Description

Thursday May 21st to Monday May 25th 2026

Treat yourself to a long weekend of relaxing knitting and inspiring classes in the midst of the stunning Yorkshire Dales, England! We are going to learn all about the Yorkshire Dales glove knitting tradition, with knitting tuition and presentations from the foremost expert on Yorkshire’s knitting traditions; Ann Kingstone.

You will love our home for the weekend, which is a beautiful Elizabethan manor in Wharfedale, a picturesque Dales valley.

Parcevall Hall

SCHEDULE

Thursday May 21st:

A Yorkshire Welcome!

We will welcome you to Parcevall Hall between 4 and 5pm. (We can assist guests travelling by public transport with booking of taxis from Skipton railway station)

Evening

Following introductions and supper (aka dinner) we will have our first class:

Dales Cast-on – We will learn the Dales two-colour cast-on method. Then we will learn some useful techniques for working Dales style two-colour rib. Using these techniques you will commence knitting a Yorkshire Dales style glove. 

The rest of the evening is free to spend as you wish. There are very comfortable sitting areas in the Hall that ooze Elizabethan charm and are ideal for social knitting. Alternatively you may prefer to enjoy a walk around the Hall’s extensive manor grounds, with beautiful terraced gardens and woodland. Then enjoy a bedtime story in the ‘Solar’ (Elizabethan sitting parlour). The story is an amusing Yorkshire folk tale about spinning and knitting, read aloud by Ann in a strong Yorkshire accent.

The Solar

Friday May 22nd:

Morning

Alphabet Primer – A presentation and workshop about the use of knitted lettering in Yorkshire, featuring personalised pincushions, gloves and stockings. You will chart a personalised nameband for your glove using traditional Yorkshire knitted letterforms. We will also learn how to trap floats (a necessary skill to knit the nameband), and the Dales method for working increases in stranded colourwork (so that you can work the thumb gusset on your glove).

Afternoon

Strikin’ t’Loop –   A presentation about Yorkshire knitting methods and knitting sheaths . Antique Yorkshire knitting sheaths from a private collection will be available for you to handle and try out.

Evening

The Terrible Knitters Of Dent – A virtual tour of Dent, the remote little Yorkshire Dales town where hand-knitting was the main income-generating occupation of the townsfolk during a period spanning several hundred years. Followed by a bedtime tale, the true story of two little girls who ran away from a knitting school in Dent in the middle of the eighteenth century.

Wensleydale Knitters from George Walker’s Costume Of Yorkshire, 1814

Saturday May 23rd:

Morning

Bridging The Gap – We will learn the methods Dales knitters used for bridging the gaps from the palm to the back of the hand above the thumb and between the fingers.

Afternoon

Playtime – The afternoon is free for you to use as you wish. Parcevall Hall’s beautiful gardens are a perfect environment for some restful knitting, or for exploring with a camera. For keen walkers a booklet is available with suggested routes for countryside walks starting from Parcevall Hall, including a ramble along “Troller’s Gill”, or an intrepid ascent to “Simon’s Seat” (peak of the neighbouring fell). Within a few minutes drive is the picturesque market town of Grassington, used as the set for Darrowby in the new series of All Creatures Great And Small. Also within reasonable driving distance (35 minutes) is Fountains Abbey, a UNESCO world heritage site. Or cosy up in one of Parcevall’s lovely indoor sitting areas with your knitting and a good book.

Evening

Glove Story – A presentation about the Yorkshire Dales knitted glove tradition. Learn about the findings of extensive recent research about the Georgian and Victorian makers and owners of Dales handknit gloves.

A Grassington shopfront during filming for “All Creatures Great And Small”

Sunday May 24th:

Morning

One Finger, One Thumb, Keep Moving – We will consider the factors that must be taken into account when working out where to begin each finger in your glove.

Afternoon

Illustrious Industrious – A presentation about Yorkshire’s bygone knitting authors and yarn manufacturers. Extremely rare antique knitting books from a private collection will be available for you to view.

Evening

Gannin’ A Sittin’ – We will revive the Yorkshire Dales social knitting tradition, enjoying some Yorkshire folk songs.

Gloves knitted in the Yorkshire Dales style

Monday May 25th:

Morning

Endings – We will learn how to secure and hide the ends on your glove using duplicate stitch.

Afternoon

A Yorkshire Farewell – We will have a “show and tell” session, admiring everyone’s work and discussing what we have learned. Then, following a group photocall, we will say our farewells. 

Accommodation and Prices

The full price of this event varies according to your accommodation requirements as follows. Please note that due to the historic character of the building, including spiral stairs, raised thresholds and uneven floors, the upper floor at Parcevall Hall is not suitable for guests with mobility difficulties. There is no lift/elevator. There is however a ground floor room suitable for a wheelchair user.

Many of the Hall’s bedrooms have two beds, and therefore some of the ‘single’ rooms are for guests wanting sole occupancy. If booking a twin room please give the name of the second person in the notes area of your booking.

• • A twin room with a washbasin and shared bath/shower/toilet facilities = £840 per person.
  • A single room with a washbasin and shared bath/shower/toilet facilities = £990 per person.
  • A twin room with en suite bath or shower (not both) & toilet = £1140 per person.
  • A single room with en suite bathroom = £1290 per person.
  • A wheelchair-accessible single room with a washbasin and shared shower/toilet facilities (level access) = £990 per person.

Included in the price are:

• • Four nights full board accommodation.
  • All tuition.
  • Yarn and needles for the workshop sessions.
  • A goody bag, including some special Yorkshire knitting treats.

Our terms and conditions give details of our cancellation and refund policies, and of general requirements for the weekend.

We are so excited as we look forward to welcoming you to the beautiful Yorkshire Dales and sharing with you our specialist knowledge and skills.

Find A Flight

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