Fair Isle Weekenders!

No not music festivals on Fair Isle but the next best thing - Two full days learning all about Fair Isle knitting skills in either Liverpool or Oxford. 

Over two days we will immerse ourselves in the history, colours and techniques of Fair Isle knitting.  We will will look in depth at the different types of motifs and how they interact; how to choose colours and yarns; the different ways to hold yarn and needles and how this can alter your knitting; different cast ons; working in the round.

I will explain all about ‘steeking’ and then from your own knitted sample you will cut your work, learn how to reinforce the cut edges, pick up stitches and finish off the inside of the work. 

A wide selection of colours of yarn will be available to choose from and each participant gets to take home 4 balls of yarn to continue practising Fair Isle techniques.

These weekends are being held at two fabulous venues:

The first is being run by the lovely Purlesque girls, at their boutique style haberdashery shop upstairs at Pop Boutique on Whitechapel in Liverpool city centre. 

The weekend is split into two separate courses with basic colour work techniques ( including Intarsia and Combination Fair Isle/Intarsia) being taught on day one, and more advanced techniques including steeking being taught on day two. You can book on either one day or both days depending on what you would like to learn.

The Colourwork workshop takes place this Saturday, 20th April from 10-4pm and Advanced Fair Isle Workshop takes place on Sunday 21st April, again from 10-4pm. If you are quick I believe there might be just one or two places left on these two days. To find out more information or to book a place please visit the Purlesque website.

The second venue is at the gorgeous Darn it and Stitch in Oxford city centre. 

This lovely shop has a workshop venue upstairs where we will spend our two days exploring Fair Isle knitting and techniques.  On day one we will delve into the history of Fair Isle then spend some time choosing motifs and choosing colours to work with. We will begin working on our knitted sample which will include steeks ready for cutting and finishing on day two. Different methods of securing your edges will be explored so that you have all the skills you need to continue using this method of knitting at every opportunity.

The Fair Isle Knitting weekend takes place on Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th May from 11-4 each day. Again places are limited so to make a booking please go to the Pinworks website.

Both events include lunch and refreshments along with course handouts and yarns to take home.