I’m teaching a weekend workshop at Sitka Center for Art and Ecology August 10-11 on the Oregon Coast. The setting is lovely, nestled among the trees on a slice of land on Cascade Head near Lincoln City.
This knitting workshop offers several ways to make your plain knitting fancy! Drawing inspiration from nature, we’ll start with elongated fancy stitches that evoke the beauty of flowers, stars, butterflies, and bees.
Moving forward, we’ll delve into the art of color pooling, a hot technique that is the current darling of indie dyers.
To add a finishing touch, we’ll learn herringbone and other braids to elevate our knits to new heights. Join us for a creative journey where you’ll learn to infuse flair into your knitting, turning the ordinary into the extraordinary.
Sound fun? Register here. The workshop fees are for the workshop only; you’ll need to book lodging of your choice. It’s a wonderful relaxing weekend away. I taught a brioche workshop here last year, see that post for a taste of the experience.
I had a fabulous weekend teaching a two-day brioche workshop at Sitka Center for Art and Ecology on the Oregon Coast. The setting is lovely, nestled among the trees on a slice of land on Cascade Head near Lincoln City.
Brioche Entree
We started with one color brioche, a scarf in super bulky yarn (Brioche Entrée), just to get a feel for the sl1yo and brk stitches.
Brioche Pastiche
Then we moved on to 2-color in the round, setting up for Brioche Pastiche. I’ve revamped the pattern for plain brioche rib or leafy climbing vines, on either a hat or cowl. I like giving options.
Whale Watch hat and cowl
I also included the Whale Watch pattern, because it fits so nicely with the coastal theme. But Pastiche is a much gentler introduction to increases and decreases, so that’s what we actually worked on.
The weather was glorious all weekend, so we took our knitting outdoors!
Sitka Center features arts workshops all summer long. The other participants this weekend were creating beautiful things, hand building with clay.
Kristin showed me some of her beautiful work. I want to try this! Check out the catalog of classes for this summer here.
Cathy and I visited the Salmon River estuary after class on Saturday. That looks like a whale’s ribcage, but it’s really a tree.
That speck of a bird way out there may be a cormorant. It was fishing!Closer to the ocean, Cascade Head to the rightRoad’s End Point
I had time for a walk on the sand after my last class on Sunday. I headed south to the beach at Road’s End (north end of Lincoln City); that’s Road’s End Point in the distance. It was foggy on the beach, with blue skies inland.
Kelpwith barnacles!swiss cheese rock with shells
My stay at Sitka included the night after my workshop, so I’m writing from this sweet stairway nook on Monday morning. It’s drizzling now, and raindrops are hanging on the maple leaves outside my window. Perfect.
There’s so much art on campus; here are some things I saw while walking around.
near the office
And nature makes her own art, too. I love this lichen!
Bisquee wanted to come with me, but I had to say no. I needed to bring clothes.
In the home stretch…again
And I even had time to knit! More about that in another post. How was your weekend?
Posted onMarch 12, 2023|Comments Off on Whale Watch for Landlubbers and more
I’m teaching an immersive two day brioche workshop at the Sitka Center for Art and Ecology on the Oregon Coast, July 15-16. Fees are just for the workshop; you’ll need to find lodgings nearby if you’re not local.
Whale Watch hat and cowl
We’ll start with beginning one color brioche, move into 2 color brioche in the round, and then introduce increases and decreases to make the whale tail and seagull motifs on the Whale Watch cap or cowl. You’ll be a brioche pro by the end of the weekend! Register here.
Whale Watch hat and cowl
This is the same hat and cowl that I’m using on the Nautical Knitting Cruise on the schooner Zodiac at the end of July. (The cruise is full, but you can sign up for the wait list if you’re interested.) Either way, you’ll have fabulous brioche skills at the end of your time with me.
I may be teaching Whale Watch brioche on the Vogue Knitting Cruise in September, too. We’ll see if we have repeat cruisers; if there are a lot then I’ll choose a different pattern. I’m looking forward to all of these coastal adventures!
Comments Off on Whale Watch for Landlubbers and more
Find my patterns on Ravelry: Michele Bernstein Designs
Here are some of my favorites, and the newest. Many of my designs are also available through my Payhip store.
PDXKnitterati 