Sally Melville 

Sally Melville loves all aspects of life as a ‘professional’ knitter: teaching, writing, designing, and explaining what this all means!  And what does it mean?  It means an extensive teaching schedule that takes her all over the world, speaking to wonderful folk who can appreciate the perfect buttonhole, who love the textures and colors and techniques of knitting, who want to be more intuitive about their craft, and who know that life is about learning.

Sally first became known as an author with a book about how to make beautiful garments from a yarn stash (SALLY MELVILLE STYLES / 1998—a unique and elegant approach to your yarn collection) and then began a series of learn-to-knit books. The first three volumes of THE KNITTING EXPERIENCE series have sold a combined total of 250,000 copies.

Her most recent book is MOTHER  / DAUGHTER KNITS, 30 designs to flatter and fit. This book (written with her daughter) is significant because, while it explores and celebrates the two major demographics of knitters, it also explains how to look at, modify, and style what we knit so it’s worn with pride and honors our craft.

Sally’s educational background includes undergraduate work in math, English, and psychology, plus a graduate degree in English.  These subjects helped her become both pattern drafter and writer plus someone interested in the science of why we do what we do. Eventually this later interest became a full-time position of STUDY SKILLS ADVISOR at the University of Waterloo (1993-1999).  This meant taking the material of how the brain works most effectively and turning it over to students to help them work more productively. But it wasn’t long before she—of course—applied this material to her knitting!

Her two interests (brain function plus fiber arts design) come together to produce some interesting material. And this material now takes two forms:  short talks for those who knit (or those who do not) on how to improve their quality of life; plus ‘meditations’ on knitting and on life that are much beloved aspects of her books.  And whether heard publicly or read privately, these writings are Sally’s favourite part of her work—stimulating discussion, challenging basic assumptions, teaching us the value of being creative, stressing the importance of using our hands, and celebrating the experience of simply paying attention to life. Visit her web site at www.sallymelvilleknits.com

CLASS:  CREATIVITY
DATE:  Fri., June 4 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon
COST:  $45.00
DESCRIPTION:  We all use the word ‘creativity’, but most of us do not know what it means.  It seems some ephemeral quality which only others – much loftier folk than us – have an ability to access.  But the truth is that it lies within each of us to be creative and it is a source of joy to access our own powers and abilities.  Once we understand the nature of creativity and feel encouraged to develop our own, we need to appreciate the stages we will encounter.  What are they?  What happens in each stage? How do we get a running start?  Where might we get stuck?  How do we move forward once stuck?  And finally, where might we end up?  This presentation answers all of these questions, is well illustrated with examples and anecdotes, has participants work through creative exercises of their own, and end with a discussion of best and worst case scenarios, of what we might have learned, of where we might go from here, and of what a creative act might mean in terms of defining ourselves and our life’s purpose.  While knitting is the medium through which this presentation is illustrated, the information provided is applicable to most any human endeavour. 

CLASS: KNIT TO FLATTER AND FIT
DATE:  Fri., June 4 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
COST:  $45.00
DESCRIPTION:  A knitter who spends the time and energy to make here own clothes should be rewarded with a result that makes her happy and proud.  It should fit, it should flatter, and there should be no mystery as to how this happened.  But sadly, and too often, this is not the result.  Why?  Because the knitter chooses the wrong pattern OR chooses the right pattern but follows the directions without questioning them OR making the right garment but wears it with the wrong thing.  There are a few simple rules to follow for successful knitting: start with styles that flatter, knit with appropriate decisions for a personalized fit, and then wear it with something that makes it look wonderful!  This workshop covers all these decisions and puts the power for successful results into your competent hands.  Yay!  Homework required.  

CLASS: ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR SELF-TAUGHT KNITTERS
DATE:  Sat., June 5 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
COST:  $75.00
DESCRIPTION:  Most of us are self-taught.  And no matter now advanced and accomplished we are, there are holes in our experience.  Perhaps we rely upon the same cast-on, the same increase the same decrease.  Perhaps we are not confident of our seaming or are confounded by the instruction to pick up and knit 101 stitches around the neck edge…. evenly!  This workshop explores the best methods that we should all have in our repertoire and provides hands-on experience for each one.  In addition, students will have the opportunity to ask questions about knitting techniques.  There is always room for the content of this class to be influenced by the students in the class.  Homework required. 

CLASS:  MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR YARN COLLECTION
DATE: Sun., June 6 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
COST:  $75.00
DESCRIPTION: This workshop shows knitters how to use, manage and replenish a yarn collection!  Participants will learn ways to use up bits of this and that plus those 4-6 balls of something heretofore unusable.  They will also learn that they may now buy one ball of anything that appeals to them, knowing they will use it well.   The elegance of the resulting fabrics, plus the fact that they look nothing like odd-ball knitting, comes as a very exciting discovery to participants in this workshop!  Homework required.