West Coast Fibre Art Retreat - November 2024

Come meet, mingle, and learn with other fibre art enthusiasts during a series of workshops led by local and visiting instructors! November 13-15, 2024. Nestled in a cozy, ocean-side resort on the beautiful west coast, you will have the chance to learn how to thrum knit, weave with cedar, create arched gusset mittens, and upcycle marine debris into macrame. Stretch your legs and experience coastal rainforests with a local naturalist while taking in spectacular views from the Wild Pacific Trail, explore products from local vendors, and have your own time to explore the region further or relax by the ocean.

The retreat is now in its’ seventh year! You can read about our 2021 retreat or watch a video from our second retreat back in 2019 on our Youtube channel (links below).

• 2021 retreat story: https://www.westcoastnest.org/stories/west-coast-knitting-retreat-2021
• 2019 retreat video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjeO8E7yYgI

RETREAT SCHEDULE (example*)

Tuesday, November 12th

6 – 8pm: Registration and open knitting (optional)

Wednesday, November 13th

8:30am – 9:30am: Check-in and morning tea/coffee & knit

9:30am – 12:30pm: Workshop

12:30pm – 1:30pm: Group Lunch at Black Rock Oceanfront Resort

1:30pm – 2pm: Break

2pm – 5pm: Workshop

Evening: Dinner on your own

6pm: Drop-in knitting (optional)

Thursday, November 14th

9:30am – 12:30pm: Workshop

12:30pm – 2pm: Lunch break (your choice)

2pm – 3pm: Guided walk on the Wild Pacific Trail

3pm - 6pm: Break and Dinner (your choice)

6pm – 9pm: Evening Gathering to knit, enjoy wine and dessert, and browse the local vendor marketplace.

Friday, November 15th

9:30am – 12:30pm: Workshop

12:30pm – 1pm: Wrap-up and departure

*Exact times and workshops will be communicated closer to the event*

WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS

Thrumby slippers, a project-based knitting class with Faye Kennington of UkeeKnits

Explore the cozy comfort of thrum knitting with Thrumby slippers! Craft a baby-sized slipper in class and take home all the materials and skills you need to make an adult pair! In this workshop, you'll learn essential techniques including knitting the sole flat, picking up stitches, and shaping with short rows. Finish with an elegant i-cord cuff for added charm. Join Faye and discover the joy of creating these cozy slippers—perfect for gifting or keeping your toes toasty all season long!

Provided materials:

• Custom Woolen Mills Prairie Sea Fusion wool
• Merino wool top for thrums
• Thrumby knitting pattern

Tools to bring:

• US 10 (6 mm) double pointed needles
• Stitch marker
• Tapestry needle

Skills Required: Knit in the round, purl, basic decreases.

Arched Gusset Mitten Class with Catherine of Small Bird Workshop

After teaching wool and fibre classes at the last several retreats, instructor Catherine Knutsson has decided to switch it up and teach a class on another favourite thing: arched gusset mittens! Arched gusset mittens have a great fit and the arched gusset is a lovely architectural detail. This class explores a cuff-up version of the arched gusset mitten with a few special details, and will include instruction on cast-ons and bind-offs, grafting, eliminating gaps at the thumb, and tips for fit.

The mittens will not be completed within the time of the class, but all the necessary techniques required to complete them will be included, and ideas to customize the mittens, such as colourwork, cables, or textured stitches, will be explored and even be incorporated into the mittens within the structure of the class!

Provided materials: 1 skein of worsted weight yarn (a variety of colours will be available for students. Please information the instructor of your preference of one of the following: cool colour, warm colour, or neutral.

Materials and tools to bring to class:

• Needles of size to be announced soon
• four stitch markers
• pen or pencil
• ruler or measuring tape
• scissors
• tapestry needle
• waste yarn or stitch holders

Skill Level: advanced beginner; knitters should refresh their knowledge on the following techniques prior to class: knitting in the round, make 1 left and right (m1l, m1r), ssk and k2tog, casting on

Skills Required: knitting in the round, basic increases and decreases, experience with basic mitten construction

Cedar Weaving with Rose & Brian Wilson

Learn the art and skill of cedar weaving with Rose and her son Brian Wilson of Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ. Create a cedar craft while hearing about the many aspects of cedar and grass weaving such as how fibres are prepared.

Materials supplied by the instructor: Prepared cedar strips

Skill level: No weaving experience required, only a willingness and enthusiasm to learn.

Materials you bring to class: None.

Marine Debris Macrame with Kim Leckey of Sea Woven

Learn from Kim Leckey (Sea Woven) the art of macrame and upcycling: using driftwood, cotton rope, and polypropylene rope collected from the beaches and our local landfill, you will learn the basic knots including Larks Head knot + Square knot + Alternating Square knot + Diagonal Hitch knot. Attendees can either follow the pattern or use their new skills to create their own unique creations with lots of colourful marine debris to choose from.

Materials needed for class: All materials will be provided (bring small to medium-sized driftwood / any found & cleaned marine debris rope or net if you would like).

Skill level: Suitable for beginners, no experience required.

INSTRUCTOR BIOS

Faye Kennington has been closely involved with our fibre retreats since the very beginning! Ucluelet’s storm season provides the best excuse for her to make and wear wool knitwear. Faye is known for her colorwork designs and quick knits. She attended Helen Lefeaux School of Fashion Design in her earlier years and holds a diploma from the British Columbia Institute of Technology in Business Administration. Her combined interest in design, Excel spreadsheet know-how, and passion for a pretty skein have made a good basis for knitwear design. Find Faye @UkeeKnits on Instagram and Twitter.

Rose Wilson is a Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ cedar weaver living in Hitacu on the inner-shore of Ucluelet Inlet. She is both self taught and has the traditional teachings from Elders in processing materials and creating traditional works of art. Rose and her son, Brian Wilson, work with red and yellow cedar bark and several types of specific grasses to create clothing, hats, baskets which incorporate traditional and meaningful designs that have been passed down through her family for many generations.

Catherine Knutsson is a wool purveyor, knitter, spinner, weaver, hand dyer, and knitting pattern designer. She loves all things fibre, and especially loves to share her knowledge and enthusiasm with other fibre fans.

Kim Leckey (Sea Woven) holds a degree in fashion design from Ryerson University, and is a passionate artist and creator who has had the opportunity to work internationally in New Zealand, Central America, and California. Now residing in Ucluelet and Tofino BC, Kim merges her love of the ocean and macrame with sustainability in mind to create her own style of fiber art. She specializes in using recycled, upcycled, and marine debris material to construct unique macra-weave projects that reflect the intricate timelessness of the West Coast shorelines.

RETREAT LOCATION

The 2024 West Coast Fibre Art Retreat will take place at the Black Rock Oceanfront Resort in Ucluelet, BC. Perched at the north end of Big Beach, the resort offers some of the best possible views for a retreat! One of our classrooms, the wine cellar, is situated at the end of an active surge channel and has spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean - a perfect location to peacefully craft while viewing the powerful waves.

Black Rock Oceanfront Resort will have some great rooms available at a discounted rate for retreat participants, starting at $188/night. A discount code will be provided with your ticket receipt.

ALSO INCLUDED

Also included in the cost of the retreat is morning coffee/tea and pastries, one lunch at Black Rock Oceanfront Resort*, a vendor market evening with wine, cheese, and desserts, plus a guided walk on the Wild Pacific Trail (non-participating travel companions, partners, spouses, and on-leash pets are welcome to join the guided-walk at no cost.) *Alcoholic beverages at the group lunch are the responsibility of the participant. There is no reimbursement if you cannot attend the scheduled group lunch.

ACCESSIBILITY

Activities for this event include sitting for long periods, listening, reading, moving between rooms to attend workshops, and walking for up to one hour on a gravel pathway. Please let us know ahead of time if you require accommodations to enable your participation and learning during these activities, and we will do our best to assist you.

HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY

West Coast NEST is committed to hosting a safe, equitable, and inclusive event. Discriminatory behaviours and harassment or any other emotional or physical harm will not be tolerated and anyone displaying such behaviour will be asked to leave the event. The event will adhere to any health restrictions in the Province of British Columbia that may exist at the time of the event. Participants will be responsible for ensuring they meet the requirements. No refunds will be issued if a participant does not comply.

REFUND POLICY

Refunds will be accepted within 7 days of the date of purchase until September 30th, 2024. Refunds will be issued for the ticket cost, less an administration fee.