Virtual Knitting Tour to AUstralia & New Zealand 12/3-12/5

WELCOME TO AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND!

We kick off our  #virtualknittingtourdownunder with  special guest Trisha Malcolm, editor emeritus of Vogue Knitting, accomplished pavlova baker, and Aussie ex-pat.

Tonight, Trisha will teach us how to  make Australia's national dessert. (It's capped with tons of fresh fruit, so it's practically a health food, right?)

While the pavlova is baking, Trisha will treat us to a presentation she's calling "Australia's Best Top Five". You can expect a look at poisonous spiders and snakes, cute and cuddly marsupials, beautiful landscapes, and more. 

MYSTERY MERINO MORNING 

Did you know that merino account for 75% of the sheep in Australia? 

During this session, I'll introduce our group project for the weekend, an amazing cowl/scarf made with the luxurious merino yarn included in your goody box.

The openwork  fabric is completely reversible and looks surprisingly different on each side! 

Instructions will be available in both text and chart form.

KNITTED NATURE

In this session, artist Ruth Marshall will give us an exclusive look at her unique animal pelts created with fair isle and intarsia knitting techniques. 

She will address how her art touches on important issues such as science, endangered species, and the beauty and power of animals--all achieved through knitting. (We always knew how purposeful and meaningful our craft can be, right?)

And lucky for us, Ruth will also give us a sneak peek into a new series of works focusing on knit and crochet sculptures and the natural world.

SEAMLESS PATCHWORK KNITTING

Patchwork isn’t just for sewists! Knitters can also have fun playing with the tessellation of colours and shapes. And, while patchwork knitting is wonderful  for using up odds and ends of yarn, there are also  sneaky techniques that can make the process  completely seamless! 

In this class, Australian designer Jessica Gore opens up a plethora of possibilities for taking patchwork knitting to the next level. To practise seamless techniques, we'll make a chevron sampler (that's perfect for a bookmark, coaster, or mug rug). 

Topics will include: 

– How to use up scraps of yarn in patchwork knitting 

– How to place colour 

– How to minimise, or even completely eliminate, the need to  weave in ends!

– Size modification options for your sampler 

– Finishing and embellishment options 

– Construction and shape options for your future patchwork  knitting, with a teacher show-and-tell 

TRAVEL KNITTING: STORY TIME WITH BESTSELLING KNITTING AUTHOR RACHAEL HERRON

Relax and knit while Rachael reads to you from the 10th Anniversary Edition of her bestselling memoir,  A Life in Stitches (included in your goody box). 

She'll share her personal tale about coming from a long line of fiber folks on two continents and how spinning yarn runs in her blood (even if she tried to outrun its pull for far too long).

Having recently moved to New Zealand to live in her mother's native country, she'll chat with us afterward about the lure of fiber travel and how far, exactly, will we all go to heed its call!

AUSSIE DINNER

AND THE NEVER-ENDING YARN

For as long as she can remember, Australian author/designer Jane Slicer-Smith picked up her knitting needles after dinner, and her game was on! (Sound familiar?)

For decades, Jane has made a career from her love of the rich colour palette of her Australian yarn, always creating stunning designs with unique colourways. 

After we all prepare our Australian dinner together as a group, tonight's presentation takes us into Jane's Sydney studio (often described as an Aladdin's cave of colour!), for a close look at her designs, all available as knitting kits and ready-to-wear.

Her book, Swing, Swagger, and Drape (included in your goody box), focuses on fit and style, and tonight she'll will show us her wide range of designs.

COMBINING CULTURE AND CREATIVITY 

As a Māori artist and designer, many of Francoise Danoy's patterns draw influence from traditional weaving motifs found in tāniko. It is part of her mission to use her work and art to share stories, values, and perspectives to enrich the knitting community with diverse experiences, to remember the past, and leave a legacy for the future.

In this two-hour session you'll learn about the different tāniko motifs, their meaning, and their significance. Francoise will discuss the different types of Māori art forms and how she's translated those into knitting stitches. 

Come learn about a different culture, an Indigenous one, and see examples of how to translate your own sources of inspiration into knitting stitches.

 YARN MANDALAS

Join Australian Creative Arts Therapist Jacinta McAvoy for this one hour workshop to learn how to create your own Yarn Mandala. 

This easy and fun arts activity requires just a few simple  techniques, and it won’t take long to finish your mandala and enjoy mindfulness and relaxation.

This is a great opportunity to play with your favourite colour palettes and use up your yarn leftovers! 

(As if.)

Wooden dowels and beads will be included in your goody box.

DOUBLE KNITTING 

"KANGA"-RULES!

Have you always wanted to learn double knitting? Need a refresher?

Let's spend some time (re-)learning the essentials of this knitting technique while making an Australia-themed potholder/trivet.

As amazing as opposite reversible motifs are, just wait until you see how fun it is to put a completely different image on each side of the fabric! 

LIVE WALKING TOUR: STUNNING SYDNEY HARBOUR + HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD

See the most beautiful sights in Sydney (without the jet lag!) in this 1-hour walking tour. 

You'll join American knitter (and actual tour guide) Stacey Trock for a stroll around the famous Sydney harbour, including the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge. 

We'll explore "The Rocks", the laneway-filled neighborhood where Sydney's European settlement began. 

Featuring beautiful sandstone buildings that contain the history of its convict settlers as well as a thriving, modern Australian cafe scene, you'll love every minute. 

But you'll have to make the flight to taste the kangaroo and emu pizza! 

KNIT FOR FUN!

 We'll wrap up our weekend Down Under with a lively interview with Annette Fitton, a  Melbourne-based fiber artist. 

Believe me, Annette is well-qualified to appear in an interview called "Knit for Fun", having received international acclaim for her colorful--and purposeful--yarn bombing and art installations.