Knitting in New England
Sept 9-12, 2021
Please join us in 2021 for a beautiful weekend in Amherst MA. It's the perfect place to treat yourself to fresh air, beautiful scenery and new friends before the holidays set in.
We'll stay in the Inn on Boltwood where the rooms are beautifully furnished, spacious with very comfortable beds and amazing showers. The library has a fireplace, snug sofas, overstuffed chairs for relaxing. The Rooftop terrace also has seating and a firepit for evening knitting and community time.
Also included in our weekend is the option of joining daily fitness sessions. These morning sessions will be active and invigorating, providing us with a much needed stretch. It's the perfect opportunity to try something new in an easy fun setting. If weather permits, we will be able to be outdoors.
A delicious menu has been created just for us with choices to suit any palate for our meals. Thursday, Friday and Saturday our evening meals will take place at the Inn.
Included in the cost of the retreat...
Welcoming reception
3 full breakfasts (included in cost of room)
2 lunches
3 dinners
3 hour long fitness sessions
Daily knitting workshops
Yarn for class, unless otherwise specified
Saturday morning is free time to experience the Amherst Farmers Market, nearby hiking trails, strolling the square or a trip to WEBS.
Cost per person: $975*
Deposit due at time of registration: $300
*Returning participants receive a $50 discount
* Returning Participants bring a friend new to PeaceTree and both of you receive an additional $50 off for you and $50 for your friend
All deposits are non-refundable.
Payment in full July 15, 2021
or space will not be guaranteed.
*Room cost is not included--please contact The Inn on Boltwood directly to reserve your room after your registration is accepted
The Inn on Boltwood
Welcome Instructor Shaina Bilow!
Shaina Bilow
Shaina is an encouraging instructor who wants her students to feel empowered, whether they are picking up needles for the first time or are advanced-level knitters and crocheters. Shaina has worked and taught in numerous yarn shops in New Jersey, teaches in private and group settings, designs knitting patterns for magazines, yarn companies, and her own collection, and has picked up A LOT of dropped stitches throughout the years. In a class with Shaina, you can expect a patient instructor, inspiring projects, simplification of tricky techniques, and, of course, lots of happy knitting! Visit www.ShainaBilow.com to learn more about Shaina and follow her @Shaina.Bilow on Instagram.
We have amazing classes in the works for you. Shaina is a sweater expert from design to finishing!
Friday AM
Sweater Savvy: Tips and Tricks for Better Sweaters
The best way to learn is through experience, right? It doesn’t have to be your own personal experience, though. With more than 20 years' and thousands of sweaters' worth of knitting wisdom, Shaina will share her top tips for ensuring your finished garments will be treasured additions to your wardrobe. Whether you are thinking about casting on for your first sweater, or feeling a bit dissatisfied by previous knits, this class will offer new approaches to pattern reading and sweater planning. Discussions include the importance of gauge, preparing for successful finishing while you knit, and everything in between, with student questions encouraged.
Technique Requirements: knit/purl, cast on/bind off, have knit a few accessories
Homework:
With worsted-weight yarn and size US 8 (5mm) knitting needle, cast on 20 stitches.
Row 1 (RS): knit
Row 2: purl
Leave stitches on the needles and bring this with you to class.
Supplies for Class:
US 8 (5 mm) knitting needle from homework swatch. Worsted-weight yarn from homework swatch. Pen, measuring tape, locking stitch markers, tapestry needle, scissors. A store-bought or handmade sweater that you like the fit of. Any piece of stockinette fabric to be used for measuring gauge. Feel free to bring a hat/sweater/scarf/cowl you have knit to measure the gauge from. If you do not have anything to bring, please knit a swatch for this purpose: Using worsted-weight yarn, cast on 30 sts on a US 8. Knit one row, purl one row for Stockinette stitch for about 5".
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Friday PM
Custom Sweater Design
Learn how to write your own basic pullover pattern in this class. Together we will take measurements, plan for ease, measure gauge swatches, and put all of the numbers together into a sweater pattern. Shaina will provide a template that you can use to take the fear out of writing patterns. We will be designing a seamed drop-shoulder pullover using fingering weight yarn held single strand or double strand (up to the knitter!).
Homework: knit the gauge swatch in your desired pattern (which we will work on in the "Sweater Savvy Class" in the morning) either on a size US1-4 for single strand fingering weight or US 6-9 for double strand fingering weight.
Materials: fingering weight yarn, needles, tape measure, calculator, pen.
Optional materials: additional fingering weight yarn (or fingering weight mohair) from stash (or newly purchased) to add to the sweater.
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Saturday PM
Start to Finish: Magic of Mattress Stitch
Learn how to get a professionally finished look on your knits during this workshop. We will cover the three different types of seams you’ll encounter when you put together your pieces, plus you’ll get tons of extra tips like how to weave in tails so they don’t come loose or peek through the front of your work.
Homework: US 8 (5mm) knitting needle, worsted weight yarn.
Swatch 1: Cast on 28 stitches
Row 1 (RS): knit 28.
Row 2 (WS): purl 14, knit 14.
Repeat these last 2 rows for 6” and bind off.
Swatch 2: Cast on 28 stitches
Row 1 (RS): knit 28.
Row 2 (WS): knit 14, purl 14.
Repeat these last 2 rows for 6” and bind off.
If you have time and would like to save examples of the seams you’ve worked rather than pulling them out to practice other seams, make an additional 2 swatches in this same way.
Swatch 3: Cast on 28 stitches.
Row 1 (RS): knit.
Row 2 (WS): purl.
Row 3: bind off 3 stitches, knit to the end of the row.
Row 4: purl.
Repeat rows 3 and 4 until 4 sts remain, bind off.
Materials: scissors, large eye bent-tip tapestry needle (such a Chibi by Clover), scrap yarn in worsted weight in a contrasting color
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Morning Mobility with Linda
Linda Andrews
Linda Andrews has been teaching fitness classes for over ten years in the Washington, DC area. She has a long history (read that as old) participating in endurance running and swimming as well as dabbling with Olympic lifting and power lifting. She ran her own fitness boot camp business and coached CrossFit for several years. No matter what the activity, good movement and mobility are key. Sitting all day is detrimental to our physical health, even if hours of knitting is good for the soul. To counteract the sitting, she will be holding Morning Mobility sessions during the Amherst knitting retreat. Classes will be a series of both flow and static stretches. Appropriate for all levels.
