a tape measure (this won’t be a class about taking body measurements!)

1 skein of either 4 ply or 8 ply hand dyed yarn (100 grams) will be supplied for this workshop (value = $32).

Barbara Wheeler, a Canberra based innovative designer, maker and natural dyer, from Every Thread Counts – clothing from nature, will explore the beautiful art of botanical print and natural texile dyeing. This workshop is an introduction to botanical printing and dyeing. Learn how to:

• Identify plants that will give colour to cloth.
• Dye fibres using onion skins, walnut husks and eucalypt leaves.
• Understand the use of mordants to fix and modify colour.

At the end of the workshop you will have dyed 3 skeins of yarn (50 grams – value = $36). Yours to keep and use to create a knitted or crocheted master piece.

Jennifer Goodwin, a local Canberra based indie dyer from Jen’s Goodies, will take you step by step through the acid dyeing techniques on protein fibres. Learn about colour theory, as you apply colours to alpaca yarn and fibre, creating mini works of yarn art! This workshop will give the skills to dye yarn at home, creating masterpieces. You will learn:

• Mordents and how they work.
• Blending colours and when they work (and when they don’t).
• Dye techniques to create speckles, solids and semi solids (to name a few).

At the end of the workshop you will have dyed 3 skeins of yarn (50 grams – value = $36). Yours to keep and use to create a knitted or crocheted master piece.

Yes! Crochet is for socks, too! You can make the the squishiest, cosiest, warmest socks in no time at all with a crochet hook. Let Deanne from Addydae Designs show you how. In this workshop, Deanne will explain basic sock anatomy and take you through all the steps for making a sock from the toe up. This is a terrific method because not only does it allow you to try your sock on as you go to ensure you have the perfect fit, but you can utilise every last bit of your yarn without the risk of running out, and there is no seaming at the end. You will learn how to:

• How to create a toe box
• Make adjustments to allow for the slant of crochet stitches worked in the round
• Shape a gusset
• Create a heel turn and heel flap
• Tricks for shaping the leg and allowing for a high instep

At the end of the workshop you will have created a mini sock using all the the above techniques so that you can leave with the confidence needed to create the perfect fitting pair for yourself at home using the bonus pattern provided by Deanne. Skill level: Confident crocheter familiar with working in the round and basic crochet stitches such as sc, hdc, dc (US terminology). Materials required: Fingering weight yarn & 3.5mm hook. One skein of 4 ply sock yarn will be supplied for this class (value = $32).

In this workshop join Helen Cox who will teach you how to felt with alpaca and how to incorporate silk fabric into a beautiful embellished scarf. You will learn:

• basic wet felting techniques
• how to embellish your felt
• to enjoy the magic of transforming alpaca roving into a wearable item

At the end of the class you will have created your very own silk and alpaca fibre scarf. All materials for this workshop is supplied (value = $80).

This class will explore the principles of designing your own hat pattern. Participants will bring to the class their own inkling of an idea for creating a hat with yarn and stitch pattern already chosen. This idea could be something as complicated as laces or cables or as simple as stocking stitch. We will explore:

• the application of alpaca to beanie patterns
• how to size hats to fit a wide range of head sizes
• how to work with ease and the challenges of different types of stitch patterns.
• applying different brim and crown treatments and how you can apply these to different hat shapes such as berets, beanies and slouchies.

Using a pattern template, we will look at the essential details to include in your pattern and we will discuss the steps from the completed pattern to publication. At the end of the class you will walk away with a hat pattern, a partially completed sample and the confidence to take the next step. Materials to bring:

• a 40cm circular and dpns for the size you normally knit 8 ply/DK weight yarn with
• a 40cm circular in a size smaller than used for your swatch.
• cable needles, stitch markers, tape measure; your usual collection of necessary notions.

Participants must be confident knitters with some understanding of hat construction. 1 skein of 8 ply hand dyed yarn will be supplied for this workshop (value = $32).

Dominique Mumberson, a local Murrumbateman artist, will teach you the techniques to master your own watercolour art work! Learn the techniques of using watercolour paint to create a wonderful masterpiece of your own. This workshop is for beginners or for those wishing to learn new watercolour techniques.

• Learn about subject placement.
• Understand and apply colour blending.
• Learn about the joys of white spaces and why they are important.

At the end of the workshop you will have painted 2 master pieces to keep or give as gifts. All items required for this class is supplied (value = $30).

Julianne Ehlert-Conner, a fibre and weaving textile artist based in Sydney, creates woven pieces that are influenced by colours and contrasts of the Australian landscape. Australian merino and alpaca, fibre hand dyed, by Julianne are used in her art pieces.

• In this class you will learn the weaving techniques to create a wall hanging.
• Use hand dyed and natural alpaca fibre to create you own little woven masterpiece.
• Create your masterpiece as bright or as calm as you like. Lots of colours to choose from.

At the end of the workshop you will have created your own special wall hanging. Choose your colours, from the kits selected for the workshop – be ‘as bright as can be’ or select softer colours. Kits supplied for this class (value = $44).

Circular yokes are the perfect simple seamless garment, but are often over-shadowed by their more popular cousin, the raglan yoke. In this class, we will explore the beauty and possibilities imminent in a circular yoke as together we knit a wee baby sized cardigan. In this class we will explore:

• different methods for yoke increasing and their effects
• adapting circular yokes for different stitch patterns
• how to get perfect underarm joins
• options for knitting small circumferences in the round

Materials to bring:

• A 60-80cm circular and dpns for the size you normally knit 8 ply/DK weight yarn with
• Circular needles in a size smaller than used for your swatch.
• Preferred option for small circumference knitting in needle size that you achieved tension with; one long circular for magic looping, two circulars, double pointed needles, or even teeny 20cm circulars. You will have the opportunity in class to try other techniques.
• Your usual collection of notions including two pieces of waste yarn

4ply or 8 ply (your preference) 100 grams skein of hand dyed yarn will be supplied for this class (value = $32).

Julianne, a Sydney based handmade designer for over 16 years, is the creator and designer behind Giggle Spot Designs and Retro Nanna where she creates handmade gifts for children like soft toys and patchwork quilts. Retro Nanna is where retro and vintage styles meet beautiful crocheted handmade delights with a modern twist which are off the hook!

• In this class you will learn the techniques to make your own little critter.
• Use hand dyed alpaca to create a little special critter to keep or give as a gift.
• Class will include pattern – so you can make more at home!

Yarn, stuffing and all other accessories (e.g. eyes) will be supplied, from the colours selected for this workshop – enough yarn to make a critter or two (value = $50). Bring your favourite crochet hooks from home. At the end of the workshop you will have created a mini critter.

In this class, lead by Zetta, a Melbourne based fibre artist, students will get to create a wet felted jewellery shell.

• An introductory workshop of Zetta’s wet felting techniques.
• This is a very exciting workshop for the retreat, with Zetta travelling from Melbourne for the weekend. This is a workshop not to miss!

At the end of this workshop you will have created a beautiful welt felted shell to hold your jewellery or a lovely creative organic vessel to admire – an art work in its self! All fibre required for this workshop will be supplied (value = $20).

In this class, lead by Zetta, a Melbourne based fibre artist, students will get to create their own special critter. An introductory workshop of Zetta’s dry needle felting techniques.

• Learn needle felting techniques to create your own organic critter (photo showing previous students creations).
• This is a very exciting workshop with Zetta travelling from Melbourne just for the weekend.This is a workshop not to miss!

At the end of this workshop you will have created your own little critter – straight from your own imagination! All fibre required for this workshop will be supplied (value = $15). Needle felting tools will be supplied to be used for the workshop – these can be purchased after the workshop if you would like to create more critters at home!

Sick of having to rip out your needles when you make a mistake? Does the idea of dropping back to fix a mistake five rows below fill you with terror? This class will have you fearlessly tackling your knitting foe as you learn to fix your knitting mistakes quickly and efficiently – without ripping. In this workshop, you will:

• explore how to read your knitting
• identify different stitches such as increases and decreases in knitted fabric
• learn how to fix small mistakes instead of frogging
• learn how to drop back and fix mistakes

Materials to bring:

• 4mm (US6) circular or straight knitting needles (or size required to obtain a tension of 22 stitches and 30 rows over 10cms)
• set of double pointed needles (same size as other needles)
• 3.5mm or 3.75mm crochet hook
• cable needle and darning needle
• lockable stitch markers
• one blocking mat and blocking pins
• patience

Homework: Cast on 30 stitches using a long-tail cast on. (Finishing begins before we start knitting so instead of using a slip-knot as your first stitch, try just looping the yarn round the needle.) Work 10 rows in stocking stitch. Leave on needles.