Registration is now sold out. If you'd like to be put on the waiting list, please fill out our waiting list form. Thank you!
Welcome
I'm very excited to welcome you back to the Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts for the ninth year of bringing like-spirited people together to relax, gain knitterly inspiration, share ideas, and form lasting friendships.
The 2010 Knitter's Review Retreat takes place November 12-14, 2010.
Who'll Be There
Hosted by yours truly, the Knitter's Review Retreat is about sharing our collective skills and experiences with one another in a relaxed, low-pressure environment.
I'm delighted to have three extra special friends join us this year to add their skills and experience to the mix: none other than Cat Bordhi, Ann Budd, and Melissa Morgan-Oakes.
What We'll Do A choice of four Saturday morning workshops:
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- Are you a stitch dictionary junkie? Can you imagine owning a book of entirely fresh, unknown stitches? What if those stitches came from your own imagination? In this mind-blowing workshop on engineering new stitch patterns, renowned sock designer and teacher Cat Bordhi shows you how to birth new stitch patterns by recombining the basic structural elements of knitting. You'll also choose a few stitch patterns to turn into a family of related stitch patterns, perfect for combining on one garment. You'll leave class knowing how to generate original stitches suitable for any kind of knitted garment or accessory.
- Looking for a little extra bling in your life? You're not alone. While she's best known as the two-at-a-time sock maven, Melissa Morgan-Oakes also happens to love sparkly things. And what better way to add sparkle to our knitting than with beads. This class teaches all about how to knit with beads. You'll come away with new techniques and, best of all, the beginnings of your very own beaded cuff.
Plus...
Yours truly (Clara Parkes) will teach the class that started it all, Yarn 101. Based on what I've learned from a decade of swatching for Knitter's Review and backed by additional research and information presented in my The Knitter's Book of... series, I'll help you develop a formal vocabulary for your own knitterly instinct. Not all yarns are right for all things, and you'll learn why. You'll also learn all about staple, crimp, twist, and ply—and how to use this knowledge to make smart and happy yarn pairings.
To Market We Go!
During the Saturday afternoon marketplace, we're fortunate to be joined this year by Spirit Trail Fiberworks from Virginia, Foxfire Fiber & Designs from Massachusetts, Kathryn Alexander from New York, String Theory Yarn from Maine, and Briar Rose Fibers from Michigan. And announcing an extra treat from Maine: Pam Allen is loading up her car with bags and bags of her brand new Quince and Co. yarns, and she'll have samples and patterns galore.
Bedtime Stories
After the marketplace and dinner, we'll be entertained by our evening's designated storyteller, Cat Bordhi.
The Return of Yarn Church?
Last but not least, I'll revisit a retreat tradition, the special Sunday morning program designed to set our knitterly sails for the year to come. Will it be another wedding ceremony between knitter and project? You'll just have to wait and see!
Thursday Extension
For those who wish to make a long weekend out of it, our Thursday extension fits the bill. This smaller gathering begins on Thursday afternoon, November 11, with workshops running Friday morning and into the early afternoon before the weekend visitors arrive. Choose from one of three classes: Melissa Morgan-Oakes reveals the secrets to two-at-a-time toe-up socks, Ann Budd takes you on a wild ride into the land of cast-ons and bind-offs, and Cat Bordhi shows rebellious sock knitters how to create their own really Personal Footprint.
Due to its small size, please be advised that the Thursday extension tends to fill very quickly.
Want to Join Us?
Registration is now sold out. If you'd like to be put on the waiting list, please fill out our waiting list form. Thank you!
Got Goodies?
Are you a vendor who'd like to contribute something tempting to our goodie bags? Please email retreat@knittersreview.com and we'll be in touch. Thank you!
Where We'll Be
The Williams Inn is a family owned and operated inn in Williamstown, MA, in the Berkshire Hills region.
Home of Williams College, the Clark Art Institute, and the Williamstown Theatre Festival, Williamstown is an approximately three-hour drive from Boston and a three-and-a-half-hour drive from New York City.
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How Much does it Cost? | ||
The Weekend | Cost for the weekend is $425 per person double occupancy, $545 single occupancy. For friends booking together, we offer triples ($395) and quads ($375) on request—these rooms have two double beds only. | |
Lodging is in simple, Colonial-style motel rooms in the main inn building. Each guest room has a full bath with tub and shower, television, telephone, voicemail, free wireless Internet access, and separate climate controls. We are happy to match you with a roommate, or you can specify a roommate on your registration form. Please make sure your intended roommate sends in his/her form at the same time as yours—we are unable to hold rooms for missing roommates. This rate covers everything: all classes and activities, two nights' lodging, all your meals from Friday dinner through Sunday breakfast, snacks and beverages throughout the weekend, plus all taxes and gratuities. The Williams Inn also offers a legendary Sunday brunch that you can reserve directly through the Inn once you arrive. | ||
Thursday Extension |
The cost is an additional $230 for double occupancy and $300 for single occupancy. If sharing a room, both roommates will need to be registered for the extension—we cannot split single/double occupancy over the weekend. The fee covers everything—meals, lodging, snacks, and materials for the workshop. | |
Day Visitors | We have a limited number of slots open for nearby residents who would like to join us just for the day on Saturday. The fee is $140 and includes the morning workshop, lunch, the marketplace, afternoon refreshments, dinner, and evening presentation. (Please note: The marketplace is open to attendees only.) | |
Bringing Family | Non-knitting partners, spouses, friends, or children are welcome as long as they promise not to distract you from your fun. Violators will be deprived of their dessert and forced to learn how to knit. We regret we are not able to accommodate children under 12 without a non-participating adult caregiver, as child-care is not available. Well-behaved nursing babies are always welcome, but once the child is a toddler, it will need a non-participating caregiver. The cost for adult non-knitting companions sharing a room with a participant is $340 for the weekend, or $490 with the Thursday extension. This includes lodging, meals, snacks, and all taxes and gratuities. | |
Registration is now sold out. If you'd like to be put on the waiting list, please fill out our waiting list form. Thank you! Simply print the registration form, fill it out, and return it to us with your payment. The registration form is in Adobe Acrobat .PDF format. Most computers already have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed, but if you don't, you can download a free version.
You may return the registration form by fax (888-653-5558) or by mail to: We will make every effort to send you email confirmation of your registration status within 14 days. Space is expected to fill very quickly. Waitlisted registrations will be assigned a priority based on the date/time we receive the fax, or by postmark. Once your space has been confirmed, your credit card will be charged for the full registration fee starting on August 15, or, in the case of waitlisted applicants, upon confirmation of your space. | ||
| Cancellations | Cancellations are fully refundable until September 15, 2010, at which point they will be subject to a $100 cancellation fee. After October 1, 2010, we regret that all cancellations are non-refundable. | |
| Getting There | The Williams Inn is an approximately three-hour drive from Boston and a three-and-a-half hour drive from New York City. The region is served by major airports in Boston (Logan), New York (LaGuardia, Kennedy, Newark, and Albany), and Connecticut (Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks). The closest airports are Albany International (one hour) and Bradley International Airport (two hours). We are not able to provide event transportation from area airports to the inn, but most participants have been able to coordinate carpools and ride-sharing from airports through the Knitter's Review Forum in the past and we will do all we can to help coordinate this. | |
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