The Inspirational Umbria Workshop/Activity Schedule

Here's what we'll be doing in Todi, Italy, from May 24-30, 2015. Won't you come and join us? The registration and info links are to the upper right of the main blog page. We are going to have such an amazing time!

And in case you don't feel like clicking to enlarge, here's the text:

Sunday May 24 

Arrival: Unpack, relax, nap, soak in the beauty of the Hotel Bramante, and Todi 
Welcome Dinner: Meet your fellow traveling designers

Monday May 25

Morning Workshop Open Your Eyes: How to see the designs around us, tools to use in translating those designs, design and chart making exercises 
Afternoon Excursion to Assisi: Observe, sketch, take notes and photos for original knitting designs 
Evening: Free Time

Tuesday May 26

Morning Workshop Translating Inspiration: Turning our observations, ideas, sketches and photos into usable stranded knitting charts 
Afternoon Todi Yarn Crawl: Purchase yarns for your original projects 
Evening: Wine Tasting

Wednesday May 27

Morning Workshop Finalizing Original Design Charts: Choosing colors for your designs, and adding your new designs to provided charts for hats, mittens, and/or sweaters 
Afternoon: Free Time for Knitting or Relaxing, or an Optional Guided Tour of Todi 
Evening: Cooking Class, Pizza/Pasta

Thursday May 28

Morning Workshop A No-Pucker, No-Twisted Yarns, Stranded Knitting Tutorial: Begin knitting your original design 
Afternoon: Free Time for Knitting or Relaxing. Kathleen will be available for design or knitting troubleshooting 
Evening: Medieval Dinner with Archery Demonstration

Friday May 29

Morning Workshop Finishing Techniques: A discussion of finishing techniques, including steeking, which isn’t as scary as it sounds 
Afternoon: Free Time for Knitting or Relaxing. Kathleen will be available for design or knitting troubleshooting 
Evening: Short Presentation: Moving Forward with Your Original Designs

Saturday May 30

Departure: Saying good-bye to new friends, and old

Inspirational Umbria FAQ #1

From workshop organizer, Alexandra Hook. I will definitely want her newbie traveler info as well. We think that flying into Rome is the best option.

FAQs for Inspirational Umbria!

Q. How do I get to the Hotel Bramante Todi?
A. There are several ways of getting to Todi. For our participants, we intended to combine as many of you as possible into a private car (up to 7) based on your arrival time. This will lower your cost and increase your ease of arrival. Other options for the more adventurous are a bus (very economical) and trains (moderately economical, depending on the route you choose). We will happily work with you to help you find your optimal method of getting here!

Q. What is a euro and how does it work?
A. Euro is the currency used in most countries of the European Union. It is worth around $1.30-1.35. So, for example, something that is priced at 4 euros costs you around $5.20-5.40.

Q. How do I get euros?
A. The easiest way is to wait until you arrive and go to a local ATM machine. It will let you pull out euros on your normal bank card. Caveat: before you leave, call your bank to make sure that your bank card is supported internationally, and check for additional fees that your bank may tack on. You may find that it's better to use an alternative card to withdraw euros if you use more than one bank.

Q. What about credit cards?
A. Many vendors here accept credit cards, but smaller shops prefer cash. Once again, call your credit card underwriter to learn about fees and conversion policies. If you have more than one credit card, you may find that one is better than the other; however, most charge the "spot" rate, which is far better than converting actual cash currency at a local bank here. In any case, your credit card should work just fine here, as long as the merchant accepts cards.

Q. I don't understand Italian! What do I do?
A. We want this trip to be as stress-free as possible. As it happens, I have four children in town, and I am an American living here. We can happily provide an escort for shopping expeditions if you would feel more comfortable. The locals here sometimes speak rudimentary English, but it is spotty. However, they are warm and welcoming, and want to help you!

Q. The trip sounds really neat, but I'm scared! Is this going to be hard?
A. We are very excited to have all our participants, and want to make it as easy as possible! It's more fun than you can imagine to experience another culture, hear another language, and eat new foods. If you have never traveled abroad, let us know and we can give you the "what to expect" document that my husband and I put together to help some non-traveled relatives get through the airport smoothly.

I will post periodic FAQs as people ask more about this exciting workshop! I know Kathleen Prater Taylor is going to do a phenomenal job and we will have a wonderful week getting to know each other! You will love the tours provided by Elisa Picchiotti and Todiguide.com. And the Hotel Bramante? Outstanding!

Registration for Inspirational Umbria is now open!

Edited to add: There is a $70 discount for students and a $50 discount for companions for those who register before Oct 15, 2014!

We are thrilled to announce that registration for Inspirational Umbria, a week of knitting and design workshops with Kathleen Taylor, to be held at the Hotel Bramante in Todi, Umbria, Italy, May 24-30, 2015, is now open!

Registration is limited to just 18 students, plus companions.

Fees cover room (single or double occupancy) at that amazing hotel, 5 half-days of workshops in knitting and design (for students), afternoon excursions to Assisi, a guided tour of Todi, yarn crawls and more, breakfasts, 3 light lunches, 3 suppers, wine tastings, and cooking classes. Companions get all of the above, except the workshop classes.

Student Single (1 person per room): $2325/1700 euro 
Student Double (2 persons per room): $1900/1400 euro 
Companion Fee: $1175/875 euro

Send an e-mail to Alexandra Hook at inspirationalumbria@gmail.com for details, and to register.

Don’t wait- this workshop will fill up quickly!

Can’t wait to see you all there!

Speaking of upcoming classes...

This is the needlefelted Half Moon Santa that we'll be making in my class at NCFF in Watertown, SD, on Sunday, September 22. Kits provided, no homework required, and there is still room for new signups!

NCFF Friday

NCFF doesn't really open until tomorrow, but people are trickling in, and vendors are setting up, and there were classes and workshops this afternoon and evening.

 This is what the Coddington County Extension Center looked like when I arrived, just before noon. A few tables were set up, and the exceptionally hard-working board members had already put in a hard day's work.

 Before the vendors started setting up, before the kitchen was open, before the classes started, the spinning circle formed out of thin air. It's a powerful force.

 A few hours later, the marketplace started to take shape. Already, I have spotted many things that I want to own. I'm going to try to stick to my moratoriums, but there is some fiber calling my name. And I  think there is a lurking spindle that wants to go home with me. I fear that I am doomed.

 Today was the debut of the Nordic Christmas Stocking Workshop. It's a 6-hour class that covers yarn wrangling, chart reading, and afterthought heels. Susan and Carrie were my genius students- they caught on so quickly that they didn't need me to show them how to proceed. See that knitting there? They started the class at 1:00pm with only a toe.

This is what they had done by 8:00pm. How's that for flat-out amazing? My goal for the class was to work past the waste-yarn heel marker, and then to go back and pick up those stitches and start the heel. Speedy Susan and Carrie not only did that much, they finished their heels, and worked past them. I knit along with the class, and my stocking is the red and black one on the table. It was a wonderful class- thanks ladies for making the debut such a success!

Tomorrow afternoon, I have my Writing Patterns for Publication workshop, and I'll do a book signing sometime in the morning. I suspect I'll also succumb to the wool fumes and I'll buy some of that peach color wool that is calling my name. In any case, I'll take pics.