As promised, some snapshots from last weekend's excursion to the Knitters' Review Retreat in Williamstown, MA. It was the perfect ending to a busy fall season of work and travel. There is something wonderfully cohesive and embracing about this weekend. Perhaps it's due to the roster of faithful, mostly repeat attendees, so it has the feel of a reunion with good friends. 

 Holly, ready for shoppers at the marketplace at our booth.

But it's mostly because of the tone and spirit of this event which is set by  hostess, founder and master of ceremonies, Clara Parkes. Clara has created a perfectly balanced blend of gentle structure, skill sharpening, creative inspiration, fun, humor, with moments set aside for personal reflection. And shopping.

 
Happy hour: Holly, Clara and Melissa Morgan Oakes.

 Good company and good food. 

After checking in, Holly and I wasted no time in making our room feel (and look) just like the studio. Within minutes I had pounds of cormo silk alpaca roving strung about along with skeins of dampish yarn that hadn't dried at home.

 Fortunately, the relative humidity of our room (zero) was perfect for drying yarn and fiber (but murder on the sinuses).

The weekend celebrated  knitting, friendship and fiber. The recent release of Clara's book, The Knitters' Book of Wool, added to the excitement. Clara had many of the hand knit models on display during her booksigning.

The Saturday workshops are always one of the highlights of the retreat. I took in Anne Hanson's Sweater Design class. It began with working in pairs to record our body measurements (and since we well-fed all weekend, I'm glad this occurred in the early part of Saturday). I was quite pleased with my wrist measurements.   

Holly took Melissa's class in finishing techniques. Katherine Alexander's workshop focused on her famous multicolor three-dimensional knitting and Clara offered a primer on sock yarn. Everyone compared notes at meal times.

The focus of Saturday evening was a fascinating talk by Melanie Falick of STC Publishing. She talked about how her career path led to her current position as head of craft imprint – and talked about how they go about acquiring titles, (having recently been through the process of selling two books, this was all quite interesting for me). Then she gave us a preview of coming attractions for 2010.

Anne Hanson and Chris of Briar Rose.

Sunday morning was time for "new beginnings" in which we all cast on new projects. The "Reverend" Parkes performed a group wedding ceremony in which we all vowed loyalty and devotion to our new projects, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, "until bind off us do part."