Look for more Knit Maine Classes to be listed soon!
Knit Buffalo
March 26-29, 2026 with Kate Oates
Join us along with Kate Oates in Buffalo for an extraordinary weekend in the City of Good Neighbors!
Kate Oates is a knitting pattern designer, instructor & author. In the past 15+ years as a full-time fiber artist, Kate has published 300+ patterns and authored several books: grown, knits for boys and knitting clothes kids love. She is a passionate, organized teacher especially when it comes to enabling knitters to create garments that fit and flatter. Under her own name, she creates a line of modern and stylish knits for adults. Kate is known for her attention to detail & fit, extensive size ranges, providing a multitude of options within her patterns along with thorough technical instructions that often link to video tutorials. Her second line, tot toppers, features whimsically wearable garments and accessories for babies and children. You can find Kate's patterns at your local yarn store or online. She also does freelance work for a variety of publications and yarn companies.
Prior to her transition to knitwear design, Kate earned a PhD from the University of Florida with concentrations in political science & methodology (aka= math!). She's always been driven, self-motivated and committed to performing at the highest level. Kate is a neurodivergent & under-abled chronic pain warrior who advocates for others while fighting her own personal battles and choosing joy. She has endured through more than a dozen surgeries, primarily due to spinal fusions resulting from a childhood injury. She lives with her family in South Carolina, which includes husband Ryan, boys Jesse, Charlie, Oliver & Eliot (4 very handsome Tot Toppers models) & sweet doggie Hazel. You might also see the Oates crew at a Clemson football game. Go Tigers!
Registration is open.
Included in the cost of the retreat $1050
Welcoming reception
3 full breakfasts
2 lunches
3 dinners
9 hours of workshops with Kate
Materials for classes and swag!
Cost per person: $1050*
Deposit due at time of registration: $300
All deposits are non-refundable.
Payment in full Febraury 15, 2026 or space will not be guaranteed.
*Room cost is not included--please contact The Richardson Hotel directly to reserve your room 716-493-2610
Kate's Workshop
Chevv: Steek!
9 hour course
This course was created to take even a beginning knitter to colorwork glory. Whether you knit this particular pattern or not, this workshop includes an incredible expanse of knitting know-hows to level up your skillset & create garments that fit you
better. The clever construction of this boxy, colorwork sweater is both fun to knit and provides an opportunity to learn a myriad of techniques including STEEKING. With just two short steeks, Chevv is the perfect project to try this empowering technique for the first time, especially with the practice you'll get during class.
Some of the techniques included in this course:
● Choosing the perfect size and understanding how different levels of ease will affect the fit in all areas of the garment
● Two-handed colorwork
● Steeking with crochet reinforcement
● Provisional & Cable Cast-on + Tubular Bind-off
● Picking up & knitting stitches
● Calculating your ideal Sweater & Sleeve Length
● Worksheets to calculating your ideal Sweater & Sleeve Length and to adjust either or both the pattern stitch and row
gauge
● Finishing Tips
During the workshop, knitters will practice these techniques & more with their working swatch. Although this workshop runs down the skills utilized in Chevv, by no means do students need to commit to knitting this particular sweater. In class, we will
be practicing all-the-things in just a swatch, including steeking. About the design: This pullover is worked seamlessly in the round from the top down with geometric colorwork in a single dominant color on a tri-color gradient background. It includes fully written options for a cropped or longer body length, 3⁄4 or full length sleeves and yardage for either a 2-color (single background color) or 4-color (tri-color background) sweater.
Required Skills
● Cast on
● Knitting and purling
● Basic increasing & decreasing
● This course is perfectly suitable for knitters who are ready to move to
adventurous sweater knitting patterns and have completed at least one
sweater project.
Required Materials
● Printed Materials: Chevv pattern in Booklet Format (12 pages),
Course Workbook (12 pages) (supplied by Kate, per student cost is $22)
● Paper, pencil & calculator (or smart phone)
