Everyone arrived early on Saturday morning. Julia made little hand lettered nametags, we shared a cup of coffee and got acquainted. Then it was off to learn about sheep farming from Mark (aka The Farmer).
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Julia's official job was to keep us on schedule. I gave her a clipboard of the schedule and she constantly reminded all of us what we were supposed to be doing at what time! When it turned 9 p.m. at night, she told everyone the class was over. Needless to say, noone heeded her direction and dinner conversation lasted until 11 p.m.!
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We started out the knitting day in my studio. I gave a quick overview of how I use my natural surroundings to influence my designing with color. Then we began working. First up was learning to make a steek using my sewing machine and the swatch the students brought with them. Each of them was terrified to sew a steek. But after a couple deep breaths, they took turns sewing and cutting. Later, they wondered what they were so apprehensive of!
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Unfortunately, I didn't get photos of the beautiful embroidered, fringed swatches everyone made. I wish I did because you all would have found them to be so inspirational! As it was, my friend Cathy took many of these photos! Thanks Cathy!
After the knitting day was over, the fun really began! Mark drove his enormous tractor into the yard and using a bale of hay, everyone climbed aboard the haywagon. Here are the knitters riding on the haywagon as The Farmer drives us all up one of the giant hills on our road. In the beginning, everyone was hanging on for dear life but after a couple minutes, everyone relaxed and enjoyed all the very green scenery.
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Sunday morning, the students got a preview of my new book and even got to see all the projects.
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My family and I loved sharing our special place here in western Massachusetts with the knitters who came. It wasn't a typical "knitting retreat" nor was it envisioned to be. I wanted the retreat to reflect who we are as a family - farmers, knitter, designer, art lovers and family. I think with the help of my friends Linda and Cathy, we pulled it off. There were some kinks, as could be expected but none too insurmountable to fix by the next weekend.
Incidentally, the next "Get Stitched on the Farm" Knitting Immersion Weekend is September 19th and 20th. It promises to be a fun time full of sunflowers (fingers crossed there!), knitting, sheep, wool, color, and good food.
13 comments:
Oh, well done, Kristin! Lovely post, lovely weekend.
You're an inspiration!
What a lovely time!
What I would give to be there..too far away, and perhaps I am a bit of a "small" knitter.
I do have a feeling that I would be welcomed to learn.
I love the smallness and closeness of this weekend...the abundance of nurturing and help...the inspiration of your house and surroundings...the colors of glory..and your friends and family so supportive.
I hope that you are proud and feeling wonderful about this weekend and are encouraged to do more.
Wow! what a great weekend, like you say not a knitting workshop but a whole way of life experience. I'd love to attend one, it's raining her in Yorkshire, England so I can day dream can't I?
Love
Lyn
xxx
Looks like it was a great success!
What a wonderful time everyone must have had, Kristin. Congratulations on your event. I can see it was a great success!
It looks like, from your photos, and sounds like a wonderful weekend. I hope you got out of it more than you put into it. That way you'll want to do it again and again.
What fun! Your home is lovely. I particularly like hearing about Julia's job and I can imagine she was very good at keeping everyone on time. Thanks for sharing.
Wow...looks like a wonderful weekend. Just looking at the photos and all the colors is so inspiring. I love how you combined family and friends into the experience. You're very generous.
What fun it must have been. I enjoyed the pictures. Such interesting things at your place.
What is the typewriter in the library picture? Do you use it?
What great fun! I have no idea what a steek is, but the coziness of the weekend appeals to me. Well done!
It just looks so fun and yummy too!
Kristin
I hope you do this again next year- I will definitely budget for a trip east! Thanks for the french knot tutorial- I never thought to do them before I attached the flowers to the hat I am making for my niece - it was a "lightbulb" moment for silly me or should I say the dimwit me!
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