Our instructors are a diverse bunch! These gals help make the fibre space community what it is. Get to know them here and browse their classes.
Danielle learned to knit as a child from her grandmother and made her very first project, a Cabbage Patch doll scarf, at the age of 6 or so. She didn’t knit for many years and relearned in graduate school while visiting her grandmother. She moved to the DC area from Pittsburgh just as the knitting world exploded and several yarn stores popped up in the area. She began teaching evenings at a local shop and quickly developed a following of students. In October 2006 she opened Knit-a-Gogo, looking to provide the area with a variety of knitting classes, parties and retreats. Knit-a-Gogo grew and with the support and encouragement of the DC area knit and crochet community, she opened fibre space in July 2009!
Inge learned to knit and crochet as a child in Germany. She knitted through high school and college and brought her needles with her when she moved to the United States. Her visits to Germany always included a stop at her LYS. Nowadays, she no longer needs to fly to Europe to find great yarns. Developing her own patterns used to be a necessity, but soon she realized she had a valuable skill that allowed her to customize her knitting. Inge often creates her own designs for sweaters, cardigans and other garments. Her projects always begin with a ”test drive” (a good size swatch) of the desired yarn before she commits to a long journey. Inge teaches knitting and fiber arts in Alexandria, Virginia. She loves to work with adults and children and encourages her students to “read” their knitting so that they can become comfortable and confident knitters.
Kathleen lives in Del Ray with a husband and cat who don’t quite understand her fiber obsession. She’s been knitting 21 years and still gets excited about new patterns. She loves teaching beginners – or, as she puts it, “spreading the good news of knitting.” An English teacher, writer, and web editor by day, in the evenings she knits, reads books by P.G. Wodehouse, and plots knitters’ world domination.
Kel is practically a DC native, having lived here almost her entire life. During a short break away to get her BFA in Costume Design & Technology at VCU in Richmond, she developed a love for color, fabric, fiber, and dye. She learned to knit about 5 years ago, has been crocheting for about a year, and is now trying her hand at spinning. Kel works in IT during the week, but on the weekends you can find her working, teaching, and creating the window displays at fibre space. Some of her favorite things are teaching new knitters and crocheters and talking people's ears off about color theory and fiber properties, when she's not designing costumes for horror films or planning to be a rock star.
Lesley has been crocheting for over 6 years, knitting for over 3 years, and just learned how to spin with a drop spindle this year. She loves working with bright colors and learning new skills with every new project. When Lesley is not knitting or at the shop, she works as the Program Specialist for the National Apartment Association Education Institute. Lesley hopes to someday pursue higher education in Linguistics and Slavic Languages.
An honors graduate of RISD, Tanis is a recent resident of Washington DC. Having worked at Martha Stewart, in the art department in the film and television industries and a 4-year career as the Yarn Editor at Vogue Knitting and coEditor of knit.1 magazine, she has been working in the creative fields for many years. A knitter for 21 years and a crocheter for 11, she loves teaching knitting to all skill levels. Tanis has over 150 published knitting designs and her work has been featured in many major publications and books.
Veronica learned to knit from her mother when she was a little girl and has been knitting seriously for the past ten years or so. She works most days at fibre space and is also a professional sample knitter and finisher. Her favorite techniques include two-handed fair isle and lace, and she loves making sweaters and socks when she can find the time. Finally, she’s also a lefty, so all you southpaws (including crocheters!) out there take note – she can help you navigate through what is sometimes a very right-handed world. When she’s not knitting, Veronica can be found whipping up something fabulous in the kitchen or reading a good book.