Teachers

Lorilee Beltman

Josh Bennett

Laura Bryant
Laura Bryant

Amy Detjen
Amy Detjen
Amy Detjen was the “List Mom” of the original Knit List for more than four years, then started KnitU. She’s very proud to have been Meg Swansen’s assistant at Meg’s Knitting Camp for more than fifteen years. Teaching knitting and helping people learn about their knitting options is something Amy is passionate about; she loves helping people solve problems.

Nicky Epstein
Nicky Epstein
Beloved knitwear designer Nicky Epstein has gained worldwide recognition for her abundant creativity, groundbreaking sense of style, and informative workshops. She has authored numerous books, including Cover Up with Nicky Epstein, Nicky Epstein’s Crocheted Flowers, Nicky Epstein’s Knitted Flowers, Knitting Never Felt Better: The Definitive Guide to Fabulous Felting, Knitting Beyond the Edge, Knitting Over the Edge, Knitting on the Edge and Knits for Barbie™ Doll. Her designs are featured in a regular column in Vogue Knitting magazine, and her work has been in many other knitting publications, on television, and at art exhibitions. She currently resides in New York City with her husband, Howard.

Rhonda Fargnoli
Rhonda Fargnoli is the Education manager at Makers’ Mercantile in Kent, WA. Makers’ is owned by the Skacel Yarn Collection. She was the owner/designer of Coastal Colours Yarn, a Connecticut-based yarn company that created hand-painted yarn from natural dyes and botanical extracts. She studied fashion and textile design at Chamberlain School of Design and has taught art and studio art for more than 22 years. Rhonda was the Faculty Advisor to the Hand Knitting Certificate Program at Rhode Island School of Design/CE. She has been featured in articles about teaching knitting design courses for RISD/CE in Yarn Market News and Vogue Knitting, for her Vogue Knitting Challenge class for teens, which included the winning student’s design. Rhonda’s recent RISD graduates, have been published in several magazines, and books. something she is most proud of. Fargnoli has also designed for several yarn companies, including Blue Sky Alpacas, Koigu, and Sheep Shop, and her knitting designs are published in Noro magazine and Knit Simple. Rhonda is also a contributing writer for Fiber Art Now magazine.

Faina Goberstein
Faina Goberstein
Faina Goberstein is a prolific knitwear designer, author, and a professional teacher. She is the coauthor of the bestselling books The Art of Slip Stitch and The Art of Seamless Knitting, and her designs can be found in Vogue Knitting, Interweave Knits, Knit.Purl, Knitscene, Twist Collective, Interweave Crochet, and various books. Faina is best known for her elegant and well-fitted classic designs that show off textures, cables, brioche, and slip-stitch techniques. She teaches in person at various venues nationally and abroad as well as on Craftsy.com. She is fascinated with many knitting techniques and loves to pass her excitement to her students. Unusual slip-stitch techniques are Faina’s latest obsession.

Romi Hill

Kyle Kunnecke
Knowing the arts have the power to heal, he is always looking for new ways to encourage creativity in others. Learn more about Kyle and his work: kylewilliam.com

Melissa Leapman
Melissa Leapman
A popular teacher and one of the most prolific American designers at work today, Melissa Leapman is the author of several bestselling knitting and crocheting books. Her most recent titles are Knitting the Perfect Fit and The Knit Stitch Pattern Handbook. Her next book, 6000+ Pullover Possibilities, launches in February of 2017.

Keith Leonard

Patty Lyons
Patty Lyons
Patty Lyons (pattylyons.com) is a nationally recognized knitting teacher who is known for teaching the “why,” not just the “how,” in her pursuit of training the “mindful knitter.” Patty teaches nationally at guilds and knitting shows around the country such as Vogue Knitting LIVE, Stitches, and the Knit and Crochet Show, and her popular classes can also be found online at Interweave, Annie’s, and Craftsy, where her “Improve Your Knitting Class” was named Craftsy’s most popular class of 2013! Patty’s designs and knitting skill articles have been published in Vogue Knitting, Interweave Knits, Knitter’s Magazine, Cast On, Knit Style, Knit 1,2,3 and Creative Knitting magazines, where she also writes a knitter’s advice column called “Patty’s Purls of Wisdom.” Patty’s designs have also been included in pattern collections from Classic Elite Yarns, Kollage, Takhi Stacy Charles, Cascade, Universal, and Noro.

Joan McGowan-Michael

Annie Modesitt

Brooke Nico
Brooke Nico
Brooke Nico began designing by sewing her own wardrobe, inspired by drape and color. She brought her talents to knitting almost ten years ago, first exploring modular construction then lace. Next, Brooke opened Kirkwood Knittery, a yarn shop in St. Louis. Brooke’s designs have been featured in several magazines, including Vogue Knitting and Debbie Bliss magazine. As a dedicated teacher, Brooke guides knitters through the intricacies of techniques to make their projects as polished as possible.

Carla Scott
Carla Scott
Carla Scott is currently editor in chief of Knit Simple magazine and executive editor of Vogue Knitting magazine. She has been working with Vogue Knitting since 1982 and has enjoyed hosting the VK tours for the past ten years. She created and edited the Vogue Knitting Stitchionary book series and is closely involved in the various knitting books published by Sixth&Spring Books. A knitter since the age of seven, Carla has had a career in the hand-knitting industry spanning more than thirty years, working for various yarn companies, knitting magazines, and book publishers in New York City. Carla lives in Manhattan with her husband and daughter (who is also a knitter).

Debbie Stoller
Debbie Stoller
Debbie is the author of the New York Times–bestselling Stitch ’n Bitch series of knitting and crocheting books. She is also the Editor in Chief of BUST Magazine. Debbie began knitting when she was only six years old, but it took thirty years before she actually learned to enjoy it. Once she became obsessed, in 1999, she started a Stitch ’n Bitch group in a cafe in NYC’s Lower East Side, and it became the inspiration for thousands of Stitch ’n Bitch groups that have formed all across the country in the years since. She has written five books in the Stitch ’n Bitch series and has her own line of yarn, Stitch Nation by Debbie Stoller. She lives in Brooklyn with one crazy cat, 2 weird dogs, and way too much yarn.
