Guild Classes 2025
The Guild runs weaving, spinning, tapestry weaving, felting, crochet and knitting classes at the Guild rooms in Mt Eden throughout the year. These classes are all suitable for beginners and are taught in small groups by lovely, kind, experienced teachers, so come along and learn new skills and techniques that will spark your creativity.
Schedule
Get ready for Socktober!
Learn to Knit Socks with Justine
Filling fast!
Maximum 8 participants
Dates: Thursday 11 September 7-8pm
and Saturday 20 September 2-5pm
Class full
Weaving a Scarf on a Rigid Heddle Loom with Anne
Maximum 4 participants
Dates: Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 October
Time: 9am-1pm
September
Knitting
Filling fast!
Learn to Knit Socks with Justine
Maximum 8 participants
Suitable for people who already have basic knitting skills, the class will run over 2 sessions. One hour in the evening on Thursday 11 September to set you up and then three hours on Saturday 20 September.
Tutor: Justine Stewart
Justine is mad about all things fibre and craft. She taught herself to knit when about 8 years old and from there went on to learn about cross stitch, tapestry, tatting, spinning, dyeing and crochet. Her current passions are knitting, crochet and spinning, and she can be found doing something crafty most days of the week helped by her black cat Pepe.
Dates: Thursday 11 September for one hour from 7-8pm then Saturday 20 September 2-5pm
Cost: $100 for non-Guild members and $90 for Guild members.
Venue: Guild rooms, Nicholson Park, Mt Eden (behind Nicholson Park tennis courts).
In the class:
Justine will teach you how to knit a pair of socks, working both socks at the same time, from the toe up to the cuff, using the Magic Loop technique, with a heel turn in German short rows.
Once you’ve mastered working two socks at a time you’ll never be left with one sock without a mate, and you’ll never wonder whether you’ve worked the same number of rows (and stitches!) in both.
Week 1 - cast on at the toe, work the toe increases and start working up the foot to the heel turn. Homework will be to finish working the foot up to the point of turning the heel.
Week 2 - turn the heel and finish the ankle/cuff.
What you need to bring:
Yarn:
*100g sock yarn (4 ply) wound into two balls. You can either use a swift and yarn winder, or here’s how to do it by hand.
If you really don’t want to work 4-ply socks, we can rework the pattern for 8-ply using a bit of maths.
One 2.25mm or 2.5mm set of circular needles, 80-100cm length (NOTE: this method of working socks two at a time cannot be done on DPNs and it’s more difficult on shorter circulars).
Pen, notepad or digital device to make notes or video.
Darning needle.
Craft scissors.
Fine stitch markers, at least 4.
*Yarn called ‘sock yarn’ has a small percentage of nylon in it for durability. Alternatively, you can use a plastic free yarn, but bear in mind that it will need to be a strong yarn, with a high twist, otherwise your socks will wear thin and develop holes pretty quickly.
October
Weaving
Class full
Weaving a Scarf on the Rigid Heddle Loom with Anne (weekend)
An introduction to weaving on the rigid heddle loom. This class will run over two days and is suitable for beginners.
Maximum 4 participants
Tutor: Anne Stubbings
Anne is passionate about crafting; she is a keen weaver, spinner, dyer and knitter. She is an experienced teacher, and loves introducing people to the exciting world of weaving.
Dates: Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 October
Time: 9am-1pm
Cost: $250 for non-Guild members or $210 for Guild members
Venue: Guild rooms, Nicholson Park, Mt Eden (behind Nicholson Park tennis courts).
In the class:
Anne will help you to set up a rigid heddle loom and take you through the steps involved in weaving a two-coloured scarf. You will also learn finishing techniques to enhance your fabric and create a scarf that is unique to you.
Equipment / materials included in your course fee:
A kit will be supplied with pure New Zealand wool yarn for your warp and your weft. Before the class, Anne will contact you to ask about your colour preferences.
A loom and weaving accessories will be provided for each participant.
What you need to bring:
Pen, notepad or digital device to make notes or video.
Snacks / lunch. Tea and coffee will be provided.
Scarf by Richard Naylor
Equipment
We have some equipment you are welcome to use for classes, if you don’t have your own. For spinning and four-shaft weaving classes, please let us know if you need to borrow a wheel or loom.
If you are bringing your own equipment, please make sure it is in good working order.
Cancellation
If a class is cancelled, your fee will be refunded in full.
If you cancel within 14 days of the course start date, your fee will be refunded in full.
If you cancel within 7 days of the course start date, 50% of your course fee will be refunded.
Venue and parking
All classes are held at the Guild rooms in the Textile Arts Centre, Nicholson Park, Mt Eden. The rooms are located behind the Nicholson Park tennis courts and can be accessed via 25 Poronui St or the Disraeli St entrance to Auckland Normal Intermediate School (Gate 2). Parking is only available during weekends and evenings in the Auckland Normal Intermediate School carpark off Disraeli St or on the street during school hours. Parking is also available in Poronui St., but time limits apply.
Health and Safety
We encourage people attending events at the Guild rooms to take responsibility for the safety of themselves and others while at the Guild rooms and to stay home if you feel unwell.
How to register for our classes
Please use the online enrolment form below to register.
If you need to borrow equipment for the class, please let us know.
Payment will secure your place in the class, so please pay online as soon as possible.
How to pay
Please pay by direct debit to the Handweavers & Spinners Guild
Account number: 12-3011-0808690-000
Quote your surname and course title in the reference fields.
We collect your personal information to organise our classes. This data is stored securely and we never share it.
