Classes & EventsWant to take on a new craft? Or just add a new skill or technique to your toolbox? How about meeting a pattern designer or getting a book signed? Join us at the shop for our classes, private lessons, and events!
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Shop Calendar: Stilly River Yarns
Regular Gatherings
Due to COVID-19 precautions, we are not currently hosting in-shop social gatherings. Please join us on alternating Mondays for Zoom-Baaaa, our online social night - check the Google calendar widget above to get the dates for this month! We'll meet from 8:30 - 9:30 PM Pacific time on the Zoom videoconferencing platform.
Click here to join us!
Classes, special events, and lessons
Special events, 2022
Please note that all special events are likely to be partially or completely virtual, due to COVID precautions. We will update you here, on our social media pages, and through our regular newsletter.
Classes and lessons
We’re keenly aware that many of our customers and community members aren’t yet ready to proceed with business as normal due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s uncertain when we’ll be able to fully resume group classes, but in the meantime, we’re taking as many precautions as are practical to keep you and our shop family safe. As of January 1, 2022, all large group classes will be held via Zoom. At this time, we are also offering appointments for one-on-one or very small group lessons. These lesson slots are available on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays immediately after the shop closes; we also have occasional limited availability on Sundays and Mondays.
SCHOLARSHIPS: We have a limited number of class scholarships available through our Community Crafting Fund. If you are interested in taking a class or lesson and would benefit from financial assistance, please contact the shop.
So - with that being said, our class policies are still in place, with some slight modifications for the online environment. You can read them here.
COMING SOON: We're in the process of posting our full class catalog here. Only a few of these will be on offer as large-scale group classes in any one quarter, and those will be available for registration at our brick-and-mortar shop as well as in our online shop; all classes are available for private lessons upon request.
Please note that all special events are likely to be partially or completely virtual, due to COVID precautions. We will update you here, on our social media pages, and through our regular newsletter.
- Trunk show with Seattle Sky Dyeworks: January 6 - 15
- Trunk show with Schmutzerella Yarns: January 25 - 29
- Book club featuring Vanishing Fleece by Clara Parkes: dates TBA
- Puget Sound Local Yarn Shop Tour: May 11 - 15
- PNW Slow Crawl: May 27 - September 5
- 5-Year Shopiversary: June 25
- Socktoberfest: October
- Small Business Saturday: November 26
Classes and lessons
We’re keenly aware that many of our customers and community members aren’t yet ready to proceed with business as normal due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s uncertain when we’ll be able to fully resume group classes, but in the meantime, we’re taking as many precautions as are practical to keep you and our shop family safe. As of January 1, 2022, all large group classes will be held via Zoom. At this time, we are also offering appointments for one-on-one or very small group lessons. These lesson slots are available on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays immediately after the shop closes; we also have occasional limited availability on Sundays and Mondays.
SCHOLARSHIPS: We have a limited number of class scholarships available through our Community Crafting Fund. If you are interested in taking a class or lesson and would benefit from financial assistance, please contact the shop.
So - with that being said, our class policies are still in place, with some slight modifications for the online environment. You can read them here.
COMING SOON: We're in the process of posting our full class catalog here. Only a few of these will be on offer as large-scale group classes in any one quarter, and those will be available for registration at our brick-and-mortar shop as well as in our online shop; all classes are available for private lessons upon request.
Getting started
These classes are for the absolute beginner (or re-emerging crafter who needs a little hand-holding). We teach these classes exclusively as series of private lessons so that we can tailor your class experience to your needs and comfort. All introductory lessons are $25 / hour; you can save 17% by purchasing 5 hours of instruction time on a Frequent Flyer Card.
Knitroduction: This is our "introduction to knitting" class / lesson. It's appropriate for absolute beginners or people who need a little bit of a refresher as they ease back into knitting. You'll learn to knit, purl, bind off (finish a project so it doesn't fall apart), and cast on (get a project started and securely on the needles), plus hold your hand as you choose your first project. On average, students need about 3 hours to complete our skills syllabus for this class. Yarn and needles - yours to keep! - are provided with the class.
Hooked on Crochet: This is our "introduction to crochet" class / lesson. It's appropriate for absolute beginners or people who are revisiting crochet after a long absence. You'll learn to chain (start a project), single crochet, double crochet, and fasten off (end a project without it unraveling), plus advise you on selecting your first project. On average, students need about 4 hours to complete the skills syllabus for this class. Hook and yarn - yours to keep! - are provided with the class.
Spinning 101: If relying on YouTube hasn't quite panned out in getting you to spin your own yarn, you can sign up for a Spinning 101 lesson (or more!). We start by discussing fiber structure and how to get fiber ready to spin, then we move to the basics of "park and draft" spinning on a drop spindle. If you have previous spinning experience and wish to try spinning on a treadled wheel after trying it in class, we have a rental wheel available for a daily or weekly fee. Students generally feel comfortable starting to experiment on their own after 2 hours of instruction.
Weaving Traffic: Sometimes you need a fiber art that gives you a little more instant gratification... weaving might take care of that for you (plus any surplus stash you have laying around!). This is our introduction to weaving using a rigid heddle loom - you end up with a scarf at the end of it! We start out by choosing 2 colors of yarn for your project, then get the loom set up, then get you started weaving. Please note: you'll need to schedule a time block of at least 3 hours for the first lesson. You will also need to rent the rigid heddle loom to complete your project at home between the first and second lessons.
Knitroduction: This is our "introduction to knitting" class / lesson. It's appropriate for absolute beginners or people who need a little bit of a refresher as they ease back into knitting. You'll learn to knit, purl, bind off (finish a project so it doesn't fall apart), and cast on (get a project started and securely on the needles), plus hold your hand as you choose your first project. On average, students need about 3 hours to complete our skills syllabus for this class. Yarn and needles - yours to keep! - are provided with the class.
Hooked on Crochet: This is our "introduction to crochet" class / lesson. It's appropriate for absolute beginners or people who are revisiting crochet after a long absence. You'll learn to chain (start a project), single crochet, double crochet, and fasten off (end a project without it unraveling), plus advise you on selecting your first project. On average, students need about 4 hours to complete the skills syllabus for this class. Hook and yarn - yours to keep! - are provided with the class.
Spinning 101: If relying on YouTube hasn't quite panned out in getting you to spin your own yarn, you can sign up for a Spinning 101 lesson (or more!). We start by discussing fiber structure and how to get fiber ready to spin, then we move to the basics of "park and draft" spinning on a drop spindle. If you have previous spinning experience and wish to try spinning on a treadled wheel after trying it in class, we have a rental wheel available for a daily or weekly fee. Students generally feel comfortable starting to experiment on their own after 2 hours of instruction.
Weaving Traffic: Sometimes you need a fiber art that gives you a little more instant gratification... weaving might take care of that for you (plus any surplus stash you have laying around!). This is our introduction to weaving using a rigid heddle loom - you end up with a scarf at the end of it! We start out by choosing 2 colors of yarn for your project, then get the loom set up, then get you started weaving. Please note: you'll need to schedule a time block of at least 3 hours for the first lesson. You will also need to rent the rigid heddle loom to complete your project at home between the first and second lessons.
Basic Projects
If a particular type of project has caught your eye but you don't feel quite adventurous enough to attempt it without adult supervision, sign up for one of our basic classes (either as an online group class or as a private lesson). These classes are intended to get you familiar with the structure of common projects before you move on to more advanced or finer-gauge versions.
Beanie Basics (knit) : Learn to knit in the round, do a stretchy cast-on, work ribbing, and work basic decreases.
Beanie Basics (crochet): Learn to start a project from a chained ring, work in the round, change colors, and increase.
Top-Down Basic Sock (knit):
Toe-Up Basic Sock (knit):
Fingerless Mitts (knit):
Fingerless Mitts (crochet):
Beanie Basics (knit) : Learn to knit in the round, do a stretchy cast-on, work ribbing, and work basic decreases.
Beanie Basics (crochet): Learn to start a project from a chained ring, work in the round, change colors, and increase.
Top-Down Basic Sock (knit):
Toe-Up Basic Sock (knit):
Fingerless Mitts (knit):
Fingerless Mitts (crochet):
Skillbuilding
In the fiber arts, "leveling up" is hard to define - one of the things we use as a benchmark is that the more skilled you get, the more you learn some of the general skills that you find yourself visiting the local yarn shop for time after time when you're just starting out: fixing mistakes, reading your work, understanding the complexities of matching yarn to projects, and that whole gauge thing. These classes are less project-based and more practical skills to store in your personal toolbox of fiber arts knowledge.
Fix-It Shop (knit): Repairing common mistakes
Make Me a Match: Choosing the right yarn / fiber for your projects
Gauge Before Rage: how to tame your fear of the legendary swatch
Fix-It Shop (knit): Repairing common mistakes
Make Me a Match: Choosing the right yarn / fiber for your projects
Gauge Before Rage: how to tame your fear of the legendary swatch