Fair Isle Workshop at WEBS

A couple of weeks ago I made a trip on a tiny plane (seriously tiny... 18 seats)...

Tiny plane is tiny.

to Northhampton Massachusetts, to WEBS.

WEBS is a crafter's mecca. It's a giant warehouse-sized yarn shop. They cater to knitters and crocheters and weavers and spinners and they have everything. They cater to projects - and pocketbooks - large and small.

It's about 2 1/2 hours west of Boston, about three hours north of NYC, and absolutely a destination.

And I nearly fell off my chair when they emailed me out of the blue to ask me to go and teach. It turns out that they like my first book - a lot! they recommend it in many of their classes! -  and they wanted to meet me in person.

Of course I went.

Readers, I was so overwhelmed that I utterly failed you on the photos front. I took precisely one photo of the shop, and it's terrible.

Terrible photo is terrible.

However, it should give you a sense of the size of the place. That's just ONE CORNER of the main shop. There's an even larger warehousey area in the back, with sale yarns and all sorts of goodies.

I taught three classes - including my favourite Finishing - and had a fantastic time. The students were smart and fun and engaged and wonderful people.

But I think I had the most fun in the Fair Isle workshop... a full day, all about Fair Isle design and technique, which provides students the tools, skills and techniques to design their own Fair Isle sampler mitts.

I give a little bit of history.

We practice techniques.

And then we play with patterns.

Student Eileen F. designed and finished this one, in record time:

I also had a lovely time in Northampton. I made some new friends, and enjoyed all sorts of foodie fun in a pretty New England college town.

These guys know their stuff.

Delicious, although sadly the promised "Kate the Great" Russian Imperial Stout was unavailable.

And it's close enough to NYC to be able to find these... 

Thanks to Amy & the rest of the WEBS team for taking such good care of me!

I'm looking forward to a possible return visit, next year... Stay tuned...