From the looks of it, we never returned from Detroit Lakes, but we did — right on time!! We have been delinquent on “retreat follow up” but here goes.
We left the cities in a driving rain (pun intended!). The lake was obscured by heavy fog when we arrived, but the hotel (The Lodge on Lake Detroit) was lovely:
The lobby
The View from Susan’s Room at Sunrise – once the fog cleared!
Shelley and Scott from The Yarnery did an amazing job of organizing everything – they were so welcoming and really planned the weekend to perfection. The idea was to get a group of knitters together to knit and socialize in a relaxing setting, while hanging out with popular knitting designers.
Catherine Lowe, Julie Hoover, Olga Buraya-Kefelian (aka OlgaJazzy), Michelle Wang (pronounced Wong)
The four designers (and some other notables) were there to talk about their knitting journeys and to assist us in selecting projects from the many original samples on hand and in executing techniques from their designs. They were warm, knowledgeable, and eager to participate and get to know the knitters. There was a small Yarnery “pop up” shop that sold Shibui, Brooklyn Tweed, and Woolfolk yarns (along with assorted kits and other yarns) that was kept very busy. The Shibui rep and BT support staff were also present.
Catherine has had a long knitting history, with a focus on meticulous finishing techniques. Her designs and yarns are sought after by serious knitters. (As a side note, she and Sally have a long time connection through Yarns International, where they both worked years ago.) Julie, Olga, and Michelle are all talented and creative designers who found knitting after a circuitous journey, often landing on knitting design by being in the right place at the right time. It was fun to hear their personal stories and their insights on their design process.
Susan worked on Olga’s Suke-Suke Cowl because of its striking textural stitch (using Malabrigo Rios). Sally chose a Julie Hoover top called Leigh in Shibui Pebble that was super cute and fit Sally really well.
We had a wonderful time and met some great people!!
Once we returned, we both got swept up in real life. We have several FOs to share which will be revealed in the near future.
And Happy Hallowe’en!!
The retreat sounds fabulous! I so wish I’d know. I just found your blog, as I was looking as strand kinitted techniques and you know how surfing the internet goes – one thing leads to another. I am less than an hour from Detroir Lakes and I would have been thrilled to join in the fun. I will have to keep my eyes open to see if it happens again.
Comment by KarenVR — November 4, 2015 @ 10:22 pm
I was inspired to do more knitting by your great Retreat report and pics!
The new felted scarf is fantastic! Another inspiration to aspire to.
Better late than never when it comes to comments….
Comment by ChinaDoll003 — November 4, 2015 @ 10:46 pm
Martha and I just figured out that that we are in the forefront of your picture. What a lovely memory to have, thanks for taking it!
Comment by Grace Doolittle — November 6, 2015 @ 12:05 am