2023 Classes
Darning & Knit Repair
for Beginners
Sliding Loop Entrelac Cowl
Stranding Room Only
Buttonbands, Buttonholes
& No-Sew Zippers
Continental Knitting
Renaissance Gloves
Color Theory &
Log Cabin Knitting
Fun with I-cord Edgings
How to Avoid Frogging
Saturday Morning
Saturday Afternoon
Sunday Morning
Sunday Afternoon
Braid-o-Rama
Finish It!
Intro to Portuguese Knitting
Saturday Morning Class Descriptions
Braid-o-Rama – Ann Weaver
In this workshop, participants will learn how to work Latvian braids and multiple variations using the technique: braids with long floats, clumps of braids, multiple-color braids, dense layers of braids, and a twisted two-color cast-on. Students will leave the workshop with a host of techniques and inspiration for braiding!
Skill Level: Intermediate
Required Skills: Knitting, purling, knitting in the round on a circular needle, basic stranded knitting (knitting with two colors per round)
Materials Fee: None
Homework: Purchase the Braid-o-Rama pattern, available for $5 on Ravelry: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/braid-o-rama
Cast on for your cowl! Begin under the INSTRUCTIONS heading, and work to the Braid Section 1 heading. Here's a tutorial for the cast on:
Supplies to Bring: US Size 6 24-inch circular needle. One stitch marker. Worsted-weight yarn in five colors, approximately 100 yards of each. You can mix and match different worsted-weight yarns if you like! A copy of the pattern Braid-o-Rama
Finish It – Jennifer Raymond
Finishing is one of the greatest hurdles for knitters. A well finished garment is the difference between a garment that is homemade and one that is handmade. Master different versions of the mattress stitch, keys to “easing” a sleeve into place, when & how to block, the best ways to weave in ends, and much more.
Skill Level: Advanced Beginner
Required Skills: Must know how to work basic stitches (knit and purl OR single crochet, chain and double crochet), increase and decrease, and read your work
Materials Fee: None
Homework: 4 swatches at least 4” wide, blocked. 2 should be done in one yarn in stockinette, 2 done in another yarn and worked in garter. Yarn should be smooth and light colored, please refrain from yarn that is fuzzy or single-ply. This is not the time to use splitty or dark colored yarn!
Supplies to Bring:
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Pen or pencil. Extra yarn to use for practicing seaming. Blunt-tip needle. Sharp needle (that yarn can fit through). Corresponding needles to yarn. Locking stitch markers or safety pins
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Students have the option of bringing projects to the class that they would like advice on. The last 15-20 minutes will be spent brainstorming solutions to different pieces.
Introduction to Portuguese Knitting – Mimi Kezer
Learn this easy, ergonomic knitting style which has applications for both English and Continental knitters. A great tool for achieving flawless tension, the class will cover both the knit and purl stitches, as well as tensioning styles and simple shaping.
Skill Level: Beginner
Required Skills: None
Materials Fee: None
Homework: None
Supplies to Bring: Worsted weight yarn; US 7/4.5mm needle.
Saturday Afternoon Class Descriptions
Buttonbands, Buttonholes & No-Sew Zippers – Ann Weaver
In this workshop, you’ll learn everything you need to know to install zippers into sweaters by installing a 6-inch zipper to join two swatches—with NO SEWING! We’ll use a Knit Picker tool to pick up stitches along our zippers and join these zippers to our knitting.
We'll also cover rates for picking up stitches for a buttonband, placement of buttonholes, and how to work a one-row buttonhole. At the end of this workshop, you'll be confident in all your sweater-closing endeavors!
Skill Level: Intermediate Required Skills: Picking up stitches
Homework: Knit a Stockinette stitch swatch, approximately 6 inches by 6 inches, in worsted weight yarn. I recommend using a light color. Wet block it, pinning the edges flat to prevent rolling.
Materials Fee: $5 for knit picker tool and zipper
Supplies to Bring: Fingering weight yarn in any color for picking up stitches along the zipper. I recommend a strong, plied, wool sock yarn in a light color. Worsted weight yarn (the yarn used for the swatch or another color). Ruler at least 6 inches long. Fine-point gel pen or marker
Continental Knitting – Amy Wentley
Learn the delights and advantages of Continental Knitting! If you already knit using the English (throwing) or another method, this class is for you! Continental knitting is a style of knitting where you hold the yarn in your left hand and "pick" the yarn with your right needle. For some, this is a faster way of knitting, and it also helps with avoiding hand, shoulder or wrist pain. Also, some say that it makes stranded knitting, complicated stitch patterns, lace and brioche knitting a little easier to perform. We'll learn how to continental knit and purl, how to work ribbing and seed stitch, and how to work yarnovers, increases and decreases. We will begin knitting a washcloth (https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/checker-board-washcloth) to practice knitting and purling using the Continental method.
Skill Level: All Materials Fee: None Homework: None Required Skills: Knit and Purl comfortably
Supplies to Bring: Light-colored, worsted-weight or aran-weight yarn and appropriately-sized needles (US6-8 for worsted-weight, US9-10 for aran-weight). Some knitters find it easier to learn new techniques using a heavier yarn and larger needles.
Renaissance Fingerless Gloves – Mimi Kezer
Learn a lovely smocking technique to craft these beautiful fingerless gloves. Mimi's Renaissance glove pattern includes smocking, Lateral braid, lifted increases as well as the Chinese Waitress Bind-Off and Cast-On. While we won't complete a glove in class, all the techniques will be covered.
Skill Level: Intermediate
Required Skills: Knowing the Magic Loop technique
Materials Fee: None
Homework: Cast on 48 stitches using the Chinese Waitress Cast-On Place stitch marker and join in round, being careful not to twist stitches. Rounds 1 - 3: *k2, p2* to end of round.
Supplies to Bring: One skein Malabrigo Rios; US 5 circular needle with 32" cable; stitch marker; waste yarn; tapestry needle; scissors
Sunday Morning Class Descriptions
Darning & Knit Repair for Beginners
– Jennifer Raymond
When you love on your knits like stitchers do, there’s bound to be times when your knitting just wears out. In this workshop, students are asked to bring in hand knits that have worn out, along with a few swatches. We’ll learn different ways of darning, how to use a darning egg, and how to catch the problems before they happen. Then, we’ll ramp things up, learning how to knit patches and reweave larger portions of your knitting. The last part of the class students will brainstorm different ways to repair their own pieces.
Skill Level: Intermediate Materials Fee: None
Required Skills: Must know how to knit and purl, increase, decrease and read knitting or see mistakes. Familiarity with duplicate stitch or kitchener stitch. Ability to look at work and see mistakes or changes in the pattern.
Homework: Take a bit of time to review the duplicate stitch and/or the kitchener stitch to have them fresh in your head. (You don’t have to have them memorized or mastered, but it’s good to remind yourself how they work. 2-3 generous swatches that have been wet-blocked in DK or Worsted weight yarn. At least one should be in a pattern. Make sure yarn is light colored and not fuzzy so you can see your work (this is not the time to be working with dark and splitty yarn). Swatches should be 5x5” or wider: the larger the swatch the easier it is to work with.
Supplies to Bring: Worsted weight yarn in a light color. Corresponding knitting needles to get recommended yarn gauge. Crochet hooks or fixit tools. Locking stitch markers or safety pins. Waste yarn in contrasting colors. Blunt tip needle. Pen or pencil and paper to write on. Any objects students may have in need of repair. The last part of class will be spent work-shopping and brainstorming how to repair them.
Sliding Loop Entrelac Cowl – Mimi Kezer
Create beautiful, flawless basketweave knitted fabric using the fascinating “sliding loop” technique introduced by Rick Mondragon. We will cover the best method for picking up stitches and joining blocks as well as knitting backwards. The cowl will cover all aspects of entrelac from beginning to end. Cowl pattern, plus a complimentary pattern of Mimi’s Boho Bag, will be included in the class.
Skill Level: Intermediate
Required Skills: knitting, purling, decreasing, picking up stitches
Materials Fee: None
Homework: None
Supplies to Bring: 3 skeins complimentary colors of Malabrigo Rios or 4 skeins Noro Silk Garden; US 9 circular needle with 32” cable.
Stranding Room Only (2-color stranded work)
– Amy Wentley
Enjoy the challenge, colors and patterns working with two colors at a time to achieve stunning knit garments and accessories. This class will teach about different colorwork traditions, such as Fair Isle, Norwegian and Icelandic. I’ll demonstrate different methods of knitting with two colors at once. You'll learn hints and tips for capturing floats, and how to manage your yarn and color dominance. We'll continue working on the hat you started as homework to get you well on your way to completing the project.
Skill Level: All
Required Skills: Should be able to knit and purl comfortably in the round
Materials Fee: None
Homework: Using your project yarn and US8 (5.0mm) needle work a gauge swatch:Cast on 25 stitches. Working flat, work 30 rows of stockinette stitch (k one row, purl one row). Bind off. Block your swatch and measure your gauge. Try to get as close to 18sts/4in (4.5sts/in) as possible. If you don’t match stitch gauge on your first try, go up or down a needle size as appropriate, and try again.
Following the “Stranding Room Only” pattern (available on Ravelry at https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/stranding-room-only ) work ribbing, increase round and solid MC rounds, stopping before “Standing Sheep Chart.”
Supplies to Bring: The “Stranding Room Only” pattern (available on Ravelry at https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/stranding-room-only) and your hat that you started for homework.
Pattern calls for: One skein each of two contrasting colors of worsted weight yarn. You’ll be safe buying approximately 100 grams (~200 yds) for main color and 50 grams (~100 yards) for contrasting color.
Needles: For sizes Baby and Child: Either double-pointed needles OR 40” circular needles (for magic loop) in US7 (4.5mm) and US8 (5.0mm). For sizes AS and AL: Either 40” circular needles (for magic loop) in US7 (4.5mm) and US8 (5.0mm) OR 16” circular needles in US7 (4.5mm) and 16” circular needle and double-pointed needles in US8 (5.0mm)
Stitch markers (at least 10) and Tapestry needle
Sunday Afternoon Class Descriptions
Color Theory & Log Cabin Knitting – Ann Weaver
This workshop will present the basics of color theory—including lightness, hue, and complimentary colors—from a fine art perspective. The interactions of color will be explored through both a presentation of examples in fine art, popular culture, and graphic design and a show of many projects that use and demonstrate principles of color theory. After a discussion of color theory, the workshop will focus on the Albers Cowl. Knitters will learn how to measure gauge in garter stitch, neatly pick up stitches from both horizontal and vertical edges, and keep it all really square. If time allows, the workshop will also cover mattress stitch.
Skill Level: All
Materials Fee: $5 for color wheel
Required Skills: Casting on and knitting garter stitch. Comfort knitting with fine yarn on small needles
Homework: Purchase the Albers Cowl pattern, available on Ravelry for $5. Knit the center square of one of the blocks (cast on 30 sts and knit 59 rows, then bind off).
Supplies to Bring: Albers Cowl pattern. US Size 2 straight or circular needles (any length) Fingering weight yarn for the first square (at least two colors) markers
Fun with I-cord Edgings – Jennifer Raymond
Knitting I-cord can be a bit of a chore, no matter if you are using double pointed needles, a knitting doll or a knitting spool. Speed up the process using a knitting mill: the smallest knitting machine you’ll have ever seen! Try out a variety of different hand-crank knitting mills, and then practice different techniques to use I-cord in your knitting. We’ll talk about and then practice using i-cords in edgings, seaming them together to make placemats and coasters, and discuss several easy ways to make it into lovely decorative finishes. Get your sense of play on as you revisit this childhood knitting staple.
Skill Level: Advanced Beginner
Required Skills: knit and purl, increase and decrease, ability to read a pattern
Materials Fee: None
Homework: 3 swatches in your yarns to practice on. Swatches should be at least 30 sts wide and have about 30 rows. Knit at yarn’s suggested gauge
Supplies to Bring: DK or light worsted yarn that is smooth and easy to use. This is not the time for splitty or fragile yarn! Try to choose colors that aren’t too dark. Range of knitting needles from sizes 5 - 8. Double pointed needles 1 pair in size 6 or 7. Crochet hooks or fixit tools (optional). Waste yarn in contrasting colors (optional but helpful). Locking stitch markers or safety pins. Blunt tip needle. Pen or pencil and paper to take notes.
How to Avoid Frogging – Amy Wentley
There are so many ways to avoid having to rip out rows and rows of knitting to correct a mistake!
This class will start you out with simple fixes like correcting a stitch in-line or tinking back and then progress to rebuilding one or multiple stitches from rows back. We'll talk about life lines and how to insert them before proceeding or afterwards. The class will wrap up with demos showing how to rebuild lace and cables. There will be great hints and tips for beginners as well as for seasoned knitters.
Skill Level: All Materials Fee: None Required Skills: Knit & purl comfortably
Homework: Using worsted-weight yarn (in a light color) cast on 20 stitches to either a circular needle or a double-pointed-needle and work 21 rows in stockinette. End having worked a knit row. DO NOT BIND OFF. Some folks find it easier to learn new techniques using Aran or Bulky yarn, so if you'd like, you could work your swatch in that instead in a light color. You'll probably need a size US 9 needle and DPNs and a J crochet hook. I have extra crochet hooks, so don't buy one if you don't have one.
Supplies to Bring: Your swatch on your needles, a crochet hook (size E, F or G), locking stitch markers, two DPNs matching your swatch needle size or one size smaller (if you have your swatch on DPNs, you can just use the remaining needles in the set), waste fingering-weight yarn, darning needle