Friday, November 20, 2015

Dip Your Toes Into the Victorian Era!!!

My friend, Wendy, and I are planning a workshop for this coming April. 

We will make a teeny version of my Bootstrap Socks and learn about how that fits into 1850.


Join the authors of "Yarn Works" and "Sock Architecture" for a day-long dive into history. Wendy J. Johnson (author of "Yarn Works: How to spin, dye, and knit your own yarn") will start in the morning with the methods and materials available in dye baths of the 1850s. Choose a provided 19th Century dyestuff to hand-dye a skein for a pair of adult-sized socks and learn past (and modern) natural dyeing techniques. Lara Neel (author of "Sock Architecture: Heels, toes, and techniques for knitting awesome socks" will pick up the ball in the afternoon with the history of sock knitting in the Victorian era and will walk you through methods for knitting socks that have been partially lost to history. As you knit a mini sock, Lara will show you techniques that are fast, fun, and fantastic—and can be used in any sock pattern you choose.

You will go home with the naturally-dyed skein of yarn that you dyed in the morning (enough for a pair of adult socks), the mini-sock you created in the afternoon, and a pattern to knit an adult-sized pair of socks using the techniques you learned in the afternoon.

Additional workshop benefit: The day-long session is being held at Gale Woods Farm, a 410-acre, working educational farm and park within the Three Rivers Park District. It's located on picturesque Whaletail Lake in Minnetrista, Minnesota. You will have an opportunity to tour the farm facility with a farm staff guide and meet the animals during a break in the day. Before or after the session, you may take advantage of the walking paths located throughout this beautiful site.

Cost: $75.00 (cost includes supplies*)

Date & Time: Saturday, April 2, 2016 – 9 am – 4 pm (A half-hour is allotted for lunch. Class participants should bring their own lunches. Refrigeration and a microwave are available. Tea, coffee, and water will be provided.)

Location: Gale Woods Farm, 7210 County Road 110 W., Minnetrista, MN 55364

Ages of participants: For ages 16 and over. (We can only accept a total of 16 participants so sign up early!)

*All materials & supplies (except needles & misc. knitting notions) will be provided by the instructors. You will be given a miscellaneous supply list when you register.


Register by March 15, 2016 at the Three Rivers ParkDistrict/Gale Woods website or call Gale Woods at 763-694-2001.

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