Saturday, November 15, 2025
10am-4:30pm
Come spend a cozy day surrounded by yarn and experience the joy of embroidering knitwear. Embroidering knitted fabric is a relaxing technique when done in hand (no embroidery hoop) with yarn of the same weight as the knit. It works up more quickly than most embroidery techniques and provides a new way to embellish your handknits, upcycle thrifted knits, or even cover small holes and stains on a favorite old sweater.
In this workshop, we’ll start by learning embroidery stitches that work well on knitwear and practicing the stitches on provided thrifted knits or swatches. We’ll cover the techniques specific to knitwear, including how to start and finish your stitching, how to find the right level of stitch tension, and how to use the structure of the knit to your advantage. We’ll also cover ideas for combining stitches to create different motifs and designs. In the afternoon, students will put their learning to work by starting to embellish their own knit items with time for questions, consultation, and a guiding hand as needed.
No previous embroidery or knitting experience is required.
The following items will be provided: a thrifted knit or swatch to practice on, a selection of yarns to practice with, and a selection of needles.
Students should bring their own piece of knitwear and yarn to work with after completing the learning portion. The area to be embroidered should be in a simple stitch (e.g. stockinette) and ideally in DK or worsted weight. The weight of the yarn used for embroidery should match the weight of the yarn used in the knit.
Minimum 6, Maximum 8
Your instructor is Robert Sheckler of Redmond Philbert Handwork,an enthusiastic learner, teacher, and broommaker living and working in the Portland area. Whenever he is not making brooms, Robert loves to have needle and thread in hand. He is currently studying online with the Royal School of Needlework and enjoys experimenting with different materials in embroidery.
Did you know that current members of The Friends of the Shakers receive $5 off each workshop? Sign up or renew today for your discount!
