Workshops with Norah Gaughan
14-19 June 2026
For all the workshops, there will be one teacher and a skilled assistant to help you, ensuring personalized guidance tailored to individual learning speeds.
Workshop 1
Innovative Cables
During the workshop we will cover the following topics:
- Learn Norah’s favorite tricks for working cables.
- Discuss which yarns are best for cables and why.
- Brush up on chart reading and take a deep dive into Norah’s Cable chart symbols.
- Explore cables that employ multiple steps.
- Swatch non-stockinette cables constructed by the principle of substitutions – ribs & mini cables.
- Learn about and practice, some special crossings.
Workshop 2
Designing a new cable!
During the workshop we will cover the following topics:
- We explore some general principles of surface design, then apply them to making up new cable designs.
- Learn about repeats, mirroring and other ways to make variations
- Explore those principles using paper tiles.
- Use your smart phone as a a record of your experiments.
- Transfer your favorite arrangement ideas to cables.
- Learn how to chart your ideas on paper.
- Discuss how Norah does this on her computer.
- Explore techniques for testing your charts before knitting.
- Test your idea by knitting it.
Workshop 3
Refine Your Cable pattern and put it to Use
During the workshop we will cover the following topics:
- In this workshop we will refine the cables you’ve invented in the previous class, taking a deeper dive into the process of designing stitches.
- Learn why Norah rarely rips out a swatch
- Learn how to look at your work with a sense of curiosity (not judgement)
- Consider some changes:
- Refining the spacing of your cables.
- Explore filling the opens spaces and which stitches might work best.
- Consider making connections between sections of your cable
- Produce a new chart.
- Learn how to substitute your new cable in the sweater pattern Norah designed for the retreat.
- Learn how to plan the cables at the neckline by working with Norah’s neckline templates.
Requirements
- Yarn (sport or dk weight) in a very light, solid color
- Needles to match your yarn (please bring a range of sizes)
- Sharp pencils & a good eraser
- Paper scissors (children's scissors are fine)
- clear tape (the kind you can write on)
Gift bag
Each knitter will receive an exclusive Artisan Retreats gift bag!