Twisted Stitches (the traveling kind) with Norah Gaughan (JUNE 20)
June 20 (FRI, 9 AM–4 PM)
Master knitter/author/designer Norah Gaughan LOVES Twisted Stitches and she'll share this love with you in this exciting one day workshop! Norah's Twisted Stitches are not the garden variety produced by knitting or purling through the back loop of a stitch, but rather two stitches that change places with each other (like a cable) and are worked entirely on the needles in a special way. The resulting stitch stands out from the fabric in high relief without resorting to cable needles. Using swatches, garment samples and hands on learning, Norah will guide you through her Twisted Stitch Sourcebook, which includes many new stitches invented by Norah herself. You’ll learn a bit about how a designer’s mind works as you explore using Twisted Stitches to build dramatic surface patterns, while working on a hat or pullover of your own creation (with the aid of an easy template Norah will provide).
Skill level: Intermediate.
Materials needed:
100 grams dk or worsted weight wool in light color
Needles to match yarn and sizes smaller and larger for experimenting
Scissors, yarn needle, pencil, eraser
*Please note: Cheshire Mills Boarding House is only available by request for one-day classes. Please email hdretail@harrisville.com to request a reservation.
Cancellation Deadline: 4/25/2025
MEET YOUR TEACHER
With over 40 years of experience designing handknits for publication, Norah Gaughan has worked as a freelancer, design director, magazine editor in chief and design team member. Over the last 10 years, teaching has brought her to far flung places like Australia, Denmark and Italy. She loves making up pattern stitches and has authored several hardcover books on the subject. Currently, she works independently in her Harrisville, NH studio: look for her on her website, instagram and Youtube channel.
Cancellation and Refund Policy
Please note our 2025 cancellation and refund policy includes a non-refundable $100.00 registration fee per workshop. In the case must withdraw, you have 8 weeks prior to class for a full tuition refund, less the registration fee. After this date all payments are non-refundable, no exceptions. Thank you for your understanding!
Have a question about a HD workshop or class order? Email hdretail@harrisville.com.
Single Rooms, $70 Per Night
Please note, the boarding house is for class participants only.
With spectacular views of town from its third-story perch, our boarding house offers bright, airy accommodations just a few minutes’ walk from the studio, shop, and general store with cafe. Year after year, returning students remark upon the peaceful camaraderie they enjoy winding down after class in the spacious common areas, and the fun conviviality of cooking family-style dinners in the kitchen. In addition to a living room, dining area, and full kitchen, the boarding house has six bedrooms and two full bathrooms.
Built in 1853, Cheshire Mills Boarding House provided lodging for workers at the mill for over 100 years. Today, Harrisville Designs is dedicated to maintaining an economical nightly rate to help ensure the cost of lodging is affordable during workshops and classes throughout the season.
Harrisville Designs is happy to provide towels, sheets, and pillowcases for an extra $20 per stay (please order ahead). However, students are more than welcome to bring their own linens. Pillows and blankets are provided. Reservations can be made while signing up for class. We do apologize, it’s an old building. There is no elevator and two flights of stairs. Please pack accordingly.
Alternative Housing & Dining
Harrisville is a small village (pop. 1200) with a post office and general store/cafe across the street from the studio and Boarding House. Harrisville is a short drive from Peterborough (15 minutes away) and Keene (20-25 minutes away); both offer a nice variety of hotels, shops, and restaurants.
Additional accommodations in Harrisville are available at Aldworth Manor and the Harrisville Inn and at local Airbnb’s including the Harrisville Guest Suite. Peterborough accommodations are available at Cranberry Meadow Farm, the Jack Daniels Motor Inn, and the Little River Bed and Breakfast. Options in Keene include the Carriage Barn Inn, the Best Western Plus, the Fairfield Inn & Suites, the Holiday Inn Express, the Courtyard by Marriott, and Days Inn. We also suggest searching Airbnb and Vrbo.
Location
About Our Workshops
Nestled in the heart of a historic textile village, workshops at Harrisville Designs take place in the Bethuel Harris Mill. Built in the 1830s as a spinning mill for locally raised wool and located at the end of the canal, it originally operated on water power. Today, it’s home to our first-floor retail store and spacious second-floor workshop studio. Year after year students are greeted by sunlit windows, fresh air, and tranquil views of the mill pond and preserved industrial brick buildings.
Workshops vary in skill levels and lengths. Enrollment is limited to ensure each student is immersed in the atmosphere of a working studio rather than a classroom. Most scheduled classes meet from 9 am to 4 pm; however, the studio is open to students 24 hours a day while their class is in session. Looms are provided in the weaving classes, and woolen yarn and other materials are included unless otherwise noted in the materials lists online. While taking a class, students receive a 10% discount on HD items in our store, including looms! (Excludes sale and consignment items)
Have a question about a HD workshop or class order? Email hdretail@harrisville.com.