Retreat 2027

The guild hosts a retreat each year for our members to enjoy a crafting weekend together!  The retreat is typically held in the late winter (February/March), although some years we have met in the summer.  Once the date for 2027 has been determined, we will update the details.
Date: TBD
Location: Welcome Home Retreat Center (Weatherford)
​For more information, visit the Retreat page (members only)

Fall Workshop 2026

​Workshop: Traditional Shetland Hap Shawl
Teacher: Alissa Barton, the Knitting Fairy
Date/Time: October 24, 2026 from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm
Location: New World United Methodist Church, 2201 N Davis Dr, Arlington, TX 76012
Cost: $85 for members, $90 for non-members
$40 due upon sign-up, remaining due by the September Guild Meeting on September 19, 2026.
Registration Link: CLICK HERE

The Arlington Handknitters Guild is thrilled to be hosting Alissa Barton, the Knitting Fairy.  Alissa will be teaching a class on making a Traditional Shetland Hap Shawl.  This is a one-day 6-hour workshop, from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm with a lunch break from 12 to 1:30pm.  

While the Shetland Islands are famous for their stunning ring shawls, these were often knitted for outsiders and sold. Shetland women knitted and wore Hap
shawls for themselves. These still gorgeous pieces often used lesser grade wool and natural colors that were "undesirable" for the tourist trade. Knitted from either the outside edge inward, or from the inside center square out- these shawls can be as plain or fancy as the knitter desired or was capable of doing. We will explore the construction starting with the center square and moving outward. You may choose to knit yours in a solid color, or take advantage of the natural beauty of the lace to introduce colors. 

Please click here to register for the workshop.  If you have any questions, please email the guild at [email protected]. 

Experience Level: intermediate knitter

Skills needed: students should be able to confidently knit and purl. No lace experience is required.

Skills learned: provisional cast on, picking up stitches around the center square, reading lace charts, establishing repeats within a lace pattern, increasing in a lace pattern, changing colors, attaching optional lace border.
 
Materials Needed: knitting needles- US size 6, (4.00 mm) 24" circular needle, US size G crochet hook (4.00 mm), Stitch markers, Point protectors, Tapestry needle, Scissors.
For a Fingering weight wool Full sized shawl: 200g white Less than 100 grams additional colors each, as many as you wish. The class sample uses two additional colors. 

Homework and additional details will be provided upon registration. 

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Spring Workshop 2026

TBD

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Previous workshops

We have previously hosted the following teachers for our workshops:
​Fall 2024: Lesley Anne Robinson
Spring 2024: Alissa Barton
​Fall 2023: Tanis Gray
​Fall 2022: Denise Bell
​Spring 2022: Marla Morris
​Spring 2021: Sarah Walworth
Fall 2019: Patty Lyons
Spring 2019: Alissa Barton
Fall 2018: Sivia Harding
Fall 2017: Margaret Schroeder
Spring 2016: Lynette Elliott
Fall 2016: Janine Bajus
Fall 2015: Ann McCauley
Fall: Heather Ordover
Fall: Cheryl Oberle
Fall 2009: Ruth Lantz
Fall 2008: Maureen Mason-Jaimson
​Fall 2007: Candace Eisner-Strict

Design by Boo Knits. Yarn is Lustrous Lace from Natural Born Dyers. Knit by a guild member.