Colors, Shapes & Intarsia

This retreat is all about colors, shapes and the joy of creating something truly your own. We will start with an introduction to intarsia, exploring both stockinette stitch and garter stitch before diving into Marled Intarsia, a playful way of combining different yarns, colors and materials to create subtle, marled motifs.

Building on these techniques, you will develop your own intarsia scarf design, experimenting with shapes, color combinations and material contrasts to create something that reflects your personal style. You will then translate your ideas into a color chart before picking up your needles and bringing your design to life, starting to knit your very own scarf.

Anna Husemann is a textile and knitwear designer based in Hamburg, Germany. She holds a Master’s degree in Textile Design and has taught workshops at knitting festivals and events across Europe and beyond. Her work has been featured in publications and collaborations including Laine Magazine, Pom Pom Quarterly, La Bien Aimée, John Arbon Textiles, Farm & Fiber Knits and Initiative Handarbeit.

Her work is all about color, shapes and materials and how they interact with each other. She interprets the traditional craft of knitting in a modern, abstract way, stepping back from small, repetitive motifs to create an expressive, pictorial character. Intarsia is her favorite tool for this.

Nature, and the seaside in particular, is a major source of inspiration for Anna. In the natural world she finds endless ideas for motifs and compositions, as well as beautiful color combinations and special color nuances. During her master’s degree she discovered collage. Most of her paper collages are made on the spot, capturing the mood of a landscape, a scene or a specific motif in an abstract way. She then translates these illustrations into knitted textiles by filling their shapes with various materials.

In October 2024, Anna published her first book, Intarsia Knits, featuring 12 knitting patterns alongside techniques, tips and ideas for exploring the creative possibilities of intarsia.

Find Anna on Instagram, on her website and on Ravelry.

Sunday: Arrival, orientation and welcome dinner.

Monday to Friday: A curated program of classes, activities and relaxation time. Expect to improve your knitting skills, enjoy a couple of journeys into the Provencal countryside, and enjoy a wine or two. The formal plan for the week will be adjusted based on the projected weather and will be provided to you on arrival. Sit back and let us take care of the planning for you (you deserve it!) We will send you a packing list so that you know what to bring in order to maximise your learning and enjoyment.

Saturday: Farewell breakfast and goodbye.