programming

A Woolen Affair is a fiber market, a folk music festival and also a place to share ancestral knowledge.

At the core of our mission is community building, and what better way to do so than by meeting other makers, listening to their stories and learning from them.

This year, all our programming will be moderated by Jen Joyce, and will be held at A Woolen Affair Studios!

Housed in Hutton Hall, a dedicated space, quiet and roomy.

We will continue our teach-ins, offered by a variety of fiber enthusisats!

And new this year, a panel of knitwear designers!

Read on for all the details.

Hosted by Jen joyce

Jen Joyce is a longtime knitter, storyteller, and the host and independent producer behind Making Conversation. Through funny, honest, and curious conversations with people who love yarn, she explores creativity, identity, community, and everything tangled up in making. She also hosts live conversations at fiber events with the welcoming spirit of a maker meetup, except a few people might be on a stage holding microphones. Curiosity leads the way and you might leave with a new idea, a fresh perspective, or a new person to root for.

When Catherine asked Jen to dream up programming for the indoor space at A Woolen Affair, Jen apparently heard, “Please create a tiny television network about yarn,” and ran with it. Woolen Affair Studios is the result: a place for makers to teach, demonstrate, tell stories, answer questions, and occasionally participate in something delightfully ridiculous.

About Jen

What happens when you invite a wonderful group of makers to step inside, pull back the curtain, and show us how they think and work?
Inside the Maker’s Studio brings together quick talks, close-up demonstrations, creative stories, practical lessons, and audience Q&As throughout A Woolen Affair.
Come learn something new, meet the people behind the work, and discover what really happens between “I have an idea” and “Look! I made a thing!”

Thursday, October 15th

3 pm: Nicole Nehrig. Crafting a Purpose

3:40 pm: Tammy White. Grass to Garment: Sweaters from the Ground Up

4:20 pm: Andrea Lui. Maker Mythbusters: What Actually Helps You Craft Without Pain

5:00 pm: Liz Liebeskind. Making Through Uncertainty

Friday, October 16th

12 pm: Patty Lyons. Knitting ER: A Choice Selection of Fixes

12:40 pm: Kathleen Fitzpatrick. Weaving with Color: How Color Theory Comes to Life on the Loom

1:20 pm: Nancy Marchant. Woven Knitting

2:00 pm: Aimee Gille Intarsia's Tips and Tricks

2:40 pm: Jonna Helin. Knitting and Mental Health

3:20 pm: Bristol Ivy. Knitting in Code: Hidden Messages in Lace and Cables

Andrea Mowry, Caitlin Hunter and Sari Nordlund join Jen for Between Two Skeins, a fiber-filled nod to Between Two Ferns, except no one will be ambushed or insulted and everyone actually likes each other.

Expect yarn, creative surprises, meaningful stories, audience participation, suspiciously specific dilemmas, and a couple of commercial breaks from sponsors that absolutely do not exist.

The show begins Friday at 4:30 pm, but arrive at 4:20 pm to submit a silly idea that may help shape what happens onstage.

We could explain more, but where is the fun in that?

special addition!

shetland & faroese knitting traditions

On Friday, October 16, at 11 am, join Shetland born knitwear designer Gudrun Johnston and Faroese designer Sissal Kristiansen for a fascinating discussion on the similarities and differences between the knitting traditions of these island groups, moderated by Daisy Magnusson.

Gudrun Johnston is a celebrated designer known for her modern yet timeless knitwear, beautifully rooted in her Shetland heritage.

Sissal Kristiansen is the designer and owner of the Faroese knitwear brand Shisa Brand.

Daisy Magnusson is a curator/artist/educator/historian and the current Coordinator of Arts, Learning, and Language Programs at The American-Scandinavian Foundation.

Did you know?

teach-ins

Teach-ins began in the '60's during the Vietnam War as a form of protest. Given our current political climate, we thought it would be nice to focus on all the gifts that we have and share them with each other. The Teach-In concept is historically a protest/educational forum essentially fostering a non-hierarchical, open and collaborative learning environment.

It strives for inclusivity...involving a range of participants, including experts, community members, and really anyone who wants to share their knowledge. The format can vary. It can be a short lecture, a workshop, or a demonstration. The idea is to encourage community involvement and foster a sense of collective empowerment.

Can't make every session?

The Woolen Affair Studios programming will be recorded and shared after the event on the Making Conversation YouTube channel, so you can catch anything you missed and revisit your favorites.

For more of Jen’s life beyond the stage, follow her on Instagram at @knitpurl for knitting, creative projects, gardening adventures, rescue dogs, life in Seattle, and plenty of behind-the-scenes moments along the way.

Participate in shaping Between Two Skeins!

Write one unexpected creative twist on a WILD CARD.

A place. An occasion. A mood. A ridiculous requirement.

Keep it short. Make it specific. A little weird is encouraged.

Drop your card in the bowl. Your idea may make its way onstage.

Find the cards in The Cove and submit by 4:20pm on Friday!