Please note: This item is for the $200 deposit for overnight accomodation OR for a $200 daypass for Friday or Saturday. If your accomodation option is no longer available, please call 216-230-9224 or email us at info@aroundthetableyarns.com to be put on the waiting list.
Come to the farm with us to explore knitting, crochet and the community of crafting. Returning to the Bellwether Farm Camp and Conference Center, this weekend will feature
Instructors for this retreat are Kate Atherley, Toni Lipsey, Peg Mayor and Dee Eisner. And we are delighted to welcome special guests Max Daniels, Gaye Glasspie of GGmadeit, and Mark Vogel of MakerMarkKnits. Kat Eldred is bringing a Why Knot Fibers pop-up, and there will be a brand new exclusive colorway from Tina’s Twisted Fibers.
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Beginning Crochet with Toni Lipsey
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Colorwork 101 with Peg Mayor
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two talks by Kate Atherley:
The first project &
Working with Pooling Yarns
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Illusion Knitting and Craftivism
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Friday pm classes:
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Lace 101 with Kate Atherley
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Intermediate Crochet with Toni Lipsey
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Pocket Power with Peg Mayor
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Color Theory Workshop
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Saturday am classes:
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Beginning Tunisian Crochet with Toni Lipsey
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Mastering the Thumb Gusset with Peg Mayor
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Cables with Kate Atherley
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Color Theory Workshop
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Saturday pm classes:
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Entrelac with Kate Atherley
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Intermediate Tunisian Crochet with Toni Lipsey
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Finishing Finesse with Peg Mayor
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Illusion Knitting and Craftivism
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Daypass options:
$850 - Shared double/triple room Friday, Aug. 1, 8:30am – Sunday, Aug. 3, 1pm
$575 - Cabin Friday, Aug. 1, 8:30am – Sunday, Aug. 3, 1pm
$200 - Daypass Friday, Aug. 1 or Saturday, Aug. 2 (9am – 9pm, includes lunch and dinner)
Bellwether Farm Camp, Retreat, and Education Center offers a model of sustainable living that promotes physical and spiritual wellness, fidelity to the environment, and social justice. It is located at 4655 State Route 60, Wakeman, OH 44889.
440.839.0088
Balance payments for overnight accommodation must be paid in full by April 1st, 2025. Checks preferred, but credit cards are accepted, come in or call 216-230-9224 during shop hours to pay your balance by card. Checks should be payable to “Around the Table Yarns”. Mail or bring in checks to Around the Table Yarns 20085 Chagrin Boulevard, Shaker Heights, OH 44122
Daypass participants will have paid in full with their deposit. For overnight guests, prices after the $200 deposit will be as follows per person: Single $990, Double/Triple $650, Cabin $375.
Refunds will only be made by check from the shop after the retreat. Refunds requested by April 1st, 2025 will be in full. Refunds requested between April 2 - June 30, 2025, will be up to 50% of the amount paid. No refunds will be made on or after July 1st, 2025.
Our Teachers and Guests:
Kate Atherley
Kate is Knitty.com’s Managing Technical Editor, and a seasoned designer and teacher of all things knitterly.
She has written eight books, and edited a ninth. She is also the co-publisher of Digits & Threads, an online magazine about Canadian fibre- and textile arts, crafts and industry.
Custom-Fit Hats is a recipe for making the perfect fitting hat, for any head, from any yarn.
Custom Shawls is a full guide to everything shawls: from recipes for 20+ shawl shapes, a primer on on key techniques, a discussion of yarn and fibre and fabric, 13 patterns, and ideas and stitch patterns for creating your own.
The Knitter’s Dictionary, is an easy-to-use and friendly guide to the language of knitting. A reference book and a guide to pattern reading all in one, it covers topics from Gauge to Yarn Barf. It received a starred review in Publisher’s Weekly.
‘Knit Mitts: Your Hand-y Guide to Knitting Mittens and Gloves’, released in fall 2017, brings the same any-size-any-gauge approach as used in Custom Socks to hand coverings of all kinds. The first printing sold out in record time.
‘Custom Socks: Knit to Fit Your Feet’ was released summer 2015 by Interweave Press, to great acclaim. It takes a different approach than many sock books, teaching you how to measure your feet and providing numbers for working both toe-up and top down socks for 12 sizes and 9 gauges.
Her ‘Beginner’s Guide to Writing Knitting Patterns’ book is the industry’s first and only guide specifically written to help knit designers (and teachers) of all levels create easy-to-follow, high quality knitting patterns. It’s been called a “game-changer” and a “must-have” by designers and magazine editors.
She’s known for her attention to detail in her patterns and her classes, and she regularly teaches at stores and events across North America and the UK, including Vogue Knitting Live, Unravel and Knit City. Her work has appeared in many books and magazines.
Toni Lipsey
Hi! I'm Toni Lipsey, the designer, instructor and author behind TL Yarn Crafts
I share crochet inspiration and education for beginner makers and beyond. Stick around for crochet tips and tricks, roundups of my favorite things, and so much more.
I've designed over 200+ chic and practical crochet patterns for modern stitchers. Find your next sweater, shawl, and blanket project in my shop.
In 2015, I was looking for the ideal slouchy beanie pattern and couldn't find it anywhere. Frustrated beyond belief, I set out to create the perfect crochet beanie. Several months and a few dozen discarded samples later, the Mega Pom Beanie was born and so was a crochet designer. Over the next year, I designed 30+ beginner-friendly accessories and eye-catching home decor pieces. I shifted my focus solely to designing in early 2017 and quit my day job later that year to pursue it full-time. Find my earliest and latest designs in my shop. Outside of crochet, I'm a true crime-loving bookworm with a hint of wanderlust.
My husband, a.k.a. The Hubs, and I returned to our Detroit roots and bought our forever home in 2022.
When I'm not surrounded by yarn, you can find me cruising a bike trail with 90's R&B on full blast, or snuggled on my couch binging Dateline with my cat Sheba, and my dog Pepper.
I believe that love is always the answer, being open to new experiences keeps us young, and we can accomplish anything with enough coffee and community. Join my Facebook group to find your new favorite crochet friends.
Peg Mayor
Dee Eisner
Maeve Billings
Gaye Glasspie
Mark Vogel
Class descriptions:
Friday am classes:
North Conference Room - Kate Atherley 9:45a-10:45 (no class limit):
The First One Doesn’t Have to Be Awful: How To Ensure Your First Sweater, Your First Socks And Your First Lace Projects Are Easy, Fun And Beautiful—An honest discussion about the challenges facing newer knitters and those looking to expand their skills. I talk about the classic pitfalls of the “first” project, whether it’s a sweater pattern that turns out to be a giant blanket of boring stockinette stitch that takes forever to knit, and results in an error-riddled ill-fitting sack, or the first sock with ridiculously tiny yarn and tiny needles… I propose a better way to learn a new technique and tackle a challenge, showing how knitters can ensure that any “first” project –sweater, socks, cables, lace - is something to be proud of. I provide tips for success, from guidance on choosing a good pattern to the knitting and finishing process.
North Conference Room - Kate Atherley 11-12n (no class limit)
The Good, The Bad and The Pooling: Working with Multicolored Yarns— A discussion of the fun and challenges of working with hand-painted yarns. I review different types of hand-painted colorways, and with help of lots of photos, explain how figure out what a yarn will look like knitted up. I’ll provide guidance on how to best apply different types of colorways for the most attractive results. Along the way I tell stories about the best, the worst, and the most surprising skeins of variegated yarns I’ve bought, and I encourage the audience to show off interesting, challenging and problematic skeins so we can figure them out!
South Conference Room - Toni Lipsey 10a -12n Beginning Crochet - Half Moon Wash Cloth (class limit 24)
Video Room - Peg Mayor 10a - 12n Colorwork 101 (class limit 12) — Stranded colorwork from the very beginning. Students will come to class with the ribbing done on a simple colorwork cowl (pattern to be provided as part of the class). We will spend the class learning about stranded colorwork and practicing on our cowl. Students will leave with a solid understanding of how to hold the yarns, how to achieve tension and avoid puckering, and how to maintain color dominance. Prerequisites: the ability to cast on and work ribbing in the round. Yarn kits will be available in advance from ATTY.
Barn - Dee Eisner - 10a - 12n Illusion Knitting and Craftivism (class limit 12) — Using beginner level skills of knitting and purling, learn the basics of Illusion knitting with a side of craftivism. Make a dish rag/washcloth or a hat with a hidden design or message. When looked at directly, illusion knitting appears to be stripes made in 2 contrasting colors. It’s only when looked at on an angle that the design is revealed. Illusion knitting can be fun and whimsical, artistic, functional, or subtly subversive. You will have a couple of options for the object you knit into your work. As the resident craftivist, Dee will also have a resistance pattern available. While you work on your project for the class, she will cover a few historical and more recent examples of knitting as a political act.
Friday pm classes:
North Conference Room - Kate Atherley 2 -5p Lace 101 (class limit 16) — An introduction to the magic of lace knitting. Through swatching, we explore different types of stitch patterns, and how to work them. We also talk about how to read patterns, making sure you’re confident with both written and charted instructions. We’ll also talk about how to identify, fix and prevent mistakes, and provide tips for making lace easier and more fun. If you’ve got a lace project you want to tackle, bring it so we can make sure we work on the skills you need. skill level: advanced beginner; knitters must be comfortable with knit, purl, increasing and decreasing. students should bring: 4-5mm/US #6-8 needles - straight or short circular - and light-colored medium weight scrap yarn; students should also bring the project they wish to start
South Conference Room - Toni Lipsey 2:30-4:30 Intermediate Crochet The Timber Cowl (class limit 24)
Video Room - Peg Mayor Pocket Power (class limit 12) — We will learn an ingenious method of completing a professional-looking and beautiful pocket while we knit the rest of the sweater. No more pocket linings to be tacked down later. No more awkward pulling and lumps where the pocket sides meet the garment sides. You know you want pockets on those cardigans! Learn how to make it happen like a pro. There will be some modest prep for this class so we can spend the entire time learning the technique. Prerequisites: basic beginning knitting skills.
Barn - Maeve Billings 2:30 - 4:30 Color Theory Workshop (class limit 20) — If you’re ever unsure on which colors to use, this is an opportunity to learn about color theory and how it can inform your future knit + crochet items. You will participate in hands-on activities and games teaching color theory terms, concepts, and practical applications.
Saturday 10a - 12n classes:
North Conference Room - Kate Atherley Cables (class limit 16) — Learn the knitter's dirtiest secret - cables are easy! We'll address not only how to work cables, but also how to read charts and patterns, and we'll share expert tips on how to manage the knitting of a complex cable design. skill level: advanced beginner; knitters need to be proficient with knit, purl. students should bring: scrap yarn in a light colour and matching needles - medium-weight and 5mm/US #8 needles is recommended; a cable needle
South Conference Room - Toni Lipsey Beginning Tunisian Crochet The Empire Wash cloth (class limit 24)
Video Room - Peg Mayor Mastering the Thumb Gusset (class limit 12) — Better fitting mittens and mitts. It’s the dream, isn’t it? A thumb gusset makes ALL the difference. Banish those afterthought thumbs to the scrap pile. Students will be given a pattern for a beautiful pair of cabled mittens. Yarn kits will be available from ATTY. You’ll come to class with your cuff ribbing done on one mitt. We will spend the entire class working on a perfect gusset and will also cover how to finish thumbs so they look professional with no ugly gapping. Prerequisites: Ability to cast on and work ribbing in a single color on either DPNs or Magic Loop. Also basic cable knitting experience.
Barn - Dee Eisner Illusion Knitting and Craftivism (class limit 12) — Using beginner level skills of knitting and purling, learn the basics of Illusion knitting with a side of craftivism. Make a dish rag/washcloth or a hat with a hidden design or message. When looked at directly, illusion knitting appears to be stripes made in 2 contrasting colors. It’s only when looked at on an angle that the design is revealed. Illusion knitting can be fun and whimsical, artistic, functional, or subtly subversive. You will have a couple of options for the object you knit into your work. As the resident craftivist, Dee will also have a resistance pattern available. While you work on your project for the class, she will cover a few historical and more recent examples of knitting as a political act.
Saturday pm classes
North Conference Room - Kate Atherley 2-5p Entrelac (class limit 16)— Entrelac is one of the most beautiful and mystifying of knitterly arts! We'll teach you everything you need to know to create your own one-of-a-kind scarf, and along the way improve your skills with some new techniques for increasing, decreasing and picking up stitches. skill level: advanced beginner - knitters need to be proficient with knit, purl. students should bring: 4.5mm/US #7 needles (straight or short circular); 3 balls Scheepjes Secret Garden or similar DK yarn
South Conference Room - Toni Lipsey 2:30-4:30p Intermediate Tunisian Crochet The Cadenza Wrap (class limit 24)
Video Room - Peg Mayor 2:30-4:30p Finishing Finesse (class limit 12) —It’s the final hurdle to making garments that look worthy of all the time and money you spent on them. Students can bring in a garment (or two) at the finishing stage: picking up stitches for a neck, seaming a sleeve, button bands, etc. You can work on finishing in class under the watchful eye of Peg who is known for her uber picky finishing. Gain confidence in picking up stitches and seams so you never again pass on a beautiful pattern simply because it includes those techniques. There is more to life than the top down yoke! Note: If you don’t happen to have a garment at the right stage, Peg will have homework instructions for you to knit a couple of small swatches that you can use to practice the techniques in class.
Barn - Maeve Billings 2:30-4:30p Color Theory Workshop (class limit 20) — If you’re ever unsure on which colors to use, this is an opportunity to learn about color theory and how it can inform your future knit + crochet items. You will participate in hands-on activities and games teaching color theory terms, concepts, and practical applications.
