Annual knitting retreat and fiber market on tap for January at Old Slater Mill

(Pawtucket, RI) Line up your winter knitting projects, and get ready for an opportunity to advance your skills and convene with other knitters to share a love of the craft.

Cast on at the 11th annual Slater Mill Knitting Weekend and Fiber Market, January 19 and 20, for two full days of knitting classes, stash-building, and home-spun inspiration.

Registration recently opened for Saturday and Sunday morning classes in Brioche, Double Knitting, Lace Knitting, Shawl Shapes, Charted Patterns, and iPhone-ography – the latter a new offering for knitters and makers who want to up their games on social media and online commerce sites.

“We included digital photography because more and more makers are using Etsy, Ravelry and other sites to market their products, and one key to success there is attractive images,” said Lori Urso, ex-ecutive director of Slater Mill. “Gale Zucker is a celebrated photographer who shoots the Berroco catalogues, and who has collaborated on numerous best-selling knitting books over the past decade.”

The teaching roster includes returning professional knitwear designers Alison Green, Dylan Uscher and Pam Sluter, who are joined by new instructors Alasdair Post-Quinn, an expert on double-knitting, and Zucker.

Tuition-based classes are held on the second floor of the 1793 Old Slater Mill, and are limited to twelve students, to allow for more individualized attention from instructors that accommodates a range of skill levels, and better engagement among participants.

Free and open to all is the colorful Fiber Market, held in the old factory on the first floor. A popular weekend attraction, the Fiber Market brings in fiber producers and dyers, pattern-makers, tool mak-ers, and other fiber art product vendors from all over New England. It runs on both days from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“Whether or not you are a knitter, the Fiber Market is a colorful attraction, with lots to look at, and beautiful yarns to see and touch,” says Urso. “It is interesting to learn about how the yarns are pro-duced, and how fibers from sheep, goat or llama differ.” She adds that the vendors bring not only yarns and supplies, but also earrings, trinkets, gifts, natural soaps, and other products.

Register for classes now on brownpapertickets.com, keyword Slater Mill. Classes run from 8:30 a.m. to Noon. Fee for one class is $80, or register for two for $150. If you prefer to register by mail, email info@slatermill.org for a printable registration form. Or call 401-725-8638 x.107 to pay by phone with credit card, avoiding online fees.

Knitting Weekend is presented by Slater Mill’s Trad Arts Studio, with the support of R.I. State Council on the Arts, Berroco, Inc., Phyllis Kimball Johnstone Foundation, and the City of Pawtucket.