Fiberside Chats: Kate Oates June 1st, 2025

You need not be an experienced knitter or even a knitter with experience in stranded colorwork to learn Mosaic Knitting. This technique is quite different! Mosaic Colorwork is a method of creating striking, two-color patterns by working with only one color per row and using slipped stitches to form the design. This makes it an accessible and rewarding technique for knitters of all levels. Kate will cover how to choose suitable yarns and fibers, how to read Mosaic charts, how to manage floats, and how to slip stitches without twisting them. We’ll also explore how to select effective color combinations that enhance contrast and stitch definition. She will demonstrate each technique on the needles, and you’ll have the opportunity to knit-along through swatching. Kate will provide a handout for you to use to continue practicing beyond the Chat to gain confidence in your skills.  Next thing you know, you’ll be ready to begin a full project—such as Kate’s upcoming design, Versa (pictured), which features Mosaic Colorwork.

To knit-along with Kate's demonstration have on-hand two contrasting colors of scrap worsted or DK weight yarn (you'll just be using them for practice so don't worry if they aren't ideal) and a 16"(40 mm) circular needles appropriate for yarn choice. 

Bio:
Kate Oates is a knitting pattern designer, instructor & author. In the past 15+ years as a full-time fiber artist, Kate has published well over 300 original patterns and authored several books: Grown, Knits for Boys and Knitting Clothes Kids Love. Under her own name, she creates modern, wearable and stylish knits for adults. Kate's patterns are known for her attention to detail & fit, extensive size ranges, providing a multitude of option-sets along with thorough technical instructions that often link to video tutorials. Her other line, Tot Toppers, features whimsically wearable garments and accessories for babies and children. As an instructor, Kate is passionate and organized, especially when it comes to enabling knitters to create garments that fit and flatter. With over 20 years of teaching experience, her classes are well known for their high quality, original content, thorough materials & detailed workbooks that allow knitters to soak in their class experience without scrambling to take notes. Kate is a neurodivergent & under-abled chronic pain warrior who advocates for others while fighting her own personal battles and choosing JOY. She has endured through more than a dozen surgeries, primarily due to spinal fusions resulting from a childhood injury. You can find Kate's patterns at your local yarn store or online through a variety of platforms. She also does freelance work for a variety of publications and yarn companies and loves to collaborate with independent brands. Prior to her transition to knitwear design, Kate earned her B.S. at Clemson University, then her M.A & Ph.D from the University of Florida with concentrations in political science & methodology (aka= math!). She's always been driven, self-motivated and committed to performing at the highest level despite her limitations. She lives with her family in South Carolina, which includes her husband and 4 incredible sons, sweet doggies Hazel & Oscar. 

This is a live Zoom Event on Sunday, June 1st at 1:00pm EDT, 12:00pm CDT, 11:00am MDT, 10:00am PDT

This Fiberside Chat will be recorded - a link to the recording will be available for one week and shared with registered attendees only. 

Registration will close 1.5 hours before beginning of event.