Workshops & Events
Workshops & Lectures
I love getting to spend time with fellow fiber enthusiasts! I can be found teaching at events such as Knitting LIVE, Stitchburgh, the PNW Fiber Arts Expo, and Spokane Fleece & Fiber, as well as at retreats, for guilds and yarn shops, and online at virtual events. I’ve also taught internationally in Canada and Scotland.
Every workshop is hands on, with plenty of time to practice each technique. Most workshops can be adjusted to fit your event’s schedule.
For event organizers
- In person, or online through Zoom or a similar platform
- Most workshops run 3 hours and can be adapted to your schedule
- I bring the projector. The venue provides a screen, a table, a power strip, and reliable high-speed internet
- Workshop images are available for your schedule once booked
what’s a skill level?!
You won’t find skill levels on my workshops or my patterns. I don’t believe in them. Instead, you will discover a list of the skills you’ll need. If you know the techniques (or you’re ready to learn them) and you have the desire and the time, I am confident you can make anything you want!
Foundational skills
Beautiful Edges: Cast Ons & Bind Offs
3 hours · In person
Every knitting project begins with a cast on and ends with a bind off, yet many knitters rely on only one or two familiar methods. The edges of your work influence stretch, structure, and the overall look of a project. We’ll explore a variety of cast ons and bind offs and discuss how each one behaves, from elastic edges for ribbing and garments to firm, structured, or decorative finishes. You’ll practice five cast ons and five bind offs, and leave with a collection of samples to reference later.
Skills & materials
Skills: Comfortable with casting on, knitting and purling, and binding off. Up to 25 students.
Materials: Three colors of worsted-weight yarn (high contrast is recommended), knitting needles appropriate for the yarn, a crochet hook similar in size to the needles (for the provisional cast on), a small amount of waste yarn, scissors, tapestry needle, notebook, pencil, and the usual knitting notions.
Homework: Yes. Sent to registered students.
Knitting Backwards: Stockinette, Ribbing, and Beyond
3 hours · In person
What if you didn’t have to turn your work at the end of every row? Knitting backwards lets you work stitches from left to right without turning, which is especially useful for short rows, small pieces, or any section where turning interrupts your rhythm. We’ll explore the mechanics and practice in both stockinette and ribbing, learning to move smoothly between traditional knitting and knitting backwards while keeping tension and stitch orientation consistent.
Skills & materials
Skills: Comfortable knitting and purling and working basic stitch patterns. Up to 25 students.
Materials: Light-colored worsted-weight yarn (smooth wool or wool blend recommended), knitting needles appropriate for the yarn (straight or circular), notebook, pencil, and the usual knitting notions.
Homework: Yes. Sent to registered students.
Reading Knitting Charts with Confidence
3 hours in person · 2 hours virtual
Charts let knitters see stitches, repeats, and shaping at a glance, yet many find them intimidating at first. Together we’ll demystify how charts represent stitches, how row and stitch numbers guide the work, and how keys and symbols become knitted fabric. We’ll practice reading charts worked flat and in the round, with examples from texture, colorwork, cables, and shaping, plus strategies for staying on track.
Skills & materials
Skills: Basic knitting skills, including casting on, knitting and purling, and following simple pattern instructions. Up to 25 students.
Materials: Light-colored worsted-weight yarn for the homework swatch, plus 2 to 3 partial balls of worsted-weight yarn in contrasting colors (smooth wool or wool blends recommended), knitting needles appropriate for the yarn, stitch markers, notebook, pencil, and the usual knitting notions.
Homework: Yes. Sent to registered students.
Colorwork techniques
Colorwork Basics
3 hours · In person or virtual · Frequently requested
You CAN knit colorwork! This all-in-one workshop introduces a variety of colorwork techniques, including stranded knitting (Fair Isle), intarsia, mosaic, helical, and slip-stitch knitting. We’ll learn about color dominance, how to read charts, manage yarns, swatch both flat and in the round, and more. Ideal for anyone who wants to build confidence as they explore colorwork.
Skills & materials
Skills: Cast on, knit/purl, increase/decrease, and be comfortable working in the round. Chart reading is helpful and will be reviewed in the workshop. Up to 20 students.
Materials: Completed homework swatches (yarn still attached), an additional US 6 circular needle (16 to 24 inches is ideal), 2 to 3 partial balls of solid-color worsted-weight wool that contrast with your swatches, tapestry needle, scissors, stitch markers, note-taking materials, sticky notes or a magnetic board for your chart, and your knitting bag with its usual treasures.
Homework: Yes. Sent to registered students.
Mosaic Knitting: Exploring Slip-Stitch Colorwork
3 hours in person · 2 hours virtual
Mosaic knitting creates striking geometric colorwork while working with only one yarn at a time. By combining slipped stitches with simple knits and purls, you can create bold, graphic fabric without juggling strands. We’ll explore how slipped stitches create the pattern, how contrast shapes the result, and the different ways mosaic patterns are written and charted, so you can follow them confidently in your own projects.
Skills & materials
Skills: Cast on, knit, and purl. No colorwork experience needed! Up to 25 students.
Materials: Completed homework, two colors of worsted-weight yarn with strong contrast (smooth wool or wool blend recommended), knitting needles appropriate for the yarn, notebook, pencil, and the usual knitting notions.
Homework: Yes. Sent to registered students.
Introduction to Colorwork in the Round
3 hours in person · 2 hours virtual
This workshop leads you through the Emeline Hat, a stranded design worked in the round on circular needles. We’ll explore two-color ribbing, reading charts, and simple stranded colorwork, plus a few of my favorite tricks, like swatching colorwork in the round and joining without twisting. As you finish your hat, you’ll reinforce everything you’ve learned.
Skills & materials
Skills: Cast on, knit and purl, and simple decreasing. Anyone who has yet to try two yarns at once will love this workshop. Up to 20 students.
Materials: Completed homework, 4 yarns total (2 for the hat and 2 for the in-workshop swatch), US 6 (4 mm) 16-inch circular needle, 11 stitch markers (one unique), and your notions bag with the usual tools. The pattern is provided in the workshop.
Homework: Yes. Sent to registered students.
Stranded Knitting: Unlocking the Secret of Locked Floats
3 hours in person · 2 hours virtual · Frequently requested
Ever looked at the “wrong side” of a stranded, hand-knit garment and seen no floats? The answer may very well be what some call “Armenian Knitting,” or what I call “Locked Floats.” The technique is simple and creates a wonderfully even fabric. We’ll first review carrying floats the traditional way, then learn this simple technique for a beautifully woven wrong side. You’ll pick up valuable tricks and leave inspired by the possibilities.
Skills & materials
Skills: Cast on, knit/purl, increase/decrease, and a general understanding of stranded (Fair Isle) knitting. This workshop encourages holding one yarn in each hand (two-handed knitting). Up to 20 students.
Materials: One skein each of 2 colors of worsted-weight yarn (solid, high-contrast wool works best), appropriately sized circular needles (bring a few sizes or an interchangeable set), note-taking materials, snacks, and your knitting bag with its usual treasures. Have your yarn wound and ready to use.
Homework: Yes. Sent to registered students.
Locked Floats: Level II
3 hours · In person
Building on my Locked Floats workshop, this one explores patterned fabric using 3 colors in the same row or round while trapping every floating yarn. We’ll learn to manage the yarns both flat and in the round, then look at customizing existing charts by adding a third color. It’s the key to shawls, wraps, and cardigans with a beautiful wrong side that looks almost woven.
Skills & materials
Skills: Students should have taken Stranded Knitting: Unlocking the Secret of Locked Floats and be comfortable with the technique. Two-handed knitting is encouraged. Up to 20 students.
Materials: Two homework swatches (yarn attached), 2 to 3 additional colors of solid worsted-weight wool with medium to high contrast, tapestry needle, scissors, stitch markers, note-taking materials, sticky notes or a magnetic board for your chart, and your knitting bag with its usual treasures.
Homework: Yes. Sent to registered students.
Introduction to Intarsia
3 to 6 hours · In person or virtual
Intarsia uses separate lengths of yarn for each color in a row or round. We’ll create a series of swatches and discuss the many ways this knowledge can benefit your work, even when you’re not working in multiple colors! You’ll leave with a better understanding of the process and a swatch demonstrating each technique.
Skills & materials
Skills: Cast on, bind off, knit, purl, increase, and decrease. Up to 20 students.
Materials: 4 to 5 partial skeins of worsted-weight yarn in different colors, circular needles appropriate for the yarn (a variety of sizes is helpful), stitch markers, pencil, stick ruler, sticky notes or a magnetic board for your chart, and the usual knitting bag filled with treasures.
Homework: None. Just have your yarn wound and ready.
Stranded Intarsia
3 hours · In person
This workshop combines intarsia and stranded knitting (Fair Isle) to produce patterns that change color both vertically and horizontally. We’ll learn what makes a motif successful with this hybrid technique, then knit a small sampler using a provided motif or one of your own. You’ll leave with a souvenir swatch to inspire future projects.
Skills & materials
Skills: Cast on, bind off, knit, purl, Fair Isle knitting, and reading charts. Up to 20 students.
Materials: 4 to 5 skeins (partial is fine) of worsted-weight yarn in different colors, at least one neutral, circular needles appropriate for the yarn, stitch markers, pencil, stick ruler, measuring tape, calculator, sticky notes or a magnetic board for your chart, and the usual knitting bag filled with treasures.
Homework: None. Just have your yarn wound and ready.
Colorwork Cables
3 hours · In person
Ready to combine two bold techniques? We’ll bring together the drama of cables and the vibrant possibilities of colorwork. They may seem at odds, but with the right approach they add movement, contrast, and texture in unexpected ways. After a quick review of the fundamentals, you’ll knit two swatches, one with stranded colorwork and cables and one with intarsia and cables, and we’ll talk about adding these techniques to existing patterns and your own designs.
Skills & materials
Skills: Cast on, bind off, knit/purl, cables, chart reading, and easy colorwork. Up to 20 students.
Materials: 2 colors of worsted-weight yarn (high contrast recommended), US 7 and US 8 flat or circular (16 inches or longer) needles, cable needle, and the usual bag of knitting notions.
Homework: Yes. Sent to registered students.
Knitting in the Shadows: An Introduction to Shadow Knitting
3 hours · In person · Frequently requested
This technique is truly magical. Working with one color at a time, and only knit and purl stitches, you create a fabric that reveals an image when viewed at an angle. We’ll explore shadow knitting, get comfortable navigating its instructions, and then look at the methods for creating shadow knitting patterns of our very own.
Skills & materials
Skills: Cast on, knit/purl, and increase/decrease. Chart reading is helpful and will be reviewed in the workshop. Up to 20 students.
Materials: 3 skeins of high-contrast worsted-weight yarn, circular needles appropriate for the yarn, stitch markers, pencil, stick ruler, measuring tape, calculator, sticky notes or a magnetic board for your chart, and the usual knitting bag filled with treasures.
Homework: None. Just have your yarn wound and ready.
Colorwork design
Adding Colorwork Motifs to Existing Patterns
3 hours · In person
Ever looked at a pattern and imagined it with a touch of colorwork? With a little planning, motifs can be added to many designs without rewriting them. You’ll choose from a collection of simple motifs and learn to evaluate motif size, adjust stitch counts, and decide where a motif fits, then begin knitting while we talk through hats, cowls, and sweater yokes, plus spacing, centering, and adapting repeats.
Skills & materials
Skills: Cast on, knit and purl, and follow a simple colorwork chart. Stranded experience is helpful but not required. Up to 25 students.
Materials: A variety of worsted-weight yarns in several colors (partial balls are fine; smooth wool or wool blends with good contrast recommended), knitting needles appropriate for the yarn, stitch markers, notebook, pencil, and the usual knitting notions.
Homework: None. Just have your yarn wound and ready.
Creating Colorwork Cowls
3 hours · In person or virtual
In this workshop we’ll explore the process of designing a colorwork cowl. From edge trims to motif layout and the importance of scale, the process is broken into manageable steps. I’ll explain how I develop a pattern and share tips I’ve learned along the way. By the end of the workshop, you’ll have swatched, completed all the necessary calculations, and even cast on for your very own design!
Skills & materials
Skills: Cast on, knit/purl, increase/decrease, and be comfortable working in the round. Chart reading is helpful and will be reviewed in the workshop. Up to 20 students.
Materials: 2 to 4 skeins of worsted-weight yarn in different colors, circular needles appropriate for the yarn, stitch markers, pencil, stick ruler, measuring tape, calculator, sticky notes or a magnetic board for your chart, and the usual knitting bag filled with treasures.
Homework: None. Just have your yarn wound and ready.
Creating and Navigating Complex Stranded Knitting Charts
3 hours · In person or virtual
Think big! I’ll walk you through how I create original, large scale, complex colorwork charts. Beginning with where to look for inspiration, we’ll discuss each step: swatching, drawing, and knitting, all the way through to completing a project. Then you’ll put your skills to the test by beginning a colorwork cowl that requires navigating a complex chart, a gorgeous reminder of your time at the event.
Skills & materials
Skills: Cast on, bind off, knit/purl, increase/decrease, and read colorwork charts. Up to 20 students.
Materials: Solid-color wool (such as HiKoo Simpliworsted) in two coordinating colors, appropriately sized circular needles, pen or pencil, notepaper, and the usual knitting bag filled with treasures.
Homework: Yes. Sent to registered students.
Specialty techniques
Knitting with Beads
3 hours · In person or virtual
Adding beads to your knitting is fun, and the results are magical! We’ll talk about different ways beads can be added and the pros and cons of each. Putting our new knowledge to use, we’ll make a cute beaded coaster. You’ll leave with the confidence, skills, and resources to bring beads into your projects.
Skills & materials
Skills: Cast on and bind off. Up to 20 students.
Materials: Light-colored, smooth fingering-weight yarn (wool or another protein fiber preferred), circular and/or straight needles that give a nice stockinette fabric with that yarn (bring a few sizes), notebook, pencil, and the usual knitting bag filled with treasures.
Materials fee: $15, covering beads, crochet hook, and additional supplies.
Homework: None. Just have your yarn wound and ready.
Beyond the Basics: Beaded Cast Ons and Bind Offs
3 hours in person · 2 hours virtual
From the very first stitch of a cast on to the final bind off, beads can add a decorative and functional accent to your projects. In this workshop we’ll explore a series of beaded cast on and bind off methods, along with unique ways to incorporate beads and alternative materials into your work.
Skills & materials
Skills: Cast on and bind off. Up to 20 students.
Materials: Light-colored, smooth fingering-weight yarn (wool or another protein fiber preferred), circular and/or straight needles that give a nice stockinette fabric with that yarn (bring a few sizes), notebook, pencil, and the usual knitting bag filled with treasures.
Materials fee: $15, covering beads, crochet hook, and additional supplies.
Homework: Yes. Sent to registered students.
“You Want Me to Do WHAT to My Knitting?!” An Introduction to Steeks
1.5 or 3 hours · In person · Frequently requested
Cutting your knitting may seem like the stuff of nightmares, but in a controlled environment, following a few simple steps, it’s a tool that makes stranded knitting a dream. We’ll face our fears while learning the skills required to steek knitted fabric, and explore the steps to a beautifully finished edge. In the 3-hour version, we’ll also install a zipper by hand.
Skills & materials
Skills: Cast on and bind off. Up to 20 students.
Materials: Solid-color worsted-weight wool (such as HiKoo Simpliworsted) in the main color of your swatch, a second partial ball that complements or contrasts with your swatches, circular needles one size smaller than those used for your homework, and the usual knitting bag filled with treasures.
Materials fee: $15, covering scissors, crochet hook, thread, and sewing needle.
Homework: Yes. Sent to registered students.
Lectures
The Secret Language of Color
1 hour · In person or virtual
Ever wondered why some color combinations sing while others fall flat? We’ll explore the foundations of color theory and how they apply to knitting and the fiber arts: the color wheel, relationships between hues, and contrast, temperature, and value. Along the way we’ll look at successful combinations, and you’ll leave with greater confidence choosing palettes that reflect your personal style.
Making Good: Knitting for Charity
1 hour · In person or virtual
Making has always been about more than the finished object. Throughout history, makers have used their skills to care for others and support their communities. Through stories of charitable initiatives and the people behind them, we’ll look at how knitting, crochet, quilting, and other crafts become acts of generosity and connection, with practical ideas for using your craft to support others, one stitch at a time.
What students say
Great class. Loved every minute. Great teacher, well worth coming 7,000+ miles to attend.
Rarely do I give top scores to anything. This class and instructor was a true pleasure. I look forward to taking more classes with him.
This class demystified intarsia and really made it approachable and easy. The teacher was very patient, easy to understand with great tips. Many, many tips appreciated.
I most appreciate Kyle’s positive encouragement of all students and multiple inspirational examples he brought to class. He made me strongly motivated to learn this technique.
Humor used appropriately, so it was fun. Enjoyed hearing participants share their experiences and stories.
Kyle is a great instructor. Well-prepared with great assistance material: projector, handouts. I would take any classes he teaches.
Adds a lot of related information. Very engaging of the students. Very encouraging to build confidence.
I can tell he put a lot of thought into the course and loved that he had a projector with camera so we could see him knit on screen.
I enjoyed this class very much and am excited to be able to improve my skills. Thank you for making the class fun and very informative!
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