Presentations & Classes

Margaret teaches classes centered around Geometric Knitting. Geometric knitting exploits underutilized combinations of techniques that produce colorful, graphic designs without traditional colorwork. One strand of yarn is used at a time and pattern stitches are easy to master and memorize.

Classes you can sign up for now (or soon)

Look for my class offerings on Vogue Knitting Live. I will be teaching for them virtually in October and December, 2024. Classes offered on these dates are The New Colorwork, Geometric Exploration (Pinwheels) and Portals.

Knitting Retreats

I have a beachfront retreat venue in Oxnard, California for 8. This is a 90 minute drive from LAX and 50 minutes from Santa Barbara airport. Gather your friends and fellow-knitters, agree on a date, and contact me for reservations and planning. I will be your host for relaxing knitting by the beach, classes (if desired), trips to local sites (Santa Barbara, Ojai, Channel Islands by boat) and activities such as surfing and kayaking in the harbor. You’ll enjoy our temperate year-round climate and luxury accommodations.

On-demand Presentations and classes

I give on-demand talks and classes to Knitting Guilds, and knitting groups, both in person and via Zoom. Use the Contact page to make inquiries about costs and scheduling.

1 Hour Presentations:

  • My latest designs: Inspirations, Construction Techniques and Color Choices.

  • The Geometry of Garter Stitch Knitting: Designing straight line, and organic shapes for knitting.

Classes generally include a blanket pattern, a class handout, and access to my library of technique videos.

The New Colorwork - Geometric Knitting basics (2 hours)

If you like color but not hassling with all the yarns involved in traditional colorwork, knitting geometrically may work better for you. In this class we will learn some of the key techniques while making the Center Stage block. You can make a Pillow from your block or go on to make a full blanket.

Geometric Exploration (based on Pinwheel block) (2 hours)

Learn new geometric knitting techniques while making a beautiful Pinwheel block. Explore ways to create geometric shapes modularly to minimize seaming. We’ll be covering the optional construction for this block which is to use Intarsia for Garter Stitch.

Safe at Home Block (2 hours)

Master using Intarsia for garter stitch while making a block with a quaint house (i.e. the Safe at Home Block), and practice generating stitches on diagonal edges, and how to make neat, virtually invisible seams. Intarsia for garter stitch is an easy way to add some small shapes to geometric designs, and the bumpiness of garter stitch hides irregular stitches.

Flower Show Block (4-5 hours, taught in two sessions, on 2 different days)

Learn how to work curved shapes and integrate them into a block or design while making the beautiful Flower Show block. Curves are created by short rows, decreases, increases and the clever placement of 3-needle Bind offs. Perfect your skills for purling backwards as you make this beautiful block.

In Part 1 of the class, we learn to make Petals. As homework after class, and before Part 2 of the class, students need to complete 8 Petals. Students generally complete between 4-6 Petals during class.

In Part 2 of the class, taught the following day, we learn how to make the Center, and the edge pieces that surround the Flower and turn it into a square block.

Portals - a post-modern pillow cover design (2-3 hours)

While making the Portals pillow cover, we'll explore the geometry of knitting and learn these techniques for garter stitch knitting: 3-needle BO for shaping, purling backwards, weaving in ends invisibly, mattress stitch for garter stitch. The class includes two options for working the shapes: flat or in-the-round. In class we will be working them flat, and demonstrating the circular technique, including how to make jogless stripes in garter stitch.

Love Bug (5 hours, taught in two sessions)

While making the Love Bug block, we’ll learn all the techniques used in Geometric Knitting: shaping, a small amount of Intarsia, and short rows and joining seamlessly. We will learn time-saving and useful techniques including: purling backwards, weaving in ends with duplicate stitch and weaving in draped yarns when doing a pick up and knit.

Camp Along (6 hours, taught in two sessions)

Learn to make the two blocks (Camper and Tree) in the Camp Along blanket. This class covers many techniques including garter stitch shaping, 3-needle BO for shaping, intarsia, short rows, seaming, knitting and attaching embellishments and embroidery.

More Than a Feline (3 hours)

Make a characterful cat cushion while learning garter stitch techniques for intarsia, embellishments, embroidery, seaming and shaping.

Finishing Techniques for Garter stitch knitting.

Learn several methods for assembling garter stitch knitted blocks or strips into a blanket. We’ll cover all the finishing techniques to make a polished and perfect handmade blanket that you’ll be proud of. We will learn several different sew-less blanket border constructions and their pros and cons, and how to weave in ends permanently and invisibly. Learn how to knit on embellishments and how to tack them to your blanket neatly (so they don’t show on the back).