Knitting the Garden

Leaves and Vines
Amy Wentley, ChaiKnuckles Knitting

• Friday, January 16, 2026 – 1:00 pm–4:00 pm

Bring your garden into your knitting world!

Join Amy Wentley, a knitting instructor and garden lover, as she shows you how to create 3-D knitted versions of leaves and vines. The technique is simple, using common knitting stitches with increases and decreases. You can use a variety of yarns of different sizes and colors to create pieces that are either realistic or fanciful.

As a bonus, you'll learn how to plan your own designs. Use the pieces you make to create seasonal garlands, embellishments for your knitwear, or stand-alone works. Take home easy-to-use patterns (written and charted), so you can scatter natural beauty in your knitting world.

If you'd like, you can donate pieces to be added to a special display to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the JC Raulston Arboretum this year.

Skills Required: Participants should know how to knit and purl. Knowledge of how to increase (kfb) and decrease (ssk) is helpful, but not required.

Materials to bring:

• Any scrap yarn (learning is usually easier on worsted-weight yarn)
• Needles of a size that will work with your yarn (check the yarn label)
• Double-pointed needles or circular needles (recommended because these work best for these projects)
• Stitch markers
• Darning needle

About Amy Wentley

Amy has been knitting most of her life and explored many other crafts including crocheting, quilting, bead making, embroidery,weaving and spinning. About fifteen years ago, she embraced knitting and began teaching on the advice of her son who said, "Mom, you should knit more. Knitting makes you happy!" Since then, Amy has been teaching knitting in person, on Zoom and at schools, retreats and events. She loves to teach beginners and to lead her students to grow and embrace challenges. She draws on her previous career as a technical writer to translate complicated patterns for intermediate and advanced knitters and turn that information into engaging classes that help her students achieve impressive results.

Amy has written a number of patterns including the award-winning pattern "Baby Turtle Frenzy Blanket," available on Ravelry. She offers over 100 videos on her YouTube Channel providing instruction on techniques supporting the many classes she taught. Follow Amy on her Chai Knuckles Knitting YouTube channel.

Cost

$40.00 per participant

Registration

Advance registration is required. Register through our online registration store.

Registration is considered complete when payment is received. You will receive a confirmation receipt from notify@cashnet.com when registered.

Cancellation

Program cancellations can be made up to two weeks before the program's start date. No refunds will be made after this time. A 15% cancellation fee applies.

To request a cancellation, send an email to the JCRA Education Team at jcraprograms@ncsu.edu with the participant name and program information.

Location

Ruby McSwain Education Center, JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University, 4415 Beryl Road, Raleigh, NC 27606.

Directions

Need directions? Click here.

Parking

Free parking is available at the JC Raulston Arboretum and along Beryl Road.

Questions

Contact the JCRA Education Team at jcraprograms@ncsu.edu for more information about this program.