Virtual Knitting Tour to the United Kingdom

WELCOME!

Tonight, we'll gather  to meet our  traveling buddies.   

Our special guest this evening , Marilyn Woodruff, will take center stage in the kitchen to show us how to make some quintessential British fare. 

We can hardly wait to be with you!

THE TOPH HAT

with Woolly Wormhead

Woolly is famed for artistic sideways-knit hats, especially their short-row colorwork ones. 

If you’ve been itching to try one but haven’t quite taken the leap yet, then this session is for you!

Together, we’ll work through the Toph Hat, Woolly’s most famous pattern, which has been knit by thousands of knitters around the world. 

Woolly will demonstrate the key techniques—provisional cast-on, German short rows, grafting garter stitch—and work with everyone through the first panel of the hat.

WOOL AND THE GANG AND THE TAY SNOOD

with  Francesca Platt

Been interested in trying out the iconic British yarn label Wool and the Gang?

In this session, brand manager Francesca Platt walks us through a simple  snood design  and shares with us the company's  core pillars of sustainability, natural fibres, education and trend-led design. 

The yarn and pattern will be provided except for stowaways.

Knit Tea Together: A Proper Afternoon Tea

with (Sir) Franklin Habit

“Under certain circumstances” wrote Henry James in The Portrait of a Lady, “there are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.” 

James was right, of course; but there is something that makes even a great tea greater: the addition of knitting. 

Join Franklin Habit for this merry gathering around the table, featuring lore, recipes, manners, and patterns–all drawn from his collection of antique cookbooks, etiquette guides, and needlework manuals. 

FASTEST KNITTER IN THE WORLD

with Hazel Tindall

Shetland-born Hazel Tindall will delight us with a presentation about her knitting life, including the competitions that gave her the title of the  World's Fastest Knitter in 2004 and 2008. 

A true professional, Hazel will share tips and tricks about knitting in general and Fair Isle in particular.

TRAVELING CABLES WORKSHOP

with Georgia Farrell 

Join Londoner Georgia Farrell to learn how she uses beautiful travelling cables in her work to create architectural

lines and bring a sense of structural elements to her designs.

She will share examples of her work and will lead us through a knitted sample to learn the secrets of  working travelling cables.

THE HISTORY OF KNITTING

with Sandy Black

Sandy Black is a knitwear designer, knitwear historian, and research professor, based at London College of Fashion's Centre for Sustainable Fashion, part of University of the Arts London.  

Before becoming an academic in higher education, Sandy ran her internationally successful designer knitwear business  Sandy Black Original Knits, producing ready -made knitwear and her own brand of Sandy Black knitting yarns and knitting kits.  

Her presentation will illustrate some iconic items from 1700 years of knitting history, with a special focus on 19th and 20th century developments, many of which are featuredin her book Knitting: Fashion, Industry, Craft published by V&A Publishing.

COMBINING FAIR ISLE AND INTARSIA: SCOUT SHAWL

with Florence Spurling

In this colourwork-focused class, students will explore the key techniques that are used within the popular Scout Shawl

pattern. 

The main differences between Fair Isle and intarsia will be explored, as well as advice on working with multiple yarns at the same time, and how to achieve a professional looking finish when transitioning between

pattern blocks. 

Students will follow a colourwork chart and put these methods to practice, resulting in a multi-colored and multi-technique swatch. Upon completion of this class, students will be able to tackle other projects that feature flat Fair Isle knitting and intarsia with confidence. 

No experience in the intarsia method is needed, but it is recommended to have some experience with Fair Isle knitting.

You'll never fear colourwork again!

5 TOP TIPS FOR CHOOSING COLORS FOR FAIR ISLE KNITTING

with Mary Jane Mucklestone

Embrace the delight of color! 

Whether you're new to Fair Isle knitting or looking to refine your skills, Mary Jane will guide you through her 5-step process for designing Fair Isle colorways, helping you overcome any fear of color selection. 

We'll work with the color wheel in a fresh way, examining color relationships to create harmonious designs. 

You'll experiment with your new color palettes on a classic Fair Isle motif, building confidence in your color choices. 

By the end of this class, you'll have the skills to bring your unique style to life in future colorwork projects.