While I have the calendar out and am planning ahead, here are some opportunities I feel are worth elevating:
The Livestock Conservancy
has a
"Save Our Sheep Sweater Challenge" class
on Teachable. Deborah Robson is the teacher. The class is already recorded.
This is similar to learning from DVDs before streaming became a thing. The
class is only $20. If you have participated in Shave 'Em to Save 'Em or would
like to, this inexpensive self-paced course should be helpful. With a teacher as talented as Deb Robson, I'm sure there will be multiple "ah-ha" moments.
My dear friend Varian Brandon will be teaching several classes on stranded colorwork at Southeast Fiber Arts Alliance on the weekend of 6-8 February 2026. On Friday Varian is teaching beginning stranded colorwork (knights' banner cowl, shown above with my alterations) and steeking. Saturday is an all-day knitting a miniature sweater class. Beth Brown-Reinsel often uses the all-day knit-a-sweater approach. If you have never made a sweater and want to get out of scarf land, this is your opportunity. Sunday's class is colorful edgings, enabling students to finish their stranded-knit heirlooms in style.
For myself, I'll be teaching at
South Carolina Knit Inn
later this month. Some of my classes still have space, including my new
version of "Stunt Knitting Safety Lines." The detail picture above is a log cabin blanket that used lots of vertical lifelines to make joining-as-you-go very easy. After a couple of years' hiatus, I
am returning to
Carolina Fiber Fest
in March. I'll teach reversible cables online for
TKGA's virtual conference
in April. In June I'll return to
John C. Campbell Folk School
to teach my week-long intensive on reversible knitting. Most of these classes
are topics I rarely see covered by other instructors. I am especially proud of the Folk School class, as the handout is nearly 100 pages.
There are a few things I plan to attend. The Knitting History Forum Conference is scheduled for Saturday 7 February 2026. You can watch the recording if you don't want to watch it live and ask questions. I hope to attend Maryland Sheep and Wool the first weekend in May. I don't know if I'll be teaching or merely attending at Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair in October, but I plan to be there. And there are a few other festivals out there in the not-yet-decided category.
I also eagerly anticipate the first issue of PURL magazine appearing in August!
It may seem strange with 51 weeks to go in 2026 to be looking this far ahead. Textile people are planners, especially if we also spin. It all takes time. And it is totally worth the effort. Happy 2026!
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