June 15, 2025
Program and Workshops
Cecelia Campochiaro
The Artist:
Cecelia Campochiaro appeared on the knitting scene in 2015 with her debut book, Sequence Knitting. Knitting was a casual pastime until she had an ah-ha moment in 2010 and realized that interesting textured fabrics could be created by the simple repetition of a sequence of stitches. This idea evolved and led to her writing Sequence Knitting, a reference book about this mindful approach to knitting. In the years since Sequence Knitting debuted, Cecelia has continued to develop new ideas in knitting. Sequence Knitting is about texture, and her second book, Making Marls, is about color. In Making Marls, the technique of working multiple strands as one is explored as a way to create a wide range of visual effects. She is currently working on her third book, a stitch dictionary of reversible patterns.
Cecelia lives in Silicon Valley, where for many years she developed specialized microscopes used in computer chip manufacturing. Textiles, photography and the arts have been a lifelong passion running in parallel with her technical life. In high school and college even though her main studies were in the sciences, she also studied drawing, printmaking, ceramics, and photography.
Not only is Cecelia interested in the arts and knitting, but also in books. Books have been the primary mechanism for knowledge transfer for over a thousand years. One of her missions is to honor that tradition and create books that are both informative and also beautiful objects in themselves. Makers love beautiful things, and Cecelia feels strongly that books should be as lovely as tools and yarns. Today she is fully dedicated to the fiber world and “unventing” new ways to make amazing knit fabrics.
Guild Meeting/Program: A Systematic Approach To Handknitting
In this richly illustrated talk, Cecelia will explain how she approaches both stitch pattern and color in hand knitting and why traditional books are so important in the textile arts. Her journey began with stitch patterns and exploring what is possible by repeating a sequence of stitches again and again. Then she delved into color work with marling and considering both how to combine colors and how to order color combinations—ideas that can be applied to other yarn-based textile arts. Her latest book will come out in late 2024 and is about how to design stitch patterns that look the same on both sides.
Date/Time: June 15, 2025 10:30 AM (following Guild meeting)
Location: St. James Episcopal Church, 11815 Seven Locks Rd, Potomac, MD 20854
Mini Workshop: Make A Winterview Scarf
In this project-based workshop students will swatch a Winterview Scarf. This small accessory project is an ideal introduction to sequence knitting and also uses a new reversible slip-stitch pattern for the trim. The pattern for the scarf will be provided in the class handout.
Date/Time: June 14, 2025 1:00 to 4:00 PM
Location: St. James Episcopal Church, 11815 Seven Locks Rd, Potomac, MD 20854
Mini Workshop Fee: Members: $35.00 Non-Members: $50.00
Student’s Materials Fee: $0
Student Supply List:
- Bring your basic knitting kit
- Two small balls of a plain, smooth yarn in different colors.
- A removable stitch marker,
- Appropriate needles.
- Sport or DK yarns work best.
- US 4 (3.5 mm) or US 6 (4 mm) needles respectively.
- If trying to choose yarns or colors for their actual project, students are encouraged to bring candidate yarns.
Extended Workshop: Fabric and Stitch Fundamentals
Day 1 – Is about having a fabric-first mindset in handknitting including fabric characteristics like gauge, drape, and stability; different kinds of swatching; and selvedges. Yarn structure, weight, and stitch pattern effects on fabric will also be discussed. There will be a homework assignment and some swatching in class. Students should be able to make 4×4 ribbing with consistent tension and no laddering as a prerequisite.
Day 2 – Is about stitch patterns that look the same on both sides. Topics will include the structure of reversibility, using written patterns and charts, tips for making the work easier, as well as many kinds of reversible stitch patterns.
Day 3 – Is about embellishing hand knitting with multiple colors. There are three general areas that will be covered in class: striping, striping with slip stitches, and marling. Color-specific topics will include how to choose colors, color theory, and how to work with many colors.
Date/Time: June 15 – 17, 2025 10am – 4pm
Location: PFAG Studio: 11810 Parklawn Dr Suite 204 #11, Rockville, MD 20852
Workshop Fee: Members: $240.00 Non-Members: $330.00
Student Fees: $0
Student supply list:
- Basic knitting kit
- Needles in different sizes, ideally all the same kind with sharp tips
- A couple balls of favorite yarn
- Small crochet hook
