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2014 MADRONA FIBER ARTS WINTER RETREAT
FEBRUARY 13-16, 2014
Hotel Murano, Tacoma, Washington

REGISTRATION FOR THE 2014 MADRONA WINTER RETREAT IS OPEN

  • The full 2014 Retreat Regular Class Schedule is announced. Go to the Retreat Class Schedule and Information page. We will update the schedule daily to show which classes remain available.
  • Registration is open and there are classes still available. Check the class schedule before registering to see which classes have openings. Go to the Retreat Registration Instructions page for more information and how to register.
  • Hotel Murano is full with Madrona attendees. Please go to the Make Hotel Reservations page for the list of alternative hotels and for information about getting on the Murano Hotel wait list at the  Make Hotel Reservations page.
  • Find out more about the Hotel Murano, places of interest and travel to Madrona. Go to the Hotel and Travel Information page.
  • Mini-Class Schedule will be announced in early January. Registration for mini-classes will open towards the end of January. Many of our teachers will be offering mini-class versions of their favorites.
  • Be part of the Madrona Community in this, our 15th Winter Retreat. Informal gatherings and hanging out are part of the Madrona fun and tradition. Even if you don’t take a class, come and enjoy the Market, demonstrations, clinics, evening events and knit and spin with old and new friends. Remember, you only pay for classes and the Saturday banquet – the rest of Madrona is FREE.
  • For more information see the Table of Contents at the left, click on the information you are looking for and also go to the 2014 Winter Retreat FAQs page.

Overview of Madrona 2014

Our first Madrona 15 years ago was incredible.  Returning to be with us as they were in those earliest years are Sally Melville, Beth Brown-Reinsel, Nancy Bush and Anita Luvera Mayer. Begin or expand your pattern drafting skills with Sally and spend a couple of days with Beth learning to make the perfect Gansey sweater.  Nancy has designed a new lace shawl in the Estonian tradition just for you and we will put you in Anita’s hands to create more than you ever imagined.

We are very excited to announce our special evening speakers for Madrona, the 15th year!  We welcome Galina Khmeleva who brings the Orenburg lace tradition to Madrona to speak at our Friday evening Teacher’s Gallery. Galina takes us along on her own journey from St. Petersburg, Russia and the history of the Russian knitters and handspinners who have created the luxurious Orenburg lace shawls and scarves.  Stephanie Pearl-McPhee will host Thursday evening’s Teachers Talent Show for fun and charity AND we are thrilled to have her speak at the Saturday night banquet. Stephanie has been a special part of the Madrona family for many years and it is especially meaningful to have her speak at our 15th celebration dinner.  There is no one in our fiber world so in touch with the spirit of what it means to be part of a community and why it is important than Stephanie. She will share her insights with rollicking humor and honesty! Please join us for all these evenings.

We are welcoming Mary Jane Mucklestone, Galina Khmeleva, John Mullarkey and Y’vonne Cutright for the first time to the Madrona family! Delve into Fair Isle motifs and Scandinavian colorwork with Mary Jane, Orenburg lace knitting and spinning from Russia with Galina and John will have you card weaving bands in no time! With Y’vonne, you will discover a very magical way to knit gloves – with a “helicopter technique” from the tips down.

And Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, Judith MacKenzie, Franklin Habit and Jacey Boggs are just a few of your faves that will be returning! What could be better than another Teacher Talent Night and much more that Stephanie has in store for us or imagining and exploring “Illusions” with Franklin and the pleasures of spinning with Judith and Jacey.

Susanna Hansson first introduced us to the Bohus tradition and she is returning with a very special Bohus class which includes a 15th year anniversary treat direct from her native Sweden. There are more favorites joining us:  Anne Berk teaching Intarsia, Linda Gettmann brings us some more fancy weaves on the rigid heddle loom, Bill Jones shows us his tricks for stabilizing knitted fabric that he keeps cutting up, Jean Wong will help you delve into the world of Japanese knitting pattern drafting and finishing techniques. Susan Newhall takes on demystifying color theory and if you want to learn support spindling on a variety of spindles, Lisa Chan will not only teach you but she will make a custom spindle for you if you ask her.

Wait there is more!  You’ll find a brand new class from Carson Demers to teach you how to keep your body in tune while knitting, Catherine Lowe repeats her very popular “The”WOW Factor”, there are more spinning tricks with Sarah Anderson and Amelia Garripoli, as well as clever new projects from the design artistry of Sivia Harding.

Evelyn Clark  will be teaching Icelandic Lace and you will strand many colors with Mary Scott Huff.  Both Evelyn and Mary have designed wonderful special Madrona 15th year celebration patterns just for you. They are available in free downloads in our Table of Contents at the left. We are looking forward to seeing your scarves and hats in lots of different colors at Madrona.  More Info on these fabulous patterns are below. 

We may set the stage but what happens at Madrona is in the minds, hearts and inspirations of all of you who walk through our doors.  We can never thank you all enough for your extraordinary support all these 15 years and making Madrona Yours.

Be part of the Madrona Community – February 13-16, 2014.  We’ll see you there!

A Madrona Lace Scarf designed by Evelyn Clark

We are grateful to Evelyn for designing this gorgeous Madrona Lace Scarf to celebrate both the 15th anniversary and the tree for which our retreat is named. We hope lots of you will knit it in all colors and yarns and come show yours off at Madrona in February!

Evelyn will also be teaching lace design at Madrona using the berry and leaf motifs of the Madrona lace scarf to show students how to vary the pattern and chart their own designs.

The pattern is available as a FREE DOWNLOAD HERE on the Madrona website until March 1, 2014.

MadronaLaceScarf_0315Evelyn says “It is an honor to be able to contribute a little lace to the 15th anniversary celebration of the Madrona Fiber Arts Retreat. Often people advise finding one’s tribe as a step toward living a more satisfying life and those at these retreats have been an important part of my tribe.

Like the Madrona trees native to the Pacific Northwest, this rectangular scarf has leaves and berries.  It is knit from end to end, and the asymmetrical patterning includes a 10 stitch repeat to customize the width. An option is given to add beads between the motifs and at the symmetrically scalloped ends.

The design looks great in a variety of handspun and commercial lace, fingering and Shetland/sport/DK weight yarns.”

Click Here to download the pattern or click on the Madrona Scarf Pattern download in the Table of Contents at the left.

Madrona Tree Hats Designed by Mary Scott Huff

Which Madrona Tree will you be?  We are thrilled with the Madrona Tree hats that Mary Scott Huff has designed in honor of the 15th Annual Madrona Winter Retreat.  There are two versions inspired by the lush foliage and berries of our namesake native Pacific Coast tree. You are invited to mix and match your own choice of colors to create a version of Madrona Tree that is yours alone!

Daniel Herrera will be leading a KAL for Madrona Tree in the Madrona Fiber Arts group on Ravelry. Join the fun, pick your colors and Knit Along.  We can’t wait to see all the fine hats in many colors and versions in February at Madrona.

Mary will also be teaching a class for those new to stranded colorwork at Madrona using the Madrona Tree pattern: “2 Strings=Not Scary”.

THE PATTERN IS AVAILABLE AS A FREE DOWNLOAD HERE ON THE MADRONA WEBSITE

Madrona Tree HatsMary says “I am proud to present Madrona Tree in honor of the 15th Madrona Winter Retreat. These two stranded colorwork hats are worked in rounds, from the bottom up: the cap starts with a hem, the helmet with a provisional cast on.  After knitting the top, remove the provisional cast on and work the helmet sides from the live stitches down. Garter stitch bands add textural interest to the cap, while the helmet sports ribbed trim with a tipped edge. Whimsical tassels finish both sides with a flair. Choose your own colors and begin! Which Madrona Tree will you be?”

Click Here to download the Madrona Tree Hat patterns or click on the Madrona Tree pattern in the Table of Contents at the left.